* Prayer of Adoration

* Affirmation of Our Faith……..…The Canons of Dort, Points 3 & 4, Refutation 5

Leader: Having set forth the orthodox teaching, the Synod rejects the errors of

those who teach that corrupt and natural humanity can make such good use of common grace (by which they mean the light of nature) or of the gifts remaining after the fall that they are able thereby gradually to obtain a greater grace—evangelical or saving grace—as well as salvation itself; and that in this way God, for his part, shows himself ready to reveal Christ to all people, since God provides to all, to a sufficient extent and in an effective manner, the means necessary for the revealing of Christ, for faith, and for repentance. [Christian, why is this an error?]

All: For Scripture, not to mention the experience of all ages, testifies that this is false: “He makes known his words to Jacob, his statutes and his laws to Israel; he has done this for no other nation, and they do not know his laws”;1 “In the past God let all nations go their own way”;2 “They” (Paul and his companions) “were kept by the Holy Spirit from speaking God’s word in Asia”; and “When they had come to Mysia, they tried to go to Bithynia, but the Spirit would not allow them to”.3

Hymn of Trust #338......... “Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart”

Call to Confession................................................. Isaiah 1:18

Leader: Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

Corporate Prayer of Confession .................... Psalm 38:21-22

All: Do not forsake me, O LORD! O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!

Silent Prayers of Confession      

* Assurance of God’s Grace........................... Romans 5:9-11

Leader: Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

*  Congregational Response #188......... “Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting”

Sharing of Praises and Petitions

Prayer for the Church and the World

* Scripture Reading ........................................... 1 Peter 1:8-9

Sermon – Matt Marino..................... “Saving the Affections”

The Big Idea: A love for Christ and joy in the Spirit are characteristic of true Christians.

Prayer of Commitment

Table of Grace and Mercy

* Hymn of Praise #172 “Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder”

* 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)