February 22, 2025 | First Sunday of Lent
PRELUDE
Call to Worship From 2 Sam 22:2-7
Pastor: The Lord is our rock and
our fortress and our
deliverer,
People: Our God, our rock, in
whom we take refuge.
Pastor: Call upon the Lord, who is
worthy to be praised.
People: In my distress I call upon
the Lord; to my God I call.
Pastor: Call upon the Lord, who is
worthy to be praised.
People: My shield, and the horn of
my salvation, my strong-
hold and my refuge—my
Savior;
Pastor: From his temple he will
hear your voice, and your
cry will come to his ears.
All: The Lord who sits upon
His throne will hear us and
deliver us. Amen. ◆
WELCOME
PRAYER of INVOCATION from Psalm 6:2
SONG of ADORATION “Come Christians, Join to Sing” #5
Confession and Assurance
READING of GOD’S LAW
Hear God’s Law, His Will for Your Life, from Luk 6:34-36 and Matt 26:41.
“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
. . . and Jesus came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into tempt-ation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God. ◆
PRAYER of CONFESSION
Lord God, our flesh is indeed weak. And we confess that even our spirits are sometimes unwilling. Break our hardened hearts and give us hearts of flesh. Banish the appetites of the old self and replace them with new affections that seek and thirst and long for You. We have sinned so very often; for the sake of Your Son Jesus, forgive us and wash us clean. Make our spirits so willing that our flesh surrenders—not in weakness, but in joyful obedience. Amen. ◆
ASSURANCE of PARDON From I John 1, 2
Affirm with me these words of comfort from God:
We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
To all who repent and look to Jesus Christ for their salvation, be comforted and assured that your sins are forgiven.
Amen. ◆
SONG of RESPONSE “Christus Victor” #224
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.8. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit, infinite,
eternal, and unchangeable in
His being, wisdom, power,
holiness, justice, goodness
and truth. (John 5:39; Luke
16:29; Acts 8:28-30; 17:11)
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 “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” #465
PRAYER for ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE READING John 7:19-24 p. 1061
Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man's whole body well? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
SERMON “Jesus Said . . . Judge?”
SONG of DEPARTURE “May the Peace of God” #327
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
