Commandments III: The Power of a Name – 7/16/23

July 16, 2023 Bulletin

WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRELUDE

CALL TO WORSHIP:
     O Lord, you have searched me and known me, and are acquainted with all my ways.
     Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.
     For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
     How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!  I try to count them- they are like the sand.
     Let us worship God!

*HYMN: Praise God for This Holy Ground (405)

CALL TO CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION:
God in Christ, who endured the cross in your own flesh for our sakes, hear us as we confess our sin.  We would be your bold disciples, but we fear suffering.  We would carry our cross, but it weighs too much.  We count the cost of following you- as long as there are benefits; but to renounce all we have is a devastating prospect.  Forgive the conditions we make when we try to obey, and free us by your grace to forsake all and follow you.  Amen.

SILENT CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF PARDON:

PASSING THE PEACE (you are invited to share the Peace of Christ as you feel comfortable doing)

MUSICAL INTERLUDE                  The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want                 Glory to God, #801

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

SCRIPTURE:                                                                                                                      Exodus 20:7
      ⁷You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

MUSICAL INTERLUDE                    The King of Love My Shepherd Is                      Glory to God, #802

SCRIPTURE:                                                                                                         Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
      ¹“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
     ²“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.  ³But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
      ⁵“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ⁶But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your
Father who sees in secret will reward you.

     ¹⁶“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
     ¹⁹“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

PRE-SERMON PRAYER

SERMON:                                                                                      Commandments III: The Power of a Name

POST-SERMON PRAYER

ANTHEM                                            Will You Come And Follow Me                                                – Bell/Maule
                                              sung by Ken Heischman and Dan Derbin

*LITANY OF AFFIRMATION: (from Shorter Westminster Catechism, 7.053-.056)
     What is the Third Commandment?
     The Third Commandment is, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain:
           for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”
      What is required in the Third Commandment?
     The Third Commandment requireth the holy and reverent use of God’s names, titles,
attributes, ordinances, Word, and works.
     What is forbidden in the Third Commandment?
     The Third Commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing of anything
whereby God maketh himself known.
What is the reason annexed to the Third Commandment?
     The reason annexed to the Third Commandment is that,
however the breakers of this commandment may escape punishment from men,
yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgment.

JOYS AND CONCERNS
     (Joys):  Lord, we praise you.  Thanks be to God.
     (Concerns): Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE/THE LORD’S PRAYER

INVITATION TO SHARE:

OFFERING/MUSICAL INTERLUDE
                                                Just a Closer Walk with Thee        Glory to God, #835

*DOXOLOGY

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

*HYMN:                                                Be Thou My Vision                                   (450)

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

*CHORAL RESPONSE

*POSTLUDE

*- those who can stand are invited to stand
CCLI #4220373