Immortal Invisible God Only Wise
Walter Chalmers Smith

Immortal, invisible, God only wise
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of days
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as night
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rules in might
Thy justice like mountains, high soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all life Thou gives to both great and small
In all life thou livest the true life of all
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree
And wither and perish—but naught changeth Thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light
Thine angles adore Thee, all veiling their sight
All praise we would render, O help us to see
’Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee!


Call to Worship
Adapted from Psalm 76:

The name of God is exalted among His people!

His dwelling place is established in Zion!

Our God is radiant with light!  More majestic than the mountains rich with game!

Our God is to be feared!  Who can stand before Him when He is angry?  He pronounces judgment from heaven, and all creation is silent before Him.  He rises up to save all the humble of the earth.

 


I Hear the Words of Love
Horatius Bonar, Henry Gauntlett

I hear the words of love
I gaze upon the blood
I see the mighty sacrifice
And I have peace with God

’Tis everlasting peace
Sure as Jehovah’s Name
’Tis stable as His steadfast throne
Forevermore the same

The clouds may come and go
And storms may sweep my sky
This blood-sealed friendship changes not
The cross is ever nigh

My love is oft-times low
My joy still ebbs and flows
But peace with Him remains the same
No change Jehovah knows

I change, He changes not
The Christ can never die
His love, not mine, the resting place
His truth, not mine, the tie

 


Congregational Prayer

Lord, 

We confess that we often drift away from you and fall in love with the world.  Forgive us for our failure to persevere, our failure to watch and pray, our tendency to fall into temptation again and again.

Wake us up to the brevity of time, and grant us the fullness of the Spirit, so that we might mortify sin in our lives.  Help us to run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.

In Jesus’s name.

Amen.

 


New City Catechism
Question 14

Did God create us unable to keep his law?

No, but because of the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, all of creation is fallen; we are all born in sin and guilt, corrupt in our nature and unable to keep God’s law.

 

 

 

Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
Agustus M. Tolpady

Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee
Let the water and the blood
From Thy wounded side which flowed
Be of sin the double cure
Save from wrath and make me pure.

All the labors of my hands
Could not meet Thy law’s demands
Could my zeal no respite know
Could my tears forever flow
All for sin could not atone
Thou must save, and Thou alone

Nothing in my hands I bring
Simply to Thy cross I cling
Naked come to Thee for dress
Helpless, look to Thee for grace
To Thy fountain, Lord, I fly
Wash me Savior or I die

While I draw this fleeting breath
When my eyes shall close in death
When I soar to worlds unknown
See Thee on Thy judgment throne
Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee

 

 

 

Sermon
Luke 16:19-31

19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

 

 

It Is Well With My Soul
Horatio G. Spafford, Philip P. Bliss

When peace like a river attenders my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And has shed His own blood for my soul

It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part, but the whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.

It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

Resources
Liturgy