Please find below the notes from the Elder's Prayer this past Sunday

God of gods and Lord of lords. You alone do great wonders. You alone created all things. You alone hold all things together. You alone are holy, righteous, and good. 

You alone determine right from wrong. You alone know the end from the beginning. You alone set the course of human history. You alone sit above all things. 

You alone chose us. There is nothing in us deserving of your love, yet you decided to set your love on us. You have called us out of different families, different countries, different situations, all of us called to be holy and blameless before you. 

You alone made yourself known to us. In our natural state, we grope about in the dark, not knowing who you are, not knowing what holiness is, maybe having a skewed understanding of some sort of righteousness. Thinking that maybe there is a god, but not knowing for sure who that god is.  

But you have made yourself explicitly known to us through your word and your spirit. What was once mysterious, clouded, your word and spirit make clear. We now know you as kind, as a righteous judge, as a merciful savior, as a god who satisfies all of our needs.  

You alone redeemed us. We bring nothing to you, no righteousness of our own. We are only broken, empty, guilty of sin against a perfectly holy God. But in Christ, you forgive us of our sin. You who are rich in grace, abundant in patience, lavish in love, provide fully for our reconciliation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  

You alone adopted us as your children. While we are naturally sinful, naturally enemies of holiness and righteousness, in your grace you declared us to be your true sons and daughters through Christ. We can genuinely call you ‘Father’ because you have made us your children through our union with Christ. 

You alone sealed us with your spirit. Even now in this life, we have your spirit in us, helping us to mature in Christlikeness, to live lives worthy of our calling as your people. Your spirit is a hope, a guarantee, a promise that you will complete the work you began in us. And that one day, we will be in your presence, free from sin, forever. 

You alone are worthy of our thankfulness and praise. 

Amen.