Yeah. Good afternoon, congregation. Good to be in the house of the Lord again today. So actually, I see some visitors among us as well. So we pray that you'll have a good service with us as we worship the Lord. Let's do some pre-service singing, number 297, 1, 2, 3, and 6, and number 319. And we'll follow that with silent prayer. I am weary, weary, weary, weary, weary, weary, weary, weary, weary, The Lord's come to thee, his truth and his holiness, his faith and love, his holiness, his heaven and earth, his healing and his grace. O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! Thou art the Son of the Father and the Son of the Holy Ghost. Thou art the Son of the Father and the Son of the Holy Ghost. I will be holy, Lord, I will be true. Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, have mercy on me. Have mercy on me. O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? ♪ O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him ♪ Hear Him call us. Our God calls us to worship this afternoon with these words from Psalm 145. I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. Please stand with me. Once again, we confess our dependence upon our God. Congregation, from where does our help come? God greets you this afternoon. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Let's praise our God together in song singing the words of number 145A. 145A will sing stanzas 1, 2, 7, and 8. I will exalt you, I will exalt you, I will exalt you, ♪ It is so good, it is so good. ♪ ♪ It is so good, it is so good. ♪ O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming ♪ I am worthy ♪ ♪ And shall declare ♪ ♪ That he has sent me ♪ ♪ And I am the witness ♪ ♪ Of this new birth ♪ ♪ I am worthy ♪ ♪ Of this new birth ♪ ♪ He shall do as He will in His ways ♪ ♪ He is the Lord, Son of the Lord and Lord ♪ ♪ God is the One who lives through all the years ♪ ♪ God is the One who lives through all the years ♪ ♪ He and I and we will sing ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ We will praise Him ♪ ♪ God of our heavenly host ♪ ♪ Lord of His heaven ♪ ♪ Praise to the Lord ♪ ♪ God of our heavenly host ♪ Let's pray together. Our merciful Heavenly Father, we praise you and we thank you once again for gathering us once again in this house of worship to praise your name, to lift up our voices in songs, praising you, our God and our King. to gather together to give our gifts and our offerings to you, to come before you in prayer, and to hear your word read and preached. We thank you that you have brought us here a second time to worship and to praise your name. We thank you that you have shown us who you are in your word, that we can read from that word, that it can encourage our hearts, that it can edify our faith. Father, as we open your word now, we pray for your blessing to be upon us. We pray that the spirit removes any distractions that might hinder us from focusing on your word and hearing the message of the gospel. May you encourage our hearts this afternoon. May you challenge us in the sins that we commit. And Father, will you go with us into the week that lies ahead. May this be an oasis in the desert. May this be an opportunity for nourishment and refreshment as we return to our day-to-day tasks in the week that lies ahead. Bless us in this hour of worship we have together. For Jesus' sake alone we pray, amen. Well, as we close out our series on the Book of Ruth, we're actually going to read first from Matthew Chapter 1. We're going to read verses 1 to 17, and then we'll go to the last few verses of Ruth Chapter 4. So we're going to start with Matthew Chapter 1. We'll read verses 1 to 17. Book of Ruth, verses 18 to 22. ends with a genealogy, and Matthew begins with a genealogy, and there's a little bit of overlap. So for some help and some context, we're gonna look at Matthew 1 before we look at Ruth 4. So Matthew 1, verses 1 to 17, this is God's word. The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nashon, and Nashon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon, Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiad, and Abiad the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliad. and Eliad the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Mathan, and Mathan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David were 14 generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon, 14 generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ, 14 generations. That's as far as we're reading in Matthew 1, and now if you would, please turn to Ruth chapter 4, Ruth chapter 4, we'll start reading at verse 13 and then read until verse 22, focusing, as I said before, on verses 18 to 22. Ruth chapter 4, we'll start reading at verse 13. So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went into her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a Redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel. He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him. Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, a son has been born to Naomi. They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. Now these are the generations of Perez. Perez fathered Hezron. Hezron fathered Ram. Ram fathered Aminadab. Aminadab fathered Nashen. Nashen fathered Salmon. Salmon fathered Boaz. Boaz fathered Obed. Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse Father David. That is the end of the book of Ruth. Well, dear people of God, if you're a hockey fan, you know that one NHL season is 82 games long. That means that each one of those 82 games are small moments in an otherwise pretty big season. Each game impacts the entire season, but one game is just a small part of a bigger calendar year or season. And in a way, each individual book of the Bible is sort of like that. For the sake of our sermon series on Ruth, you could say that the book of Ruth is just one small story inside a much bigger story. And that bigger story is the entire narrative of redemptive history. And because of that, it's important for us to consider how all the events of the book of Ruth fit into that bigger redemptive historical story. And we've done that a little bit throughout this series. But at this particular time, it's important for us to pay a bit more attention to that bigger picture. And the reason we need to do that is because the book of Ruth ends with a genealogy. It ends with a list of names. And sometimes we just skip over these names because, well, we don't really know who these people all are, and because there aren't very many stories in the Bible, if any, about some of them. But the truth is that by scanning through numerous generations in a short period of time, we sort of get a crash course in the history of God's love and compassion to his covenant people. And that means that these genealogies are actually quite valuable. So this afternoon, as we conclude our series on Ruth, we're going to look at that big picture a little bit more. With a little bit of help from Matthew's genealogy, we're going to put the genealogy in the book of Ruth under a microscope a little bit. And as we do that, the first thing we need to know is that genealogies are often used to emphasize the faithfulness of God. And this list here in Ruth 4 does that in an abundant, or in numerous ways. It begins with important words. Look at the first few words of verse 18. Now these are the generations of Perez. Those words are actually a lot more significant than they initially look. The reason for that is because this phrase appears numerous times in the book of Genesis. And the phrase itself, now these are the generations of, or variations of it, actually help to formulate and structure the book of Genesis. In other words, the book of Genesis is divided into numerous sections, and each section begins with the phrase, now these are the generations of. And so the fact that this phrase is found at the end of the book of Ruth shows that there is a thematic link between this book and the rest of the Old Testament. Again, the book of Ruth is just one story within a much larger story of redemptive history. And if you think about it, you can make a pretty strong and pretty compelling argument that the entire Bible is at its very core a story about the covenant faithfulness of God shown in the person and work of Jesus Christ. And because of that, genealogies like this one here in Ruth and like the one we read in Matthew emphasize God's faithfulness. because they show that the Lord constantly preserves and protects his people. Genealogies prove that the Lord continues to bless his people with offspring. And that actually fits really well into the context of the covenant that God made with Abraham. The Lord had promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky or as the sand on the seashore. And so when we read these genealogies, we see a small scale fulfillment of that promise. And that fits quite well with something that we've seen in the book of Ruth. Remember, the book began in the dust. It began with a man named Elimelech who went his own way and did his own thing. He took his family to Moab because he thought that was the right thing to do. But he paid the consequences for his sinful actions. Elimelech dies in Moab. And his two sons, Malon and Kilion, suffer the same fate. And so now Naomi was left without her sons or her husband. And yet as we've seen, as the story of Ruth unfolds, we find that God was constantly working and constantly proving his faithfulness to his people and to Naomi. He provided his people with food despite their sin and despite the famine. And the announcement of God's provision prompted Naomi to return home. And then when she did return home, the Lord continued to shower Naomi with love and with blessings. He even provided a redeemer for her so that the line of her late husband would continue. And so what that means is that despite the sin of his people, the Lord continued to be faithful to the covenant that he made with them. So the book of Ruth in general, and this genealogy at the end of Ruth more specifically, is an indication of the Lord's covenant faithfulness. And that covenant faithfulness is emphasized even more when you start to parse out and look at some of the names that are found here in Ruth 4, 18 to 22. Verse 18, we read about a man named Perez. Now Perez was the child of Judah and Tamar. You can read that story in Genesis 38. But basically, in order for the obligations of the kinsman-redeemer to be fulfilled, Tamar posed as