Call to Worship

Invocation  and The Lord’s Prayer

Hymn of Praise                     “To God Be the Glory”          #66

Scripture Reading       

Confession of Sin and Assurance of Pardon   

Hymn of Assurance              “The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want”          #50

Confession of Faith      Heidelberg Catechism #46-49

Q. 46  What do you mean by saying, “He ascended to heaven”?

That Christ, while His disciples watched, was lifted up from the earth to heaven and will be there for our good until He comes again to judge the living and the dead.

Q. 47  But isn’t Christ with us until the end of the world as He promised us?

Christ is truly human and truly God. In His human nature Christ is not now on earth; but in His divinity, majesty, grace, and Spirit He is not absent from us for a moment.

Q. 48  If His humanity is not present wherever His divinity is, then aren’t the two natures of Christ separated from each other?

Certainly not. Since divinity is not limited and is present everywhere, it is evident that Christ’s divinity is surely beyond the bounds of the humanity He has taken on, but at the same time His divinity is in and remains personally united to His humanity.

Q. 49  How does Christ’s ascension to heaven benefit us?

First, He pleads our cause in heaven in the presence of His Father. Second, we have our own flesh in heaven—a guarantee that Christ our head will take us, His members, to Himself in heaven. Third, He sends His Spirit to us on earth as a further guarantee. By the Spirit’s power we make the goal of our lives, not earthly things, but the things above where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand.

Pastoral Prayer

Choral Anthem             “Joy Has Dawned”

Presentation of Tithes and Offerings

The Preaching of God’s Word        “Not What, But Why”            Rev. Aaron Swartz

                                                                         1 Kings 3:1-15

Hymn of Response      “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah”                #51

Benediction