I. God calls us into His presence
Call to Worship (Ps. 118:24; 105:1-2)
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
Amen.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Song - "Our God Our Help in Ages Past (Trinity # 26)
(verse 1)
Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
(verse 2)
Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
(verse 3)
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
(verse 4)
A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
(verse 5)
The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downward by thy flood,
And lost in following years.
(verse 6)
Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
(verse 7)
Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.
II. God cleanses us
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I said, "I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord."
And you forgave the iniquity of my sin.
(Kneeling)
(Minute for silent confession)
Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
...May the Lord, who has begun this good work in us, bring it to completion in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Song - "Now Thank We All Our God" (Trinity # 86)
(verse 1)
Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers' arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
(verse 2)
O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us,
and keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
in this world in the next.
(verse 3)
All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son and him who reigns
with them in highest heaven,
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
Song - "Before the Throne of God Above"
(verse 1)
Before the throne of God above,
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great High Priest whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands!
My name is written on His heart!
I know that while in Heaven He stands,
no tongue can bid me thence depart,
no tongue can bid me thence depart!
(verse 2)
When Satan tempts me to despair,
and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look and see Him there,
Who made an end of all my sin!
Because the sinless Savior died,
my sinful soul is counted free,
for God, the Just, is satisfied,
to look on Him and pardon me,
to look on Him and pardon me!
(verse 3)
Behold Him there, the risen Lamb,
my perfect spotless righteousness,
the great unchangeable I AM!
The King of Glory and of Grace!
One with Himself I can not die!
My soul is purchased by His blood!
My life is hid with Christ on high,
with Christ my Savior and my God,
with Christ my Savior and my God!
III. God consecrates us
Law (Exodus 20)
Prophets (Isaiah 6:1-8)
Psalm 29
Epistles (Acts 2:14a, 22-36)
Gospel (John 3:1-17)
Sermon - "The Mission of Church of the King"
Foundational “moving” principle (what gives us direction)—We believe in the success of the Gospel throughout history.
* Global
* Progressive
The means: He sent forth the Spirit into our lives, uniting us to Christ unto salvation, and equipping us, his Spirit filled saints, to go take the message of his salvation to the world.
If our founding principle is that we believe in the success of the Gospel for the world in history, then we also believe that we are the means that God will use to bring this about here in Peoria.
Three points of reflection:
(1) We believe in the success of the Gospel for Peoria
(a) Think more locally.
(b) Don’t be distracted from your mission by things irrelevant to your life.
(c) Our goal is achievable. We are surrounded by opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to this little world for whom he died.
(d) Remember, Peoria is your mission.
(2) We labor in hope, knowing our labor is not in vain in Peoria.
(a) God has a record of success.
(b) Jesus is reigning at God’s right hand
(c) The victory is in Jesus Christ.
(d) We have been equipped to accomplish this task given to us.
(3) The multiplication of faithful churches in Peoria leads to the multiplication of faithful disciples.
(a) We seek to multiply/add not divide/subtract.
(b) We don’t multiply self-seeking clubs.
Conclusion: We are soldiers with a mission:
If we desert our mission, if we value our own life above that of our neighbors, when we have the full weapons and power of God at our disposal, equipped, trained, enabled, and commissioned to overcome evil, are we not ourselves wicked and disobedient servants, deserving of wrath?
Let’s gather as a community to plan, delegate, and implement proactive action toward fulfilling that which we believe: the success of the Gospel in Peoria.
Confession of the Christian Faith through the Apostle's Creed:
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried.
he descended into hell;
the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
IV. God communes with us
Communion Homily
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
...Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify your glorious name, evermore praising you, and singing:
...To you alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Remembering therefore, his salutary command....and have our portion with all your saints.
Amen.
The mystery of faith.
When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
...The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And with your spirit.
Alleluia. Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us;
Therefore, let us keep the feast,
Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil,
But with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.
The gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to the Lord!
Distribution
Song - "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing (Trinity # 133)
(verse 1)
O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!
(verse 2)
My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.
(verse 3)
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace.
(verse 4)
He breaks the power of reigning sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.
(verse 5)
He speaks, and, listening to His voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.
Prayers
Praise and Thanksgiving
Supplications for the Church
Supplications for the Nations
Supplications for individual needs
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.
Prayer of Commitment:
And now, most Holy Father, having eaten of your Spiritual Word and having Drunk the Spiritual Drink who is Jesus Christ, we depart with our mission to nourish the world with the same Gospel which has filled our lives with satisfaction. Walking in the name of Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we will give you praise, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
V. God commissions us
Benediction
