Hear God call you to worship through his Word:

1 Peter 2:4–5

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Let’s worship God together.

Song 1 – Lord I Need You

Song 2 – This is Our God

Song 3 – Your Glory/ Nothing But the Blood

Song 4 – How Beautiful

Our welcome team members will pass an offering basket during this song.

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Praise God, from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Praise God for all that he has done
Praise Him for Jesus’ reign begun!
He came with love to make us one;
He will return, His kingdom come!

Amen

We come now in our worship service to a time of prayerful confession. We believe that it is good and right that we confess our sins before God and each other, in our gathered worship and also in our private lives, and to hear anew the good news of his great love and mercy towards us. This confession is an act of worship, and part of our continued sanctification as the Lord works out his good purposes in each of us. 

As we now quiet our hearts and bare our souls before the Lord, may this prayer by Richard Baxter help guide each of us to a place of contrition and repentance. Please read with me now the words of confession on the screen, a prayer to our most great, most just, and most gracious God: 

Confession of Sin
O most great, 
most just and gracious God; 
you are of purer eyes than to behold iniquity.  
You condemn the ungodly, unrepentant, and unbelievers;
but you have promised mercy 
through Jesus Christ 
to all who repent and believe in him. 

Therefore we confess
that we are sinful by nature
and that we have all sinned
and come short of the glory of God. 

We have neglected your holy worship 
and abused your holy name. 
We have dealt unjustly and uncharitably
with our neighbours.
We have not sought first your kingdom 
and your righteousness. 
We have not been content with our daily bread. 

You have revealed
your wonderful love to us in Christ 
and offered us pardon and salvation in him; 
but we have turned away. 
We have run into temptation; 
and the sin that we should have hated, 
we have committed. 

Have mercy upon us, 
most merciful Father. 
We confess you alone are our hope. 
Make us your children 
and give us the Spirit of your Son,
our only Saviour. 
Amen.  
               (– Richard Baxter)

Assurance of Forgiveness:

According to Hebrews 10:10, by the will of our Holy God, “we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all.” 

Let’s pray.

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This is the Word of the Lord

1 John 1:5–10 (ESV)

⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Joy & Fellowship With God

1. To Have Fellowship with God, We Must Start with God v 5a
2. To Have Fellowship with God, We Must Recognize His Holiness v 5
3. To Have Fellowship with God, We Must Not Walk in the Darkness vv 1:6, 8, 10
4. To Have Fellowship with God, We Must Walk in the Light vv 7, 9

Song 5 – O Come to the Altar

Song 6 – Amazing Grace

Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name;
your kingdom come;
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. 
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.

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