-The Lord’s Day ~ May 22, 2022
The Preparation for Worship
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)
Prelude and Silent Prayer
Welcome and Announcements
The Adoration of God
Call to Worship – Psalm 35:9-10
*Psalm of Praise – Psalm 35A, ARP Psalter, vv. 1-2
Speaker: Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary;
All: Praise Him in His mighty firmament! (Psalm 150:1)
*The Invocation and 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 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.
*The Hymn of Exaltation – Hymn 32
(Great Is Thy Faithfulness)
The Responsive Reading – Psalm 93, p. 818
*The Response of Praise (Be This My Joy Today)
Be this my joy today, to hear and to obey,
My Savior's word, His wonderful word.
To read in ev'ry line, God's will, and make it mine.
Be this my joy, my wonderful joy!
The Confession of Sin
The Call to Repentance – Exodus 3:3-6
Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” and he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
The Prayer of Confession (a moment of silent confession)
O LORD, we have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. We soon forget your works and do not wait for your counsel. We have not believed your word; we have complained and have not heeded your voice. We have provoked You to anger with our deeds. Nevertheless, regard our cry and remember your covenant, according to the multitude of Your mercies. Save us, O LORD our God, to give thanks to your holy name. Through Christ our Lord, Amen. (Psalm 106)
The Assurance of Pardon – 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
*The Hymn of Gratitude – Hymn 254
(Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed)
The Means of Grace
The Pastoral Prayer
The Worship of Giving
*The 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.
*The Prayer of Dedication
The Scripture – 1 Samuel 31:1-13
The Sermon – The Death of King Saul
The Response and Blessing
*The Hymn of Consecration – Hymn 537
(Take Time to Be Holy)
*The Benediction
*Congregation Standing
----------------------------------
Announcements
We welcome all who are visiting with us today. The Pastor and elders are available after the service to pray with you, to speak with you about salvation or church membership.
There will be a Church Picnic @ the Wrights this Sunday at ~ 1:00.
--------------------------------
1 Samuel 31
The Scripture makes no mention of what became of the souls of Saul and his sons, after they were dead; but of their bodies only: secret things do not belong to us. It is of little consequence by what means we die, or what is done with our dead bodies. If our souls are saved, our bodies will be raised incorruptible and glorious; but not to fear his wrath, who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell, is the extreme of folly and wickedness. How useless is the respect of fellow creatures to those who are suffering the wrath of God! While pompous funerals, grand monuments, and the praises of men, honor the memory of the deceased, the soul may be suffering in the regions of darkness and despair! Let us seek that honor which comes from God only. (Matthew Henry)
--------------------------
PAUSE, Reader! once more over the sad view of Saul's history, and as thou hast been called upon to mark his progress in sin, and the ripening of his mind in iniquity; here behold, in self-murder, the awful close of a life so evil. Oh! how dreadful to die out of Christ, uninterested in him; void of all covenant promises; unregenerated in heart, unwashed in the blood of the Lamb, and without the clothing of the Redeemer's righteousness. Better to die in a ditch, than to die out of Christ. The manner of death is nothing: to die anyhow, anywhere, by any means; only to die in Jesus. Lord! give to him that reads, and him that writes, the blessed hope in our death, that living or dying, we are the Lord's. Oh! for a part in the first resurrection, and then the second death hath no power. (Robert Hawker)
-----------------------------
We should note that Saul’s act of suicide was not an act of a depressed person struggling with suicidal thoughts, but it is rather an act of faithlessness on the battlefield. And in that way, it seems especially fitting that Saul would take his own life. Because in truth, Saul has been destroying himself for the last nineteen chapters. Saul has turned from the Lord … and the logical end of such a turn – the logical end of rejecting our God and Maker – is always self-destruction. That’s what spiritual decline looks like for those who harden their hearts against the Lord, and it is in many ways what the eternity of hell looks like. Turned away from God, turned in on themselves, those who reject the Lord consume themselves, and eventually destroy themselves. We have seen that dramatized over most of First Samuel, and now it reaches its logical conclusion as Saul physically destroys himself. (Steven Nicoletti)
The Preparation for Worship
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)
Prelude and Silent Prayer
Welcome and Announcements
The Adoration of God
Call to Worship – Psalm 35:9-10
*Psalm of Praise – Psalm 35A, ARP Psalter, vv. 1-2
Speaker: Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary;
All: Praise Him in His mighty firmament! (Psalm 150:1)
*The Invocation and 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 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.
