image :: Out Chorus, Romare Bearden (1980, American)
Preparation for Worship on October 15 2017 :: Blessing
“At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they still do today.” (Deuteronomy 10:8)
“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (II Corinthians 13:14)
“I feel that in pronouncing [the benediction blessings at the close of worship] I do not do it as a mere finale, but that I am actually dispensing peace from God and at God’s command. I know not the individuals to whom my benediction is a blessing; but I know that I am the appointed instrument by whom God is conveying the blessing to those who are able to receive it.” (Charles Simeon)
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for October 15 include ::
:: Come, Ye Sinners (Joseph Hart, 1759) [bandcamp track=1143385813 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Trisagion (5th century Greek Hymn)[bandcamp track=727383532 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: How Long, O Lord / Psalm 13(Isaac Watts, 1719) [bandcamp track=231763990 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Draw My Soul To Thee(J. Adams, 1838) [bandcamp track=1601547953 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: May the Mind of Christ My Savior (Kate B. Wilkinson, 1925)[bandcamp track=383595627 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: On Jordan’s Stormy Banks(Samuel Stennett, 1787) [bandcamp track=1174694383 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Doxology(Thomas Ken, 1709) [bandcamp track=2257784892 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]
Call to Worship :: Psalm 18:1-3
I love You, O Lord, my Strength. The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress and my Deliverer, my God, my Rock, in whom I take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my Stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
Confession of Sin :: Jeremiah 2:11-13 & Psalm 79:5,8-9
Has a nation changed its gods,
even though they are no gods?
But My people have changed their glory
for that which does not profit.
Be appalled, O heavens, at this;
be shocked, be utterly desolate,
declares the Lord,
for My people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken Me,
the Fountain of Living Waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
broken cisterns that can hold no water.
How long, O Lord? Will You be angry forever?
Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
Do not remember against us our former iniquities;
let Your compassion come speedily to meet us,
for we are brought very low.
Help us, O God of our salvation,
for the glory of Your name;
deliver us, and atone for our sins,
for Your name’s sake!
Words of Encouragement :: Psalm 32:1, 5
Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”—and You forgave the guilt of my sin.
Gospel Reading :: Mark 10:13-16
And they were bringing children to Him that He might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And He took them in His arms and blessed them, laying His hands on them.
Sermon :: Numbers 6:22-27
22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
24 “‘“The Lord bless you
and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”’
27 “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
WEPC will begin to serve the Lord’s Supper as a part of every worship service beginning December 3, 2017, the first Sunday in Advent. This is a change from the practice of celebrating communion only on the first Sunday of each month.
To learn more, read “Why Should We Administer the Lord’s Supper Every Week?” Our hope in that this document will be a help to answer your questions and give you resources for study and reflection as we prepare for this change in our weekly church liturgy.
Still have questions? Join Pastor Kevin Greene for a brown bag lunch Q&A on Sunday, November 5 at noon in room 160.
Want to serve on the Communion Prep Team? We’d love for you to join us! Contact Karen Howe, karen@wepc.org
image :: The Letter, William McGregor Paxton (1901, American)
Preparation for Worship on October 8 2017 :: Vow
“A lawful oath is a part of religious worship… Whoever takes and oath ought to consider seriously the great importance of such a solemn act, and in doing so should affirm nothing but what he himself is fully convinced in the truth. A person may bind himself by oath only to what is good and just, what he believes to be such, and what he is able to perform.” (Westminster Confession of Faith, 22)
“Whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.” (Matthew 23:22)
“Thy promise is my only plea; With this, I venture nigh. Thou callest burdened souls to Thee; And such, O Lord, am I.” (John Newton)
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for October 8 include ::
:: Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing (Robert Robinson, 1758) [bandcamp track=4140303885 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Lord, Sanctify Your Church (Prayer of Augustine, 5th cent.) [bandcamp track=3746273461 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]::God, Be Merciful to Me (Psalm 51; 1912 Scottish Psalter) [bandcamp track=4073696194 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken (Henry Lyte, 1825)[bandcamp track=1380076138 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Father Long Before Creation (Chinese Hymn, c.1951)[bandcamp track=165182312 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Doxology (Thomas Ken, 1709) [bandcamp track=2257784892 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]
Call to Worship :: Psalm 105:1-2, 7-8
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name;
make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
tell of all His wondrous works!
