Fourth Sunday of Lent
March 27, 2022 | 10:00am
The Rev. Alexander Arthurs, Pastor| Larry J. Carey, Director of Music
Thought for Worship: More than any other discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. | Richard Foster
GATHERING
Prelude: Amazing Grace | arr. Bish
Welcome
Call to Worship
Votum
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Amen
Opening Sentences
The Lord be with you
And also with you.
Our hearts are restless until they rest in you.
We give you our hearts, Holy Father.
Our souls are unsettled until they experience your embrace.
We give you our souls, Saving Son.
Our lives are lifeless until they are breathed into by you.
We give you our lives, Life-Giving Spirit.
We are here to worship the Holy Trinity.
Let us worship our God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Salutation
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
Amen.
*Hymn of Praise: Shepherd Me, O God
Call to Confession
Prayer of Confession
Most merciful God,
We confess that we have sinned against you
In thought, word, and deed,
By what we have done,
And by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us; that
We may delight in your will,
And walk in your ways,
To the glory of your Name. Amen. Amen.
To the glory of your Name. Amen. Amen.
Silent Confession
Assurance of Pardon
Walking this earth,
facing temptation,
defeating sin,
Jesus has done for us,
what we could never do for ourselves.
This is good news! In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!
Thanks be to God!
The Law of God: Galatians 5:16-23
*Gloria Patri | #579
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.
*Commitment to Peace Keeping and Peace Seeking
One: May the peace of Christ be with you!
All: And also with you!
Share a sign of peace with one another. After sharing the peace, let us all sing together:
Together, by grace, we witness and work, remembering Jesus, in whom we grow strong. Together we serve in Spirit and truth, remembering love is the strength of our song.
THE WORD OF GOD
Anthem: Softly and Tenderly | arr. Martin
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me;
patiently Jesus is waiting and watching, watching for you and for me.
Come home, come home, ye who are weary, come home;
earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home!
Pleading for you and for me! Mercies for you and for me!
Come home, come home, ye who are weary, come home;
earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home.
O, for the wonderful love he has promised for you and for me;
though we have sinned, he has mercy and pardon, pardon for you and for me,
Come home, come home, ye who are weary, come home, calling, O sinner, come home.
Prayer for Illumination
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us. Open our ears to hear your Word. Soften our spirits to receive your truth. Shape our hearts to love what you love. Speak, O Lord. Your servants are listening. Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 58
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Hymn: How Blest Are Those
Second Reading: Matthew 4:1-11; Matthew 6:16-18
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Sermon: I Am Hungry | Larry J. Carey
Silent Reflection
THE RESPONSE TO GOD
*Affirmation of Faith
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Offering My Jesus, I Love Thee | arr. Drennan
Jesus I love thee, I know thou art mine; for thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious redeemer, my Savior art thou. If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
I love thee because thou first loved me, and purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree.
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow. If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
I'll love thee in life, I will love thee in death,
and praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath;
and say when the death dew lies cold on my brow. If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
In mansions of glory and endless delight, I'll ever adore thee in heaven so bright.
I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow. If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
Prayer of the People (ending with Lord’s Prayer)
Let us have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus as we pray for the world he came to save, saying: Have mercy, O God; hear our prayer.
We pray for the church . . . Make us ambassadors for your reconciling work. Let your church be a sign of the new creation that has come into the world through Christ. Have mercy, O God; hear our prayer.
We pray for the world . . . Roll away the stones that hold people captive in poverty and hunger, death and disgrace. Welcome all to your land of promise and plenty. Have mercy, O God; hear our prayer.
We pray for this community . . . Help us to be better stewards of your gifts, so that all people might have an equal share in the basic necessities of human life. Have mercy, O God; hear our prayer.
We pray for loved ones . . . Bring healing and peace to all who suffer, especially to families that are divided. Watch over those who are far from home. (names read) Have mercy, O God; hear our prayer.
As we pour out our hearts in prayer, O God, lead us to pour out our lives in service to you— ever seeking your will, ever following your way; all in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
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, the Power, and the Glory forever. Amen.
SENDING
Hymn: When God Restored Our Common Life
Benediction
Postlude: O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing | arr. Page
DEAR FRIENDS
Welcome to worship here at Peapack Reformed Church! If you are visiting with us, welcome! If you are a member, welcome back! Our mission is to be a congregation called by God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and committed to being the very presence of Jesus Christ in the world. This mission is the catalyst for all that we do, and is our aim for who we want to be.
If you are visiting with us via Facebook Live and would like more information about our church, send us a message on Facebook or email office@peapackreformed.org and we will be in touch with you. Even under these odd and anxious circumstances, we would love to be your church home. Our virtual doors are always open wide and our hearts are always ready to welcome new faces into our fellowship.
FOOD PANTRY NEWS
Many thanks for all those who have shared their abundance with neighbors in need.
Our church refrigerators have plenty of space to hold even more!
Mark your calendars now to pick up these important items
and bring to church by the dates listed:
Sunday, March 27- eggs
Sunday, April 3 - Gallon(s) whole milk
Sunday, April 10 - eggs
We are changing our Online Giving System to a more efficient and church-friendly platform. If you would like to continue giving online or would like to set up online payments, please click the “Give Now” button below to set up your online gifts. If you have any questions or need help setting up payments, please contact the church office. We are so grateful for your flexibility as we make this change. Your generosity drives our mission forward!
• Email: office@peapackreformed.org • phone: (908) 234-2733 •
Peapack Reformed Church is a congregation called by God, empowered by the Holy Spirit and committed to being the very presence of Jesus Christ in the world.
CALLED • EMPOWERED • COMMITTED
