What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39 ESV)

Welcome & Announcements

Call to Worship: Romans 8:31-39 (see above) OK, so this is a little longer than a traditional call to worship, but how can you shorten this passage? As we prepare to sing about the magnificent, marvelous, matchless love of God for us, we will let the Scriptures remind us of the ultimate display of that love in cross of Christ. 

Song: Magnificent, Marvelous, Matchless Love We introduced this new song last week; I'd encourage you to listen to it because this week it's your turn to sing it! 

Song: Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder Having sung of God's love for us, we sing of our response. We love, because He first loved us.

Song: Glorify Thy Name I love the simplicity and strong Trinitarian emphasis of this chorus. One quirk of mine is that I like to sing "glorify His name" instead of "Thy name" on the third verse. This is because I understand the Holy Spirit's ministry to be focused on glorifying Christ--see John 16:14.

Congregational Prayer

Reading of Sermon Text

Sermon

Confession of Faith: New City Catechism, Question 43 This week's question focuses on the meaning of the ordinances (baptism and communion), so we will consider that question before celebrating communion together.

Song: There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood

Communion

Pastoral Prayer

Offertory: Our Great God Someone went to the trouble of putting the chorus to this song on one of our bulletin boards, so we'd better sing it before they change it! ;) 

Benediction