January 12, 2020
Worship
Before We Worship
Before We Worship
Psalm 42 is for the depressed people. Indeed, it begins with a desperate picture. “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.” Contrary to popular sentiment, this is not an idyllic scene of a deer frolicking in a dreamy meadow, something perhaps the likes of Thomas Kinkade might paint. A deer looking for water is a desperate deer. Their survival depends on finding water. That is, the picture that Psalm 42 draws for us is more like that of a marooned sailor who arranges rocks and debris on the beach to spell out S.O.S in hopes of being saved.
The psalmist’s desperation has two main sources. One, he is far away from home, from Jerusalem, and he cannot appear before God to worship. He remembers “as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival” (v.4). This is a strange sentiment for people who think nothing of missing worship. Can it be said of us, “My tears have been my food day and night” because we are unable to worship with God’s people? This certainly says a lot about us.
Second, the psalmist’s desperation comes from the lack of encouragement. Twice he repeats, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” (vss. 5 & 11). Thus, cut off from worship, and with a heavy heart, the psalmist cries, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” Psalm 42 is a song of a depressed saint.
Depression can have clinical causes (i.e. medical & physiological). In such cases we need to seek medical help. But depression can also have spiritual roots. We face depression, not necessarily because of our previous spiritual failures, but because God can only teach us somethings about himself (and about ourselves) in our isolation that he does not teach us when we feel content in the glow of fellowship. Depression makes us very keen to the fact that we are painfully cut off from people. And we come to realize we have depended too much on the encouragement of others and not enough on God. Indeed, depression and discouragement often take hold of us when we look to something other than God with the expectation that they will save us. But nothing can live up to that expectation, and they all let us down.
In Psalm 42 God becomes bigger through depression. Thus the psalmist ends, “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” God can bless us even, and particularly, when we have lost heart. Would you hope in him? May our souls learn to be desperate for the presence of our God, and only for his presence!
Call to Worship
‡ Psalm 42:1–11 (p. 469)
‡ 457 “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
‡ Trinity Hymnal #731 “Doxology”
Prayer of Invocation
The Reading and Exposition of the Law
Matthew 5:2–12 (p. 809)
Prayer of Confession
The Proclamation of the Gospel
“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 24–25)
Trinity Hymnal #37 “All That I Am I Owe to Thee”
Confession of Faith — The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who, for us and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried; and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets; and we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church; we acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Presentation of Gifts and Offering
Pastoral Prayer
The Proclamation of God’s Word
1 Peter 2:11–12 (p. 1015)
Life Is War
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 #252 “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” stanzas 1–2, and stanzas 3–4 during the distribution of the cup.
Trinity Hymnal #654 “O Jesus, I Have Promised”
Benediction
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Growth Resources
Basics of the Christian Life
A wonderful 12-part video / audio lecture series by Sinclair Ferguson is available for free. Please take advantage of this free resource.
Family Devotion for the Week
The January 5, 2020 sermon, 1 Corinthians 10:31-33. "All Things to God's Glory" is available on our church website. You can also catch up on older sermons from our Sermon page and subscribe to sermon podcast here.
Upcoming Events and Notices
Join us for “12 for 20” as we read 12 great books in the year 2020. In January we will read “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” by C. S. Lewis.
The catechism lessons for children and adults will resume on January 19.
January 12 (Lord’s Day): Please join us for our monthly fellowship meal after the worship service.
January 25 (Saturday 10:30 AM): All men are invited to Men’s Brunch. Please come join us for a time of fellowship, food, and prayer. If you would like to host this meeting, please let pastor Ken know.
January 26 (Lord’s Day): Please join us as we discuss C.S. Lewis’ book, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”
Nursery Volunteers
January 12: Kelly Rogers
January 19: Michelle Kay