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Ethos Communion Church

December 29, 2024 – Lord’s Day Worship

Pre-service Reflection

At Ethos as good as it is to meet and greet one another, we try to save this for after the service, and begin service by looking upward to rest in God. Here are a few suggestions for how you can spend this time:

  1. Sit in silence to “just be.” Just be “still” to know that God is “good.” Try to still your busy mind and put it into a mode of listening. If you find “thought monkeys” that disturb your silence, jot them down, and then continue in silence. You may also use a journal to reflect on your previous spiritual experiences this week.
  2. Scripture Meditation. A) In your Bible, read Psalm 115 slowly, pausing between clauses. B) After a minute of silence, read it again and look for words or phrases that catch your attention. C) Read it a third time and begin to wonder: “What might God want to say to me specifically?” D) Turn the previous question into a prayer, and then write down anything God might be saying to you. E) Be still and silent, and then ask yourself and God, “What am I being called to do as a result of the word I have been given?”

Invocation – Calling Upon God

Welcome to Ethos Communion Church. Ethos exists to foster communion with the Triune God in a way that leads to spiritual peace, holistic transformation of character, communion with the visible body of Christ, and the making of disciples from all cultures and generations all to the glory of God.

“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” – Psalm 124:8

As we begin our worship service, let us quiet our hearts and minds, and turn our attention to the One who is worthy of all our praise.

Confession of Faith – Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed, written in the fourth century by the Council of Nicaea and later expanded by the Council of Constantinople, holds immense importance for Christians as a foundational statement of faith affirming beliefs in the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church, and essential Christian doctrines, serving as a unifying declaration of core beliefs across Christian denominations and emphasizing unity in essential theological truths.

Let’s stand together as we recite our common faith

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son],
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Doxology (D)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

The Law of God

Having been created by God, he knows who we are, and how we are mean to live so as to flourish in goodness. To guide us he has given us His Law which summarized in the ten words we call the ten commandments.

(Congregation recites bolded lines)

Let us now hear the commandments of God as given to us in Scripture.

We will listen and obey.

  1. You shall have no other gods before Me.

We will worship the Lord our God and serve Him only.

  1. You shall not make for yourself an idol.

We will worship the Lord in spirit and in truth, without idols or images.

  1. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

We will honor the name of the Lord and speak of Him with reverence.

  1. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

We will set aside time for rest and worship, honoring the Lord’s Day.

  1. Honor your father and mother.

We will respect and care for our parents and those in authority.

  1. You shall not murder.

We will value and protect human life as sacred.

  1. You shall not commit adultery.

We will honor marriage and maintain faithfulness in relationships.

  1. You shall not steal.

We will respect others’ property and rights.

  1. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

We will speak truthfully and with integrity.

  1. You shall not covet.

We will be content and grateful for what we have, avoiding envy and greed.

These are the commandments of God. Let us strive to follow them in love and obedience, seeking to live lives that honor Him.

We will follow God’s commandments with all our heart, soul, and mind.

I Will Delight (D)

VERSE
I will delight in the law of the Lord
I will meditate day and night
Then like a tree firmly planted I’ll be
Grounded in Your Word

CHORUS
Blessed is the one who follows
The way of the Lord
Blessed is the one

Confession of Sin

Though God gave us his law to bless us, the reality is that we have all have failed to keep his law if not in deed, in our thoughts and motives. “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” (Rom 3:20)

As such, let us confess our failure to live up to who God created us to be.

Assurance of Pardon

Beloved in Christ, as we stand at the close of this year, we bring with us the weight of many sins—sins of word, thought, and deed, sins of omission and commission. Yet, let us take heart, for the blood of Jesus covers them all. Hear the promise of God in Isaiah 1:18:

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”

Because of the finished work of Jesus, your sins are forgiven, and your debt is paid in full. Every failure of 2024 has been nailed to the cross, and you bear them no more.

So, as we prepare to enter 2025, we do so with hope—hope not in our perfection but in Christ’s perfect righteousness, hope in His enduring love and steadfast faithfulness.

In the name of Jesus Christ, and by the authority of His Word, I declare to you: your sins are forgiven. Go forth into the new year as a redeemed and renewed people.

Thanks be to God! Amen.

His Mercy is More (C)

CHORUS
Praise the Lord
His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness
New every morn
Our sins they are many
His mercy is more

VERSE 1
What love could remember
No wrongs we have done
Omniscient all knowing
He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea
Without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many
His mercy is more

CHORUS
Praise the Lord
His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness
New every morn
Our sins they are many
His mercy is more

VERSE 2
What patience would wait
As we constantly roam
What Father so tender
Is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest
The vilest the poor
Our sins they are many
His mercy is more

CHORUS
Praise the Lord
His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness
New every morn
Our sins they are many
His mercy is more

VERSE 3
What riches of kindness
He lavished on us
His blood was the payment
His life was the cost
We stood ‘neath a debt
We could never afford
Our sins they are many
His mercy is more

CHORUS
Praise the Lord
His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness
New every morn
Our sins they are many
His mercy is more

TAG
Our sins they are many
His mercy is more

TAG
Stronger than darkness
New every morn
Our sins they are many
His mercy is more

Prayer for Illumination

You may be seated.

