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May 14, 2023

"Greater Love Has No One Than This"

Passage: John 15:9-17

Preacher: Pastor Tony Phelps

Series: An Exposition of John

Category: John

Summary:

Main Text: John 15:9-17, OT Text: Zephaniah 3:14-20, NT Text: John 15:1-17

Detail:

LIVING HOPE OPC ORDER OF WORSHIP

Sunday, May 14th, 2023 at 10:45 AM

Opening Song – O How Good It Is

Announcements

Gospel Greeting – Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Call to Worship Song – The Steadfast Love of the Lord

Call to Worship – Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.  Psalm 95:1-3

Prayer of Adoration & Invocation

Hymn of Praise – NTH 498 – Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners

Reading of the Law – Matthew 5:17-22

(Silent Confession of Sin)

Corporate Confession of Sin – Most holy and merciful Father, we acknowledge and confess before you our sinful nature – prone to evil and slothful in good – and all our shortcomings and offenses against you. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from your ways, in wasting your gifts, in forgetting your love. O Lord, have mercy on us, who are ashamed and sorry for all the ways we have displeased you. Teach us to hate our errors, cleanse us from our secret faults, and forgive our sins for the sake of your dear Son. And O most holy and loving Father, send your purifying grace into our hearts, we beseech you, that we may henceforth live in your light and walk in your ways, according to the commandments of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Declaration of Pardon – All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.     2 Corinthians 5:18-21

Exhortation to Give – Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Psalm 96:8

Collection with Prayer (Offertory: NTH 703 – Loved with Everlasting Love)

Doxology – NTH 732

Pastoral Prayer

Song of Preparation – NTH 535 – O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

Scripture Readings – OT: Zephaniah 3:14-20 / NT: John 15:1-17

Prayer for Illumination

Sermon – An Exposition of John 15:9-17: “Greater Love Has No One Than This”

Jesus loves us with the greatest love by laying down His life for us – and calls us His friends.

1. He commands us to abide in His love – and to love one another. (John 15:9-13)

2. He calls us His friends – because He reveals the Father’s will to us. (John 15:14-15)

3. He chooses us by His grace – and appoints us to bear fruit. (John 15:16-17)

Prayer of Application

Hymn of Response – NTH 529 – Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

Benediction – And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.           1 Thess. 3:12-13

 

Announcements for the week of 5/14/2023

1. The Baby Bottle Giving Campaign to support the Bright Hope Crisis Pregnancy Center begins today and ends on 6/18/2023 (Father’s Day). Funds go directly to Bright Hope’s Allentown and Easton centers to provide no-cost pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, pregnancy options coaching, parenting classes, and baby supplies to the Lehigh Valley community. Please pick up your baby bottles from the table in the hallway! Please see Katie Batten with any questions.

2. Pastor Phelps will be out town from 5/15 - 5/18, attending the Ministerial Training Institute in Illinois. If you have any needs during this time please contact one of the elders.

3. The first Women’s Fellowship gathering will be on Tuesday, May 16th at 6:30 PM. The women gather at church for a time of fellowship and dessert. Betty Minich will take some time to share her testimony! Come and bring a friend for an enjoyable time. Please sign up on the sheet in the hallway.

4. Men's Breakfast will be here at the church on Saturday, May 20th at 8:30am. All men are invited to attend as we continue the study of the book of Daniel.

5. Pastor Phelps will be on vacation from 5/24 - 5/31. If you have any needs please contact one of the elders.

6. Pastoral Intern Dominic Silla will be preaching on Sunday 5/21 and Sunday 5/28.

7. Apologetics Movie Night: Tentative date: Sunday, May 28th at 6:30 PM there will be a free showing of “Calvanist” at Living Hope OPC. The runtime is 1 hour & 30 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of discussion. All are welcome!

8. This May, June, and July, Marc and Laura Miner will be leading a financial course called Crown Financial Ministries. It is a 10 week program which discusses several topics such as God's part and our part, debt, getting wise counsel, honesty, giving and work. Each week’s lesson has two components - 1. an in-depth Bible study on that week's topic and 2. hands-on financial exercises. If anyone in the church would like to join in the study, the cost for books is $44.95. (Couples can share materials.). For more information, contact Laura Miner at

9. 2023 Machen Spring Singles Conference – May 26–29, 2023 – Register online at machen.org to go enjoy fellowship and biblical teaching with other reformed singles in the mountains of western Virginia! For more information, see the included information in the bulletin.

10. There are special flowers in the hallway for all the Mothers in attendance today. Feel free to make a small bouquet of a few flowers of your choice to take with you!