Mary S. Hulst

This opening of worship originally appeared in "A Classic TULIP Bouquet—Week 5: Perseverance of the Saints."Opening of Worship“O Worship the King” GrantPsalm of EntranceThis is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. We come together to worship the God of creation, of salvation, of time and eternity; the God of all peoples, all nations, all people everywhere.Praise the Lord! All that is within me, praise God’s holy name.Praise the Lord and remember all his kindness: in forgiving our sins; in curing our diseases; in saving us from destruction; in surrounding us with love.The Lord is full of mercy and compassion. The Lord is slow to anger and generous in love. Praise the Lord! Oh, all that is within me, praise the Lord!—Psalm 103, adapt.Revised Common LectionaryYear A: Season after Pentecost—Proper 19 (24)Year B: Epiphany—Eighth Sunday after the EpiphanyYear B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 3 (8)Year C: Season after Pentecost—Proper 16 (21)

This liturgy of confession, assurance, and dedication originally appeared in "A Classic TULIP Bouquet—Week 4: Irresistible Grace."We Are Reconciled to GodCall to ConfessionRemember that our Lord Jesus can sympathize with us in our weaknesses, since in every respect he was tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with boldness approach the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.Sung Response“Mayenziwe/Your Will Be Done” Bell (sung in Zulu by the choir)Prayer of ConfessionGod in heaven, you have helped my life grow like a tree. Now something has happened. Satan, like a bird, has carried in one twig of his own choosing after another. Before I knew it, he had built a dwelling place and was living in it. Today, my Father, I am throwing out both the bird and the nest.—Anon. Nigerian, The Oxford Book of Prayer, George Appleton, editor.Sung Response“Mayenziwe/Your Will Be Done” Bell (sung in English by congregation)Assurance of PardonAnyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life has gone; a new life has begun.—2 Corinthians 5:17 Know that you are forgiven and be at peace.Amen.Sung Response“Mayenziwe/Your Will Be Done” Bell (sung by congregation)Prayer of DedicationLet the healing grace of your love, O Lord, so transform us that we may play our part in the transfiguration of the world from a place of suffering, death, and corruption to a realm of infinite light, joy, and love. Make us so obedient to your Spirit that our lives may become a living prayer and a witness to your unfailing presence.—Mary Hulst © 2002 Reformed Worship.org CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

This opening of worship originally appeared in "A Classic TULIP Bouquet—Week 4: Irresistible Grace."Opening of Worship“Come, All You People,” BellOpening PrayerGod of grace, you have given us minds to know you, hearts to love you, and voices to sing your praise. Fill us with your Spirit that we may celebrate your glory and worship you in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.—Mary Hulst © 2002 Reformed Worship.org CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 “Amid the Thronging Worshipers” Psalter 1912“Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord” Johnston

This confession and assurance liturgy originally appeared in "A Classic TULIP Bouquet—Week 3: Limited Atonement."We Are Reconciled to GodCall to ConfessionIf we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. —1 John 1:8In humility and faith let us confess our sin to God.Sung Response“O Christ, the Lamb of God,” (women and girls, measures 1-6)O Christ, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.Prayer of ConfessionEternal God, our judge and redeemer, we confess that we have tried to hide from you, for we have done wrong. We have lived for ourselves, and apart from you. We have turned from our neighbors and refused to bear the burdens of others. We have ignored the pain of the world and passed by the hungry, the poor, and the oppressed. Through your atoning love, forgive our sins, and free us from selfishness, that we may choose your will and obey your commandments, through Jesus Christ our Savior.—Mary Hulst © 2002 Reformed Worship.org CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Sung Response“O Christ, the Lamb of God,” (men and boys, measures 7-12)O Christ, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.Assurance of Pardon, based on Isaiah 53:6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.Sung Response“O Christ, the Lamb of God,” (all sing measures 13–20)O Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us your peace. Amen.