a prostitute. And Judah, her father-in-law, unknowingly lay with her, and through that union, Perez was conceived. And so Perez was born through an immoral act of Judah, the son of Jacob. It's not exactly something to brag or boast about. Verse 21, we read about Salmon who fathered Boaz. Matthew tells us that Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab. And so while Tamar posed as a prostitute, Rahab actually was one. And not only was Rahab a prostitute, she was also from Jericho. She was a Canaanite, she was a Gentile, she was raised a pagan. Rahab's beginnings were marked by immorality and wickedness. And third, we read that Boaz fathered Obed, and Matthew tells us that that was by Ruth, and as we know, Ruth was from Moab. Moabites did not have a good reputation in Israel. They were descendants of Lot's drunk, incestuous knight with his daughters. On top of that, Moabites were known in Israel for being promiscuous and immoral. And yet, all three of these women, Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth, are commended for their character. In Genesis 38, after a significant scandal had taken place, Judah says about Tamar in Genesis 38, 26, she is more righteous than I. And Tamar is listed in these genealogies. Despite being a Gentile prostitute, Rahab had had her heart changed and affected when she heard about the power of the God of Israel. And despite her immoral life before, like Ruth, Rahab found a home in God's covenant community. And not only did Rahab find a home in the promised land, she also raised a son. Maybe you've heard of him. His name is Boaz. And he's known as a worthy man. Rahab the prostitute also finds her name in these genealogies. And Ruth, despite her status as a foreigner and a Moabite, was considered in the gates of Bethlehem to be a worthy woman. She's called a woman of integrity, a woman of value, and better for Naomi than seven sons. In fact, Ruth is highlighted as one of the most prestigious and pious women in all of Scripture. And if you actually look at the ordering of the books in the Hebrew Bible, the book of Ruth comes right after the book of Proverbs. So you read Proverbs 31, and then you read about Ruth the Moabitess. Ruth was a Proverbs 31 woman. But what's the connection between these three women? What's the thematic link that makes their presence in these genealogies so special? Well, there are actually two things that unite these three women. First of all, despite their sin, the Lord in his grace and mercy called them out of the darkness of paganism and into his wonderful light. By God's grace, the Lord not only saw fit to save them from their sin, but he also gave them a place of prominence in the line of promise. But secondly, all three of these women were Gentiles. Tamar was actually a Canaanite. As we mentioned, Rahab was from Jericho and Ruth was from Moab. And yet all three of these women found a home and a resting place in the covenant community of Israel. And so when you dig into these genealogies, you find that the gospel isn't just for the seed of Abraham. No, there are global implications. The gospel is for both Jew and Gentile, something all of us here this afternoon can be very thankful for. But that also emphasizes the covenant faithfulness of God. Because God told Abraham that through him, all the nations of the world would be blessed. And God's chosen people, Israel, were blessed to be a blessing. And the church today is blessed to be a blessing. And in these genealogies, we see that the Lord was using Israel. He uses his people to accomplish that very purpose. Gentiles are brought into the covenant community of God. And that too shows the covenant faithfulness of God. And it's highlighted in the stories of these three women. But God's covenant faithfulness is also highlighted when you look at some of the men who are listed in Ruth and especially in Matthew. Because many of these guys leave a lot to be desired. David was the greatest king in the Old Testament. We'll get there soon. That much is true. But there were some significant sinful events in his life. his adultery with Bathsheba, the murder of Uriah, and his wicked senses. In Matthew 1, Rehoboam is listed. Rehoboam was a cruel king and a wicked taskmaster. He made life absolutely miserable for his subjects and for the chosen people of God. Likewise, Ahaz is listed in Matthew, and Ahaz was also a wicked king. He put his trust and his confidence in his pagan allies instead of the faithful and powerful God of Israel. Ahaz even sacrificed his own son in worship to a pagan god. And Manasseh is listed in Matthew. And the sin of Manasseh was the reason the people of Judah went into exile in Babylon. Even the great King Josiah's reforms weren't enough to nullify the punishment that was to come on Judah because of Manasseh's wickedness. These are Jesus' ancestors. These are Jesus' forefathers. The stories of Jesus' ancestors are riddled with scandal after scandal and sin after sin. And it begs the question that one commentator asked so pointedly, why would the Lord Jesus, who could have chosen to be descended from anyone at all, choose to be descended from such a soiled line? And the answer is simple, but it's also profound. because Jesus Christ came to this