Lord, I need you, oh, I need you.
Every hour I need you
You're my one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You (Sing Twice)
Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever, author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave (Sing Twice)
Take the world, but give me Jesus. All its joys are but a name.
But His love abides forever, Through eternal years the same.
Oh, the height and depth of mercy; Oh, the length and breadth of love!
Oh, the fullness of redemption, Pledge of endless life above!
Take the world, but give me Jesus! In his cross my trust shall be,
Till with clearer, brighter vision, Face to face my Lord I see.
Oh, the height and depth of mercy; Oh, the length and breadth of love!
Oh, the fullness of redemption, Pledge of endless life above!
Lord, I need you, oh, I need you.
Every hour I need you
You're my one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You
So call me, Lord, just call me, Lord, and I’ll be on Your way.
Lord, the light of Your love is shining,
In the midst of the darkness shining.
Jesus, Light of the world, shine upon us;
Set us free by the truth You now bring us.
Shine on me, shine on me.
Chorus: Shine, Jesus, shine! Fill this land with the Father’s glory.
Blaze, Spirit blaze! Set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow! Flood the nations with grace and mercy.
Send forth Your Word, Lord, And let there be light!
As we gaze on Your kingly brightness,
So our faces display Your likeness.
Ever changing from glory to glory,
Mirrored here, may our lives tell Your story.
Shine on me, shine on me. Chorus:
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all you nations rise, join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Chorus: Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ, by highest heav’n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord
Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with us to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel! Chorus.
Hail, the heav’nly Prince of Peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings, Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by, born that we no more may die,
Born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth. Chorus.
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in all,
Here in the love of Christ, I stand.
In Christ alone Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless Babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid,
Here in the death of Christ, I live.
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine,
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand,
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.
Jesus, Your blood and righteousness, My beauty are, my glorious dress;
Mid flaming worlds, in these arrayed, With joy shall I lift up my head.
Bold shall I stand in that great day – Who can a word against me say?
Fully through You absolved I am, From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.
Lord, I believe were sinners more, Than sands upon the ocean shore,
You have for all a ransom paid, For all a full atonement made.
When from the dust of death I rise, To claim my mansion in the skies,
E’en then this shall be all my plea: Jesus has lived and died for me.
Jesus, be worshipped endlessly! Your boundless mercy has for me,
For me and all your hands have made, An everlasting ransom paid.
When I stand accused by my regrets
And the devil roars his empty threats
I will preach the gospel to myself
That I am not a man condemned,
For Jesus Christ is my defense.
Chorus My sin is nailed to the cross.
My soul is healed by the scars.
The weight of sin I bear no more.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord.
When my doubt and shame hang over me
Like the arrows of the enemy
I will run again to Calvary
That rugged hill of hell’s defeat
My fortress and victory. Chorus
Bridge It is finished, sin is vanquished.
Hallelujah, praise the Lord.
All the glory, all the honor
To my Savior, Christ the Lord. Repeat
When I stand before the throne at last,
His blood will plead my innocence.
I will worship Him with holy hands
And raise the song that never ends.
Of Jesus Christ my righteousness
Go now in peace. Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of every day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true.
Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above.
Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.
Paul is writing to the congregation of believers in Rome. He lays out a thorough outline of Christianity. In this section Paul talks about being righteous. Paul has just finished explaining that the obvious path to rightness, obedience, won’t work because we are sinful. So, Paul explains God’s alternative plan for becoming righteous.
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
97 Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
98 Your commands are always with me
and make me wiser than my enemies.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
100 I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.
101 I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word.
102 I have not departed from your laws,
for you yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
INVOCATION
Pastor: We worship this morning in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation: Amen.
OPENING SENTENCES & PRAYERS
P: God, our Father, each day is a gift of Your grace.
C: Your mercies are new every morning.
P: Guide our steps by the light of Your Word.
C: Shield us from harm and keep us from evil.
P: Better than life is Your love.
C: Put joy in our hearts and praise on our lips. Alleluia!