This opening of Worship originally appeared in "A Classic TULIP Bouquet—Week 2: Unconditional Election."Opening of Worship Based on Ephesians 1:3–14“How Vast the Benefits Divine” TopladyLeader: Grace and peace to you this day from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. People:Blessed be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing. Leader:Before the world was made, God chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless before him in love. People: According to God’s great pleasure, we are adopted as God’s children, redeemed according to God’s good pleasure. Leader:In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. All:For this reason we bow before the Father. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.—Ephesians 1:3–14 NIV, adapted “Love Is Never Ending (Psalm 136)” HaugenRevised Common LectionaryYear B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 10 (15)

This confession and assurance litany originally appeared in "A Classic TULIP Bouquet—Week 1: Total Depravity."Confession and ReconciliationWith "Ah, Holy Jesus" Heermann, trans. Bridges All sing:Ah, holy Jesus, how have you offended,that mortal judgment has on you descended?By foes derided, by your own rejected,O most afflicted! Leader:Did God create people so wicked and perverse? All Speak:No. God created them good and in his own image, that is, in true righteousness and holiness, so that they might truly know God their creator, love him with all their heart, and live with him in eternal happiness to praise and glorify him.—Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 6, Translation © 2011, Faith Alive Christian Resources. Used by permission All sing:Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon you?It is my treason, Lord, that has undone you.Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied you;I crucified you. Leader:Then where does this corrupt human nature come from? All Speak:From the fall and disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, in Paradise. This fall has so poisoned our nature that we are all conceived and bornin a sinful condition.—Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 7, Translation © 2011, Faith Alive Christian Resources. Used by permission. All sing:For me, dear Jesus, was your incarnation,your mortal sorrow, and your life’s oblation;your death of anguish and your bitter passion,for my salvation. Leader:But are we so corrupt that we are totally unable to do any good and inclined toward all evil? All Speak:Yes, unless we are born again, by the Spirit of God.—Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 8, Translation © 2011, Faith Alive Christian Resources. Used by permission. All sing:Therefore, dear Jesus, since I cannot pay you,I do adore you and will ever pray you,think on your pity and your love unswerving,not my deserving.—From the hymn “Ah, Holy Jesus”Heerman

This is part of the worship series, "A Classic TULIP Bouquet”Series Introduction Week 1  | Week 2 | Week 3    Week 4 | Week 5  Week Five—Perseverance of the saintsOpening of WorshipWe sang “O Worship the King” Grant, which focuses on God’s sovereignty and God’s care for his children. Our opening litany was based on Psalm 103, our psalm lesson for the day.“O Worship the King” GrantPsalm of EntranceThis is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. We come together to worship the God of creation, of salvation, of time and eternity; the God of all peoples, all nations, all people everywhere.Praise the Lord! All that is within me, praise God’s holy name.Praise the Lord and remember all his kindness: in forgiving our sins; in curing our diseases; in saving us from destruction; in surrounding us with love. The Lord is full of mercy and compassion. The Lord is slow to anger and generous in love. Praise the Lord! Oh, all that is within me, praise the Lord!We Are Reconciled to God[Our sung call to confession was “Come, You Sinners, Poor and Needy," which emphasizes God’s activity in our salvation and our inactivity: "all that he requires as fitness is to know your need of him”]Sung Call to Confession“Come, You Sinners, Poor and Needy” HartPrayer of ConfessionEternal God, our judge and redeemer, we confess that we have tried to hide from you, for we have done wrong. We have lived for ourselves, and apart from you. We have turned from our neighbors, and refused to bear the burdens of others. We have ignored the pain of the world, and passed by the hungry, the poor, and the oppressed.In your great mercy forgive our sins and free us from selfishness, that we may obey your commandments, through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.—Mary Hulst © 2002 Reformed Worship.org CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Assurance of Pardon:Hear the good news! Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ, and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life has gone; a new life is begun. Know that you are forgiven and beat peace.Thanks be to God! Amen.The WordScripture LessonsPsalm 103; Romans 12Sermon NotesMany biblical writers compare the Christian life to running a race. Does perseverance of the saints mean that we Christians need to persevere, to stay the course, to do everything we can to make it to the finish line? No. Instead it reflects our belief that God has chosen those who will finish this race, and that God the Holy Spirit comes along side us as we run and ensures that we will finish.In an interview aired on National Public Radio, an Iowa university professor described three important principles he teaches students in his course on marathon running:First, he teaches them to view themselves as marathoners. They aren’t people who hope to run a marathon, they are marathoners. Similarly, God encourages us to view ourselves as God’s holy children. If we view ourselves this way, we will be less likely to veer off course.Second, he teaches them accountability by having them train together. That principle is equally applicable to the Christian life. Running our best race happens in community. Our election in Christ was not just about us. God chose us with a purpose that we fulfill in community with other people. God’s perseverance in getting us home includes working through us for the benefit of our fellow runners and using them to bless us.Finally, he teaches them to add the phrase “but it doesn’t matter” at the end of every complaint about training. As in, “It’s really cold out here today—but it doesn’t matter.” In this way students learn to focus on the goal. God’s people need to be assured that, in light of the goal, our past mistakes and failures no longer matter. God forgives us and longs for us to follow in obedience and love. As far as the east is from the west, so far does God remove our transgressions from us. Nothing we have ever done can make us lose our salvation. Nothing we have ever done will make God give up on us.The perseverance of the saints means that the Holy Spirit is always with us, even on the side roads. God will never leave us or forsake us. No matter what happens, we are children of God, placed in the communion of saints, washed in the blood of the lamb. No matter what happens, we are held by God forever.Hymn of Response“When Peace Like a River” SpaffordClosing Hymn“For All the Saints” How  Revised Common LectionaryYear A: Season after Pentecost—Proper 16 (21)Year A: Season after Pentecost—Proper 17 (22)Year A: Season after Pentecost—Proper 19 (24)Year B: Epiphany—Eighth Sunday after the EpiphanyYear B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 3 (8)Year C: Season after Pentecost—Proper 16 (21)

