Joseph resisted temptation and ended up serving time in prison...”By faith Moses...chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time,” says Hebrews.  “He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.”  Joseph and Moses both made a calculated choice, not against pleasure, but against one particular kind of pleasure in determined pursuit of another.  As with all temptation, lust entices us to believe a seductive lie rather than the hard truth...Purity can be sought as a celibate single person or as a married person.  Either state involves loneliness and sometimes anguish as well as hope.  “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God,” Jesus promised.  Note the extent of the promise: not that they will have complete sexual fulfillment and solve all loneliness, but that they will see God.                                                                                                                                —Philip Yancey

 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.                                                                                                                        —1 Corinthians 6:9-10

                                                                                     
Welcome

^*Preparation— Glenn Edwards

Prelude

 Praise

Call to Worship— Psalm 46:1-7, 10

Leader:             God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

People:            Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

Leader:             There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.

People:            God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.

Leader:             The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.

People:            The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Leader:             "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

  Hymn of Praise— How Firm a Foundation

How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!

What more can He say than to you he has said,

To you, who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

To you, who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

Fear not; I am with you. O be not dismayed,

For I am your God, and will still give you aid.

I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

 When through the deep waters I call you to go,

The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;

For I will be with you your troubles to bless,

And sanctify to you your deepest distress.

And sanctify to you your deepest distress.

 When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,

My grace all sufficient, shall be your supply.

The flame shall not hurt you; I only design

Your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

Your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,

I will not, I will not desert to his foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I'll never, no never, no never forsake.

      I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

 Prayer of Adoration

Renewal

Scripture Reading— 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8

³For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual  immorality; ⁴that each one of you know how to control his own body in  holiness and honor, ⁵not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; ⁶that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an  avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. ⁷For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. ⁸Therefore whoever       disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Song of Confession— Be Magnified

Be magnified, O Lord

You are highly exalted;

And there is nothing you can’t do

O Lord, my eyes are on you.

Be magnified, O Lord, be magnified.

 I have made you too small in my eyes.

O Lord, forgive me.

And I have believed in a lie,

That you were unable to help me.

But now, O Lord, I see my wrong

Heal my heart and show yourself strong;

And in my eyes and with my song,

O Lord, be magnified. O Lord, be magnified.

 I have leaned on the wisdom of men,

O Lord, forgive me.

And I have responded to them

Instead of your light and your mercy.

But now, O Lord, I see my wrong.

Heal my heart and show yourself strong.

And in my eyes and with my song,

O Lord, be magnified.  O Lord, be magnified.

Private Confession

 Words of Encouragement— Zechariah 13:1

¹"On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the       inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.

 Song of Thanksgiving— I Come Boldly

I come boldly, trusting only your redeeming love,

Flowing freely from your side now,

Your atoning blood;

Like a river, like a fountain, like a cleansing flood,

I pour out my worship to you

For your redeeming love.

 My glory, in your cross of shame and suff’ring.

My glory, what the world disdains as nothing.

I will glory in such foolishness,

I will glory, for it’s nothing less

Than your wisdom and your awesome pow’r, my God.

 My glory, in your deep humiliation;

You found me and you crowned me with salvation.

I will glory; all my sin and guilt

Has been covered by the blood your spilt,

And now I’m living in your resurrection light.

 Congregational Prayer

 Offering— Blest Are the Undefiled in Heart (words for reflection only)

 Blest are the undefiled in heart,
Whose ways are right and clean;
Who never from the law depart,
But fly from every sin.

Blest are the men that keep your word
And practice your commands;
With their whole heart they seek the Lord,
And serve you with their hands.

Great is their peace who love your law;
How firm their souls abide!
Nor can a bold temptation draw
Their steady feet aside.

Then shall my heart have inward joy,
And keep my face from shame,
When all your statutes I obey,
And honor all your Name.

Commitment

Sermon Text— Ephesians 5:5-6

⁵For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

 Sermon— Sex and God’s City:  The Alternative Lifestyle, part 3
                                                                          ~Pastor Vinny Tauriello

 Closing Hymn— Rejoice, All Ye Believers

Benediction

Postlude

                          prayer and Praise Update

Missions

 Mr. Doug Clawson, Assistant General Secretary, Foreign Missions

 Matt and Shannon Baugh

Pray for Haiti as it is in the midst of political transition and confusion.  Kidnapping has become more prevalent and gang activity has increased greatly over the past few months.

Pray that the Lord will protect the Baugh family and give them wisdom and grace to fulfill their calling.

 House of Correction, Jessup, MD

Pray that the faith of the men will not fail and that they will find unity.

 Becca Myers, Quebec

   Continue to pray for Becca’s faith, hope, and love.

Praise the Lord for all of the work He has already done and the plans that He has for the future.

 At New Hope

 Continue to pray that Patrick will receive the care and love that he need’s from the orphanage staff and that God will be with him.

 Pray for Carlota Salter she recovers from pleurisy and an auto-immune inflammation of the muscles.