First Church Perth Amboy: August 15, 2021 Order of Worship

First Presbyterian Church

August 15, 2021

10:00 AM

Order of Worship

CALL TO WORSHIP

We gather today in the name of our God.

We come to worship God Almighty, in whom we believe.

We place our trust in our God.

We trust in God whom Jesus called Abba, Father.

Let us worship the Living God.

*Hymn of Praise: “All Hail The Power of Jesus’ Name”

1. All hail the power of Jesus' name! Let angels prostrate fall; bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him Lord of all. bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him Lord of all.

2. Ye chosen seed of Israel's race, ye ransomed from the fall, hail him who saves you by his grace, and crown him Lord of all. hail him who saves you by his grace, and crown him Lord of all.

3. Sinners, whose love can ne'er forget the wormwood and the gall, go spread your trophies at his feet, and crown him Lord of all. go spread your trophies at his feet, and crown him Lord of all.

4. Let every kindred, every tribe on this terrestrial ball, to him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all. to him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all.

5. Crown him, ye martyrs of your God, who from his altar call; extol the Stem of Jesse's Rod, and crown him Lord of all. extol the Stem of Jesse's Rod, and crown him Lord of all.

6. O that with yonder sacred throng we at his feet may fall! We'll join the everlasting song, and crown him Lord of all. We'll join the everlasting song, and crown him Lord of all.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (In Unison)

We pray, O Lord, not due to our own wisdom, insight and strength, but through you. You intercede for us because we do not know how to pray as we ought. You even hear and know our sighs, which are too deep for words. Forgive us, O Lord, when our prayers are filled with empty phrases and meaningless platitudes. Forgive us, O Lord, when our prayers fail to express our love for you and our neighbors in need. Forgive us, O Lord, when our prayers do not lead to engagement with justice and peace. Fill us with your word and grant us a new beginning in you. Through Jesus Christ, your Son, we pray. Amen.

*SILENT PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF PARDON (Romans 8:34)

Hear the good news. Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ, and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us and Christ prays for us. My friends, hear and believe the good news of the gospel.

In Jesus Christ we are forgiven! Thanks be to God!.

*THE GLORIA PATRI

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

INVITATION: “Dear Lord, I need You, please come into my life today. Amen”

LESSON: Acts 17: 22-32

22 Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, ‘Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. ²³For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, “To an unknown god.” What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. ²⁴The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, ²⁵nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. ²⁶From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, ²⁷so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. ²⁸For “In him we live and move and have our being”; as even some of your own poets have said,
“For we too are his offspring.”
²⁹Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. ³⁰While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, ³¹because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.’

32 When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed; but others said, ‘We will hear you again about this.’

SERMON: “Protection: Our First Need From God” Rev. Peter Hofstra

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from The Apostle’s Creed and A Brief Statement of Faith)

We believe in God, the Maker of heaven and earth. In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God’s image, male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community. Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation. In everlasting love, the God of Abraham and Sarah chose a covenant people to bless all families of the earth. Hearing their cry, God delivered the children of Israel from the house of bondage. Loving us still, God makes us heirs with Christ of the covenant. Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child, like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home, God is faithful still.

PASSING OF THE PEACE

THE OFFERING OF OUR TITHES & GIFTS

As God’s blessings shower upon us, we respond to God’s amazing grace with our hands, our feet, our hearts, our prayers and our tithes and offerings. Let us bring our gifts in gratitude and praise.

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION (John 17:6)

Christ has made the name of the Lord known to us, so we give thanks. In your name, O Lord, use these gifts, and the time, talents and very lives they represent, for your glory as your kingdom breaks forth in this world. Amen.

JOYS AND CONCERNS

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (Psalm 1; John 17)

As Christ prays on behalf of his disciples, let us pray on behalf of all those Christ loves. God of grace, the world is full of those who delight in your teachings and those who scoff at your ways. We pray that we might meditate on you day and night, that we might be an influence for good in the world.