The Image of God

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1

Prelude 

Welcome and Announcements

Introit         

Call to Worship*                                                         
1 Corinthians 5:7-8
Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  

Hymn of Praise*                                                    
#92  “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”
Martin Luther, 1529

Invocation* 

Confession of Faith                            
The French Confession 36, 1559
We confess that the Lord’s Supper, which is the second sacrament, is a witness of the union which we have with Christ, inasmuch as he not only died and rose again for us once, but also feeds and nourishes us truly with his flesh and blood, so that we may be one in him, and that our life may be in common. Although he be in heaven until he come to judge all the earth, still we believe that by the secret and incomprehensible power of his Spirit he feeds and strengthens us with the substance of his body and of his blood. We hold that this is done spiritually, not because we put imagination and fancy in the place of fact and truth, but because the greatness of this mystery exceeds the measure of our senses and the laws of nature. In short, because it is heavenly, it can only be apprehended by faith. 

Preparation for Confession of Sin                 
Joel 2:12-13
“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.      

Confession of Sin 

Assurance of Pardon                                        
1 Timothy 1; The Strasbourg Liturgy, 1539
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; let everyone, with St. Paul, truly acknowledge this in his heart and believe in Christ. Thus, in His name, I proclaim unto you the forgiveness of all your sins, and declare you to be loosed of them on earth, that you be loosed of them also in heaven, in eternity. Amen.             

Hymn of Assurance*                                       
#98  “Now Thank We All Our God”
Martin Rinkart, 1636 

Giving of Tithes and Offerings                                         

Prayer of Response 

Scripture Reading*                     
Joshua 1:1-9
Hebrews 10:19-25 

Doxology*                                     
#731
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. 

Taken from “Trinity Hymnal Revised Edition”, ©1990 Great Commission Publications, Inc. Used by permission. 

Prayer of Intercession 

Preaching of God’s Word                        
Larry Rodgers
“The Image of God”
Colossians 1:13-20 

Communion 

Hymn of Affirmation                                               
#168  “I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art”
Strasbourg Psalter, 1545 

Benediction*                                               
Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.        

Response*                                                                              
#1  (Verse 1 only)

All people that on earth do dwell, 
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
Him serve with fear, his praise forthtell,
Come ye before him and rejoice. 

Postlude*