Preparing for Worship: Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany - January 29
God Calls Us to Worship Him
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Hymn of Epiphany: "Joy Has Dawned"
Joy has dawned upon the world
Promised from creation
God's salvation now unfurled
Hope for every nation
Not with fanfares from above
Not with scenes of glory
But a humble gift of love
Jesus born of Mary
Sounds of wonder fill the sky
With the songs of angels
As the mighty Prince of Life
Shelters in a stable
Hands that set each star in place
Shaped the earth in darkness
Cling now to a mother's breast
Vulnerable and helpless
Shepherds bow before the Lamb
Gazing at the glory
Gifts of men from distant lands
Prophesy the story
Gold a King is born today
Incense God is with us
Myrrh His death will make a way
And by His blood He'll win us
Son of Adam Son of heaven
Given as a ransom
Reconciling God and man
Christ our mighty Champion!
What a Saviour what a Friend
What a glorious mystery
Once a babe in Bethlehem
Now the Lord of history
God Graciously Renews Us in Christ
Confession of Sin
Hymn of Confession: "Create in Me a Clean Heart"
Create in me a clean heart O Lord my God
And renew a right spirit within me (within me) Cast me not away from Thy presence O Lord
Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me
Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation (O Lord) And renew a right spirit within me Lord renew my spirit and restore my soul
Forgiveness of Sin through Christ
We sought the Lord, and he answered us and delivered us out of our terror. We called in our affliction and the Lord heard us and saved us from all our troubles. (Psalm 34:4-5)
Song of Assurance: "Revelation Song"
Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain Holy holy is He Sing a new song to Him Who sits on Heaven's mercy seat Holy holy holy Is the Lord God Almighty Who was and is and is to come With all creation I sing Praise to the King of kings You are my ev'rything
And I will adore You Clothed in rainbows of living color
Flashes of lightning rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor strength and glory
And power be to You the only wise King Filled with wonder awestruck wonder
At the mention of Your name
Jesus Your name is power breath and living water
Such a marv'lous mystery
Thanking God for What He Has Done
“Stand in awe of Him, O people of God. For He has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and He has not hidden His face from him, but has heard, when he cried to Him.”
(Psalm 22:23-24)
Scripture tells us, "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,' and, 'The laborer deserves his wages.” (1 Timothy 5:17-18). When you give to Calvary, you support the ministry of the word. Approximately half of the budget goes to support pastoral and administrative staff. Through your generous contributions, these individuals can continue to advance the gospel in their respective ministries.
Hymn of Affirmation: "God Will Take Care of You"
Be not dismayed whate'er betide God will take care of you Beneath His wings of love abide God will take care of you God will take care of you Through every day o'er all the way He will take care of you God will take care of you Through days of toil when heart doth fail God will take care of you When dangers fierce your path assail God will take care of you No matter what may be the test God will take care of you Lean weary one upon His breast
God will take care of you
God Instructs Us through His Word
Genesis 39:1-23 (HCSB)
Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful, Joseph found favor in his master’s sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority. From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house because of Joseph. The Lord’s blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields. He left all that he owned under Joseph’s authority; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome. After some time his master’s wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.” But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority. No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?”
Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her. Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there. She grabbed him by his garment and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside. When she saw that he had left his garment with her and had run outside, she called the household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “my husband brought a Hebrew man to make fools of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, and I screamed as loud as I could. When he heard me screaming for help, he left his garment with me and ran outside.”
She put Joseph’s garment beside her until his master came home. Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought to us came to make a fool of me, but when I screamed for help, he left his garment with me and ran outside.”
When his master heard the story his wife told him—“These are the things your slave did to me”—he was furious and had him thrown into prison, where the king’s prisoners were confined. So Joseph was there in prison.
But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. He granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. The warden put all the prisoners who were in the prison under Joseph’s authority, and he was responsible for everything that was done there. The warden did not bother with anything under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him, and the Lord made everything that he did successful.
God Feeds and Nourishes Us through His Supper
Is your conformity to His image more distinctly visible to the eye, both of God and man? Are you examining and expended your time and money in the advancement of the gospel? Are you more gentle and affectionate in your manners at home? Are you more consistent in your endeavor to lead to Christ those you know who have not yet met Him, and to lead those who do know Him into a closer walk with Him? Do you have a growing interest in ministries that labor to promote the glory of God?
God Blesses Us and Sends Us Out
Pastoral Exhortation