world to save sinners. The stories of Jesus' ancestors prove that they needed a savior. These people needed help. They needed a redeemer. And because of that, their sins and their scandals serve to highlight the grace and mercy of God. And we know that because Jesus is the friend of sinners. Jesus came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and faith. Because Jesus is the one who was sent by God to lay down his life for his lost sheep. Christ died for sinful people like you, like me, like David, like Manasseh, like Rahab, and like Ruth. And the reason these genealogies are so riddled with sinful people is not only because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but it's because in these stories we find our story. In their sin, we see ourselves and we see our own filthy hearts. In their rebellion, we see our own rebellion. In their pride, we see our pride. And in their sin-sick lives, we see our own sin-sick souls. And yet, from this list of broken, desperate people comes the very one who came to save them from their sin. Isn't that precisely what the angel said to Joseph in Matthew 1? You shall call his name Jesus. Why? Because he will save his people from their sins. That's really the beauty and glory of Christmas, isn't it? It's a celebration of the Savior who came to this world to save sinners like you and me. The gospel really is a special message because it's the message of a gracious God who gives eternal life to sinners even though they deserve nothing but his judgment. It's the story of a faithful covenant God who showers rebels like us with grace and mercy. And in a very subtle way, these genealogies in Ruth and Matthew shine light on that bigger picture. They draw us in and we catch a glimpse of the whole story of redemptive history. And that story of redemptive history emphasizes the patience, the love, the faithfulness, and the grace of our God. There is no other story like the story of the gospel. That offers comfort and blessing for us today because again, we've all sinned. All have fallen short of the glory of God. And that's a big deal. It's important for us to grieve our sin. It's important for us to plead for the Lord's forgiveness. It's important for us to ask the Lord to sanctify us more and more so that we hate our sin more and more and run away from it. We can also trust that what the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 1 verse 6 is absolutely true for believers. Paul says, I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Our faithful God will protect us and preserve us. Our Lord will continue to bless us with his spirit. He isn't going to give up on us because he is faithful and he is faithful to the promises he makes with his covenant people. Again, think of what the Apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 2. The saying is trustworthy. For if we have died with him, we will also live with him. If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us. If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself. And so as believers, we can trust that even though we still wrestle with our sin, our God will continue to bless us and sanctify us. Now we don't continue in sin so that grace may abound. Remember we saw last week that we've died to sin, but we're alive to God. But we trust our God because he is faithful and nothing will separate us from his love. And so don't skip genealogies like this one. When you read these genealogies like the one here in Ruth or the one in Matthew, remember the covenant faithfulness of your God. Remember the big picture. Remember who your God is and that he will never let you go. And so these genealogies show the covenant faithfulness of our God. There is one more element of the big picture of redemptive history that the genealogy here in Ruth 4 emphasizes. Notice that the very last word in the book of Ruth is the name of David. And that's significant. We're gonna zero in on that for a few minutes. And in order to show the significance of this, we have to remember our context. Go back to Ruth 1, verse 1. Ruth 1, verse 1, in the days when the judges ruled. Everything that happens in the Book of Ruth takes place in the days where the judges judged. And remember, the days of the judges are marked by a specific and succinct cycle of rebellion and restoration. And if you go back one more page, the Book of Judges is basically summarized in the final verse of the book. Judges 21, 25. In those days, there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. And so even though the events of the book of Ruth take place during the days when there is no king in Israel, the last word we read in the book of Ruth is the name of King David. That matters. Because it shows that the Lord was working through the entire course of Israel's history, even in the dark days of the judges, to give them a king. And while the people of Israel wanted a king just like the nations around them, what the narrator here in Ruth emphasizes is that even the appointing and the giving of a king in Israel was part of the providence of God. It was part of God's plan of action for His glory and for the good of His people. One commentator says here, at the end of the book, we discover that God has, in all of this, been