This is part of the worship series, "A Classic TULIP Bouquet”Series Introduction Week 1  | Week 2 | Week 3    Week 4 | Week 5  Week Four—Irresistible graceOpening of WorshipFor this Sunday, we used resources from our brothers and sisters in Africa, starting with “Come, All You People,” arranged by John Bell. The two hymns were chosen for their focus on grace: “Amid the Thronging Worshipers” Psalter 1912 and “Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord” Johnston“Come, All You People,” BellOpening PrayerGod of grace, you have given us minds to know you, hearts to love you, and voices to sing your praise. Fill us with your Spirit that we may celebrate your glory and worship you in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.—Mary Hulst © 2002 Reformed Worship.org CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 “Amid the Thronging Worshipers” Psalter 1912“Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord” JohnstonWe Are Reconciled to God[“Mayenziwe/Your Will Be Done” Bell served as our sung response during the confession section, which also included a prayer by a Nigerian Christian. The choir sang the refrain the first time in Zulu, and then the congregation sang it the next two times in English.]Call to ConfessionRemember that our Lord Jesus can sympathize with us in our weaknesses, since in every respect he was tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with boldness approach the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.Sung Response“Mayenziwe/Your Will Be Done” Bell (sung in Zulu by the choir)Prayer of ConfessionGod in heaven, you have helped my life grow like a tree. Now something has happened. Satan, like a bird, has carried in one twig of his own choosing after another. Before I knew it, he had built a dwelling place and was living in it. Today, my Father, I am throwing out both the bird and the nest.—Anon. Nigerian, The Oxford Book of Prayer, George Appleton, editor.Sung Response“Mayenziwe/Your Will Be Done” Bell (sung in English by congregation)Assurance of PardonAnyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life has gone; a new life has begun. Know that you are forgiven and be at peace.Amen.Sung Response“Mayenziwe/Your Will Be Done” Bell (sung by congregation)Prayer of DedicationLet the healing grace of your love, O Lord, so transform us that we may play our part in the transfiguration of the world from a place of suffering, death, and corruption to a realm of infinite light, joy, and love. Make us so obedient to your Spirit that our lives may become a living prayer and a witness to your unfailing presence.The WordScripture LessonsGenesis 12:1–9; Ephesians 2:1–10Sermon NotesPhilip Yancey tells a C. S. Lewis story in his book What’s So Amazing About Grace? Attendees at a conference on comparative religions in Britain were debating if there was any belief that was unique to Christianity among world religions. Incarnation? No, other religions had gods appearing in human form. Resurrection? No, other religions had people coming back to life. Lewis walked in. “What’s the rumpus about?” he asked. When he heard what they were talking about, Lewis responded, “Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.” Christianity is the only religion in which all of the hard work has already been done.Why aren’t more people lining up to get into church? Maybe because they see that the people in church don’t allow themselves to rest in God’s grace. We imagine God with a red pen and a record book, waiting to give us a demerit if we slip up. In truth, God is in heaven overseeing the completion of our rooms, like a parent awaiting the birth of a child. God is eager to have us home with him. God says, “You are mine and I love you. There is nothing you have to do. You are my child, I call you by name, and I love you. I will wash away your sins and clothe you in righteousness. I will feed you from my table and supply all your needs. I will be with you always, to the end of the age.”That’s grace. God loves us. Not because of anything we have done, but because that is who God is. The One who loves. The One who chooses. The one who extends irresistible grace to his beloved children. Rest in God’s love, rest in God’s care, rest in God’s grace.Hymn of Response“Amazing Grace” NewtonOffertory“O Rest in the Lord,” MendelssohnClosing Hymn“Siyahamba/We Are Marching in the Light of God” Walton Music CorporationRevised Common LectionaryYear A: Lent—Second Sunday in LentYear A: Season after Pentecost—Proper 5 (10)Year B: Lent—Fourth Sunday in Lent