*The Hymn of Exaltation – Hymn 32
(Great Is Thy Faithfulness)
The Responsive Reading – Psalm 93, p. 818
*The Response of Praise (Be This My Joy Today)
Be this my joy today, to hear and to obey,
My Savior's word, His wonderful word.
To read in ev'ry line, God's will, and make it mine.
Be this my joy, my wonderful joy!
The Confession of Sin
The Call to Repentance – Exodus 3:3-6
Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” and he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
The Prayer of Confession (a moment of silent confession)
O LORD, we have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. We soon forget your works and do not wait for your counsel. We have not believed your word; we have complained and have not heeded your voice. We have provoked You to anger with our deeds. Nevertheless, regard our cry and remember your covenant, according to the multitude of Your mercies. Save us, O LORD our God, to give thanks to your holy name. Through Christ our Lord, Amen. (Psalm 106)
The Assurance of Pardon – 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
*The Hymn of Gratitude – Hymn 254
(Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed)
The Means of Grace
The Pastoral Prayer
The Worship of Giving
*The 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.
*The Prayer of Dedication
The Scripture – 1 Samuel 31:1-13
The Sermon – The Death of King Saul
The Response and Blessing
*The Hymn of Consecration – Hymn 537
(Take Time to Be Holy)
*The Benediction
*Congregation Standing
----------------------------------
Announcements
We welcome all who are visiting with us today. The Pastor and elders are available after the service to pray with you, to speak with you about salvation or church membership.
There will be a Church Picnic @ the Wrights this Sunday at ~ 1:00.
--------------------------------
1 Samuel 31
The Scripture makes no mention of what became of the souls of Saul and his sons, after they were dead; but of their bodies only: secret things do not belong to us. It is of little consequence by what means we die, or what is done with our dead bodies. If our souls are saved, our bodies will be raised incorruptible and glorious; but not to fear his wrath, who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell, is the extreme of folly and wickedness. How useless is the respect of fellow creatures to those who are suffering the wrath of God! While pompous funerals, grand monuments, and the praises of men, honor the memory of the deceased, the soul may be suffering in the regions of darkness and despair! Let us seek that honor which comes from God only. (Matthew Henry)
--------------------------
PAUSE, Reader! once more over the sad view of Saul's history, and as thou hast been called upon to mark his progress in sin, and the ripening of his mind in iniquity; here behold, in self-murder, the awful close of a life so evil. Oh! how dreadful to die out of Christ, uninterested in him; void of all covenant promises; unregenerated in heart, unwashed in the blood of the Lamb, and without the clothing of the Redeemer's righteousness. Better to die in a ditch, than to die out of Christ. The manner of death is nothing: to die anyhow, anywhere, by any means; only to die in Jesus. Lord! give to him that reads, and him that writes, the blessed hope in our death, that living or dying, we are the Lord's. Oh! for a part in the first resurrection, and then the second death hath no power. (Robert Hawker)
-----------------------------
We should note that Saul’s act of suicide was not an act of a depressed person struggling with suicidal thoughts, but it is rather an act of faithlessness on the battlefield. And in that way, it seems especially fitting that Saul would take his own life. Because in truth, Saul has been destroying himself for the last nineteen chapters. Saul has turned from the Lord … and the logical end of such a turn – the logical end of rejecting our God and Maker – is always self-destruction. That’s what spiritual decline looks like for those who harden their hearts against the Lord, and it is in many ways what the eternity of hell looks like. Turned away from God, turned in on themselves, those who reject the Lord consume themselves, and eventually destroy themselves. We have seen that dramatized over most of First Samuel, and now it reaches its logical conclusion as Saul physically destroys himself. (Steven Nicoletti)
The ARP Church has published a Psalter in conjunction with Crown and Covenant Publications. Read here about the Preface and History of Psalm singing in the ARPC.