pursuing bigger plans than bringing together two worthy individuals. In other words, it's not just about Ruth and Boaz. It's not just about Naomi and Obed. What looked like a simple story of personal emptiness filled and personal needs met, turns out to be God's way of meeting a far greater need. The story that opened with the statement, in the days when the judges ruled, closes with the genealogy of Israel's most famous king. And so this author continues and he says, God used all of these events to bring about his own goals that were so much bigger than any of the characters involved in the story could possibly have imagined. Even through the dark days of the judges, the time when Israel didn't have a king, when everyone was running around, doing their own thing, doing whatever they thought was right, the Lord was working to give them a king. And what a king he gave them. Yes, we talked about David's sin with Bathsheba, we talked about the murder of Uriah, we talked about his wicked senses. But with the exception of Moses, David is the greatest and most significant character in the entire Old Testament. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles are absolutely saturated with references to King David. And on top of that, David was known as a brilliant army commander. He's described as a man after God's own heart. And he was the author of many Psalms. And when I think about this, this blows my mind. The Psalms that David wrote, we continue as 21st century Christians, we continue to sing in our worship services. Just think about that for a second. We're being impacted by King David in that respect. What a king the Lord gave his people. But the most significant part of David's reign as king is found in 2 Samuel 7. Because there we learn about the covenant that God made with David. God promised that David would always have a descendant to sit upon his throne. In other words, the line of David would never be blotted out and there would always be a rightful royal heir. And that means that this genealogy in Ruth provides all kinds of hope for the characters in the story. Now, they didn't know it at the time, but the Lord was using the events of the lives of these people not only to bring David to the throne in Jerusalem, but also to bring the kingdom of God itself to this earth. And that fact is veiled in Ruth 4, but it's explicit in Matthew 1. Because from this royal line of David would come the son of David, Jesus Christ, the king. Christ came from royal stock. Christ is the fulfillment of God's covenant promise, not only to David, but to all of his chosen people. Christ, the son of David, is the king of all kings. And because David's name is the last word in the book of Ruth, that means that the book of Ruth ends on a very powerful note. The book of Ruth ends by saying, the king is coming. And we need to be very clear, the fulfillment of that promise, of that statement, wasn't exhausted at the first coming of Christ. Yes, Christ was born into this world. He brought the kingdom of God. He died on the cross for our sins. He rose from the dead. But then he ascended to heaven. And right now, he is seated at the right hand of the Father. But it's from there that Christ will come back to judge the living and the dead. Christ the King is coming back. And that means that when we read this genealogy in the book of Ruth, we actually need to read it with the same message in mind. The King is coming. There is a second advent of Christ on the horizon. The King will return. And when he does, he will bring his heavenly kingdom this time in all its fullness and with all of its eternal blessings. And when you think about that, does it fill your heart with joy? Does the idea that Christ the King is coming back encourage your heart? Because we live in a world that doesn't acknowledge the kingship and royalty and lordship of Christ. In many ways, our world can be characterized in the same way that Israel was characterized in the days of the judges. Everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes. If you look at our world, if you look at our current Western culture, you can see that Romans 1.32 is being fulfilled right in front of us. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them, but give approval to those who practice them. Everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes. People operate as if there is no king. They refuse to bow the knee to Christ. They refuse to acknowledge his royalty and his authority. Why? Because they want to be free. They don't want constraints. They want to do whatever they want to do. They don't want Christ to rule them. And so they live their lives as if Christ isn't actually sitting on his royal throne. And that causes all kinds of trouble, sin, and sorrow in this world. This world is a mess because people refuse to bow down to the king of kings. And if we're honest, even Christians at times are guilty of bowing down to the idols of this world and resisting Christ's royalty and authority. But just because people refuse to acknowledge the kingship of Christ, that doesn't mean that he isn't the king. In other words, you can deny reality, but that doesn't mean you're correct. The truth is that Christ is king, and the truth is that the