He is the Lord our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.
He remembers His covenant forever,
the word that He commanded, for a thousand generations.
Confession of Sin
O Lord, we have not longed for Your coming nor for Your Kingdom as we ought. We have not denied ourselves, taking up Your cross, following You. Instead, clinging to the things of this world and counting them dear, we have grown callous to our neighbor. We have not cried out for justice nor cared about those who are without Christ and without hope in this world. Lord, forgive us for our offenses and grant that by the power of Your Spirit, we might live in light of Your coming again.
Words of Encouragement :: I Timothy 1:15
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Gospel Reading :: Luke 9:20-25
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”
Sermon :: Numbers 6:1-21
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord, 3 he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried. 4 All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins.
5 “All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the Lord, he shall be holy. He shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long.
6 “All the days that he separates himself to the Lord he shall not go near a dead body. 7 Not even for his father or for his mother, for brother or sister, if they die, shall he make himself unclean, because his separation to God is on his head. 8 All the days of his separation he is holy to the Lord.
9 “And if any man dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it. 10 On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two pigeons to the priest to the entrance of the tent of meeting, 11 and the priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead body. And he shall consecrate his head that same day 12 and separate himself to the Lord for the days of his separation and bring a male lamb a year old for a guilt offering. But the previous period shall be void, because his separation was defiled.
13 “And this is the law for the Nazirite, when the time of his separation has been completed: he shall be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting, 14 and he shall bring his gift to the Lord, one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish as a sin offering, and one ram without blemish as a peace offering, 15 and a basket of unleavened bread, loaves of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and their grain offering and their drink offerings. 16 And the priest shall bring them before the Lord and offer his sin offering and his burnt offering, 17 and he shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of peace offering to the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest shall offer also its grain offering and its drink offering. 18 And the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head at the entrance of the tent of meeting and shall take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire that is under the sacrifice of the peace offering. 19 And the priest shall take the shoulder of the ram, when it is boiled, and one unleavened loaf out of the basket and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite, after he has shaved the hair of his consecration, 20 and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. They are a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is contributed. And after that the Nazirite may drink wine.
21 “This is the law of the Nazirite. But if he vows an offering to the Lord above his Nazirite vow, as he can afford, in exact accordance with the vow that he takes, then he shall do in addition to the law of the Nazirite.”
image :: Figures by a Window, Vilhelm Hammershøi (b.1864, Danish)
Preparation for Worship on October 1 2017 :: Confession & Restitution
“When our unrighteousness was fulfilled, and it had been made perfectly clear that its wages—punishment and death—were to be expected, then the season arrived during which God had decided to reveal at last His goodness and power.
O, the surpassing kindness and love of God! He did not hate us, or reject us, or bear a grudge against us; instead He was patient and forbearing. In His mercy He took upon Himself our sins. He Himself gave up His own Son as a ransom for us, the holy one for the lawless, the guiltless for the guilty, the just for the unjust, the incorruptible for the corruptible, the immortal for the mortal.
For what else but His righteousness could have covered our sins? In whom was it possible for us, the lawless and ungodly, to be justified, except in the Son of God alone?
O the sweet exchange, O the incomprehensible work of God, O the unexpected blessings, that the sinfulness of many should be hidden in one righteous person, while the righteousness of One should justify many sinners!”
