First Presbyterian Church of Villa Rica

Order for the Worship of God
SUNDAY, August 23rd, 2020

At Church and Online

9am Outside service (Cancelled if inclement weather), 10:45am Live Stream and Church Worship Service

GATHERING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
“Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.” – Deuteronomy 4:10

PRELUDE
(As we prepare our hearts for worship let us quiet our hearts and our cell phones.)

Sermon:  “Pulling the Rug Out from Underneath Us All, Part II”

Bulletin/Order of Worship

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP
INVOCATION

(All Scripture references are from the English Standard Version, ESV, unless otherwise noted.)

Worship through Hymn of Thanksgiving
#535:  O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

Worship Through Confession of Faith Reading

Canons of Dort:  Divine Election and Reprobation

Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People
Since all people have sinned in Adam and have come under the sentence of the curse and eternal death, God would have done no one an injustice if it had been his will to leave the entire human race in sin and under the curse, and to condemn them on account of their sin. As the apostle says: “The whole world is liable to the condemnation of God”,
“All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God”, and “The wages of sin is death”.

Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love
But this is how God showed his love: he sent his only begotten Son into the world, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel
In order that people may be brought to faith, God mercifully sends messengers of this very joyful message to the people and at the time he wills. By this ministry people are called to repentance and faith in Christ crucified. For “how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without someone preaching? And how shall they preach unless they have been sent?”.

Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel
God’s wrath remains on those who do not believe this gospel. But those who do accept it and embrace Jesus the Savior with a true and living faith are delivered through him from God’s wrath and from destruction, and receive the gift of eternal life.

Worship Through Scripture Songs of Preparation:

Rise Up And Praise Him

Verse
Let the heavens rejoice let the earth be glad
Let the people of God sing His praise
All over the land
Everyone in the valley come and lift your voice
All those on the mountaintop
Be glad and shout for joy

Chorus
Rise up and praise Him
He deserves our love
Rise up and praise Him
Worship the Holy One
With all your heart
With all your soul
With all your might
Rise up and praise Him

Verse
Let the heavens rejoice let the earth be glad
Let the people of God sing His praise
All over the land
Everyone in the valley come and lift your voice
All those on the mountaintop
Be glad and shout for joy

Chorus 2x

Rise up and praise Him
He deserves our love
Rise up and praise Him
Worship the Holy One
With all your heart
With all your soul
With all your might
Rise up and praise Him

Rise up and praise Him
He deserves our love
Rise up and praise Him
Worship the Holy One
With all your heart
With all your soul
With all your might
Rise up and praise Him

I Love You, Lord

Verse 3x
I love You Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship You
O my soul rejoice
Take joy my King
In what You hear
May it be a sweet sweet sound
In Your ear

Worship through Exposition of God’s Word: Pastor Tom Myers
Study of Romans

Sermon:

“Pulling the Rug Out from Underneath Us All, Part II”

Romans 2:12-29

God’s Righteous Judgement
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
The Jews and the Law
17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.

Worship through Hymn of Commitment:

Know Whom I Have Believed  (#705)

1 I know not why God’s wondrous grace
to me he has made known,
nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
redeemed me for his own.

Refrain:
But “I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able
go keep that which I’ve committed
unto him against that day.”

2 I know not how this saving faith
to me he did impart,
nor how believing in his Word
wrought peace within my heart. [Refrain]

3 I know not how the Spirit moves,
convincing men of sin,
revealing Jesus through the Word,
creating faith in him. [Refrain]

4 I know not what of good or ill
may be reserved for me,
of weary ways or golden days,
before his face I see. [Refrain]

5 I know not when my Lord may come,
at night or noonday fair,
nor if I’ll walk the vale with him,
or “meet him in the air.” [Refrain]

Benediction

(Please Stand as Able)

Doxology: Hymn #731

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heav’ly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Worship Through Tithes and Gifts

SMALL GROUPS TODAY:

Whittle/Dickinson Group is meeting at 4pm in the Fellowship Hall.

Mitchell/Forlaw Group will be meeting at 5:30 in the Fellowship Hall. Bring a dish to share for dinner.

HYMN SINGING TODAY:
Today after the service, we will be going to Bill Burn’s and Ethel Gonzalez’s homes in Fairfield. If you would like to join, please let Pastor Tom know after the service so that your names can be entered into the gate at Fairfield.

Postlude
(Please Stand As Able)

This Week in Our Church Life

Continue to pray and encourage one another.1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Other Resources

Kingdom Outreach:  See our Missions and Outreach Page

 What is Happening this Week, this Month?  Visit our This Week page.

