Speaker: Rev. Ron Gonzales
Scripture: Psalm 73:1-28
Bulletin | Printable PDF | Online
Call to Worship
Oh come, let us sing to the LORD;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the LORD is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
—Psalm 95.1-7
Prayer of Adoration
Song of Praise to God
GOD OF GODS, WE SOUNDS HIS PRAISES
Hymn No. 23 | Audio | Music
Our God truly is worthy of praise. As we said last week, it was necessary for our Redeemer to become a true man that he might perfectly obey the whole law and suffer the punishment for man’s sin. But as the catechism also teaches, our Redeemer also had to be truly God. But why?
Confession of Faith
Why must the Redeemer be truly God?
That because of his divine nature his obedience and suffering would be perfect and effective; and also that he would be able to bear the righteous anger of God against sin and yet overcome death.[1]
—The New City Catechism, No. 23
It has been difficult to watch the news this past week without being struck by the pain that so many feel, and the anger and, in some cases, the evil that it has given rise to. It is easy for those of us who have never walked in others’ shoes to think that we would never do such things. But as the catechism reminds us, our Redeemer bore the righteous anger of God that burned against sin, all sin, not just the most heinous kinds. And why? Because he is a God who hates evil in the heart as well as evil deeds. That is why he calls us again and again to examine our hearts and to set right that which is broken. Let us do that again today, as we confess our sins together.
Confession of Sin
O Lord, what evil have we not done? Or if there is evil that we have not done, what evil is there that we have not spoken? Or if there is any evil that we have not spoken, what evil is there that we have not thought to do? But you, O Lord, are good. You are merciful. You saw how deep we were sunk in death, and it was your power that drained dry the well of corruption in the depths of our hearts. All that you have asked of us was to deny our own wills and accept yours. Forgive us for every failure to do so, and help us to follow you in every way and always; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Adapted from Augustine’s Confessions
Silently add you own confession of sin.
Assurance of God’s Pardon
Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
—Isaiah 55.6-7
Song of Praise to Christ
O SAVIOR, PRECIOUS SAVIOR
Hymn No. 159 | Audio | Music
Prayers for the Church and the World
- Pray for the healing and good health of our friends and loved ones with ongoing health concerns, including Clint Miller and Vickie Myers.
- Pray for Eric Carpenter and Tom Manning as they begin receiving chemotherapy treatments this month. Pray that the treatments would be effective and that the Lord would sustain them in body and soul through the coming weeks.
- Pray for John and Chris McBean. Chris’ grandfather’s health continues to decline, and John’s best friend Ryan was diagnosed with leukemia and is in the hospital unable to see his wife and children. Pray that John and Chris are able to minister to them from afar, for healing if that is the Lord’s will, and that God turns their hearts to himself.
- Pray for peace and justice in Minneapolis, and for the healing of our fractured nation. Pray that God would give wisdom to our leaders as they address this difficult situation, and that he would protect those seeking to establish peace and order.
Scripture Reading
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
—Hebrews 11.8-16
Sermon
“The Promises of God”
Psalm 73:1-28
Rev. Ron Gonzales
Song of Response
GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS
Hymn No. 32 | 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
[1] “God raised his up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Ac 2.24).
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