Worship Notes for Sunday, February 12, 2012
As we look at the baptism of Christ and the genealogy that Luke provides in his gospel, we confront both the divine and human natures of Jesus as Son of God and Son of Man. We will explore God’s providential care over the generations as it leads to the birth of Christ and the beauty of the incarnation. For the Call to Worship from Psalm 102, we speak of God enthroned forever and “remembered throughout all generations.” We respond in singing Jesus Shall Reign and of his kingdom that stretches from shore to shore and throughout all time.The New Testament Reading from Hebrews 2 speaks of Christ as a brother and of his sharing in our flesh and blood—which was necessary for destroying the power of death and the devil. Our Confession of Sin from Isaiah 1 and Psalm 145 focuses on the sin nature that is passed generationally as the offspring of sinners. The Assurance of Pardon expresses the heart of our merciful God in that he is slow to anger and keeps steadfast love to a thousand generations. We respond by singing Lord Though All the Generations—a paraphrase of Psalm 90. “Each succeeding generation at Your mighty word appears.”
Our second Communion Hymn, Fairest Lord Jesus, explicitly sings of Jesus as Son of God and Son of Man who is Lord of the nations and to whom belongs all glory, honor, praise and adoration. Our final Sung Response is verse 2 of Holy, Holy, Holy that jubilantly tells of the saints adoring God who was, and is, and is to come unto ages upon ages.
