Liturgy for Corporate Worship

Pentecost May 31, 2020

Prelude Chris Holmberg

Introit Sue LechotaSeekers of Your Heart

Call to Worship Psalm 95:1-3

Hymn 95C Now with Joyful Exultation

Corporate Prayer of Confession & Silent ConfessionO Eternal God and King of all creation, who has granted us to arrive at this hour, forgive us the sins that we have committed in thought, word, and deed; and cleanse, O Lord, our humble souls from all defilement of flesh and spirit. Grant us, O Lord, to pass the moments of this day and the sleep of this coming night in peace, that when we rise from our beds we may please your most holy name all the days of our lives and con-quer our flesh and the fleshless foes that war with us. And deliver us, O Lord, from vain and frivolous thoughts, and from evil desires that defile us. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness Psalm 103:11-13

The Gloria Patri 572Glory 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, amen.

Prayer of Dedication Elder Bob Daily

The Lord’s PrayerOur Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. 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.

Unison Scripture Reading Luke 10:25-37

Special Music Anna BlackCome Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Pastoral Prayer

Hymn 524 Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

Sermon Rev. Pete ScribnerGenesis 4:1-16

Hymn 276 Jesus Paid It All

Benediction

Parting HymnGod be with you till we meet again; By His counsels guide, uphold you, with His sheep securely fold you; God be with you till we meet again. Till we meet, till we meet, till we meet at Jesus’ feet; Till we meet, till we meet, God be with you till we meet again.

Postlude

Featured Element of Worship: Pentecost

You may have noticed that the paraments on the pulpit, lectern and communion table are red this week (as opposed to the white that they had been since Easter). The reason for this is that today marks the celebration of Pentecost. The word Pentecost comes from a Greek word meaning “fiftieth,” as it marks the fiftieth day beginning at Easter. It originally was a festival that marked the first grain harvest in Palestine, and the Jews had appropriated it as a means of giving honor and thanks to the one true and living God.

After Jesus ascended though, 120 of his followers were gathering, wondering what to do next. Luke tells us in Acts 2 that it was on Pentecost that the Spirit of God fell upon them, appearing as tongues of fire (hence red for this season’s liturgical color). Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they dynamically proclaimed the truth of the gospel to all who would hear, and on that day some 3,000 believers were added to their number. While we do not visibly see tongues of fire resting upon us, that same Spirit dwells today within all those who are Christ’s. So it is that by his power we go about his work for his glory, celebrating not the harvest of grain, but the harvest of people into his kingdom.

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UNISON SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 10:25-37 ESV

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher,

what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in

the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the

Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your

strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he

said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neigh-

bor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho,

and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed,

leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road,

and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a

Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other

side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and

when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his

wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and

brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took

out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him,

and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man

who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him

mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

SERMON TEXT: Genesis 4:1-16 ESV

4 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” 10 And the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

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Westminster Larger Catechism

Q. 135. What does the sixth commandment require?

A. The sixth commandment requires us to do our best to make every law-ful effort to preserve our own life1 and the lives of others. 2 We do this by not thinking about or planning,3 by controlling our emotions,4 and by avoiding all opportunities,5 temptations,6 or actions that would promote or lead to the unjust taking of someone’s life.7 In the pursuit of that goal, we must defend others from violence,8 patiently endure the afflictions from God’s hand,9 have a quiet mind10 and a cheerful spirit,11 practice tem-perance in the way we eat,12 drink,13 take medications,14 sleep,15 work,16

and play.17 We should also harbor charitable thoughts,18 love,19 compas-sion,20 meekness, gentleness, and kindness.21 Our speech and behavior should be peaceful,22 mild, and courteous.23 We should be tolerant of oth-ers, be ready to be reconciled, patiently put up with and forgive injuries against us, and return good for evil.24 Finally, we should provide aid and comfort to those in distress as well as protect and defend the innocent.25

1. Ephesians 5:28-29, Matthew 10:23.2. 1 Kings 18:4, Psalms 82:4, Deuteron-

omy 22:8.3. Jeremiah 26:15-16, Acts 23:12, 16-17,

21, 27, Matthew 5:22.4. Ephesians 4:26-27.5. 2 Samuel 2:22, Deuteronomy 22:8,

Proverbs 22:24-25, 1 Samuel 25:32-33.6. Matthew 4:6-7, Proverbs 1:10, 11,

15-16.7. 1 Samuel 24:12, 26.9-11, Genesis

37:21-22, 1 Kings 21:9-10, 19.8. Psalms 82:4, Proverbs 24:11-12,

1 Samuel 14:45.9. James 5:7-11, Hebrews 12:5, 9, Luke

21:19.10. 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 1 Peter 3:3-4,

Psalms 37:8, 11.11. Proverbs 17:22, 1 Thessalonians 5:16.12. Proverbs 25:16, 27, 23:20.13. 1 Timothy 5.23, Proverbs 23.29-30.

14. Isaiah 38.21, Matthew 9.12.15. Psalms 127:2.16. Ecclesiastes 5:12, 2 Thessalonians

3:10, 12, Proverbs 16:26.17. Ecclesiastes 3:4, 11, Mark 6:31,

1 Timothy 4:8.18. 1 Samuel 19:4-5, 22:13-14,

1 Corinthians 13:4-5.19. Romans 13:10, Proverbs 10:12.20. Luke 10:33-34, Zechariah 7:9.21. Colossians 3:12-13.22. James 3:17, Romans 12:18.23. 1 Peter 3:8-11, Proverbs 15:1, Judges

8:1-3, 1 Corinthians 4:12-13.24. Matthew 5:24, Ephesians 4:2, 32, Ro-

mans 12.17, 20-21, Colossians 3:13, James 3:17, 1 Peter 2:20.

25. 1 Thessalonians 5:14, Job 31:19-20, Matthew 25:35-36, Proverbs 31:8-9, Isaiah 58:7.