This is part of the worship series, "A Classic TULIP Bouquet”Series Introduction Week 1  | Week 2 | Week 3    Week 4 | Week 5  Week Three—Limited AtonementOpening of WorshipWe used “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” to open our worship, another hymn that touches on total depravity (“prone to wander”), unconditional election (“Jesus sought me”), limited atonement (“bought me with his precious blood”), irresistible grace (“oh, to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be”), and perseverance of the saints (“bind my wandering heart to thee”). Our litany highlighted the theme of atonement, and Psalm 27, “The Lord Is My Light” reminded us of God’s care."Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" Robinson, alt. MadanOpening SentencesGive thanks to God, for God is good.When we were overwhelmed by sin, God atoned for our transgressions.God lifted me from the pit of sin and set me safely on a rock.God made me a new creation and gave me a new song to sing.Thanks be to God for his priceless gift, even his Son, our Savior.Give thanks to God, for God is good.—from Arlene M. Mark, Words for Worship, Herald Press, 1996"The Lord is My Light (Psalm 27)" JoncasWe Are Reconciled to God[We focused on Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for our sins, using “O Christ, the Lamb of God” with intervening Scripture and a prayer]Call to ConfessionIf we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. In humility and faith let us confess our sin to God.Sung Response“O Christ, the Lamb of God,” (women and girls, measures 1-6)O Christ, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.Prayer of ConfessionEternal God, our judge and redeemer, we confess that we have tried to hide from you, for we have done wrong. We have lived for ourselves, and apart from you. We have turned from our neighbors and refused to bear the burdens of others. We have ignored the pain of the world and passed by the hungry, the poor, and the oppressed. Through your atoning love, forgive our sins, and free us from selfishness, that we may choose your will and obey your commandments, through Jesus Christ our Savior.—Mary Hulst © 2002 Reformed Worship.org CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Sung Response“O Christ, the Lamb of God,” (men and boys, measures 7-12)O Christ, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.Assurance of Pardon, based on Isaiah 53:6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.Sung Response“O Christ, the Lamb of God,” (all sing measures 13–20)O Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us your peace. Amen.The WordScripture LessonsIsaiah 53; Hebrews 9:11–28Sermon NotesIn order to understand Atonement, it is helpful to look at Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. The sins of the people demanded sacrifice: “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins” (Heb. 9:22). This was powerfully displayed to the people of Israel in many ways throughout the year, and most graphically on Yom Kippur, when the people would fast and the animals would be slaughtered for the sins of the nation.When Jesus died as the lamb of God, it was to end the system of sacrifice and to pay the final price. I used Oosterhouse’s concept of intentional atonement here, since calling this doctrine “limited” could imply that God is limited, or that the blood of Jesus can only go so far. “Intentional” allows us to see this doctrine as another example of God’s sovereignty. God is intentional about those he saves, leaving nothing to chance. God will do everything that needs to be done in order to bring his children home, even allowing his Son to die.Hymn of Response“No Weight of Gold or Silver” Dudley-SmithClosing Hymn“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” WattsRevised Common LectionaryYears A, B, C: Holy Week—Monday of Holy WeekYear B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 24 (29)Year B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 26 (31)Year B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 27 (32)

