Help of the Helpless

Speaker: Rev. Ron Gonzales
Scripture: Psalm 116:1-19
Liturgy for Home Worship: Online | Printable PDF

Call to Worship

      Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
            for his steadfast love endures forever!
     Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
            whom he has redeemed from trouble
      and gathered in from the lands,
            from the east and from the west,
            from the north and from the south.
      Some wandered in desert wastes,
            finding no way to a city to dwell in;
      hungry and thirsty,
            their soul fainted within them.
      Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
            and he delivered them from their distress.
      He led them by a straight way
            till they reached a city to dwell in.
      Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
            for his wondrous works to the children of man!
      For he satisfies the longing soul,
            and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
                      —Psalm 107.1-9

Prayer of Adoration

Song of Praise to God
ALL PRAISE TO GOD, WHO REIGNS ABOVE
Hymn No. 4 | Audio | Music

The psalmist calls us to thank the Lord for his goodness and to remember how he has delivered us from trouble and distress. Yet when we find ourselves engulfed again in trouble and distress, we are often inclined to worry and to doubt God’s goodness rather than remember his faithfulness and give thanks. Let us confess together our struggle to trust the Lord when doing so requires waiting for him to act.

Confession of Sin
Heavenly Father, what could move hearts like ours, which have your Son, yet still lack confidence? Would another sacrifice convince the guilty of your grace? Would health convince the ailing of your care? Would more money convince the struggling of your kindness? Would a miracle convince the doubter that you hear prayers? O God, our sin is ever before you. You gave your own Son, yet we still doubt you. He is our consolation, but trouble makes us question your care; our shield, but persecution makes us slow to speak your name; our provision, but hunger makes us neglect your kingdom; our atonement, but death makes us fear your judgment. What more could be given to a people? What more could be said? What more could be done? Forgive us our folly; forgive us our sin; and give us confidence in the gift of your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Silently Add Your Own Confession of Sin

Assurance of God’s Pardon
When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
—Titus 3.4-7

Song of Praise to Christ
O SAVIOR, PRECIOUS SAVIOR
Hymn No. 159 | Audio and Lyrics | Music

Confession of Faith
What is sin?

Sin is rejecting or ignoring God in the world he created, rebelling against him by living without reference to him, not being or doing what he requires in his law—resulting in our death and the disintegration of all creation.
—The New City Catechism, No. 16

“Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3.4).

Prayers for the Church and the World

Continue to pray for those recovering from surgery and battling illness: Tom Manning, Clint Miller, Vickie Myers, and others.
Pray for protection from the coronavirus, especially for the elderly and at-risk in our community.
Boise State RUF: Pray for Jay and Bet Denton—that God would give them wisdom in knowing how to minister to students across long distances; for the ongoing growth of the students they are ministering to; and that God would continue to provide for their material needs.
Pray that God would give wisdom to our leaders at all levels as they face the difficult decisions of when and how to reopen the economy.
Pray that God would use our present hardships to soften hearts to the gospel and instill a greater reverence for God in our leaders, citizens, and churches alike.

Scripture Reading
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
—2 Corinthians 4.7-15

Sermon
“Help of the Helpless”

Speaker: Rev. Ron Gonzales
Scripture: Psalm 116:1-19

Song of Response
ABIDE WITH ME: FAST FALLS THE EVENTIDE
Hymn No. 402 | Audio | Music

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