December 15, 2024

The Third Sunday in Advent

(Nicene Creed)

Preaching: Pastor Daniel Borvan

Call to Worship: Psalm 150:1

Invocation: Psalm 84:1

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!

Reading of the Law: Matthew 22:37-40

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Old Testament Lesson: Leviticus 2:11-16

“No grain offering that you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey as a food offering to the Lord. 12 As an offering of firstfruits you may bring them to the Lord, but they shall not be offered on the altar for a pleasing aroma. 13 You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.

14 “If you offer a grain offering of firstfruits to the Lord, you shall offer for the grain offering of your firstfruits fresh ears, roasted with fire, crushed new grain. 15 And you shall put oil on it and lay frankincense on it; it is a grain offering. 16 And the priest shall burn as its memorial portion some of the crushed grain and some of the oil with all of its frankincense; it is a food offering to the Lord.

New Testament Lesson: Mark 9:38-50

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Sermon Title: “The Radical King” Part II

Hymn #1 (Trinity Psalter Hymnal – Psalm 84B) “O Lord of Hosts, How Lovely”

Hymn #2 (Trinity Psalter Hymnal – Psalm 64) “Hear My Voice, O God” 

Hymn #3 (Trinity Psalter Hymnal – #292) “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”

Afternoon Worship

*Call to Worship: Psalm 148:1

*God’s Greeting: 1 Timothy 1:2

*Psalm #1 (Trinity Psalter Hymnal — Psalm 92-B) “It Is Good to Sing Your Praises”

*Prayer for Illumination

*Old Testament Lesson: Daniel 2:36-45

*New Testament Lesson: Romans 13:1-7

Confessional Reading: Belgic Confession, Article 36

Prayer of Application

*Psalm #2 (Trinity Psalter Hymnal – Psalm 93) “The Lord Reigns over All”

*Benediction