Author Archives: Steve Shelby

New Family

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image :  John, Richard & Laurence, Fairfield Porter (c.1950)

Preparation for Worship

“Christianity entered history as a new world order, a new social dimension. From the very beginning Christianity was not primarily a doctrine, but a community. There was not only a Message to be proclaimed, there was a New Community, distinct and peculiar, in the process of growth and formation, to which members were called. Indeed, ‘fellowship’ (koinonia) was the basic category of Christian existence.”

Georges Florovsky

Call to Worship   Psalm 65:1-4

Praise awaits You, our God, in Zion;
to You our vows will be fulfilled.
You who answer prayer,
to You all people will come.
When we were overwhelmed by sins,
You forgave our transgressions.
Blessed are those You choose
and bring near to live in Your courts!
We are filled with the good things of Your house,
of Your holy temple.

Come & Welcome (Thomas Haweis, 1792)

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Covenant Baptism

Mission UpdateReformed University Fellowship at Virginia Tech

The Ministry of Prayer  

By Thy Mercy (James John Cummins, 1839)

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Old Testament Reading — Isaiah 49:8-9,25

This is what the Lord says: “In the time of My favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’…”  This is what the Lord says: “Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save.”

For All the Saints (William Walsham How, 1864)

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We Confess Our Sin Together

Almighty and merciful Father, You have called us to be Your desired followers and have made us one family. Yet we have not lived as one.  We have not loved You and one another as You command.  Selfish ambition has gripped us, and we have failed to look out for others’ interests above our own.  We have not treated one another as those in whom Christ dwells.  Conceit has gripped us, and we have failed to associate with and care for those who are different from ourselves.  Pride has gripped us, and we sought to control You, the Lord.  Forgive us for our sins against You.  Go on to subdue everything in us that is contrary to Your purposes.  By the power of your Spirit make us a community that is eager to do Your will and walk in Your ways.  Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

God Declares Our ForgivenessEphesians 2:12-13

Remember that you were once separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Sermon — Mark 3:13-35

13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot,19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.

28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

The Church’s One Foundation (Samuel Stone, 1866)

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In Christ Alone (Getty & Townend, 1997)

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We Exalt Thee (Psalm 97:6)

Benediction

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Mercy & Rest

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image : The Grip, Roy Lichtenstein (1962)

Preparation for Worship

“Jesus, deeply grieved in heart at the hardness of their hearts, said in effect: Rise up and stand in their midst. Become a marvel to those who see’… While the withered hand was restored, the withered minds of the onlookers were not. For they went out and immediately were debating what they would do to Jesus.  Are you debating what you will do?  Worship Him as God.”

Athanasius of Alexandria, 4th century

Call to WorshipIsaiah 55:2-3

Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to Me;
hear, that your soul may live.

Declaration of FaithThe Apostles’ Creed (orig. 2nd century)

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. 

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary.  He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell.  The third day He rose again from the dead.  He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.  From there He will come to judge the living and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen.

O Worship The King (Robert Grant, 1833)

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The Ministry of PrayerLuke 11:2-4

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.  For Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.   Amen.

There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy (Frederick Faber, 1862)

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Old Testament ReadingPsalm 80:14-19

Turn again, O God of hosts!  Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that Your right hand planted, and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.  They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your face!  But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom You have made strong for Yourself!  Then we shall not turn back from You; give us life, and we will call upon Your name! Restore us, O Lord God of hosts Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

Thy Mercy My God (John Stocker, 1776)

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Be Merciful to Me (Henry Baker, 1868)

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Sermon   Mark 3:1-12

1Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

Preparation for the Lord’s Supper

Words of InstitutionMark 14:16-25

The disciples prepared the Passover. And when it was evening, Jesus came with the twelve. And they were reclining at the table and as they were eating, he took bread.  And after blessing it, he broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

 We Confess Our Sin Togetheradapted from The Valley of Vision, 129

O God Most High, Most Glorious, the thought of Your infinite peace cheers me,

For I am toiling, troubled and distressed, but You are forever at perfect peace.

Your designs cause You no fear or care of unfulfillment, they stand fast as the eternal hills.

Your power knows no bound, Your goodness no end.  You bring order out of confusion, and my defeats are Your victories: The Lord God omnipotent reigns.

I come to You as a sinner with cares and sorrows, to leave every concern entirely to You, every sin calling for Christ’s precious blood;

Revive deep spirituality in my heart: Let me live near to the great Shepherd, hear His voice, know its tones, follow its call.

 Keep me from deception by causing me to abide in You, keep me from harm by helping me to walk in the power of the Spirit.  Give me more intense faith in the eternal Truth, burning into me by experience the things I know;

Let me never be ashamed of the truth of the Gospel, that I may bear its reproach, vindicate it, see Jesus as its essence, know in it the power of the Spirit.