king is coming back with glory and in judgment. And that's a sobering thought for those who still live as enemies of the cross. If that's where you are this afternoon, then I plead with you to come to the Savior, come to Christ and repentance and faith. Because if you refuse to bow the knee to him, his return will be absolutely devastating for you. But for those who love the Lord, for those who submit to the King of Kings, His return should fill us with joy. Because when Christ returns, all our warfare will be over. When Christ returns, eternal peace will be our reality. We will enter the fully realized kingdom of God. We will be there praising our God for all eternity. The King is coming. Are you ready? Are you ready? The King is coming. And so we've come to the end of the book of Ruth. And in like 30 seconds, I'm going to try and bring it all together. The book of Ruth began in the dust, but it ends in glory. It's a story about the providence and the faithfulness of God. And if we think about it, it shows us the big picture. In this book, we see the gospel. We've been saved from our sin through the blood of our Redeemer. And that same Redeemer, the King of Kings, is coming back to bring the kingdom of God in all its fullness. And so this genealogy in Ruth gives us comfort and it gives us peace because it tells us that the King is coming. But when this comes at the end of a book about God's faithfulness and providence, until the day that Christ returns, We can trust that our God is faithful to his promises, that he's faithful to his people, and as Paul says in Romans 8, that God works, or that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Let's pray. Lord our God, we are so thankful for your word. We are so thankful for your covenant faithfulness, Thank you that you are the God who keeps your promises to your covenant people. Way back in the Garden of Eden after our first parents, Adam and Eve, fell into sin, you promised that you would send the seed of the woman to crush the head of the serpent. We thank you that when Christ died on the cross, he defeated sin and Satan. When he rose from the dead, he defeated death. We thank you that in Christ Jesus, the King of kings, we have been given the complete victory. Father, we long for the day of his return. Make us ready for his return. Keep us faithful until his return. Father, we also pray that you continue to comfort us as we go through life in this world where sin still rears its ugly head. Father, we pray that you give us the strength, the trust, the faith, and the confidence that you are with us, that you are watching over us, that not a hair can fall from our head apart from your will. You are the God of all faithfulness. You are the God of all love and power and providence. that you were working all things together for our good. And so we long for the day of Christ's return. We pray that you will send him back on the clouds of heaven to usher in the complete kingdom of God. Encourage our hearts with the message of the gospel of what has already happened to us. But also, Father, we pray that you encourage our hearts with what is coming for those who bow the knee to the King of Kings. May we submit to Christ. May we live for Christ. And by Your Spirit, keep us faithful and conform us to the image of our Savior as we wait for His glorious return. We pray this all in Jesus' name, Amen. Let's stand together and sing the words of number 313. Angels from the Realms of Glory. ♪ We sing in praise of the Lord ♪ ♪ The Lord be with us, all ye faithful ♪ ♪ God be with you, God be with you ♪ ♪ Worship, worship in the name of the Lord ♪ Alleluia, alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, O come, O come, Emmanuel, O come, ♪ In simple charity ♪ ♪ God worship you ♪ ♪ Worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, worship you, Let's pray together. Our holy, majestic, powerful, sovereign God, We praise your name for you are the king of all glory. You are the God who dwells in light unapproachable. You are the God who loved us and sent your son to do for us what we couldn't do for ourselves. So we praise you that you are the eternal God who is perfectly wise and the overflowing fountain of all good. We praise you that you are the God who has shown us your love and grace in the gospel of our Savior. We thank you that we have been able, once again, to gather together as your people to worship you on this Lord's Day. We thank you for this amazing day of praise and worship. We thank you for blessing us by gathering us together to worship you as a body of believers. It truly is a blessing for us to be gathered here, Lord's Day to Lord's Day. We thank you for keeping us safe as we did so. And Father, we pray that you continue to bless us as a congregation. We thank you for the unity and love and fellowship that we enjoy. We pray that we are able to foster even more love and unity and fellowship with each other, that more and more we grow in grace, more and more we grow in love, and more and more we grow in service one to another. We thank you for bringing us together as a body of believers, and we pray that you continue to bless us. We pray that you bless us with godly men to lead us. We pray for our office bearers as we enter