Worship Guide for Sunday, APRIL 26th

For information on these worship guides & instructions on how to access Kingdom Kids curriculum, please click HERE.

Tips for Working through the Order of Worship

We encourage that someone takes the lead in prompting through the prayers, reading, and discussion questions below, as many sections will have a “leader” and a response by “everyone.” Accordingly, each participant is encouraged to follow along on their own device (or displaying this on a screen everyone can see). *Underlined Text is meant to be read together, corporately.

ORDER OF WORSHIP

CALL TO WORSHIP

Psalm 66:1-4
Leader: Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! Say to God...

Everyone: “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.”

SINGING
This I Believe
(The King’s Church)

RESPONSIVE READING
This excerpt comes from from the Heidelberg Catechism (learn more here and here), written in 1563 with a particular focus on how the doctrines of the Christian faith provide comfort & hope to believers.

Leader: What do you believe when you say, "I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth"?

Everyone:  That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing created heaven and earth and everything in them, who still upholds and rules them by his eternal counsel and providence, is my God and Father because of Christ the Son.

I trust God so much that I do not doubt he will provide whatever I need for body and soul, and will turn to my good whatever adversity he sends upon me in this sad world.

God is able to do this because he is almighty God, and desires to do this because he is a faithful Father.

SCRIPTURE READING
Revelation 4:1-11
*Note: Scripture reading also available in the sermon video

1 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 

8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
    who was and is and is to come!”

9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they existed and were created.”

Leader: This is the Word of the Lord
Everyone: Thanks be to God!

SERMON
"Creator of Heaven and Earth" (Revelation 4:1-11)
*We encourage you to corporately read along with The Apostles’ Creed in the video

DISCUSSION & PRAYER

Based on Revelation 4:1-11 & Pastor Pat’s Sermon, discuss the following questions:

  1. Why do we (on earth) often respond differently to God as Creator than those in heaven in Revelation 4? What can we learn from their response?

  2. How does the heavenly view of God as Creator give us a proper perspective for our current circumstances?

  3. How does the reality of Jesus help us rightly grasp & worship our Creator?

Spend a few minutes praying together for the following:

  • Pray we would be a church that is full of wonder, awe, and worship of God the Father who is the Creator and Sustainer of all things.

  • Pray that we would rest in the truth of God’s sovereign creation and care over all things.

  • Continue to pray for the Lord to slow the spread of the virus, to heal the sick, to protect those on the front lines of health care, and for leaders making difficult decisions in our city, state, & country.

CONFESSION OF SIN, COMMUNION, & ASSURANCE OF PARDON

*The Lord’s Supper is a meal instituted by Jesus for his followers to specifically remember his death on our behalf (see Matt. 26:26-28 & 1 Cor. 11: 23-26). Partaking in the bread and the cup together is a reminder of where our hope is rooted, and prepares us for the marriage supper of the Lamb that is to come in the New Heavens & the New Earth. Accordingly, only Christians (and Christians with a clear conscience) should partake in this meal. A confession of sin & assurance of pardon bookend communion below to capture our need for and our response to the death of Jesus.

CONFESSION OF SIN

Leader: Most gracious and most merciful God, we confess to you and to one another that time after time we have entered your presence with countless prayers but with hearts that have been closed to your grace. We have lifted our hands to you in praise, but our feet have still walked in the ways of evil. We have rehearsed your commandments but have refused to see your face in the needs of our neighbor.

Everyone: We pray, Lord, that you forgive our lack of faith and pardon our acts of injustice. Grant us the healing that comes from your presence and the cleansing of your all-powerful Word, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

COMMUNION

Leader:
The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Leader: In the name of the compassionate Christ, you are forgiven. For God has declared, “I forgive you…

Everyone: We are accepted, we are forgiven, we are loved. This gift we have from God. Thanks be to God!

SINGING
Come Thou Fount
(The King’s Church)

BENEDICTION

1 Timothy 6:15b-16:
… he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

Leader: This is the Word of the Lord
Everyone: Thanks be to God!

GIVING

In this unique & difficult time, it's important to remember that the Lord is still at work. We anticipate there being many ministry needs and opportunities in the coming days and weeks. As you are able, consider giving to support the mission & vision of The King’s Church.

*Financial contributions can also be mailed to:
The King’s Church
PO Box 2663
Lakeland, Fl 33806-2663