Reading of the Law of God
You shall not make
for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the
earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am
a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the
third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast
love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20.4-6
Confession of sin
Our Father, You are
the one who gets to decide how we are to worship You. You have told us in Your
Word the kinds of things that we are to do and not to do in worship. But all
too often we want to ignore Your Word and worship You in ways that we like. You
have warned us about the foolishness of doing this since You are a God who is
jealous for His own honor. We ask that You would forgive us this sin for Jesus’
sake. By Your Spirit teach our hearts to submit to Your ways of worship so that
You would receive the worship that is Your due. Amen.
Declaration of Pardon
Remember
these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you
are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out your transgressions
like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.
Isaiah 44:21-22
The Lord enrich you
with his grace, and nourish you with his blessing; the Lord defend you in
trouble and keep you from all evil; the Lord accept your prayers, and absolve
you from your offences, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Saviour.
The Book of Common
Prayer