Christ Church

The Divine Service

of the Lord Jesus Christ
Second Sunday in Lent
February 20, 2011

Salutation
The Lord be with you! 2 Timothy 4.22
And also with you!
Welcome & Announcements
Preparation for Worship (silently pray the following collect to prepare for worship)
O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all
adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt
the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
<STAND when the pianist stops playing>

I. The Lord Gathers Us for Worship

Invocation & Entrance

<STAND>
We are gathered in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Amen! Matthew 18.20; 28.19

I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?
Our help comes from the Lord,
The Maker of heaven and earth! Psalm 121.1-2

Hymn of Procession (on following page)

Note: The congregation says all bold words and sings all printed songs.
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 II. The Lord Cleanses Us from Sin
Dearly beloved in Christ, the Scriptures teach us that if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and
the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1.9

Kyrie Eleison ~ Lord Have Mercy Psalm 51.1; 123.3; Matthew 17.15; 20.30-31

Confession of Sin
Come, let us worship and bow down. Psalm 95.6
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker! <KNEEL>
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
hearts, and 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. <REMAIN KNEELING>

Absolution ~ Gospel proclamation of forgiveness in Christ <STAND>

By virtue of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, you are fully and freely forgiven of all
your sins. Believe this and know that you are at peace with God!
Thanks be to God!
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 III. The Lord Raises Us Up to Heaven and Seats Us With Christ
Sursum Corda ~ Lift Up Your Hearts Ephesians 2.6; Colossians 3.1

Lift up your hearts!

We lift them up to the Lord!
Prayer of Ascent to Heaven Traditionally called the Preface (to the Sanctus).
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God!
It is good and right to do so!
It is very good and right that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you, O Holy Lord,
Father Almighty, through Jesus Christ the Suffering Servant, who was tempted in every way as we are,
yet did not sin; who laid down his life for us in love; and who humbled himself by becoming obedient to
the point of death, even death on a cross. We thank you that by his grace we are able boldly to triumph
over evil by following him in humble obedience in the way of the cross. Therefore, with the angels and
archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we magnify your glorious name, evermore praising you
and singing:
Sanctus ~ Holy

To You I lift up my eyes,

O You Who are enthroned in the heavens! Psalm 124.1

Hymn of Ascent (on following page)

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Prayer of Illumination
Almighty God, in you are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Open our eyes that we
may see the wonders of your Word; and give us grace that we may understand and choose the way of
your wisdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. <BE SEATED>
Scripture Lesson Genesis 12.1-9 (text printed on back page)
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to you, God Most High!
Psalm Psalm 121
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I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
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My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
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He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
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Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
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The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
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The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
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The LORD will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
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The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.
Alleluia ~ Praise the Lord Psalms 146-150

Gospel Lesson John 3.1-17 (text printed on back page)

This is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Praise be to you, O Christ!
Profession of Faith Nicene Creed
Christian, in whom do you trust?
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things
visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father
before all worlds:
God of God,
Light of Light,
very God of very God;
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by Whom all things were made;
Who, for us men and for our salvation,
came down from heaven,
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary,
and was made man,
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate;
He suffered and was buried;
and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures,
and ascended into heaven,
and sits on the right hand of the Father;
and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead;
Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified,
Who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen!
Gloria Patri ~ Glory to the Father

Pre-sermon Prayer
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, Lord Jesus
Christ, our Rock, and our Kinsman Redeemer. Psalm 19.14
Amen. <BE SEATED>
Sermon Pastor John Maphet

Post-sermon Blessing
May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Amen. Philippians 4.7

Offertory Hymn (on following page)

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Offertory Response & Prayer
What gifts have you brought for your Lord?
We give only what the Lord has first given to us. We offer ourselves in Christ through
confession, praise, and thanksgiving; we give our prayers and alms for the sake of the world;
and we participate in the Lord’s Supper as a memorial of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen!
Blessed are you, O Lord God our Father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the victory and the majesty; indeed all that is in the heavens and the earth is yours.
Yours is the kingdom, O Lord Jesus Christ, and you are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor
come from you, and you reign over all, and in your hand is power and might, and it lies in your hand to
make great and to strengthen all. Now therefore, our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name,
for all things come from you and of your own gifts we have given to you. 1 Chronicles 29.10-14
Amen! <STAND>
Kingdom Prayer
God, our Father in heaven, look with mercy on us, your needy children on earth, and grant us grace that
your holy Name be hallowed by us and all the world through the pure and true teaching of your Word
and the fervent love shown in our lives. Graciously turn from us all false doctrine and evil living
whereby your holy Name is borne by us in an empty and profane way. Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer!
May your kingdom come to us and expand. Bring all transgressors, and those who are blinded and
bound in the devil’s kingdom, to know Jesus Christ, your Son, by faith, that the number of Christians
may be increased. Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer!
Strengthen us by your Spirit according to your will, both in life and in death, in the midst of both good
and evil things, that our own wills may be crucified daily and sacrificed to your good and gracious will.
Into your merciful hands we commend our family and friends, indeed, all who are in need, praying for
them at all times that your will be done. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer!
Grant us our daily bread, preserve us from greed and selfish cares, and help us to trust in you to provide
for all our needs. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer!
Forgive us our sins as we also forgive those who sin against us so that our hearts may be at peace and
may rejoice in good conscience before you, and that no sin may ever frighten or alarm us. Lord, in your
mercy,
hear our prayer!
Lead us not into temptation, O Lord, but help us by your Spirit to subdue our flesh, to turn from the
world and its ways, and to overcome the devil with all his crafty schemes. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer!
And lastly, O heavenly Father, deliver us from the evil one, from all evil of both body and soul, now and
forever. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer!
We trust, O Lord, in your great mercy to hear and answer us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord
Now, O God, hear the very words Jesus taught us to pray:
<RAISE HANDS> 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. Matthew 6.9-13

