Abraham Serving the Angels by Rembrandt, 1646
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606–1669) was a Dutch draughtsman, painter, and printmaker. An innovative and prolific master in three media, he is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in the history of art and the most important in Dutch art history. Unlike most Dutch masters of the 17th century, Rembrandt’s works depict a wide range of style and subject matter, from portraits and self-portraits to landscapes, genre scenes, allegorical and historical scenes, and biblical and mythological themes as well as animal studies.
Abraham Serving the Three Angels is a 1646 panel painting in etching by Rembrandt. The painting depicts the scene from Genesis 18:1-15 when three visitors (who turn out to be messengers from the Lord) appear at Abraham’s tent by the great oak trees of Mamre. After Abraham serves them with water, shelter, and food, the messengers tell Abraham that his wife will bear him a son a year later when he will be 100 years old and Sarah will be 90 years old.
Call to Worship – Hebrews 13:1-8
Concluding Exhortations
13 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 3 Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
6 So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Invocation
With all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we praise You, Lord. But this is only possible through Your presence in us, by Your grace. Otherwise, we are easily distracted, diverted away from where You wish us to be, distanced from Your calling, lost in our current situations. Forgive us our lack of attention to Your Word, our failure to seek and find what we need from the source of all our joy. Help us to repent, to turn in the right direction this very moment, that we may fulfill Your commandment to love You with all that we are, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. May we indeed worship You today with all our heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Before the Throne of God Above
Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is Love, who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on his hands, my name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heav’n he stands,
No tongue can bid me thence depart, no tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see him there who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free,
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on him and pardon me, to look on him and pardon me.
Behold him there, the risen Lamb! My perfect spotless Righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM, the King of glory and of grace.
One with himself, I cannot die, my soul is purchased by his blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God, with Christ, my Savior and my God.
One with himself, I cannot die, my soul is purchased by his blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God, with Christ, my Savior and my God.
Words & Music: Charitie Lees Bancroft
The Ten Commandments – Kaeden Ho
Children’s Sermon
Prayer and Intercession
Great God,
In public and private, in sanctuary and home,
may my life be steeped in prayer,
filled with the spirit of grace and supplication,
each prayer perfumed with the incense of atoning blood.
Help me, defend me, until from praying ground
I pass to the realm of unceasing praise,
Urged by my need,
Invited by your promises,
Called by your Spirit,
I enter your presence, worshipping you with godly fear,
awed by your majesty, greatness, glory,
but encouraged by your love.
I am all poverty as well as all guilt,
Having nothing of my own with which to repay you,
But I bring Jesus to you in the arms of faith,
pleading his righteousness to offset my iniquities,
rejoicing that he will weigh down the scales for me,
and satisfy your justice.
I bless you that great sin draws out great grace,
that, although the least sin deserves infinite punishment
because done against an infinite God,
yet there is mercy for me,
for where guilt is most terrible,
there your mercy in Christ is most free and deep.
Bless me by revealing to me more of his saving merits,
by causing your goodness to pass before,
by speaking peace to my contrite heart;
Strengthen me to give you no rest
until Christ shall reign supreme within me,
in every thought, word, and deed,
in a faith that purifies the heart,
overcomes the world, works by love,
fastens me to you, and ever clings to the cross.
Meeting God from The Valley of Vision
Please take a few moments to pray for:
- The Paradee Family
- Reilly Keith Bachelder, Lissy & Bryce
- Howard Deuso
- Kevin Fleming
- Donna Waguespack, our missionary in Mexico
- Healthcare workers
- Other personal concerns
Sermon
That Time My Wife Lied to the Lord by Rev. Jason R. McConnell
Scripture Reading – Genesis 18:1-15
18 And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3 and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, 5 while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.”6 And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.”10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
Pass Me Not
Pass me not, O gentle Savior; hear my humble cry;
while on others thou art calling, do not pass me by.
Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry;
while on others thou art calling, do not pass me by.
Let me at thy throne of mercy find a sweet relief;
kneeling there in deep contrition, help my unbelief.
Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry;
while on others thou art calling, do not pass me by.
Trusting only in thy merit, would I seek thy face;
heal my wounded, broken spirit, save me by thy grace.
Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry;
while on others thou art calling, do not pass me by.
Thou the spring of all my comfort, more than life to me,
whom have I on earth beside thee? Whom in heaven but thee?
Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry;
while on others thou art calling, do not pass me by.
Words: Fanny Crosby
Music: William H. Doane