Matthew 21
Pastor Lawrence

Prayer of Adoration: Our Father, out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise. O Lord, open our lips, and our mouths will declare your praise (Ps 51.15). O Christ, you are the stone that the builders rejected that has become the cornerstone and it is marvelous in our eyes. You are our glorious and humble king worthy of all praise. Hosanna to the Son of David! Hosanna in the highest! O Spirit, you have opened our hearts to receive our king and you have made us your holy temple, a house of prayer that we might delight ourselves in serving our king and offering our sacrifice of praise. Fill us even now with you presence that we might boldly come before the Father’s throne with confidence.

Prayer of Confession: O Lord, like foolish builders, we have set aside the cornerstone in life and have built up our house in vain. And like lazy tenants in a vineyard, we have not produced good fruit for our master but have even lashed out at your holy servants who had questioned our behavior and disrespected the glorious work of your son by our many transgressions and lack of repentance. We are indeed miserable wretches who fully deserve your curse and wrath. It is a wonder that we have not already withered away and perished. It is solely by your mercy that we have not been crushed to death by the capstone of salvation. O Father, since tax collectors and sinners have gone into the kingdom of God before us, Lord give us the same mercy, not casting out your servants from your holy presence, but rending our hearts, filling them with softness and lamentation that we might by faith turn to Christ in repentance. Fill our hearts, we pray with the hope and power of the gospel.

Prayer of Sanctification: O Lord, you are our master and we are your servants, whatever you have need of this day, send us at once to carry out your holy will. You are the great prophet who has given us the words of life, helps us to heed your word this day. You also are our great high priest, so walk freely among us, your holy temple, and drive out all that does not belong there, overturning every idol, that we might give ourselves to prayer, praying in faith, believing that we will receive what we ask. For your name’s sake, make us strong in the Lord this day.