Call to Worship – God calls us into his presence to worship him. We gather together to hear him speak to us through his word.
Instrumental
Welcome/Announcements
Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods. -Psalm 95:1-3
Sing: How Great Thou Art
Confession – We confess our sin, our need for a savior, and our faith in Christ.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
We confess that we have sinned against you in our thoughts, words and deeds. We have not loved you will all of our heart, soul, mind and strength; we have not loved our neighbor as ourselves.
Deepen within us a sorrow which leads to repentance for the wrong we have done and for the good we have left undone. Lord you are full of compassion and you are gracious, you are slow to anger, and your mercy is unceasing; there is always forgiveness with you!
Restore to us the joy of your salvation. Bind up that which is broken, shine your light on our minds, give strength to our wills, and rest to our souls. Make our hearts fertile ground for your word, let your word dwell in us richly until it has wrought in us your holy will. Amen
Sing: From the Depths of Woe [YouTube] [Spotify]
Assurance of Forgiveness – God reminds us of his gracious mercy in Christ’s atoning sacrifice.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. -1 Peter 1:3-4
Sing: The Lion and the Lamb[YouTube] [Spotify]
Children dismissed
Sing: How Great Thou Art (Reprise)
Update on Togo Africa – Andrew Ward
Preaching of the Word
Pastor Greg McDaniel, An Introduction to the Book of Hosea, Hosea 1-10
Response to the Word
Pastoral Prayer
Sing: Tis So Sweet [YouTube] [Spotify]
The Lord’s Supper
Sing (while passing the meal): Great is Thy Faithfulness [YouTube] [Spotify]
Benediction – God sends us into the world sanctified by his Holy Spirit through his word.
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
-1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
Announcements
Communion Servers Meeting – Sunday, May 27, 2018, after both services
- All men are invited to attend a quick meeting after both services to learn more about serving communion at Grace Covenant Church. For those who are interested along with those who are currently serving.
Prayer Meeting – Tuesday, May 29, 7pm – 8pm
- A time for corporate prayer and guidance on corporate prayer.
Membership Class – Sunday, June 3, 2018, 12:30-2pm
- Open to anyone seeking to know more about Grace Covenant and membership.
- Meeting in the lower level, lunch will be provided.
- Please register at http://www.gracecincinnati.com/connect/events.
How can I be assured of my salvation?
Scripture tells us that we will never be put to shame by the hope we have in Christ and that we should rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.1 But in what ways can we be assured that we are in fact in a state of grace? The reformed confessions put forth three ways, found in scripture, that God assures us of our salvation.*
First, we have the basic historical facts of the gospel, those being the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. And that by faith we believe God’s promise, made known to us in his revealed word, that Christ’s blood has made atonement for our sins and that his righteousness covers us.2
Second, we have the inward evidences of the Holy Spirit’s adoption, as he witnesses to our spirit that we are children of God.3
Third, we look for the fruit of the Spirit manifesting in our lives, especially in a humble and holy heart, as we are conforming to the image of Christ.4
Praise God for his faithfulness, assuring us that he is our God and we are his people!
1) Romans 5:2-5 2) Hebrews 6:11,17-19 3) 2 Peter 1:4-5, 10-11; Romans 8:15-16 4) 1 John 3:1-3 *) See London Baptist Confession of Faith, 1689: Chapter 18:2
