New Life Presbyterian Church of La Mesa

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A Sword for the LORD and for Gideon

Aaron Philip

Sunday, March 23, 2025

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by Pastoral Intern Aaron Philip

“A Sword for the LORD and for Gideon"

Judges 7:1-25

https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Judges+7%3A1-25

https://www.newlifelamesa.org/pages/worship-guide

CCLI License #390757

March 23, 2025

9:30a Service

Welcome and Announcements
Choral Introit

GREETING & CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.

People: Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly.

Leader: Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him.

All: Let us rejoice in our God!

PRAYER OF ADORATION, ASSISTANCE, & BLESSING

Trinity Hymnal #295 “Crown Him with Many Crowns”

Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne;
hark! how the heav'nly anthem drowns
all music but its own:
awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.

Crown him the Lord of love;
behold his hands and side,
rich wounds, yet visible above,
in beauty glorified:
no angel in the sky
can fully bear that sight,
but downward bends his burning eye
at mysteries so bright.

Crown him the Lord of peace;
whose pow'r a scepter sways
from pole to pole, that wars may cease,
absorbed in prayer and praise:
his reign shall know no end;
and round his pierced feet
fair flow'rs of paradise extend
their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown him the Lord of years,
the Potentate of time;
Creator of the rolling spheres,
ineffably sublime:
all hail, Redeemer, hail!
for thou hast died for me:
thy praise shall never, never fail
throughout eternity.

REFLECTION ON GOD’S LAW

Leader You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

People: This is the great and first commandment.

Leader: God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me."

People: For although there may be so-called "gods" in heaven or on earth…

yet for us there is one God.

Leader: You shall not make for yourself an idol.

People: What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God.

Leader: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

People: Let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

Leader: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

People: There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

SILENT PRAYER OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF GRACE

Trinity Hymnal #629 “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”

What a Friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
ev'rything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
ev'rything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged:
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful,
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our ev'ry weakness–
take it to the Lord in prayer!

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge–
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Psalm 9:11-20 “Sing Praise to the Lord”

Sing praise to the LORD, who in Zion does dwell;

Among all the peoples His great doings tell.

When blood He avenges, His mem’ry is clear;

The cry of the poor never fades from His ear.

LORD, see what I suffer from malice and hate;

Have mercy! O lift me away from death’s gate;

In gates of the daughter of Zion I’ll praise,

Rejoicing in Your mighty power to save.

The nations are sunk in the pit they prepared;

Their foot in the net which they hid is ensnared.

The LORD by His judgment has made Himself known;

He catches the wicked in snares of their own.

The wicked to death’s realm of darkness are brought;

All nations who would not keep God in their thoughts.

Forgotten no longer the cause of the weak,

Nor perished forever the hope of the meek!

Arise, LORD, that man may not make himself strong;

Let nations be judged in Your presence for wrong.

O LORD, put Your fear and Your terror in them;

Let nations know truly that they are mere men.

GOD’S WORD READ: Judges 7:1-25

GOD’S WORD PREACHED: “A Sword for the LORD and for Gideon” by Pastoral Intern Aaron Philip

Prayer of Application & The Lord’s Prayer

All: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Song: “As the Deer”

As the deer panteth for the water,

So my soul longeth after Thee.

You alone are my heart's desire,

And I long to worship Thee.

Chorus

You alone are my strength, my shield;

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my heart's desire,

And I long to worship Thee.

You're my friend and You are my brother

Even though You are a King.

I love You more than any other,

So much more than anything.

You alone are my strength, my shield;

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my heart's desire,

And I long to worship Thee.

I want You more than gold or silver.

Only You can satisfy.

You alone are the real joy-giver

And the apple of my eye.

You alone are my strength, my shield;

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my heart's desire,

And I long to worship Thee.

Trinity Hymnal p. 845 “Apostles’ Creed”

Minister: Christian, what do you believe?

All: I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. ‍He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION & WARNING

Minister: The Lord be with you;

People: And also with you.

Minister: Lift up your hearts;

People: We lift them up to the Lord.

Minister: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God;

People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

COMMUNION PRAYER

Approach the Table for the Lord’s Supper

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Song “Good and Gracious King”

I approach the throne of glory;