* Prayer of Adoration

* Affirmation of Our Faith…The Canons of Dort, Points 3 & 4, Article 16

Leader: Christian, what do you believe of regeneration’s effect?

All: However, just as by the fall humans did not cease to be human, endowed with intellect and will, and just as sin, which has spread through the whole human race, did not abolish the nature of the human race but distorted and spiritually killed it,1 so also this divine grace of regeneration does not act in people as if they were blocks and stones; nor does it abolish the will and its properties or coerce a reluctant will by force, but spiritually revives, heals, reforms, and—in a manner at once pleasing and powerful—bends it back.2 As a result, a ready and sincere obedience of the Spirit now begins to prevail where before the rebellion and resistance of the flesh were completely dominant. In this the true and spiritual restoration and freedom of our will consists. Thus, if the marvelous Maker of every good thing were not dealing with us, we would have no hope of getting up from our fall by our own free choice, by which we plunged ourselves into ruin when still standing upright.

Hymn of Trust #526... “Blessed Are the Sons of God”

Call to Confession... Isaiah 5:20

Leader: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Corporate Prayer of Confession... Psalm 123:3-4

All: Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud. 

Silent Prayers of Confession      

* Assurance of God’s Grace... 1 John 1:9

Leader: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

*  Congregational Response #9... “All You That Fear Jehovah’s Name”

Sharing of Praises and Petitions

Prayer for the Church and the World

* Scripture Reading ... Genesis 49:1-33

Sermon – Matt Marino... “The Christ-Exalting, Man-Abasing Inheritance”

The Big Idea: God will lead all His chosen to Christ through diverse paths that are always fitting.

Prayer of Commitment

Table of Grace and Mercy

* Hymn of Praise #296... “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”

* Benediction

* Passing of the Peace: Following the benediction, let us greet and welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us, for the glory of God (Romans 15:7), remembering what our Lord teaches us in the Scriptures: “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God” (1 Peter 1:22–23)

( * - congregation stands)