The Order of Worship – March 16, 2025

This is the 75th Day of 2024.
There are 290 days remaining in 2024.

Filled with the Holy Spirit,
we are a people of prayer
committed to love one another
and equipped to share Christ’s love throughout the world.

Second Sunday of Lent

Prelude:

Welcome & Announcements:
This month’s mission focus is the Delta State Wesley Foundation
Bible Study is at afaithtalk.com
Five Loaves tonight.

Call to Worship: How Firm a Foundation

Responsive Reading:  Psalm 27
The Lord shall keep me safe

¹ The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? 
The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

² When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh–
my adversaries and foes– 
they shall stumble and fall.

³ Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; 
though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.

⁴ One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: 
to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, 
to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

⁵ For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; 
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; 
he will set me high on a rock.

⁶ Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, 
and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; 
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

⁷ Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!
⁸ “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”
Your face, LORD, do I seek.

⁹ Do not hide your face from me. 
Do not turn your servant away in anger, 
you who have been my help. 
Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, 
O God of my salvation!

¹⁰ If my father and mother forsake me, 
the LORD will take me up.

¹¹ Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
¹² Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, 
for false witnesses have risen against me, 
and they are breathing out violence.

¹³ I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD 
in the land of the living.
¹⁴ Wait for the LORD; be strong, 
and let your heart take courage; 
wait for the LORD!
Praise The Lord 

Opening Hymn: The God of Abraham Praise…116

Verse 1

The God of Abraham praise, who reigns enthroned above;
Ancient of Everlasting Days, and God of Love;
Jehovah, great I AM! by earth and heaven confessed;
I bow and bless the sacred name forever blest.

Verse 2

The great I AM has sworn; I on this oath depend.
I shall, on eagle wings upborne, to heaven ascend.
I shall behold God’s face; I shall God’s power adore,
and sing the wonders of God’s grace forevermore.

Verse 3

The heavenly land I see, with peace and plenty blest;
a land of sacred liberty, and endless rest.
There milk and honey flow, and oil and wine abound,
and trees of life forever grow with mercy crowned.

Verse 4

The God who reigns on high the great archangels sing, 
and “Holy, holy, holy!” cry “Almighty King! 
Who was, and is, the same, and evermore shall be: 
Jehovah, Lord, the great I AM, we worship thee!” 

Affirmation of Faith:
The Apostle’s Creed..No. 881

I believe in God the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord:
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified,
dead,
and buried;
the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge
the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Gloria Patri…Page 70

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. Amen.

Praise Song: You Are My All In All

Verse 1

You are my strength when I am weak
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all
Seeking You as a precious jewel
Lord, to give up I’d be a fool
You are my all in all

Chorus

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name

Verse 2

Taking my sin, my cross, my shame
Rising again I bless Your name
You are my all in all
When I fall down You pick me up
When I am dry You fill my cup
You are my all in all

Chorus

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name

Chorus

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Worthy is Your name  

Pastoral Prayer
Contact us here to add your concern to our prayer list.

The Lord’s Prayer:

Our 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.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever. Amen.

Anthem: Anthem: El Shaddai

Offertory

Doxology:

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

Children’s Moment
Children’s Song (Do Lord)

Verse 1

I’ve got a home in glory land that outshines the sun.
I’ve got a home in glory land that outshines the sun.
I’ve got a home in glory land that outshines the sun;
Way beyond the blue.

Chorus

Do, Lord, Oh do, Lord, Oh do you remember me?
Do, Lord, Oh do, Lord, Oh do you remember me?
Do, Lord, Oh do, Lord, Oh do you remember me
Way beyond the blue

Verse 2

I took Jesus as my Savior, you take him too.
I took Jesus as my Savior, you take him too.
I took Jesus as my Savior, you take him too;
Way beyond the blue.

Chorus

Do, Lord, Oh do, Lord, Oh do you remember me?
Do, Lord, Oh do, Lord, Oh do you remember me?
Do, Lord, Oh do, Lord, Oh do you remember me
Way beyond the blue

Prayer for Illumination
Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that as the Scriptures are read and your Word is proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today. Amen.

Gospel Reading: Luke 13:31-35
A hen gathering her brood

³¹ At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.”

³² He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. ³³ Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’

³⁴ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

³⁵ See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God

New Testament Reading:  Philippians 3:17-4:1
Our citizenship is in heaven

¹⁷ Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. ¹⁸ For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. ¹⁹ Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. ²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

²¹ He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.

^4:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God

Sermon Text:  Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
The covenant with Abram

¹ After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

² But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³ And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.”

⁴ But the word of the LORD came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.”

⁵ He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

⁶ And he believed the LORD, and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.

⁷ Then he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.”

⁸ But he said, “O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?”

⁹ He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

¹⁰ He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other, but he did not cut the birds in two. ¹¹ And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

¹² As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.

¹⁷ When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.

¹⁸ On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates….” 

Leader: This is The Word of God for the people of God
People: Thanks be to God.

Sermon:  “Smoke & Flame” 

Closing Hymn: O Jesus, I Have Promised…396 (F)
Verse 1

O Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end;
be though forever near me, my Master and my friend.
I shall not fear the battle if thou art by my side,
nor wander from the pathway if thou wilt be my guide.

Verse 4

O Jesus, thou has promised to all who follow thee
that where thou art in glory there shall thy servant be.
And Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow, my Master and my Friend. 

Filled Up and Poured Out

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