The Epistle to Diognetus, 2nd cent. AD
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for October 1 include ::
:: In Tenderness (W. Spencer Walton, 1894) [bandcamp track=2677147876 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: In the Name of God the Father (Henry Allon, c.1850) [bandcamp track=1335283037 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: We Will Feast In the House of Zion (Sandra McCracken, 2015) [bandcamp track=3987551429 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Jesus Paid It All(Elvina M.Hall, 1865) [bandcamp track=3006749555 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Doxology(Thomas Ken, 1709) [bandcamp track=2257784892 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Sovereign Grace O’er Sin Abounding(John Kent, 1871)
Call to Worship :: Romans 5:1-2
Since we have been justified by faith: We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Confession of Sin
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
We come before You, in need of Your grace.
We have sinned against You and our neighbor.
Have mercy on us, O Lord.
Too often have we chosen the fruit over the garden.
Too often have we bowed down to the golden calf.
Too often have we begged for a sign.
Too often have we declared Caesar to be Lord.
Too often have we demanded to see the wounds in Your hands.
Too often have we substituted our image of you, for You.
Too often have we neglected Your call to be salt and light.
Too often have we reduced following Christ to self-righteousness.
Too often have we forgotten Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
Too often have we acted on sight and not on faith.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Words of Encouragement :: II Corinthians 5:21
God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
New Testament Reading :: Luke 19:1-10
He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Sermon :: Numbers 5:1-31
1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous or has a discharge and everyone who is unclean through contact with the dead.3 You shall put out both male and female, putting them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.” 4 And the people of Israel did so, and put them outside the camp; as the Lord said to Moses, so the people of Israel did.
5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Speak to the people of Israel, When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit by breaking faith with the Lord, and that person realizes his guilt, 7 he shall confess his sin that he has committed. And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong. 8 But if the man has no next of kin to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for wrong shall go to the Lord for the priest, in addition to the ram of atonement with which atonement is made for him. 9 And every contribution, all the holy donations of the people of Israel, which they bring to the priest, shall be his. 10 Each one shall keep his holy donations: whatever anyone gives to the priest shall be his.”
11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Speak to the people of Israel, If any man’s wife goes astray and breaks faith with him, 13 if a man lies with her sexually, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and she is undetected though she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her, since she was not taken in the act, 14 and if the spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself, or if the spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife, though she has not defiled herself, 15 then the man shall bring his wife to the priest and bring the offering required of her, a tenth of an ephah of barley flour. He shall pour no oil on it and put no frankincense on it, for it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of remembrance, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
16 “And the priest shall bring her near and set her before the Lord. 17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthenware vessel and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.18 And the priest shall set the woman before the Lord and unbind the hair of the woman’s head and place in her hands the grain offering of remembrance, which is the grain offering of jealousy. And in his hand the priest shall have the water of bitterness that brings the curse.19 Then the priest shall make her take an oath, saying, ‘If no man has lain with you, and if you have not turned aside to uncleanness while you were under your husband’s authority, be free from this water of bitterness that brings the curse. 20 But if you have gone astray, though you are under your husband’s authority, and if you have defiled yourself, and some man other than your husband has lain with you, 21 then’ (let the priest make the woman take the oath of the curse, and say to the woman) ‘the Lord make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the Lord makes your thigh fall away and your body swell. 22 May this water that brings the curse pass into your bowels and make your womb swell and your thigh fall away.’ And the woman shall say, ‘Amen, Amen.’
23 “Then the priest shall write these curses in a book and wash them off into the water of bitterness. 24 And he shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that brings the curse, and the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain. 25 And the priest shall take the grain offering of jealousy out of the woman’s hand and shall wave the grain offering before the Lord and bring it to the altar. 26 And the priest shall take a handful of the grain offering, as its memorial portion, and burn it on the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water. 27 And when he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has broken faith with her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain, and her womb shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away, and the woman shall become a curse among her people. 28 But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, then she shall be free and shall conceive children.
