Matthew 7:7-12 • The Giving of Good Gifts

Covenant Fine Arts Center

Saturday, 3:45 p.m.

Matthew 7, Timothy R. Botts

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The Giving of Good Gifts • Matthew 7:7-12

Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,

how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.

Gathering

Gathering Song — God Is So Good Lift Up Your Hearts 56

All are invited to join in singing as directed in the language of your choice.

* Call to Worship

Our good and gracious God invites us to come and worship him. Come now, all who thirst, and drink the water of life. Come now, all who hunger, and be filled with good things. Come now, all who seek, and be warmed by the fire of love. Come, for the feast is ready.

* The Trumpets Sound, the Angels Sing Lift Up Your Hearts 36

St. 1 Choir St. 2 Women, with all on the refrain. St. 3 All

* Greeting Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.

* Psalm of Response — Psalm 100: All People That on Earth Do Dwell St. 1-3 All sing in language of choice (pages 2-3 of song). Lift Up Your Hearts 1 St. 4 Choir St. 5 All sing in language of choice. Lift Up Your Hearts 74

Call to Confession

In spite of God’s love for us and gift of love to us, we often act in destructive and hateful ways. We close our hearts to God and disobey God’s law. Together let us confess our sin.

* Please stand if able

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Prayer of Confession, with Blest Be God Lift Up Your Hearts 17

Lord, you come to us, but we do not recognize you; you call, but we do not follow; you command, but we do not obey, you bless us, but we do not thank you. Please forgive and help us.

St. 1 Sung by the Choir.

Lord, you accept us, but we do not accept others; you forgive us, but we do not forgive those who wrong us; you love us, but we do not love our neighbors. Please forgive and help us.

St. 2 Sung by all women.

Lord, you showed us how to carry out your mission, but we still insist on our own; you identified yourself with outcasts, the needy, and the poor, but we do not bother to find out what is happening to them; you suffered and died for the sake of all, but we do not give up our comfortable lives. Please forgive and help us,

St. 3 Sung by all.

through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

* Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 145:12-14 Psalm 145:13-14

The Lord is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds. The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. People of God, our God is good. Be assured of his forgiveness and rejoice.

* Song of Response — You Are Good Lift Up Your Hearts 43

The Law What Does the Lord Require of You Lift Up Your Hearts 51

Sung in canon as directed.

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Proclamation

Prayer for Illumination Psalm 27:11, Psalm 119:33-34

Teach us your way, O Lord, and lead us on a level path. Teach us, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then we will keep them to the end. Teach us to ask, so that we may receive; toseek,sothatwemayfind, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Scripture — Matthew 7:7-12

Sermon — How Much More

Prayer

Response of Faith

* Profession of Faith — Apostles’ Creed Lift Up Your Hearts 57A

Invitation to Prayer — I Heard the Voice of Jesus Calling Lift Up Your Hearts 11

Sung by choir and soloist.

Prayers of the People

Response to Prayer — I Heard the Voice of Jesus Calling Lift Up Your Hearts 11

Choir on verses, all on the refrains.

TheLord’sSupper All who are truly sorry for their sins, who sincerely believe in the Lord Jesus as their Savior,

and who desire to live in obedience to him, are now invited to come with gladness to the table of the Lord.

Please take a piece of bread, dip it into the juice, and partake of them together.There will be gluten-free stations by the main doors on either side of the auditorium.

During the distribution we will listen and sing from the following songs:

Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether Lift Up Your Hearts 60

Sung by the choir.

Taste and See Lift Up Your Hearts 61

Choir on verses, all on the refrains.

Serenade for Strings Elgar

Seek Ye First Lift Up Your Hearts 65

One People, Here, We Gather Lift Up Your Hearts 16

Come Now, You Blessed, Eat at My Table Lift Up Your Hearts 21

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*Sending Go into the world: dance, laugh, sign, and create. WegowiththeassuranceofGod’sblessing.

Go into the world: risk, explore, discover, and love. WegowiththeassuranceofGod’sgrace.

Go into the world: believe, hope, struggle, and remember: WegowiththeassuranceofGod’slove.

Go, ask, seek, knock, and find, assured that you do not go alone. ThanksbetoGod!

* Blessing

May the blessing of God, the giver of every good and perfect gift; and of Christ, who summons us to service; and of the Holy Spirit, who inspires generosity and love, be with us all. Amen.

* Doxology — Hallelujah, Salvation, and Glory Lift Up Your Hearts 32

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Scott Hoezee, preacherJoyce Borger, liturgistPaul De Vries, celebrantConference Choir, accompanied and directed by CJ Kingdom-Grier and Joel NavarroNeighborhood Children’s Choir, Holland, Michigan, CJ Kingdom-Grier, director Honors High School Orchestra, Robert Nordling, directorJohn Ferguson, organistCalvin College students, brass and timpaniJulia Start Fletcher, dancer Pastors and members of the Brookside Christian Reformed Church

The following portions of the service were taken or adapted from The Worship Sourcebook (Grand Rapids: The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Faith Alive Christian Resources, and Baker Books, 2004): Call to Worship: TWS 1.2.35 Call to Confession: TWS 2.1.17 Prayer of Confession: TWS 2.2.21 Sending: TWS 9.1.13A new edition of The Worship Sourcebook, with many new resources, is scheduled for release during 2013, to be published by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and Faith Alive Christian Resources.

“The Old Hundredth Psalm Tune” (All People That on Earth Do Dwell) was arranged for Choir, Congregation, Orchestra, and Organ by Ralph Vaughn Williams, who included stanza 4 with the melody in the tenor arranged by John Dowland in 1621. Oxford University Press, #42, P953.

Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether was composed by Harold W. Friedell. H.W. Gray Publications, 1957, admin. Warner Bros. Publications, Inc.

Art—Matthew 7 © 2012 Timothy R. Botts | Eyekons