A sermon by Rev. Phillip A. Ross, July 20,2019, St. Paul’s Evangelical Church, Marietta, Ohio.
The bulletin is below:
July 20, 2019 Lord’s Day Worship Service *= stand
Prelude
*Passing The Peace (Share signs & words of the peace of Christ with those around you. Children are dismissed to Sunday School)
Announcements
*Call to Worship Psalm 19:1-4
Your glory is written in the sky, Lord;
your artistry is carved on the face of the earth.
From one day to another, the message passes on,
and each night puts the next one in the know.
Not a word is spoken,
not a sound do they make;
yet their silence reverberates around the earth
and their unspoken message echoes from pole to pole.
The stars and angels and all creation are worshiping God.
Let us join the happy chorus!
*Hymn The God Of Abraham Praise #23/wall
Scripture Reading Psalm 52
1 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day. 2 Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit. 3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. — Selah 4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. 5 But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. — Selah 6 The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, 7 “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!” 8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. 9 I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.
Special Music
Tithes and Offerings
Offertory *Doxology #815/wall
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
*Prayer
Merciful Father, we offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us, ourselves, our time, and our possessions, signs of your gracious love. Receive them for the sake of Him who offered Himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
*Hymn Holy, Holy #69/wall
Scripture Reading Colossians 1:15-23
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Sermon “Above Reproach” Rev. Phillip A. Ross
Pastoral Prayer
Confession
When we are weary, O God, give us bread for the journey.
When we are complacent, O God, set a fire in our bellies.
When we are frightened, O God, put courage in our hearts and hands.
When we are angry, O God, turn our anger into faithful response.
When we are bewildered, O God, help us to see and follow You.
When we stray, turn us around.
When we fail, give us another chance.
When we sin, forgive us. And hear our silent prayers. …
The Lord’s Prayer (“debts”)
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.
Declaration of Forgiveness
*Hymn He Leadeth Me #690/wall
*Benediction
*Response Gloria Patri #813/wall
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Postlude