Gracious and mighty God, glorify your majestic name here in this place. By the power of your Spirit, through the work of you Son, cause your name to be cherished, savored, treasured, prized and praised. We praise you for you alone are self-sufficient; we praise you for your wisdom is beyond our full comprehension; we praise you for you are all powerful able to accomplish all that you desire; we praise you for you have give us a word that we might know you intimately. Help us, with all the saints here are Restoration, to have the strength to comprehend the breadth and width and height and depth of your love.

As the Spirit opens the eyes of our hearts, we marvel at the cross of Christ. That Jesus, your eternal Son, would leave the riches of heaven to put on the rags of man? How amazing! That Jesus would bear our sin in our place and die a brutal death upon a rugged cross? How amazing! That Jesus would defeat Satan, sin and death by raising victoriously from the grave on the third day? How amazing! Wonder of wonders, magnificent God, we praise you for this gospel news.

And as we stare at the face of Christ our Savior, we are confronted with our sin. We plead Jesus’ blood, and his blood alone, for forgiveness. Forgive us our pride, we pray. Forgive our harsh words toward others. Forgive us our dullness toward you, we pray. Forgive us our idolatry, our use of you to only get something our selfish desires want. Forgive us our gossip and greed, we pray. Forgive us for neglecting to gather with the church body, for prioritizing other things above worshipping you with your redeemed people. Forgive us for hungering and thirsting for things in this world more than you; for hungering after that job title more than Jesus, for thirsting for that person’s approval more than drinking from your word, for hungering for personal comfort and thirsting for revenge more than desiring to know Christ. We confess these sins Lord; not just sins committed a long time ago, but sins committed this past week and even this morning. Forgive us, in Christ Jesus, we pray.

Fill us with your Spirit that we might be poor in spirit; that we might mourn our sin and be meek; that we might hunger and thirst for righteousness. Satisfy us in Christ Jesus for all your promises are “Yes” in him.

We pray for M and A on this their first day of marriage. Father, for the fame of Jesus, from day one of their marriage help them build upon the solid foundation of the gospel. We pray for M and S that they would honor your and desire your Kingdom above their own comfort. We pray for B and T & C and L and C & J. Father build these men and women up in maturity, into the head who is Christ; use them to serve our church, to disciple others to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

Sovereign Lord of the universe, use our church for the renown of Christ Jesus. Bring people to faith through the preaching of your word at Restoration. Grant every member of our church an opportunity to share the gospel this week; give us the grace to boldly and humbly tell others about the joy found in Christ.

We pray you would use our efforts to plant a Spanish speaking church in Columbia Heights. We pray for the hallowing of your name all over the globe, from N. Iraq to the inner cities of Scotland, from the homes of NW DC to the villages in Haiti. Yes, Lord, advance your gospel.

We pray for the government of this land; for our President and elected officials, for all in authority. May they serve justice, and promote the dignity and true freedom of every person. Guide the leaders of all nations in the ways of justice and peace serving the common good of all people. We pray the end to the ebola epidemic, Lord. Grant officials and doctors wisdom and discernment. Give grace to those caring for sick family members and friends; and for doctors putting their life on the line for strangers. Lord, cause events like this to humble us; to remind us this world is broken; to create in us a hunger and thirst for the restoration of all things back to the way they are supposed to be. Come Lord, Jesus come, we pray.

Thank you, Lord, this world is not our final home. Remind us we are sojourners and exiles. Remind us of the hope of heaven, that our inheritance is the promise of a restored world, a place of shalom and peace and perfection and flourishing. Don’t let us be satisfied until we rest in Christ waiting for this sure promise written in your word. Use your word, this morning to remind us of these truths. We pray this all in the name of Jesus. Amen.