King and Kingdom (Thy Kingdom Come) - Pastor Bruce Ashlock - Read by Mindi Klis - 3/16/2025

Amity United Church of Christ The Second Sunday in Lent March 16, 2025 The Call to Worship – Psalm 27, NKJV L: The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? P: When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. L: Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war should rise against me, In this I will be confident. P: One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. L: For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. P: And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. L: Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. P: When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.” L: Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. P: When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me. L: Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. P: Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence. L: I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. P: Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! The Prayer of Confession Heavenly Father, although we love You, we have not kept Your word. We have allowed ourselves to be afraid and to worry. Help us to keep Your word. Send Your Holy Spirit to us to remind us and to teach us. Help us to love You with our actions, and not just our words. In Jesus’ name, Amen. The Statement of Faith Statement of Faith We believe in God, the Eternal Spirit, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Father, and to his deeds we testify: He calls the worlds into being, creates man in his own image and sets before him the ways of life and death. He seeks in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin. He judges men and nations by his righteous will declared through prophets and apostles. In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Lord, he has come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the world to himself. He bestows upon us his Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races. He calls us into his church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be his servants in the service of men, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil, to share in Christ’s baptism and eat at his table, to join him in his passion and victory. He promises to all who trust him forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace, his presence in trial and rejoicing, and eternal life in his kingdom which has no end. Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto him. Amen.