Morning Worship

San Francisco Theological Seminary

Monday, November 13, 2006

Stewart Memorial Chapel

“Behold I send my messenger to prepare the way…

and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple…

But who can endure the day of his coming? Malachi. 3:1-2

Prelude

Welcome

*Call to Worship

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.

There we go up, to give thanks to the Lord.

For there are the seats for judgment,

The seats for the house of David. (Psalm. 122:1, 4, 5)

Come, let us worship God.

*Hymn (attached) I Love to Tell the Story

Prayer of Confession

Almighty and most merciful God, we have erred, and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone those things that we ought to have done; and we have done those things that we ought not to have done. Have mercy on us, O God. Spare those who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to us in Jesus Christ our Lord. And grant, O most merciful God, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and thoughtful life, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are assured that there is no sin so terrible that God cannot forgive, no hurt so terrible that God cannot heal. God forgives, God justifies, and God liberates. Welcome the steadfast love of God.

Thanks be to God!

Prayer for Illumination

First Scripture Reading

Do not trust in these deceptive words:

“This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.” (Jeremiah. 7:4)

“How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us’?

Surely the lying pen of the scribes has made the law a lie.

The scribes shall be put to shame;

They shall be crushed and captured,

Because from the least to the greatest

Everyone is greedy for unjust gain…

Therefore they shall fall among the fallen.

When I would gather them, says the Lord,

There are no grapes on the vine,

Nor figs on the fig tree—

Even the leaves are withered. (Jeremiah. 8:8-10, 12-13)

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Lo, your king comes to you: triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a colt. (Zechariah. 9:9)

The word of the Lord: Lo, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of reeling to all the peoples round about…

On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples—

All who lift it shall grievously hurt themselves.

On that day the Lord will put a shield about the ensconced leaders of Jerusalem so that the most bumbling among them on that day shall be like David,

and the house of David shall be like God!

And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. (Zechariah. 12:1-3, 8-9)

I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle,

and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped.

Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations.

On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives,

And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two by a wide valley, and you shall flee to safety,

And the Lord your God will come, and all his holy forces with him.

(Zechariah. 14:2-5)

Second Scripture Reading Mark 12:34-13:4

Sermon “Beware of the (Temple) Scribes” Dr. Robert B. Coote

*Hymn (attached) All My Hope on God Is Founded

*Benediction

Postlude

Participants in Worship

Dr. Robert B. Coote, Preacher

Ms. Suzanne Herman, Liturgist

Dr. Daniel Hoggatt, Musician

Rev. Dr. Charles Marks, Chaplain

Mr. Scott Clark, Chaplain’s Assistant

SFTS Worship Team