Matthew 13:31-33, 44-46 - The Kingdom of Heaven is Like...

If you would like to print this out and use it at home for private or family worship click here. (Please note that some of the printed lyrics may slightly differ from what is on the Youtube lyric videos, like a good Presbyterian you should just sing whichever lyrics are more theologically accurate!)

ORDER OF WORSHIP

OPENING PSALM (Psalm 46)

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High.

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

God will help her when morning dawns.

The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

he utters his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come, behold the works of the Lord,

how he has brought desolations on the earth.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

he burns the chariots with fire.

“Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!”

The Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

SONG OF ADORATION

PRAYER OF ADORATION

At this point you can pause to offer your own prayer of adoration and praise to God. To help prompt you to pray a prayer of praise ask yourself one of the following questions:

• What Scriptural passage about who God is can I turn into a prayer of praise? (e.g. Psalm 103:8-14) 

• What character or attribute of God can I focus on and give Him praise for? (e.g. His Sovereignty, Goodness, Justice, Faithfulness, etc.)

CALL TO CONFESSION (Philippians 2:1-5)

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus...

Reflect on the passage above and ask God 'to search your heart and try your thoughts' and confess the ways that you have fallen short of His glory in thought, word, and deed.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Our Heavenly Father,

Forgive us for being more consumed with self than we are with others. 

Forgive us for thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought and disregarding the needs of those around us.

Incline our hearts to your testimonies and not to selfish gain. Give us the mindset of Christ that we might imitate Him by humbling ourselves for the sake of serving others.

In His Name we pray, Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GRACE IN CHRIST (Philippians 2:6-11)

Though Jesus was in the form of God,

He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

but emptied himself,

by taking the form of a servant,

being born in the likeness of men.

And being found in human form,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him

and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

SONG OF THANKSGIVING

SCRIPTURE READING (Matthew 13:31-33, 44-46)

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

SERMON (The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like…)

SONG OF RESPONSE

CONFESSION OF FAITH (WestminsTer confession 5.1)

Christian, what do you understand by the providence of God?

God—the great Creator of all things—

upholds, directs, disposes, and governs 

all creatures, actions, and things, 

from the greatest even to the least. 

He exercises this most wise and holy providence 

according to his infallible foreknowledge 

and the free and unchangeable counsel of his own will, 

to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, 

goodness, and mercy.

PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD

Take time to pray for your spiritual growth in Christlikeness, 

for the physical and financial needs of the church family, 

for the leaders in government who are trying to wisely navigate this health crisis,

and for the Gospel to go forth victoriously.

DEPARTING SONG

PRAYER OF BLESSING (from Psalm 121)

May the Lord, 

who made heaven and earth, 

who never slumbers or sleeps, 

govern all our steps, 

keep us from all evil, 

and shade us with His presence.

GIVING OF OFFERING

We would kindly ask, that despite our inability to gather, that you would maintain your financial support of Sand Harbor. We know that many of you give by providing a physical check when we take our offering during worship and so here are some alternatives that you can utilize:

You can mail a physical check to our P.O. Box: 

Sand Harbor Presbyterian Church

P.O. Box 3187 Tequesta, FL 33469

You can set up an automatically generated check through your banking system (kind of like a bill pay) and send it to our P.O. Box

Or you can give online through our secure online giving tool by going sandharborpca.org/giving