March 10, 2019
Please adjust your clock one hour forwward for Daylight Saving Time
Before We Worship
It was an incredibly bad bargain. The serpent tempted Eve to eat the fruit that God had forbidden. But why did God forbid Adam and Eve from eating it? It wasn’t because God did not love them. In fact, God had given them the whole paradise and everything in it for food and enjoyment. God commanded Adam and Eve to not eat from one tree, so that they would demonstrate their love and obedience. Quite simply, the issue was whether they loved God or the gifts that God gave more. Besides, since Adam and Eve had no lack in Eden, their obedience to God would have cost them nothing. Not only so, see how the Serpent tempted Eve: “…you will be like God…” But they were already like God! God had made Adam and Eve in his image and likeness. Thus the Serpent tempted Adam and Eve with what God had already given them!
This should make us wonder. How often are we tempted to grasp for things that God has already given us, and for things that God alone can give us? But Adam and Eve were gripped by a deep ingratitude and mistrust. They did not give thanks for the gifts God had lavished on them. And they did not trust God to have their best interest at heart. So they rebelled and sinned. And the fell.
Romans 6:23 tells us the consequence of sin: death. Nothing good can ever be ours apart from God. When we separate ourselves from the Author of Life, why are we surprised that we are left with death? That sin leads to death should not surprise us.
What should surprise us, however, is that God responded to sin with grace. So while death is the deserved consequence of sin, grace is the undeserved gift to sinners. So we have eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!
How shall we respond to this? We worship and give thanks. And we embrace with all earnestness and sincerity the gifts of God’s grace in Jesus Christ. Jesus will give us weary sinners grace upon grace. And we will rejoice!
Call to Worship
‡ Genesis 3:1–7 (p. 2)
‡ Trinity Hymnal #551 “How Blest Is He Whose Trespass”
‡ Trinity Hymnal #731 “Doxology”
Prayer of Invocation
The Shorter Catechism Q. 13
The Reading and Exposition of the Law
Romans 6:23 (p. 943)
Prayer of Confession
The Proclamation of the Gospel
“He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:10 ESV)
Song # 20 “Come Ye Souls By Sin Afflicted”
Presentation of Gifts and Offering
Pastoral Prayer
The Proclamation of God’s Word
Luke 20:19–26 (p. 879)
Caesar and God
Rev. Ken Han
The Sacrament of The Lord’s Supper
We participate in the Lord’s Supper weekly. We welcome to the Lord’s Table all baptized believers who have sincere faith in Jesus Christ, and regularly worship in a Reformed or evangelical church.
The Lord’s Supper is a sign and a seal of the new covenant blessings. When we participate in the Lord’s Supper with faith, it strengthens our bond with our covenant Lord, Jesus Christ. Thus we participate properly when we come to our Savior with faith and repentance as we renew our resolve to forsake sin and live for his glory.
The Lord’s Supper also renews our bonds with God’s covenant community, the body of believers in the local church. As we receive the Lord’s Supper, we renew our pledge to give ourselves away in loving service.
During the distribution of the bread we will sing Trinity Hymnal #647 “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds” stanzas 1–3, and stanzas 4–6 during the distribution of the cup.
Trinity Hymnal #585 “Take My Life and Let It Be”
Benediction
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Growth Resources
Family Devotion for the Week
The March 3, 2019 sermon, Luke 20:1–18. “The Authority of the Son” is available on our church website. You can also catch up on older sermons from our Sermon page and subscribe to sermon podcast here.
The Shorter Catechism lesson of the week is posted here: Qs. 67–69.
Upcoming Events and Notices
Every Lord’s Day 10:15 AM: Please join us for Hymnsing, a time of preparing our hearts for worship in praise, and for learning new hymns for worship.
Join us for “12 for 19” as we read 12 great books in the year 2019. For March we will read Rosaria Butterfield’s “The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in Our Post-Christian World.”
March 10 (Lord’s Day): Please adjust your clocks one hour forward for Daylight Saving Time.
March 10 (Lord’s Day): Please join us for our monthly potluck fellowship meal.
March 24 (Lord’s Day): Join us as we discuss Rosaria Butterfield’s “The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in Our Post-Christian World.”
Nursery Volunteers
(Nursery meets in the Conference Room)
March 10: Yoori Han
March 17: Kelly Rogers