Worship Service for May 16, 2021 at 11 AM

Welcome

Invocation

Confession and Forgiveness:

P: As we gather, today, let us cleanse our hearts and our consciences by confessing our sin to God.

(Time of silence for reflection and confession)

C: Heavenly Father, we confess that we are sinful and unclean. We have sinned against you and against our neighbor in our thoughts, words, and actions.  We are truly sorry for our sins and sincerely repent of them. We ask for Your mercy. For the sake of Jesus Christ’s bitter suffering and death, please forgive us and renew us that we may walk in Your Spirit to the glory of Your holy name.

P: The Lord has heard your confession. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of the Lord, in the stead and by the command of my Lord, Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

Song of Praise and Thanksgiving:

I believe in the Son.  I believe in the risen One
I believe I overcome.  By the power of His blood

Chorus:
Amen, Amen.  I’m alive, I’m alive because He lives
Amen, Amen.  Let my song join the one that never ends
Because He lives

I was dead in the grave. I was covered in sin and shame
I heard mercy call my name. He rolled the stone away

Chorus

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, every fear is gone
I know He holds my life my future in His hands

Final Chorus:

Amen, Amen.  I’m alive, I’m alive because He lives
Amen, Amen.  Let my song join the one that never ends
Amen, Amen.  I’m alive, I’m alive because He lives
Amen, Amen.  Let my song join the one that never ends
Because He lives
Because He lives

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 1

Blessed is the man
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the instruction of the Lord,
    and on his instruction, he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree
    planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so,
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish.

Gospel Reading: John 17:11b–19

Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Sermon Hymn:

In Christ alone my hope is found.
He is my light, my strength, my song         
This Cornerstone, this solid ground.
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All.
Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone, who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid,
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day,
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine,
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand

‘til He returns or calls me home,
 Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
(Repeat last line of the chorus to finish)

Sermon – Assurance from God’s Own Mouth

Sermon Text: 1 John 5:9–15

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

The Lord’s Prayer

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 evil.  For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, 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 sits 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 Christian Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Benediction

Closing Song:

You are not alone, if you are lonely
When you feel afraid, you’re not the only
We are all the same, in need of mercy
To be forgiven and be free
It’s all you got to lean on but thank God it’s all you need

Chorus:
And all the people said Amen, woah
And all the people said Amen
Give thanks to the Lord for His love never ends
And all the people said Amen

If you’re rich or poor, well it don’t matter
Weak or strong, you know love is what we’re after
We’re all broken, but we’re all in this together
God knows we stumble and fall
And He so loved the world, He sent His son to save us all

(Chorus)

Blessed are the poor in spirit who are torn apart
Blessed are the persecuted and the pure in heart
Blessed are the people hungry for another start
For this is the kingdom, the kingdom of God

(Chorus 2x)

Offering

Upcoming Events

May 26 at 7 PM – Council Meeting
Zoom