O Triune God, God of our salvation, we give you praise this morning. Heavenly Father, Blessed Son, eternal Spirit, we adore you and cherish you and treasure you. O Father you love us and sent Jesus to redeem us. Glorious Jesus, love us and assumed our nature and shed your blood to wash away our sins. O Holy Spirit, you love us and revealed the glories of Jesus to us and have given us eternal life. We praise you mighty and glorious God for love so unmerited, so unspeakable, so wondrous, so mighty to save and reconcile us back to yourself.
Who can fathom this immeasurable love? We marvel that we, the finite, can know you, the Infinite. Now we know but a small portion of what we shall know when we see you face to face. Here we see in part, there in, in heaven, we’ll see perfection; here a glimpse there ultimate glory. We long for the new heavens and new earth; we desire to see you as you are; we yearn for the restoration of all things.
We wait according to your promises. Help us to be found without spot or blemish and at peace. Help us to live in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called. Give Restoration Church unity of mind, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Give us the strength and meekness to not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary bless those who condemn and despise us for righteousness sake. Holy Spirit, fill us, indwell us; give us the grace to regard Christ the Lord as holy always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is within us; help us do this with gentleness and respect.
Gracious God, grant us the mercy to be poor in spirit and to mourn our own sin. We confess that we have sinned more times than we can count. We sin in what we do and what we leave undone; in what we say and in the words we mumble in our hearts. Forgive us our sin against you Lord God. We plead the blood of Christ alone. Forgive us our greed and gossiping. Forgive us our slander and spiteful words. Forgive us our laziness and lust. Forgive us our self-centeredness and pride. We have sinned against you, most Holy God. We confess our sinful desire to be approved by our peers more than we long to share Christ with them. We confess our sinful tendency to only speak about Jesus when we’re comfortable – and for some of us that means never at all. We confess our idolatry, loving our job title and status and influence more than we cherish Christ Jesus. We confess these things knowing there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. We look toward a bloody cross, empty tomb and occupied throne to know that in Christ we are forgive and free; redeemed and reconciled back to you.
We praise you for the new life you have brought to the Thornton family. Oh, how we praise you for H and L and baby J. H. Jr. Grant them rest these early days. Give H and L the grace to raise their son in the instruction and discipline of the Lord. Father, we pray for all the children who are a part of Restoration Kids. Help these little ones see the glory of Christ and live all their days trusting in him for salvation and satisfaction and joy. We praise you for the labors of all those who work in RestorationKids discipling these little ones. We ask, in the name of Jesus, you would bring more families to our church that we might commend your works to another generation. Yes, Lord, build your church.
And we pray for your gospel to go forth not just in our church. But in and through Wisconsin Avenue Baptist and 4th Presbyterian and Grace DC Meridian Hill and Redeemer Arlington and The Well. Hallow your name Lord God Almighty. From the large houses in NW DC to the small homes in Phaeton, Haiti. Bring refuges to faith in Duhok, Iraq and save the poor in Edinburgh, Scotland. Raise up believers in Kazan, Russia and in the Light of Hope Center in Bangladesh. Magnify your name Lord Jesus. And we pray for those facing persecution. For those being beat and scorned. For those losing life and possessions. Give them a steady faith unwavering in their gospel hope. Remind them of the great promises and reward held out for them in heaven. And we pray for ourselves. When we face the small amount so ridicule or reviling, help us call to mind the words of Peter, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the firey trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange where happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” Come Lord Jesus come, we pray. Amen.