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image :: The Four Apostles, Detail (Peter), Albrecht Dürer (1526, German)

Preparation for Worship :: Peter

“The gospel is not a set of beliefs that arise, or could arise, from empirical observations of the whole human experience. It is the announcement of a name and a fact that offer the starting point for a new and life-long enterprise of understanding and coping with experience. It is a new starting point. To accept it means a new beginning, a radical conversion.” (Lesslie Newbigin)

“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’  Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’.” (Matthew 16:15-16)

Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for Sunday August 16 include ::

:: Doxology (Thomas Ken, 1709) CHART [bandcamp track=2257784892 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: 10000 Reasons (Redman & Myrin, 2011) CHART [bandcamp track=2659759028 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Be Thou My Vision  (8th Century Irish Hymn)  CHART [bandcamp track=3137703094 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: May the Mind of Christ My Savior (Kate B. Wilkinson, 1925) CHART [bandcamp track=383595627 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]::  Love’s Redeeming Work Is Done (Charles Wesley, 1739) CHART [bandcamp track=135949962 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: My Hope is Built on Nothing Less (Edward Mote, 1834) CHART [bandcamp track=1070234810 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]

Call to Worship :: Psalm 103:1-5, 22

Bless the Lord, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, Who forgives all your iniquity, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, Who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Old Testament Reading :: Isaiah 62:2-4

The nations shall see your righteousness,
and all the kings your glory,
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will give.
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
and your land Married;
for the Lord delights in you.

Prayer of Confession

Almighty God, You know us better than we know ourselves, and nothing is hidden from You. Though we call You Lord, we act as if we are in charge. Though we call You our Treasure, we hoard our possessions and idolize created things. Though we call You Savior, we craft a salvation of our own device. Heavenly Father, have mercy upon us. Give us true repentance, and forgive us all our sins. Restore us and transform us by Your Holy Spirit to live as followers of Jesus Christ: Loving You wholeheartedly, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. For our sake and for Your glory. Amen.

Words of Encouragement :: Titus 3:4-6

When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Sermon :: I Peter 1:1a

¹ Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.