Matthew 19
Pastor Lawrence

Prayer of Thanksgiving: Father, we thank you for the institution of marriage and how it points us to the love of Christ for his church. We thank you for the comforts of house and home and of the many graces we have received within our families. We thank you for the blessing of children, the miracle of life, and the hope of a new tomorrow as you show your faithfulness in every generation. And we thank you for our wealth and our many provisions in how you have shown us your goodness and kindness to us each day carrying us all the days of our lives.

Prayer of Confession: O Christ, we acknowledge that no one is good but God alone. None of us have kept your holy law and none of us have loved you with all our hearts or loved our neighbor as ourselves. O lord, let us not for a minute show forth the arrogance of the rich young ruler thinking that we have kept your commands and are worthy of inheriting eternal life. We are worthy only of your condemnation but rely solely upon your mercy. We plead your name, O Lamb of God, to cleanse us of all our sin and to stand in our place as the righteous one of God. And we confess our sins to you of murder, adultery, stealing, bearing false witness, dishonoring our father and mother and hating our neighbor. Lord, hear our prayers and forgive.

Prayer of Sanctification: O Holy Spirit, fill us with your love and power this day that every man might hold fast to his wife in love, that no one would seek to separate himself from the wife of his youth. Fill our children with wisdom and understanding that they might know and love you, pour out your blessing upon them for your name’s sake. In whatever calling we have received may we embrace that calling for the glory of your kingdom. Help us to build up the kingdom of God through our many gifts and graces rather than to tear it down through our pride and selfishness. Lord, help us to seek the greater treasures of heaven, being willing to part with the lesser treasures of earth in order that we might follow Christ our king. May we never be sorrowful over the loss of mere vain and temporal riches, but only over the loss of your grace. Let us be last in the eyes of the world that we might be first in your heavenly kingdom.