Lord, help me, for I am often lukewarm and cold; Unbelief mars my confidence, sin makes me forget You.  Restore my withered heart.

Grant me to know that I truly live only when I live to You, that all else is trifling.  Your presence alone can make me holy, devout, strong and satisfied.

Abide in me, gracious God, and grant me rest.

God Declares Our ForgivenessI Peter 2:24

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.  By His wounds you have been healed.

Celebration of the Lord’s Supper

Our Great God (Ortega & Powell, 1997)

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None Other Lamb (Christina Rossetti, 1830-1894)

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O Day of Rest and Gladness (Christopher Wordsworth, 1862)

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Jesus I Am Resting, Resting — (Jean Sophia Pigott, 1876)

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Benediction

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At Table with Jesus

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image : Apples on a Table, Green Background, Henri Matisse (1916)

Preparation for Worship

“When Jesus is attacked for eating with sinners, and taking as His disciple a despised  tax collector, one might ask: ‘What could He possibly gain by doing so?’  Only the salvation of sinners.”

Gregory of Nazianzus, 4th century

Call to WorshipPsalm 36:5-9

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
Your judgments are like the great deep;
man and beast You save, O Lord.

How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your house,
and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.

For with You is the fountain of life;
in Your light do we see light.

And Can It Be (Charles Wesley, 1738)

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Mission UpdateFamilyLife, Dave Peery

I Will Sing Of My Redeemer (James McGranahan, 1877)

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Old Testament ReadingPsalm 78:15-19,23-25

He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.  He made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers.  Yet they sinned still more against Him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.  They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?… Yet He commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven, and He rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven.  Man ate of the bread of the angels; He sent them food in abundance.

We Confess Our Sin Together

Lord, forgive us our sins against You and our neighbor.  You are the Great Physician, giving new life to all who come; but we cling to our familiar sickness.  You are the Bridegroom, inviting us to feast on new wine; but we are slow to come to Your table.  You said You came not to call the righteous, but sinners.  Forgive our pride and unbelief.  Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.  Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.  Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world, grant us Your peace.

God Declares Our Forgiveness — I Corinthians 1:9,18

God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful…The message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Jesus Whispers (Joseph Hart, 1759)

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Children’s Sermon

Sermon — Mark 2:13-28

13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

None Other Lamb (Christina Rossetti, 1830-1894)

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Amazing Grace (John Newton, 1779)

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Benediction

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Jesus’ Miracles and Message

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image : Thatched Cottages in the Sunshine Reminiscence of the North, Vincent Van Gogh (1890)

Preparation for Worship

“We modern people think of miracles as the suspension of the natural order, but Jesus meant them to be the restoration of the natural order… His miracles are not just proofs that He has power but also wonderful foretastes of what He is going to do with that power. Jesus’ miracles are not just a challenge to our minds, but a promise to our hearts, that the world we all want is coming.”  –Tim Keller

“Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.”  –C.S. Lewis

Call to Worship — I Chronicles 16:8-13

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!
Glory in His holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
Seek the Lord and His strength;
seek His presence continually!
Remember the wondrous works that He has done,
His miracles and the judgments He uttered,
O offspring of Israel His servant,
children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

King of Saints (Joseph Hart, 1712-1768)

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You Will Find Me (Andrew Ripp, 2010)

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Old Testament Reading — Isaiah 61:1-4

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.  They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

It Well With My Soul (Horatio Spafford, )

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Come Ye Sinners (Joseph Hart, 1759)

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Confession of Sin

Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28

Lord, forgive our distant, doubting hearts.  At times we seek Your blessing, but have no love for You.  We are like those who witnessed Jesus’ miracles of healing and heard His proclamation, yet somehow spurned belief.  We too have seen and enjoyed wonders, yet have hardened our hearts.  We confess that our dull unbelief tempts others and offends You.  Heavenly Father, forgive us our sin.  Renew us in Your Spirit that with open hearts we may turn to Jesus for rest, and long for Your Kingdom’s coming.  Amen.