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 IV. The LORD Feeds Us Holy Food at His Royal Table
Trinitarian Blessing 2 Corinthians 13.14
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with
you all.
Holy things for holy people!
The gifts of God for the people of God!
Pax Domini ~ The Peace of the Lord John 20.19

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

And with your spirit.
Eucharistic Prayer ~ Prayer of Thanksgiving
We thank you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for your mighty works, which reveal your wisdom and love.
You formed us in your own image, and you gave the whole world into our care, so that, in faithfulness
to you, we might rule and serve all your creatures. When our unbelief and disobedience took us far from
you, You did not abandon us to the power of death. In your mercy you came to our help, so that in
seeking you we might find you. Again and again you called us into covenant with you, and through the
prophets you called us to repent and to hope for salvation. We thank you, Father, that you loved the
world so much that in the fullness of time, you sent your Son to be our Savior. He lived as one of us, yet
with unwavering faith and without sin. To the poor he proclaimed the good news of salvation; to
prisoners, freedom; to the sorrowful, joy. To fulfill your purpose, he humbled himself in obedience to
death, and rose from the grave to destroy death, and to make the whole creation new. We thank you,
Father, for sending the Holy Spirit, who grants us repentance and gives us new life in Christ by faith,
that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who died and rose for us.
Dying he destroyed our death, rising he restored our life. Lord Jesus, come again in glory! Amen.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Psalm 34.8

Christ our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed for us.

Therefore, let us keep the feast! 1 Corinthians 5.8

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Agnus Dei ~ Lamb of God John 1.29

<BE SEATED>

In the name of Christ Jesus our Lord,

we at Christ Church welcome to the Lord’s Table
all who are spiritually weak and seek rest;
all who mourn and long for comfort;
all who struggle and desire victory;
all who sin and need the Savior;
all who are strangers and want fellowship;
all who hunger and thirst for righteousness;
all who are poor in spirit and desire the riches of the gospel;
all who come to Jesus Christ in living faith and repentance,
looking to him as both Liberator and Lord.
And, of course, we welcome all baptized children,
no matter how young, to the Lord’s Table.

Communion: Bread <Sing stanzas 1-2 on the following page as the bread is passed>
Communion: Wine <Sing stanza 3 on the following page as the wine is passed>
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May the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and preserve you steadfast in true faith
unto life everlasting. Amen!
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Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, 1 Chronicles 16.34; Psalm 106.1; 107.1; 118.1; 118.29; 136.1
for his love endures forever! <STAND>

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 V. The LORD Sends Us Back Into the World
Post-Communion Prayer Adapted from the post-Communion prayer in Martin Bucer’s reformed Strasbourg Liturgy
Let us continue in prayer together:
Almighty and gracious heavenly Father, we give You praise and thanks that through Your holy
Gospel and Sacrament, You have again offered and presented to us Your most precious treasure:
the true Bread of Heaven and Food of eternal life, Our Lord Jesus Christ. And we heartily ask You
to grant that we may receive Him and partake of Him in true faith, now and forever, and be so
nourished by His Flesh and Blood that we may be set free from all evil, and increase daily in all
goodness, to Your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Great Commission Matthew 28.18-20
Jesus declares, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and disciple all the nations
by baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, by teaching them to observe all
that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Amen!
Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered!
Let those who hate Him flee before Him! Psalm 68.1

Nunc Dimittis ~ Now Dismiss [Your Servant] Luke 2.29-32

“Song of Simeon”

Benediction ~ Blessing Numbers 6.24-26

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace;
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

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Genesis 12.1-9
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Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will
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show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a
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blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the
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earth shall be blessed." So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five
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years old when he departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their
possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land
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of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the
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oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your
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offspring I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. From there he moved
to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he
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built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD. And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the
Negeb.

John 3.1-17
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Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and
said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless
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God is with him." Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom
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of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his
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mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit,
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he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is
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spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its
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sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
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Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you
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do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we
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have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can
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you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except him who descended from heaven,
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the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that
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whoever believes in him may have eternal life." For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever
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believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the
world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

If you are a visitor of Christ Church, we are grateful that you have joined us in our highest privilege, worshipping the Triune God. We hope
you stay and eat with us after the service so that we can get to know you better. If you would like to talk with Pastor Sexton throughout the
week, feel free to call him at 770.696.7521 or email him at sexton555@gmail.com. You can visit our website at ChristChurch-Atl.com.
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