When Life Gives Way

Speaker: Rev. Ron Gonzales
Scripture: Psalm 46
Liturgy for Home Worship: Online (below) | Printable PDF

Liturgy for Home Worship
The Fifth Sunday in Lent – March 29, 2020

This liturgy is intended as a help to guide you through Sunday worship at home. You may wish to read it silently or out loud. Heads of households are encouraged to lead their families through the liturgy, but they need not do so rigidly. Some readings may be done in unison, or it may work better for your family to have one person read while others listen. We have suggested hymns and provided links to lyrics and audio, and hymnals are available upon request. But feel free to substitute other songs to suit the abilities of participants. Hymns may be sung, or simply reflected on. Our aim is to worship the Lord and have our souls fed by him. Use this liturgy so far as it helps you and your family to do so.

Call to Worship
I love you, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
      my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
      my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
      and I am saved from my enemies.
               —Psalm 18.1-3

Prayer of Adoration

Hymn of Praise to God
A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD
Hymn No. 92
Audio | Lyrics | Music

God’s Good and Acceptable and Perfect Will [1]
Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
—Matthew 6.25-33

Confession of Sin
Most merciful God, whose Son Jesus Christ was tempted in every way, yet was without sin: we confess our own sinfulness. We have hungered after that which does not satisfy; we have compromised with evil; we have doubted your power to protect us. Forgive our lack of faith; have mercy on our weakness. Restore in us such trust and love that we may walk in your ways and delight in your will, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Silently Add Your Own Confession of Sin

Assurance of God’s Pardon
Can a woman forget her nursing child,
      that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget,
      yet I will not forget you.
Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
      your walls are continually before me.
               —Isaiah 49.15-16

Hymn of Faith in Christ
IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL
Hymn No. 691 | Audio | Lyrics | Music

Confession of Faith
Can anyone keep the law of God perfectly?

Since the fall, no mere human has been able to keep the law of God perfectly, but consistently breaks it in thought, word, and deed.[2]
—The New City Catechism, No. 13

Prayers of Intercession and the Lord’s Prayer

Continue to pray for God’s mercy and intervention in the pandemic: For the halt of the spread of the virus; for the protection of our healthcare workers; for wisdom and courage for our leaders; and for the success of those searching for cures.
Pray for those who have suddenly lost their jobs or income; Pray also for the business owners facing difficult decisions in the days ahead.
Pray also for the various needs of your neighbors, family, and friends.

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 debts, as we also have forgiven 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.

Sermon
“When Life Gives Way”
Psalm 46.1–11 Rev. Ron Gonzales

The Doxology
Audio

Praise God from whom all blessing flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Benediction
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
—2 Corinthians 13.14

[1] “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12.2).

[2] “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Rom 3.10–12).