Words of Encouragement — Micah 7:18-19

Who is a God like our God, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love.  He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities underfoot.  He will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Beautiful Things (Michael & Lisa Gungor, 2009)

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Sermon — Mark 1:21-45

21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

It Is Well With My Soul (Horatio Spafford, 1873)

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Come Ye Sinners (Joseph Hart, 1873)

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Love’s Redeeming Work Is Done (Charles Wesley, 1759)

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Benediction

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Repent, Believe, Follow

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image: Sphere Surface with Fishes, Colour, M.C. Escher (1958)

Preparation for Worship and Communion

“Men are reluctant to pass over from the notion of an abstract and negative deity to the living God.  I do not wonder. God does nothing. [Popular religion’s] God demands nothing. He is there if you wish for Him, like a book on a shelf.  He will not pursue you… An impersonal God, well and good. A subjective God of beauty, truth and goodness, inside our own heads– better still. A formless life-force surging through us, a vast power which we can tap, best of all.  But God himself, alive, pulling at the other end of the cord, perhaps approaching at infinite speed, the hunter, king, husband– that is quite another matter. There comes a moment when the children who have been playing at burglars hush suddenly: was that a real footstep in the hall?  There comes a moment when people who have been dabbling in religion (“Man’s search for God”!) suddenly draw back.  Supposing we really found Him?  We never meant it to come to that!  So it is a sort of Rubicon. One goes across; or not.  But if one does, there is no manner of security against miracles. One may be in for anything.”   —C.S. Lewis

Call to Worship — Isaiah 51:1-3

Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,
you who seek the Lord:
look to the rock from which you were hewn,
and to the quarry from which you were dug.

Look to Abraham your father
and to Sarah who bore you;
for he was but one when I called him,
that I might bless him and multiply him.

For the Lord comforts Zion;
he comforts all her waste places
and makes her wilderness like Eden,
her desert like the garden of the Lord;
joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and the voice of song.

Declaration of Faith — The Apostles’ Creed (orig. 2nd century)

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.  I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary.  He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell.  The third day He rose again from the dead.  He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.  From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen.

Come and Welcome (Thomas Haweis, 1792)

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The Lord’s Prayer — Luke 11:2-4

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.  For Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Old Testament Reading — Jeremiah 16:15-19

“I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers. But now I will send for many fishermen,” declares the Lord, “and they will catch them. After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill and from the crevices of the rocks.  My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from Me, nor is their sin concealed from My eyes. I will repay them double for their wickedness and their sin.”  O Lord, my Strength and my Fortress, my Refuge in time of distress, to You the nations will come.

Our God Our Hope In Ages Past (Isaac Watts, 1719)

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Sermon — Mark 1:14-20

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

Preparation for the Lord’s Supper — Mark 14:16-25

The disciples prepared the Passover. And when it was evening, Jesus came with the twelve. And they were reclining at the table and as they were eating, he took bread.  And after blessing it, he broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Confession of Sin

Merciful God, we have sinned in what we have thought and said, in the wrong we have done, and in the good we have not done.  You proclaimed the Gospel of God, but we have been slow to repent; forgive our cold hearts.  You said the Kingdom was at hand, but we have been slow to trust; forgive our unbelief.  You called us to follow You, but we are given to our own way; forgive our rebel lusts.  Forgive us, for our Savior Christ’s sake, and renew our lives to the glory of Your name.  Amen.

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.

 The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

May God Keep You/Psalm 150 (Peter La Grand, 2008)

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Jesus I Come (William T. Sleeper, 1887)

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How Great Is Our God (Tomlin, Reeves & Cash, 2004)

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Benediction

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Prepare

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image: Untitled, Hengki Lee (Indonesia, 2012)

Preparation for Worship

“He is the mediator of both creation and re-creation.”  –Herman Bavinck

“His baptism was followed by an immediate conflict. He went from the waters of Jordan to the wilderness of Judea to battle face to face with Satan himself. This event, perhaps even more clearly, set the parameters of His kingdom, because in it Jesus proved to be everything that both Adam and Israel had failed to be.”  –Sinclair Ferguson

Call to Worship — Psalm 91:1-2

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, “He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

There Is A Redeemer — (Melody & Keith Green, 1982)

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Commissioning

Jesus I Am Resting — ( Jean Sophia Pigott, 1876)

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Old Testament Reading — Isaiah 40:1-5

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.  A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.  And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

We Confess Our Sin Together

Almighty Lord, it is Your will that we should love You with all of our heart, soul, mind, strength, and our neighbor as ourselves.  But we are not sufficient for this.  We confess that our affections continually turn away from You:  from freedom to slavery, from compassion to indifference, from fullness to emptiness.  Have mercy on us

Silent Confession

Order our lives by Your Holy Spirit and Word.  Make Your commandments the joy of our hearts.  Conform us to the image of Your loving Son, Jesus, to the glory of Your name.  Amen.

Jesus Messiah (Reeves, Carson, Cash & Tomlin, 2008)

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God Declares Our Forgiveness — Romans 5:8-9

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

Sermon — Mark 1:1-13

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,'”

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

All Things New — (Horatius Bonar, 1846)

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Made Me Glad (MiriamWebster, 2001)

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All Hail the Power of Jesus Name (Edward Perronet, 1780)

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Benediction

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