This is part of the worship series, "A Classic TULIP Bouquet”Series Introduction Week 1  | Week 2 | Week 3    Week 4 | Week 5 Week Two—Unconditional electionOpening of Worship“Great opening hymn choice today!” said a member as I walked into the sanctuary. “We used to call that the TULIP hymn.” Indeed, “How Vast the Benefits Divine” Toplady hits all the high points of Reformed theology, and is especially clear on election, which is why we chose it for this Sunday. The words of the opening prayer were based on the New Testament lesson for the day, and the song following the prayer, Psalm 136, “Love Is Never Ending” focuses on God’s election of Israel, a theme highlighted in the Old Testament lesson. (We suggest singing all the stanzas, since the song moves quickly.)Opening Sentences Based on Ephesians 1:3–14“How Vast the Benefits Divine” TopladyLeader: Grace and peace to you this day from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. People:Blessed be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing. Leader:Before the world was made, God chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless before him in love. People: According to God’s great pleasure, we are adopted as God’s children, redeemed according to God’s good pleasure. Leader:In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. All:For this reason we bow before the Father. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.—Ephesians 1:3–14 NIV, adapted “Love Is Never Ending (Psalm 136)” HaugenWe Are Reconciled to God[Election is fundamentally about the love of God for his children, and so our confession section used spoken and sung words to point out God’s love for us.]Call to ConfessionThe proof of God’s amazing love is this: While we were sinners Christ died for us. Because we have faith in him, we dare to approach God with confidence. In faith and penitence, let us confess our sin before God and one another.Prayer of ConfessionRighteous God, your mercy awaits us when we return to you in meekness and repentance. Cleanse us from selfishness and falseness, which separate us from your fellowship. Through your atoning love, heal the brokenness in our lives and in our world. With wholeness restored, help us live for the coming of your Son, our Savior, in whose name we pray. Amen.—adapted from Arlene M. Mark, Mennonite Publishing House Bulletin, Scottsdale, Pennsylvania. Assurance of PardonHear the good news!The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, that we might be dead to sin, and alive to all that is good. —1 Timothy 1:15I declare to you in the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.Amen.Sung Response“What Wondrous Love” Anon.The WordScripture LessonsDeuteronomy 10:12–22; Ephesians 1:3–14Sermon NotesIn this sermon I did what I rarely do: I used three points and a poem.Election is biblical. Pointing to the biblical evidence for election (Matthew 22; John 6, 15; Acts 13:48; Romans 8, 9, 11; 1 Thessalonians 1; 1 and 2 Peter) and even to the work of theologians such as Augustine and Aquinas helps listeners avoid the common misperception that unconditional election was Calvin’s own idea!Election is baffling. An obvious point to make, but one that’s very important pastorally. People may think that if they don’t understand election, they are less pious, less trusting, less orthodox. Acknowledging that election is baffling frees people to speak of their hesitation to accept it.I attempted to make it a little less so by talking about the power of God’s spoken Word (an insight gleaned from Gordon Spykman’s Reformed Dogmatics). God creates by speaking (Gen. 1). God’s Word creates. And when God places Adam and Eve in the garden, he speaks a warning: if you eat of this tree, you shall surely die. When they fall into sin, God speaks a word of hope: the seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent. Both the word of death and the word of life are bound to be fulfilled. From this comes the doctrine of election, in which some are chosen for life and some are chosen for death.Because we do not always do what we say, we are baffled by a God so bound by his word that he will do whatever it takes to fulfill it. Some, like Arminius, reject this doctrine. He proposed instead that God knew who was going to choose him, but that it was up to us to make the choice. But as we learned last week, we are unable to choose God because of our depravity.Election is also baffling because it puts God at the center, as Paul makes clear in Romans 9. And our fallen natures resent that. Poet Chad Walsh gets at our bafflement in his poem “Two Gray Cats” (see below).How should we deal with this? Neither Paul nor Walsh nor Calvin, for that matter, ever really answers the question. Each gets to a certain point and then simply leaves it with God.Election is balm. Our heads may be willing to leave it at that, but our hearts yearn to go a step further. Calvin saw election as a doctrine that provides deep comfort and assurance, and that is how the Canons of Dort presents it as well. For those who have accepted Jesus, there are no worries for eternity. Unconditional election is biblical, and it is baffling; but above all it is balm because it shows God’s amazing love for his children. It shows us a God who does what he says he will do. It. It shows us a God who keeps promises, whose ways are not our ways, whose thoughts are not our thoughts. Unconditional election is about God. Blessed be God’s name.Two Gray CatsTwo gray cats under a treeI open the door and summon oneBoth of them bound and run to meGet away get away I tell oneAnd shove him off with the flat of shoeI let the other gray cat throughI open a can, I find a dishI feed his soul on tuna fishThe other cat can gnash his fangsand scratch for scraps in the garbage canSpare me your ethical haranguesNeither deserves to be my catI chose one and that is that.—Chad Walsh, unpublishedHymn of Response“My Lord, I Did Not Choose You” (We paired this with the familiar tune AURELIA.)ConderClosing Hymn“Father, Long Before Creation” JonesRevised Common LectionaryYear B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 10 (15)