29 “This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, though under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself, 30 or when the spirit of jealousy comes over a man and he is jealous of his wife. Then he shall set the woman before the Lord, and the priest shall carry out for her all this law. 31 The man shall be free from iniquity, but the woman shall bear her iniquity.”
image :: Munich-Schwabing with the Church of St. Ursula, Wassily Kandinsky (1908)
Preparation for Worship on September 24 2017 :: Tabernacle
“The way into the holiest was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was standing. Though they had communion with God, yet they had not a boldness and confidence in that communion… they had not freedom and liberty in their access to God. But now in Christ we have boldness and access with confidence to God. This boldness and access with confidence the saints of old were not acquainted with. By Jesus Christ alone, then, on all considerations as to being and full manifestation, is this distance taken away. “ (John Owen)
“Hosting the Holy One is no small, trivial, or casual undertaking. And therefore the practice of symmetry, order, discipline, and beauty is essential to the reality of God’s presence in Israel.” (WalterBrueggemann)
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for September 24 include ::
:: Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting (Jean S. Pigott, 1876) [bandcamp track=104008922 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Jesus I Come(William Sleeper, 1887) [bandcamp track=1190898373 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Doxology(Thomas Ken, 1709) [bandcamp track=2257784892 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Rejoice The Lord Is King (Charles Wesley, 1744)
Call to Worship :: Psalm 124:8
“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Let us worship Him.
Confession of Sin
Heavenly Father, through the finished work of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, we have been granted full access to enter into Your presence, to truly worship you in Spirit and in Truth. Yet, there is a terrible coldness in our hearts, a hardness toward You, a lack of love for our neighbor, an unwillingness to admit our sin and need for You. Forgive us, for Jesus’ sake. Come near, Good Lord, and strengthen us until Christ reigns supreme within us, in every thought, word, and deed. Give us a faith that renews the heart, overcomes the world, works by love, fastens us to You, and always clings to the Cross. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Words of Encouragement :: Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
New Testament Reading :: Hebrews 8:1-2; 9:9-12
We have a High Priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being… The gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshipper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings – external regulations applying until the time of the new order. But when Christ came as High Priest of the good things that are now already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, so obtaining eternal redemption.
Sermon :: Numbers 4:1-49
1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 2 “Take a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites by their clans and families. 3 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.
4 “This is the work of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting: the care of the most holy things. 5 When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the ark of the covenant law. 6 Then they are to cover the curtain with a durable leather, spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place.
7 “Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes and bowls, and the jars for drink offerings; the bread that is continually there is to remain on it. 8 They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover that with the durable leather and put the poles in place.
9 “They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays, and all its jars for the olive oil used to supply it. 10 Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of the durable leather and put it on a carrying frame.
11 “Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with the durable leather and put the poles in place.
12 “They are to take all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with the durable leather and put them on a carrying frame.
13 “They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it. 14 Then they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering at the altar, including the firepans, meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Over it they are to spread a covering of the durable leather and put the poles in place.
15 “After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.
16 “Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles.”
17 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 18 “See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the Levites. 19 So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. 20 But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.”
21 The Lord said to Moses, 22 “Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans. 23 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.
24 “This is the service of the Gershonite clans in their carrying and their other work: 25 They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, that is, the tent of meeting, its covering and its outer covering of durable leather, the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting, 26 the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard, the ropes and all the equipment used in the service of the tent. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things. 27 All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You shall assign to them as their responsibility all they are to carry. 28 This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.
29 “Count the Merarites by their clans and families. 30 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. 31 As part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases, 32 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes, all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry. 33 This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the tent of meeting under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.”
34 Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites by their clans and families. 35 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting,36 counted by clans, were 2,750. 37 This was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.
38 The Gershonites were counted by their clans and families. 39 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 40 counted by their clans and families, were 2,630.41 This was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command.
42 The Merarites were counted by their clans and families. 43 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 44 counted by their clans, were 3,200. 45 This was the total of those in the Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.
46 So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans and families. 47 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting48 numbered 8,580. 49 At the Lord’s command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry.
