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Blacknall Worship from Home

July 12, 2020

Invocation

Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

Who is he, this King of glory?

The Lord Almighty—he is the King of glory. (Ps. 24:9-10)

We lift up our hearts to praise you, the King of Glory.

By your Holy Spirit, come in; enter our homes and hearts.

Be present with us; we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Song | “How Great Is Your Love”

No eye has seen and no ear has heard,

And no mind has ever conceived

The glorious things that You have prepared

For everyone who has believed;

You brought us near and You called us Your own,

And made us joint heirs with Your Son.

How high and how wide, how deep and how long,

How sweet and how strong is Your love;

How lavish Your grace, how faithful Your ways,

How great is Your love, O Lord.

Objects of mercy, who should have known wrath,

We’re filled with unspeakable joy,

Riches of wisdom, unsearchable wealth,

And the wonder of knowing Your voice;

You are our treasure and our great reward,

Our hope and our glorious King.

Scripture Reading | Isaiah 55:6-13

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”

Song | “All I Once Held Dear”

All I once held dear, built my life upon,

All this world reveres, and wars to own,

All I once thought gain I have counted loss;

Spent and worthless now, compared to this.

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You,

There is no greater thing.

You’re my all, You’re my rest,

You’re my joy, my righteousness,

And I love You, Lord.

Now my heart’s desire is to know You more,

To be found in You and known as Yours,

To possess by faith what I could not earn,

All-surpassing gift of righteousness.

Oh, to know the power of Your risen life,

And to know You in Your sufferings,

To become like You in Your death, my Lord,

So with You to live and never die.

Call to Confession

“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Ro. 5:10)

The world has rebelled against God, and our own hearts are treacherous. But God loves his enemies, and, in Christ, gave his life for us. Jesus has put us on “good terms” with God, but even more-- He is making us holy, righteous.” With this hope, let us kneel and confess our sins.

Prayer of Confession

Lord, we build our own little kingdoms, and we attack those who stand in our way. We hunger and thirst for power and affirmation, not for righteousness. We do not love our enemies or pray for those who oppose us. Save us from ourselves! Teach us to love what you love and hate what you hate. We can imagine this because we have seen it in Jesus Christ; we ask in His name. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Friends, it is true. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

Passing the Peace

May the peace of the Lord be with you.

Response: And also with you

Affirmation of Faith | Apostles Creed

We believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

Children’s Blessing

Children’s Worship

If you would like to receive the Children’s Worship video email, please contact Beth Solie.

Proclamation of the Word | Pastor David Dunderdale

Mark 4:26-32

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” 30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

Song of Response | “Lavish Love, Abundant Beauty”

Lavish love, abundant beauty, gracious gifts for hearts and hand,

Life that fills the soul and senses – all burst forth at Your command.

Lord, our Lord, Eternal Father, great Creator, God and Friend:

Boundless power gave full expression to Your love which knows no end.

Who am I that You should love me, meet my every need from birth?

Why invest Yourself so fully in a creature made of earth?

In Your loving heart You planned me, fashioned me with greatest care;

Through my soul You breathed Your Spirit, planted Your own image there.

We are Yours, Eternal Father, off’ring body, mind and heart.

Take and use us to Your glory, form Yourself in every part.

Lord, Your love brings joy and gladness flowing forth within our soul –

May our very breath and being rise to You, their source and goal.

Words by Peter Ellis, 1986. Tune “Beach Spring”

Presenting Our Gifts | Online Giving

You are invited to respond to God’s Word by giving to the mission God has called us to at Blacknall. Your financial giving includes support of Hunter and Lauri Lambeth, Young Life leaders in Israel. Read their prayer requests here.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession | Prayer Requests

Lord, you are King.

You sent your son to reclaim what is rightfully yours and bring this world under the benevolent reign of God. Thank you, Jesus, for giving your life to free us from our enemies. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for giving us power to endure. We worship you, Father, Son, and Spirit, and pray that your Kingdom would come on earth as it is in heaven.

Teach us to live as citizens of your Kingdom during this time of trial.

We are weary of illness and death. We are anxious about the uncertainties ahead. Lord, in your mercy, restrain this virus. Give us endurance and patience.

We live in an earthly kingdom in turmoil, and we are angry and sad. We struggle to face the past and hope for the future. Lord, in your mercy, make us agents of truth and love. Grant us wisdom and true repentance.

Give answer as we pray: Lord have mercy.

For our civic leaders, that they would use their authority to safeguard the well-being and dignity of all. Lord, have mercy.

For those who are sick and alone (especially ________), may they know your healing, comfort and care. Lord, have mercy.

For those who provide care (especially ________), give them strength, courage, and rest. Lord, have mercy.

For those who are grieving (especially ________), may they lament and receive hope because of you. Lord, have mercy.

For the church, that our willingness to love others as neighbors would witness to your love and power in us. Lord, have mercy.

The Lord’s Prayer: Let us pray as Jesus taught us

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 forgive 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.

Benediction

Song | “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)”

My chains are gone, I’ve been set free.

My God, my Savior has ransomed me.

And like a flood His mercy reigns,

Unending love, amazing grace!