into a time of transition with some new office bearers coming in. We pray that you bless these newly elected men, that you give them humility and strength and wisdom, that you calm any nerves that they might have, but that you encourage them to use the gifts that you have given them to serve your people here. We thank you for those who have served in the past few years, and as they take a bit of a break, Father, we thank you for blessing them, blessing us with their leadership and their wisdom. We thank you for the men that you have called to lead, and we pray that you equip them, that you give them grace and strength to do their tasks and to do them well, to do their tasks and to do them for your honor and for your glory. Continue to bless us with godly men. Raise up godly men to lead us. As we look to our young people for the future, the future leadership of our church, we pray that you encourage their hearts as well. Father, we pray for our church federation. We pray that you bless the URC. You bless this federation with godly preachers who proclaim in boldness and in truth the word of God to your people. May Christ be preached in our federation from pulpit to pulpit. And may your ministers and your servants be entrusted and take care of the good deposit that you have given to them. We pray that you keep us faithful, that you keep our sister churches faithful, that you keep us strong as we Live in a world of oppression as we live in a world of rebellion against you and against your word. May the church be a city on a hill. May it be a shining light. May it hold fast the word of life. May it draw people in to see the beauty of the gospel. That there is life and blessing only in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. That they won't find rest anywhere else except in Christ and in him alone. So Father, we pray also for the Gospel as it goes out to the nations. We pray that you bless our missionaries, the ones that we support, and the ones who have been called from all over the globe to go all over the globe and minister to your people and evangelize people who are still stuck in darkness. May the Gospel bear fruit 30, 60, or 100-fold. May it go forth to the ends of the earth as the church seeks to fulfill the calling that our Lord Jesus gave us to make disciples of all nations. Bless us in this. Father, we also pray that you bless us as we go forward into the week that lies ahead, as we enjoy more time with family, as we enjoy some time off, or as we continue about our day-to-day labors and tasks. We pray that you keep us faithful, that you keep us strong, that you establish the work of our hands, That we may do all things not just to please our earthly bosses, but that ultimately we do all that we do to serve you and to glorify your name. Help us, Father, by your Spirit to offer our bodies as living sacrifices of praise. May we always remember that we belong to you, that we are not our own, but belong body and soul and life and in death to our faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. May the fruit of the Spirit be evident in our lives. May we resist the devil that he will flee from us. And more and more may we be sanctified and conformed to the image of our Savior. We pray this in his name, amen. Let's sing together another song of praise to our God, number 311. 311, hark the herald angels sing. We'll remain seated to sing. O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Joyful all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies, With angelic hosts proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem. Hark the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King. Christ, my highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord. He is the King of the world, the Son of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit, the only begotten Son of the Holy Spirit. ♪ Jesus, the Lord, in heav'n above ♪ ♪ O hear the angels sing ♪ ♪ Christ the Lord, the King of kings, the King of kings ♪ You now have the opportunity to give your gifts to the Lord. The offering this afternoon is for the diaconate. And just a note, after the offering, we'll be reciting together the Nicene Creed. It's found on page 852 in the back of the hymnal, or page 149 in the Forms and Prayers book. But the deacons at this time will come forward and receive your gifts to the Lord. Let's stand together. As I mentioned, we'll recite together the words of the Nicene Creed found on page 852 in the back of the hymnal. Christian, in whom do you believe? I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible, and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the God of the Father. Very God, very God, begotten, not made, being in one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us, then, in our heart's salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he arose again, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, Now let's sing our closing song of praise, number 149B. 149B, we'll sing stanzas one and four. ♪ All his saints his praises to know ♪ ♪ All his children he grew his people to serve ♪ ♪ And children of Zion his voice he'll make clear ♪ We'll go with the blessing of God upon you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. you