As we prepare to hear the word of God, let us pray for the Holy Spirit’s illumination.

Sermon – Words of Eternal Life (John 6:68)

Outline

  1. Grace (1Cor15.10)
  2. Idols (Ex20.4)
  3. Faith (2Cor5.7)
  4. Wait (Isa40.31; Ps37.5)
  5. Sabbath (Ex20.8)
  6. Love (1Cor13)

Discussion Questions

What from today’s sermon stood out to you? What changes will you make this week?

Sharing and Prayer Time

Prayers of Thanksgiving

Communion Prayer

Let us give thanks to the Lord for this spiritual meal he has given to us.

Communion

  • Because of the significance of the Lord’s Table, only baptized believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should partake.
  • Also, if you are willingly living in sin, you should refrain.
  • If you are unable to partake of the Lord’s Table today, you may still partake of Christ!
    • The Lord’s Table is just an aid in your relationship with Christ. Without it, you can still go to Christ.
    • There are some prayers below that you may use to guide you.
Prayer for those searching

Oh God, I am discovering that the more I have, the more I need to have, the more I am loved, the more I need to be loved, the more I achieve, the more I need to achieve. Nothing seems to satisfy me. “Nothing tastes.” Could it be, as someone once said, that “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee.” Dear God, if this is true, and if as the Bible teaches there is life and life eternal in Christ alone, please guide me to him. Open me to the reality of the one who alone can satisfy my restless heart. Give me the courage to believe that which I cannot see but can understand through your Word, sacraments and church family. Lord I want to believe, please help me in my unbelief! Amen.

Prayer of belief

Lord God, I now see that I am weaker and more flawed than I ever before believed, but in Christ, I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. Even as I have not loved you or my neighbor with all of my heart, you have shown your love for me in that while I am still sinning, Christ died for me and took upon himself the condemnation that I deserve. I now know that You owe me nothing for my efforts, but you offer acceptance, love and blessing into all eternity because of Christ’s efforts on my behalf. I therefore ask that you would enable me to turn away from trusting in my own efforts to gain your acceptance and forgiveness, and trust in the perfectly righteous efforts of Christ on my behalf in order to be accepted by you and entered into your holy family. And just as you raised Christ from the dead, so too I ask that you would give me a new life in Christ, one that will lead eventually to heaven itself. Thank you for Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit to believe in him alone for my salvation. And as You have called us to follow You in baptism and in a life of committed discipleship in Your church, grant that I may take the necessary steps to be one with Your people, and live in the fullness of Your Spirit. Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

  • Neighbors
    • J. Kim
    • M. Song and family
    • Hoover Families
    • Chun’s & Chun’s
  • Sister Churches
  • Spread of the Gospel
    • H. Soung
    • G. Lee
    • H. & E. Kang

All Glory Be to Christ (D)

VERSE 1
Should nothing of our efforts stand
No legacy survive
Unless the Lord does raise the house
In vain its builders strive

VERSE 2
To you who boast tomorrow’s gain
Tell me what is Your life
A mist that vanishes at dawn
All glory be to Christ

CHORUS
All glory be to Christ our king
All glory be to Christ
His rule and reign will ever sing
All glory be to Christ

VERSE 3
His will be done His kingdom come
On earth as is above
Who is Himself our daily bread
Praise Him the Lord of love

VERSE 4
Let living water satisfy
The thirsty without price
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet
All glory be to Christ

CHORUS
All glory be to Christ our king
All glory be to Christ
His rule and reign will ever sing
All glory be to Christ

VERSE 5
When on the day the great I Am
The faithful and the true
The Lamb who was for sinners slain
Is making all things new

VERSE 6
Behold our God shall live with us
And be our steadfast light
And we shall ere his people be
All glory be to Christ

CHORUS
All glory be to Christ our king
All glory be to Christ
His rule and reign will ever sing
All glory be to Christ

Benediction – What is the hope with which you go out?

“17 Now may Christ dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Announcements

  1. Tithes and offerings may be given online at EthosChurch.Co. FYI the fees are 2.15% + $0.30/donation for credit and debit card donations, and 0% + $0.30 per ACH bank transfer donation. So using your bank is preferred.
  2. Having looked upward during the worship service, we now want to look outward, in sharing the love of Christ we have in our hearts for one another by sharing a meal together.