Paul challenged Timothy to not be ashamed of the testimony regarding Christ, nor of his own testimony, though he was his prisoner. Rather, Timothy was to “share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began” (2 Tim. 1.8-9, ESV). Now Jesus, God’s messiah, has been revealed, the very one “who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (v. 10). It was the Father’s sovereign plan to send his Son; it was Jesus’s work to die on the cross and rise again victorious as Lord and King; and it is the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, and we should then guard the good deposit of faith that has been entrusted to us.

The Scripture bears clear witness of the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, acting in history to bring about his purposes for his own glory.

Invocation: Our Prayer of Acclamation
Grant, O God, of your mercy, that we may come to everlasting life, and there beholding thy glory as it is, may equally say:
Glory to the Father who created us,
Glory to the Son who redeemed us,
Glory to the Holy Spirit who sanctified us.
Glory to the most high and undivided Trinity, whose works are inseparable, whose kingdom without end abides, from age to age forever. Amen.

~ Augustine (Ferguson and Wallis, p. 203)
Ferguson, James and Charles L. Wallis, eds. Prayers for Public Worship: A Service Book of Morning and Evening Prayers Following the Course of the Christian Year. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1958.

Call to Worship
Blessed are you, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And blessed is your Kingdom, both now and forever, amen.

Te Deum Laudamus 
You are God: we praise you; you are the Lord; we acclaim you; you are the eternal Father: All creation worships you. To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you. The noble fellowship of prophets praise you. The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you; Father, of majesty unbounded, your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father. When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin’s womb. You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God’s right hand in glory. We believe that you will come and be our judge. Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting.

Praise and Thanksgiving (songs and prayers)

Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, amen.

The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he arose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick 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.

*In the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, the term catholic refers to the Church’s universality, through all ages and times, of all languages and peoples. It refers to no particular tradition or denominational expression (e.g., as in Roman Catholic).

Prayers of Confession
Let us now confess our sins to God and receive mercy and grace to help in our time of need.

Assurance of Pardon
Having faithfully confessed and renounced your sin, Christ also has been faithful to forgive your sins and to purify you from all unrighteousness. It is certain, that there is One who has spoken to the Father in your defense, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One who is the atoning sacrifice for our sins and for the sins of the whole world. His grace and peace are with you now. Amen.

Petitions and Supplications, Ending with The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in 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, for ever. Amen.

~ Matthew 6.9-13 (KJV)

Doxology (and/or closing song)
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.

Benediction 
Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace by the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity: We beseech thee that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities; who livest and reignest one God, world without end. Amen.

~ Gregorian Sacramentary, Translated 1549. Rev. 1662
Suter, John Wallace, Jr. Ed. The Book of English Collects. New York, NY: Harper, 1940. p. 33.

Pray without Ceasing – Flash Prayer for the Day
Through the working of our triune God, we have been chosen, forgiven, and empowered to live for the Kingdom of God.

Weekly Reflection on the Priesthood of all Believers
It is reasonable to hypothesize that the identity standard for ambassador and the identity standard for priest represent different dimensions of a single identity standard – like two sides of the same coin. As ambassadors, we represent God (the Sender) to the people (the Receivers), while as priests we represent the people (the Senders) to God (the Receiver). Yet, in reality, the Hebrew priests of the Old Testament not only represented God on behalf of the Jewish people, they also represented the Jewish people on behalf of God.

~ Scott Breslin, Embracing Our Priestly Nature at Work: A Theology and Practice for Ordinary Saints. Eugene OR: Resource Publications, 2017. p. 32.

Let God Arise! Seasonal Focus
Enter the Priesthood of All Believers, 1 Peter 2.4-10

Book Reading
Breslin, Embracing Our Priestly Nature at Work

Our Corporate Disciplines
Book Discussion: Tuesday, June 14, 2022