Thus they were counted, as the Lord commanded Moses.
image :: La Sainte Chapelle, Matthew Pillsbury (2008, American)
Preparation for Worship on September 17 2017 :: Redemption
“See, then, how the great Redeemer blessed us: Jesus the Christ does all things well; He clears the understanding; He breaks the power of sin; He removes the load of despondency; He does it all… Bone of our bone and Flesh of our flesh, yet God over all…He it is, and He only, who is the Liberator of our fallen race.” (Charles Spurgeon)
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for September 17 include ::
:: O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing(Charles Wesley, 1739) [bandcamp track=369330321 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Give Me Jesus (African-American Spiritual) [bandcamp track=893825801 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Dearly We’re Bought (Joseph Hart, 1712-68) [bandcamp track=1762495860 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Jesus Whispers(Joseph Hart, 1759)[bandcamp track=1346965301 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: How Great Thou Art (Carl Boberg, 1885) [bandcamp track=4153898077 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Doxology(Thomas Ken, 1709) [bandcamp track=2257784892 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]
Call to Worship :: Psalm 107:1-2
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story; He has redeemed us from the hand of the foe.
Confession of Sin
Our Father, You are our Creator, and we are the work of Your hands; You are our Shepherd, and we are Your flock; You are our Redeemer, and we are the people You have purchased; You are our God, and we are Your inheritance. Yet we have lived as a people cut off from the Lord who loved us: Hard, cynical, defensive, proud and skeptical. We confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. Purify for Yourself a people for Your own possession who are zealous for doing good. That the whole earth may see that You are our God and Savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Words of Encouragement :: Luke 1:68, 77-78
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people… giving knowledge of salvation to His people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God.
New Testament Reading :: Colossians 11-14
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Sermon :: Numbers 3:11-51
11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine,13 for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord.”
14 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 15 “List the sons of Levi, by fathers’ houses and by clans; every male from a month old and upward you shall list.” 16 So Moses listed them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded. 17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari. 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. 19 And the sons of Kohath by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 And the sons of Merari by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, by their fathers’ houses.
21 To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites. 22 Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 7,500. 23 The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, 24 with Eliasaph, the son of Lael as chief of the fathers’ house of the Gershonites. 25 And the guard duty of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, 26 the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords—all the service connected with these.
27 To Kohath belonged the clan of the Amramites and the clan of the Izharites and the clan of the Hebronites and the clan of the Uzzielites; these are the clans of the Kohathites. 28 According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were 8,600, keeping guard over the sanctuary. 29 The clans of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, 30 with Elizaphan the son of Uzziel as chief of the fathers’ house of the clans of the Kohathites. 31 And their guard duty involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the screen; all the service connected with these. 32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the chiefs of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who kept guard over the sanctuary.
33 To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these are the clans of Merari. 34 Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 6,200. 35 And the chief of the fathers’ house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 And the appointed guard duty of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service connected with these; 37 also the pillars around the court, with their bases and pegs and cords.
38 Those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, guarding the sanctuary itself, to protect the people of Israel. And any outsider who came near was to be put to death. 39 All those listed among the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron listed at the commandment of the Lord, by clans, all the males from a month old and upward, were 22,000.
40 And the Lord said to Moses, “List all the firstborn males of the people of Israel, from a month old and upward, taking the number of their names. 41 And you shall take the Levites for me—I am the Lord—instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the people of Israel.” 42 So Moses listed all the firstborn among the people of Israel, as the Lord commanded him. 43 And all the firstborn males, according to the number of names, from a month old and upward as listed were 22,273.
44 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. The Levites shall be mine: I am the Lord. 46 And as the redemption price for the 273 of the firstborn of the people of Israel, over and above the number of the male Levites, 47 you shall take five shekels per head; you shall take them according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel of twenty gerahs), 48 and give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are over.” 49 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the people of Israel he took the money, 1,365 shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary.51 And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.
image :: Out Chorus, Romare Bearden (1980, American)
image :: Figures by a Window, Vilhelm Hammershøi (b.1864, Danish)
