September 13, 2026
Call to Worship
RESPONSIVE PRAYER “Great Is the Lord” #258
PRAYER of INVOCATION
from Isaiah 64
SONG of ADORATION “Come Behold the Wondrous…” #180
Confession and Assurance
READING of GOD’S LAW
Hear God’s Law, His Will for Your Life, from I Peter 1:13-17
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile . . .
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PRAYER of CONFESSION
Hildegard of Bingen
Pastor: O Lord of Life, you
have filled the world
with your light,
People: But we have closed
our eyes to your glory.
Pastor: You have poured out
your goodness upon
us,
People: But we have turned
away in ingratitude.
Pastor: You have called us to
walk in holiness,
People: But we have wandered
in selfishness and
fear.
Pastor: Forgive us, O God, for
the ways we have
resisted your Spirit.
People: Renew the fire of your
love within us.
Cleanse us from
our sin and restore us
to the joy of your
presence.
Pastor: That we may shine with
the light of Christ.
Teach us to delight in
your will and walk in
your ways,
All: For you alone are our
strength and our
salvation. Amen. ◆
ASSURANCE of PARDON
From 1 Cor 15:3–4, Rom 4:25
Receive these words of comfort from God:
“For I delivered unto you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. Christ was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. “
Beloved of God, having confessed your sins to our All-merciful Father, and having turned from wickedness by the power of the Holy Spirit within you, be assured that you are forgiven through Christ's crucifixion and justified by his mighty resurrection from the dead, the emblem of which we see in our own baptism, going down beneath the water into his death and up out of the water into newness of life.
In Christ, these promises are all, Yes and Amen.◆
SONG of RESPONSE “Standing on the Promises” #142
Life of Worship
PROFESSION of FAITH The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there shall he come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Church universal,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen. ◆
OFFERING
DOXOLOGY #334
PRAYER of DEDICATION
CHILDREN’S CATECHISM
Q. 29. How does Christ execute
the office of a priest?
A. Christ executes the office of a priest, in His once offering up of Himself, a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us.
(1 Peter 2:24; Heb. 9:28; Eph. 5:2; Heb. 2:17; 7:25; Rom. 8:34)
PRAYER of INTERCESSION
Ministry of the Word
HYMN “For the Beauty of the Earth” #73
PRAYER for ILLUMINATION
CH Spurgeon
Pastor: O living Christ, make this a living Word to
us. Your Word is life, but not without the
Holy Spirit. We may know this book of
Yours from beginning to end, and repeat it
all from Genesis to Revelation, and yet it
may be a dead book, and we may be dead souls. But, Lord, be present here; then will we look up from the book to the Lord; from precept to Him who fulfilled it; from the law to him who honored it; from the threat of judgment to Him who has borne it for us, and from the promise to Him in whom it is “Yes and amen.”
People: Open our eyes,
our ears, our hearts to Your Word; form us and make us into the image of Christ,
All: To the glory of your
holy name. Amen. ◆
SCRIPTURE READING John 8:47-56
Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God. But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”
SERMON “Abraham Rejoices!” Pastor Zach
SONG of RESPONSE “I Love You, Lord” #52
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