P: We pray together:
C: Heavenly Father, we have come to worship You. Draw near to us in your gracious word and assure us of Your loving kindness. Curb our wandering thoughts that we may hear Your voice and sing Your praises. Open our hearts by Your Spirit, that we may believe in Jesus and grow day by day in Your grace. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
CONFESSION OF SINS
P: We have come into the presence of God who created us to love and serve Him as His dear children, but we have disobeyed Him and deserve only His wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to Him and plead for His mercy.
C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways I have sinned against You and do not deserve to be called Your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to Your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.
Not the labors of my hands can fulfill Thy law’s demands.
Could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone. Thou must save and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress, helpless look to Thee for grace.
Foul, I to the fountain fly – Wash me, Saviour, or I die!
P: Jesus says to His people: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven.” His death paid for the guilt of Your sins and the sins of the whole world. Do you believe this?
C: Yes, I believe.
P: Because of the promise of our Savior Jesus, I pronounce to you that your sins are forgiven. Be assured that you are a dear child of God and an heir of eternal life.
C: Amen.
PRAYER: O Lord, my God, I thank You for the love You have shown me in Jesus Christ, my Saviour. Let me live in the peace of forgiveness, help me fight against temptation, correct whatever wrongs I can, and serve You and those around me with love and good works. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
PSALM 2
P: Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
C: The kings of the earth take their stand
P: And the rulers gather together against the LORD
C: And against His Anointed One.
P: "Let us break their chains," they say,
C: "and throw off their fetters."
P: The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
C: The Lord scoffs at them.
P: Then He rebukes them in His anger
C: And terrifies them in His wrath, saying,
P: "I have installed My King on Zion, My holy hill."
C: I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
P: He said to me, "You are My Son;
C: Today I have become Your Father.
P: Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance,
C: The ends of the earth Your possession.
P: You will rule them with an iron scepter;
C: You will dash them to pieces like pottery."
P: Therefore, you kings, be wise;
C: Be warned, you rulers of the earth.
P: Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.
C: Kiss the Son, lest He be angry
P: And you be destroyed in your way,
C: For His wrath can flare up in a moment.
P: Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
ALL: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forever and ever. Amen.
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
THANK OFFERING
PRAYERS
THE LORD’S PRAYER: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours now and forever. Amen.
(Our prayer team is always ready to go to the throne of the Father for you.
For prayer chain requests, email prayer@livinghopereunion.church.)
INVITATION & EXPLANATION
P: Christ has died!
C: Christ is risen!
P: Christ shall come again!
C: Rejoice in the Lord always.
P: I will say it again: Rejoice.
C: God gave His Son as an atonement for all of our sins
P: Not only for our sins but the sins of the whole world
P: Let us pray.
P: Lord, our sin separates us from You. We need Your forgiveness. We need Your love. Through this supper, pour out Your Holy Spirit on us. Make us one in Christ – united with Him and united with one another. Forgive our sins, lift up our hearts, inspire us to love as You have loved us. Bless us through this supper. In Jesus’ name, we pray.
C: Amen.
I need Thee ev’ry hour, Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
Chorus: I need Thee, oh, I need Thee; Ev’ry hour I need Thee!
Oh, bless me now, my Saviour; I come to Thee.
I need Thee ev’ry hour; Stay Thou nearby.
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh. Chorus
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
M: Our Lord Jesus Christ on the night He was betrayed took bread, gave thanks and gave it to His disciples saying, “Take and eat. This is my body given into death for your sins.”
In the same way, He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, “Drink from it all of you. This is My blood of the new covenant poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this whenever you drink it in remembrance of Me.”
M: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: Amen.
(The Scriptures teach that the celebration of the Lord’s Supper connects us intimately with Christ and with one another as Christians. To understand more about the Lord’s Supper, please visit with our pastor. He would love to talk with you about the blessings of the Lord’s Supper.)
Distribution of the Lord’s Supper
This is the threefold truth on which our faith depends
And with this joyful cry worship begins and ends:
Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!
BENEDICTION
P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
GREETING & ANNOUNCEMENTS