"The Serpent, Satan, and The Devil Are Different Characters"

WE GATHER IN GOD’S NAME

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HOMEWOOD
MISSION STATEMENT

Through the grace of God, faith in Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we prayerfully seek to discern God’s will for this congregation and to reach beyond ourselves to feed the hungry, body and soul. Adopted by Session 7/31/17

PRAYER FOR PEACE

Peace Prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

PRELUDE

*CALL TO CONTINUING WORSHIP
For forty days and forty nights, led by the Spirit, Christ fasted in the wilderness.
For forty days and forty nights, we prepare ourselves to meet the crucified and risen Christ.

*HYMN 833 ||| O Love That Will Not Let Me Go ||| St. Margaret

CALL TO CONFESSION
When we stay silent, when we do not acknowledge what we need to change, we waste away. Our guilt turns into shame that eats away at us like a poison. God calls us to repent and be healed; let us turn to God.

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Merciful One, we are so easily tempted. We turn away from your word so quickly. We seek anything that claims to save us from discomfort, inconvenience, pain, fear, and emptiness. But these are false idols, dissolving in the wind. You are our true hope and salvation, our hiding place, our guide, our guardian. We confess our transgressions to you: forgive our sins.
(silent prayer)
Amen.

*DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice! God does not count our sins against us, but offers us a free gift of righteousness.
Thanks be to God!

*THE GLORIA 581

MOMENT WITH OUR CHILDREN ||| Rev. Matt Lang

WELCOME AND CHURCH COMMUNICATIONS

WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

FIRST SCRIPTURE READING ||| Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7
2:15The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. 16And the LORD God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”
3:1Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’” 4But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; 5for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. 7Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

SPECIAL MUSIC

 
SECOND SCRIPTURE READING ||| Matthew 4:1-11
1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” 7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; 9and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” 11Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God!

SERMON ||| The Serpent, Satan, and The Devil Are Different Characters ||| Rev. Matt Lang

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

*HYMN ||| Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley ||| Lonesome Valley

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH ||| The Brief Statement of Faith 1983
In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
…Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS

INVITATION TO OFFERING
Through the grace of God, we have gifts in abundance and pour them out like perfume from a flask, not for our sakes, but to worship the One who lavishes love on the world.

OFFERTORY

*DOXOLOGY 606 ||| Old Hundredth
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Giving God, living Lord, You have poured out your life that we might live. We thank you. We are strengthened, we are filled, we are renewed to share the abundance of your love with the world. Amen.

WE GO IN GOD’S NAME

*HYMN 840 ||| It Is Well With My Soul ||| Ville Du Havre

BLESSING & CHARGE
May the steadfast love of God, the abundant grace of Jesus Christ, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit be with you this day and always.
Amen.

Remember the words of the Lord Jesus: If any wish to be my disciples let them take up the cross and follow me.
Amen.

POSTLUDE

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord! Thanks be to God!

Rev. Matt Lang, Pastor
Mrs. Mary Ann Wenzelman, Interim Organist/Pianist

Worship Liturgist: Jay Ruklic
Usher: Laura Dillman
Web Technicians: Shirley Armistead, Nancy Beaudoin, Phil Dillman, Kathie Hazlett

WELCOME – During this Lenten season, we praise God for his righteous Son, who perfectly kept all of God’s commandments for us and paid the full price of our disobedience. Let us praise him with hearts filled with Christ’s spirit of obedience.

SCRIPTURES IN WORSHIP – Next Sunday we will be reading Genesis 12:1-4a and John 3:1–17.

PRAYER CHAIN – If you want prayer requests included on the prayer chain, contact Shirley Armistead at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PASTOR MATT’S INSTALLATION SERVICE
Here at FPCHW, please join us immediately following Pastor Matt’s Installation Service today at 4:00 p.m. for the reception in Westminster Hall welcoming Rev. Matt Lang as our new pastor