Today’s Additional Resources

The Westminster Larger Catechism

Q91: What is the duty which God requireth of man?
A: The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to his revealed will.
Q93: What is the moral law?
A: The moral law is the declaration of the will of God to mankind, directing and binding everyone to personal,
perfect, and perpetual conformity and obedience thereunto, in the frame and disposition of the whole man, soul
and body, and in performance of all those duties of holiness and righteousness which he oweth to God and man:
promising life upon the fulfilling, and threatening death upon the breach of it.
Q94: Is there any use of the moral law to man since the fall?
A: Although no man, since the fall, can attain to righteousness and life by the moral law; yet there is great use
thereof, as well common to all men, as peculiar either to the unregenerate, or the regenerate.
Q95: Of what use is the moral law to all men?
A: The moral law is of use to all men, to inform them of the holy nature and will of God, and of their duty,
binding them to walk accordingly; to convince them of their disability to keep it, and of the sinful pollution of
their nature, hearts, and lives; to humble them in the sense of their sin and misery, and thereby help them to a
clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and of the perfection of his obedience.
Q96: What particular use is there of the moral law to unregenerate men?
A: The moral law is of use to unregenerate men, to awaken their consciences to flee from wrath to come, and to
drive them to Christ; or, upon their continuance in the estate and way of sin, to leave them inexcusable, and
under the curse thereof.
Q97: What special use is there of the moral law to the regenerate?
A: Although they that are regenerate, and believe in Christ, be delivered from the moral law as a covenant of
works, so as thereby they are neither justified nor condemned; yet, besides the general uses thereof common to
them with all men, it is of special use, to show them how much they are bound to Christ for his fulfilling it, and
enduring the curse thereof in their stead, and for their good; and thereby to provoke them to more thankfulness,
and to express the same in their greater care to conform themselves thereunto as the rule of their obedience.
Q98: Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?
A: The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments, which were delivered by the voice of
God upon mount Sinai, and written by him in two tables of stone; and are recorded in the twentieth chapter of
Exodus. The four first commandments containing our duty to God, and the other six our duty to man.

Westminster Confession of Faith in Modern English

Chapter 11: Justification

2. Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the only means of justification. In the
person justified, however, it is always accompanied by all the other saving graces and is not a dead faith, but
works by love.

Chapter 16: Good Works

1. Good works are only those works identified as good by God and commanded by him in his holy word. They
do not include other works, no matter how well-intentioned in design or zealously promoted by men.
2. These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruit and evidence of a true and living
faith. By them believers show their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance of salvation, edify their brothers in
the Lord, and become ornaments of all those who profess the gospel. Good works in believers silence the
criticism of the enemies of the gospel. They also glorify God by showing that believers are the workmanship
and creation of Jesus Christ, because their aim is that holiness of living which leads to eternal life.
3. Believers get the ability to do good works entirely from the Spirit of Christ. In addition to the other particular
effects of God’s grace already received, believers must be directed by the Holy Spirit in order to will and to do
what pleases God. However, they are not therefore to grow spiritually lazy, waiting for some special guidance
from the Spirit before doing anything commanded by God. Rather, they should diligently attempt to identify
what good works God has commanded in his word and then try their best to do all of them, praying earnestly
and daily for the empowering and enabling of the Holy Spirit, who lives in them.

Canons of Dort
Article 12: The Assurance of Election

Assurance of their eternal and unchangeable election to salvation is given to the chosen in due time, though by
various stages and in differing measure. Such assurance comes not by inquisitive searching into the hidden and
deep things of God, but by noticing within themselves, with spiritual joy and holy delight, the unmistakable
fruits of election pointed out in God’s Word—such as a true faith in Christ, a childlike fear of God, a godly
sorrow for their sins, a hunger and thirst for righteousness, and so on.

Passages for Further Study

Deuteronomy 5:17
“‘You shall not murder.'”

Deuteronomy 21:1-9 ​
1 “If in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess someone is found slain, lying in the open country, and it is not known who killed him, 2 then your elders and your judges shall come out, and they shall measure the distance to the surrounding cities. 3 And the elders of the city that is nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer that has never been worked and that has not pulled in a yoke. 4 And the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley. 5 Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister to him and to bless in the name of the Lord, and by their word every dispute and every assault shall be settled. 6 And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, 7 and they shall testify, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it shed. 8 Accept atonement, O Lord, for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and do not set the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel, so that their blood guilt be atoned for.’ 9 So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the sight of the Lord.

1 Kings 21 ​
1 Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 And after this Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.” 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” 4 And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food.
5 But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?” 6 And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money, or else, if it please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” 7 And Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city. 9 And she wrote in the letters, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people. 10 And set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” 11 And the men of his city, the elders and the leaders who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, 12 they proclaimed a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people. 13 And the two worthless men came in and sat opposite him. And the worthless men brought a charge against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned; he is dead.”
15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money, for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” 16 And as soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

The Lord Condemns Ahab

17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. 19 And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Have you killed and also taken possession?”’ And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood.”’”
20 Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord. 21 Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. 22 And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin. 23 And of Jezebel the Lord also said, The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.’ 24 Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat.”
Ahab’s Repentance
25 (There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. 26 He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.)
27 And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly. 28 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster upon his house.”
Hos. 4:1–3

Hosea 4:1-11
Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel,
for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land.
There is no faithfulness or steadfast love,
and no knowledge of God in the land;
2 there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery;
they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
3 Therefore the land mourns,
and all who dwell in it languish,
and also the beasts of the field
and the birds of the heavens,
and even the fish of the sea are taken away.

James 4:1-10
1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

2 Peter 3-11

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of
him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very
great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from
the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to
supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and
self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from
being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these
qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10
Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these
qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the
eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

James 2:14-17

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save
him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go
in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So
also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Romans 2:1-11

God’s Righteous Judgment
​1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.