July 20, 2025

PRELUDE

Call to Worship from Leviticus 22 & 23

 Pastor:  The Lord who sanctifies you,

  who brought you out of

  the land of Egypt to be your

  God: he is the Lord.

 

 People: Come before your Lord and

  worship him.

 

 Pastor: Hear the word of the Lord:

  “You shall keep my

  Sabbaths and reverence my

  sanctuary: I am the Lord.”

 

 People: The Lord spoke, saying, “Six

  days shall work be done,

  but on the seventh day

  is a Sabbath of solemn

  rest, a holy convocation.”

 

 Pastor: People of God, rest in the

  Lord and worship him. 

 

 All: We will hear and do it.

  Amen. ◆

 

PRAYER of INVOCATION   from Ps. 3:4-8

SONG of ADORATION   “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”     CH#648

 

Confession and Assurance

READING of GOD’S LAW

    Hear God’s Law, His Will for Your Life, from Matthew 5:38-48

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

 

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

PRAYER of CONFESSION BOCP

 

 Pastor:  Lord Jesus Christ, you carry

  the lost sheep back into

  the fold in your arms, and

  deign to hear the confession

  of the publican.

 

 People:  Graciously remit all our

  guilt and sin, Lord.

 

 Pastor:  You hear the penitent thief;

  you have set a heritage

  of mercy for your saints;

  and have not withheld

  pardon from the sinner.

 

 All:  Hear the prayers of your

  servants according to your

  mercy. Amen. ◆

 

ASSURANCE of PARDON from Rom 4:4-8, 6:21-23

What fruit did we receive from the things of which we are now ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become bond-servants of God, the fruit you receive leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David wrote: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

And blessed are you, for you know from God’s holy Word, that with Christ as your advocate, having confessed your sins to him, they are all now forgiven and washed away.    Amen. ◆ 

 

 

SONG of RESPONSE      “O Come Let Us Return to the Lord”

All we have like sheep gone astray

Each of us has turned our own way

But God laid all our wrongs

Our sins upon the sinless One

His only Son

 

Oh, come, let us return to the Lord

Come, now all His mercies remember

How wide His love that waits to welcome us

Oh, come, let us return to the Lord

 

All who feel the sting of your sin

Come and lift your eyes once again

How great a price was paid

To save the souls of those who strayed

Yet still we stray

 

Oh, come, let us return to the Lord

Come, now all His mercies remember

How wide His love that waits to welcome us

Oh, come, let us return to the Lord

 

God, we need Your merciful hand

Heal us from our pride, heal our land

As we turn from our ways

Oh, turn our hearts to You in praise

In endless praise

 

…Oh, come, let us return to the Lord

 

Cochren/Boswell/Papa ©2025 Getty Music Hymns and Songs (ASCAP), Messengers Hymns (BMI), Maison de Emack (admin by Essential Music) CCLI Song # 7255876  CCLI #3071858

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission.

Life of Worship

PROFESSION of FAITH The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

     Creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

     who was conceived by the Holy Spirit

     and born of the Virgin Mary.

     He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

      was crucified, died, and was buried;

     he descended into hell.

     On the third day he rose again from the dead.

     He ascended into heaven

     and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

     From there shall he come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

     the holy Church universal,

     the communion of saints,

     the forgiveness of sins,

     the resurrection of the body,

     and the life everlasting. 

Amen. ◆

 

OFFERING

DOXOLOGY CH#815

 

PRAYER of DEDICATION

CHILDREN’S CATECHISM

   Q48: What is the church?

 

A: A community elected for eternal

      life and united by faith,

      who love, follow, learn from,   

      and worship God together.

         From The New City Catechism for Kids, ©2018 Crossway Books. Used with permission

PASSING of the PEACE

PRAYER OF INTERCESSION

OUR LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,

For thine is the kingdom, and the power,

and the glory, forever.   Amen. ◆

 

Ministry of the Word

SONG         “Thy Word” CH #184

PRAYER for ILLUMINATION

God, source of all light, by your Word you give light to the soul. Pour out upon us the Spirit of Wisdom and under-standing that, being taught by you in Holy Scripture, our hearts and minds may be opened to know the things that pertain to life and holiness. Help us to rightly divide Law and Gospel to your glory and our benefit. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen.◆

SCRIPTURE READING      John 5:1-20

SERMON    “Rest in Jesus”  Pastor Zach

SONG of RESPONSE     “Glory Be to the Father”   CH#813

BENEDICTION

 

POSTLUDE