APPROACHING TO WORSHIP

Instrumental Prelude:

Welcome and Announcements

Opening Song: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Sola Gratia (by grace alone)

Q. Why can’t our good works be our righteousness before God, or at least a part of our righteousness?

A. Because the righteousness which can pass God’s judgment must be entirely perfect and must in every way measure up to the divine law.  But even our best works in this life are imperfect and stained with sin.

Q. How can our good works be said to merit nothing when God promises to reward them in this life and the next?

A. This reward is not earned; it is a gift of grace.

Marvelous Grace

Sola Fide (through faith alone)

Q. What is true faith?

A. True faith is not only a sure knowledge by which I hold as true all that God has revealed to us in Scripture; it is also a wholehearted trust, which the Holy Spirit creates in me by the gospel, that God has freely granted, not only to others but to me also, forgiveness of sins, eternal righteousness, and salvation.

These are gifts of sheer grace, granted solely by Christ’s merit.

Lord I Need You 

Opening Prayer 

Solus Christus (in Christ alone)

Q. Why must the mediator be a true and righteous human?

A.  God’s justice demands that human nature, which has sinned, must pay for sin; but a sinful human could never pay for others.

Q. Why must the mediator also be true God?

A.  So that the mediator, by the power of his divinity, might bear the weight of God’s wrath in his humanity and earn for us and restore to us righteousness and life.

Q. Then who is this mediator—true God and at the same time a true and righteous human?

A. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was given to us to completely deliver us and make us right with God.

In Christ Alone 

SERVICE OF PRAYER

   Prayer Concerns and Congregational Prayer

SERVICE OF THE WORD

Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)

Belgic Confession Article 7 – The Sufficiency of Scripture

We believe that this Holy Scripture contains the will of God completely and that everything one must believe to be saved is sufficiently taught in it.

For since the entire manner of service which God requires of us is described in it at great length, no one — even an apostle or an angel from heaven, as Paul says — ought to teach other than what the Holy Scriptures have already taught us.

Song of Preparation: Ancient Words

Scripture:  2 Kings 22

Message:  The Word Rediscovered

Prayer of Application 

WITHDRAWING TO SERVE 

Offertory: Soli Deo Gloria (to the glory of God alone)

Belgic Confession Article 23 – The Justification of Sinners

We believe that our blessedness lies in the forgiveness of our sins because of Jesus Christ, and that in it our righteousness before God is contained, as David and Paul teach us when they declare those people blessed to whom God grants righteousness apart from works.

And the same apostle says that we are “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” And therefore we cling to this foundation, which is firm forever, giving all glory to God, humbling ourselves, and recognizing ourselves as we are; not claiming a thing for ourselves or our merits and leaning and resting on the sole obedience of Christ crucified, which is ours when we believe in him.

Song of Response: To God Be the Glory

God's Blessing

Doxology: Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow      

Postlude