May 11, 2025
Fourth Sunday of Easter
PRELUDE
Call to Worship From Psalm 102
Pastor: From heaven the Lord
looked down from His
holy height
People: From heaven the Lord
looked at the earth, to
hear the groans of the
prisoners,
Pastor: To set free those who
were doomed to die.
People: You who are gathered
together, declare in Zion
the name of the Lord,
Pastor: And in Jerusalem his
praise, and worship the
Lord.
All: The children of your
servants shall dwell
secure; their offspring
shall be established
before you. Amen.◆
PRAYER of INVOCATION Col 1, Ps 68
Lord Jesus, you are the image of the invisible God and the head of the body, Your Church. May your procession be seen, O God, our King, into the sanctuary, as we bow before you in humble adoration. Fill our hearts and minds with awe at your majesty and zeal for your holiness. Amen. ◆
SONG of ADORATION
“My Lighthouse”
In my wrestling and in my doubts
In my failures You won't walk out
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea, oh
You are the peace in my troubled sea
In the silence, You won't let go
In the questions, Your truth will hold
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea, oh
You are the peace in my troubled sea
My Lighthouse, my lighthouse
Shining in the darkness, I will follow You
My Lighthouse, my lighthouse
I will trust the promise,
You will carry me safe to shore
Safe to shore, Safe to shore
I won't fear what tomorrow brings
With each morning I'll rise and sing
My God's love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea, oh
You are the peace in my troubled sea
CHORUS
Fire before us, You're the brightest
You will lead us through the storms—Hey! (x4)
CHORUS
Liewellyn/Gilkeson © Capitol CMG Publishing (ASCAP) CCLI #3071858
Confession and Assurance
READING of GOD’S LAW
Hear God’s Law, His Will for Your Life, from I Peter 2:11-17
Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PRAYER of CONFESSION The Covenant Hymnal
We confess to you, all-knowing God, what we are. We are not the people we like others to think we are. We are afraid to admit, even to ourselves, what lies in the depths of our souls. But we cannot hide our true selves from you. You know us as we are, and yet you love us. Help us not to shrink from self-knowledge. Teach us to respect ourselves for your sake. Give us the courage to put our trust in your guiding power.
Raise us out of the paralysis of guilt into the freedom and energy of forgiven people. And for those who through long habit find forgiveness hard to accept, we ask you to break their bondage and set them free; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
ASSURANCE of PARDON 2 Cor 3:17-18
Receive these words of comfort from God:
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, behold-ing the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Friends in Christ, if the Son has set you free, you are free indeed! Receive forgiveness, embrace your freedom, and by the working of your Savior, walk in the Light. Amen. ◆
SONG of RESPONSE “Change My Heart, O God”
Life of Worship
PROFESSION of FAITH Heidelberg #1
Leader: What is your only comfort in Life and in Death?
All: That I am not my own,
but belong—
with body and soul,
both in life and in
death—to my faithful
Savior Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all
my sins with His
precious blood, and has
set me free from all the
power of the devil.
He also preserves me in
such a way that,
without the will of my
heavenly Father, not a
hair can fall from my
head; indeed, all things
must work together for
my salvation.
Therefore, by His Holy
Spirit, He also assures
me of eternal life and
makes me heartily
willing and ready from
now on to live for Him.
Amen. ◆
OFFERING
DOXOLOGY CH#815
PRAYER of DEDICATION
CHILDREN’S CATECHISM
PASSING of the PEACE
(Children age 3 through grade 5 may go to Judson Kids.)
PRAYER OF INTERCESSION
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. ◆
Ministry of the Word
SONG “Blessed Assurance” CH #572
PRAYER for ILLUMINATION
Draw us close, Holy Spirit, as the Scriptures are read and the Word is proclaimed. Let the Word of faith be on our lips and in our hearts, and let all other words slip away. May there be one voice we hear today — the voice of Truth and grace. Amen. ◆
SCRIPTURE READING John 3:16-21
SERMON “Come to the Light”
SONG of DEPARTURE “My Friends, May You Grow in Grace”
My friends, may you grow in grace,
And in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.
My friends, may you grow in grace,
And in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
To God be the glory, now and forever!
Now and forever, Amen! (Repeat)
Meaney / Demey / Kett © 2000 Timothy James CCLI #3071858
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
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