Family Worship Guide

Call to Worship: Psalm 5:7

But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. (ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 3:28–35

Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you. Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you. Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm. Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways, for the devious person is an abomination to the LORD, but the upright are in his confidence. The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor. The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace. (ESV)

Prayer of Praise: Refer to the Call to Worship and the OT Reading above and the hymn below.

Hymn:‍ All for Jesus

Reading of the Law: Matthew 5:17–20

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (ESV)

Silent Confession of Sin/Confession of Sin:

O Father, we are gathered before you, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, whose chosen dwelling place is with the broken and contrite, to confess that we have sinned in thought and word and deed; we have not loved you with all our heart and soul, we have not loved you with all our mind and strength; we have not even loved our neighbor as ourselves. In your mercy, deepen our sorrow for the wrong we have done and for the good we have left undone, so that we may hate our sin with a holy hatred. But, please Father, do not leave us in sorrow. With you, O Lord, there is forgiveness. In your mercy, restore the joy of our salvation; so that we may love you with a holy love. We pray in your son’s most holy name. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Matthew 11:28–30

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (ESV)

Response: The Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, Amen, amen.

Confession of Faith: Westminster Larger Catechism - Questions 119-121

Let’s continue to study the WLC by looking further at the fourth commandment which teaches us how to keep the Sabbath holy.

Question #119

Q. What are the sins forbidden in the fourth commandment?

A. The sins forbidden in the fourth commandment are, all omissions of the duties required, all careless, negligent, and unprofitable performing of them, and being weary of them; all profaning the day by idleness, and doing that which is in itself sinful; and by all needless works, words, and thoughts, about our worldly employments and recreations.

Ezek 22:26; Acts 20:7, 9; Ezek. 33:30-32; Amos 8:5; Mal. 1:13; Ezek. 23:38; Jer. 17:24, 27; Isa. 58:13.

Question #120

Q. What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it?

A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it, are taken from the equity of it, God allowing us six days of seven for our own affairs, and reserving but one for himself, in these words, six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work: from God’s challenging a special propriety in that day, the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: from the example of God, who in six days made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: and from that blessing which God put upon that day, not only in sanctifying it to be a day for his service, but in ordaining it to be a means of blessing to us in our sanctifying it, wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath-day and hallowed it.

Ex. 20:9; Ex. 20:10; Ex. 20:11.

Question #121

Q. Why is the word remember set in the beginning of the fourth commandment?

A. The word remember is set in the beginning of the fourth commandment, partly, because of the great benefit of remembering it, we being thereby helped in our preparation to keep it; and, in keeping it, better to keep all the rest of the commandments, and to continue a thankful remembrance of the two great benefits of creation and redemption, which contain a short abridgement of religion; and partly, because we are very ready to forget it, for that there is less light of nature for it, and yet it restraineth our natural liberty in things at other times lawful; that it cometh but once in seven days, and many worldly businesses come between, and too often take off our minds from thinking of it, either to prepare for it, or to sanctify it; and that Satan with his instruments much labor to blot out the glory, and even the memory of it, to bring in all irreligion and impiety.

Ex. 20:8; Ex. 16:23; Luke 23:54, 56; Mark 15:42; Neh. 13:19; Ps. 92 title, Ps. 92:13-14; Ezek. 20:12, 19-20; Gen. 2:2-3; Ps. 118:22, 24; Acts 4:10-11; Rev. 1:10; Ezek. 22:26; Neh. 9:14; Ex. 34:21; Deut. 5:14-15; Amos 8:5; Lam. 1:7; Jer. 17:21-23; Neh. 13:15-23.

Prayer of Thanksgiving:

Our triune God, Father, Son and Spirit, we come before you in prayer because you, our God, wants and loves to hear from his children. Grace, mercy and peace come from you, O Lord and we are grateful for that. We give thanks to you for giving us one day in seven to worship corporately, both morning and evening. What a blessing it is to be in the house of our Lord every Sabbath day.. Your people also give you thanks for protecting our freedom to worship without hindrance from the government or any one else who is against our Holy God. Father, we ask that you bless our new mothers and babies with good health, peace at home, and bless the fathers also with patience and Godly lives. We ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer of Supplication:

Our gracious heavenly Father, we come before your throne with humbled hearts, and with fear and trembling because you are a holy God and we are but sinners saved by Christ alone. It’s in Jesus' name we come and ask for you to strengthen our faith, give us the courage to be strong witnesses, and to love our enemies. Father, remind us that we have peace with you because of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension. May your Holy Spirit remind us of who paid for our sin. Lord, give us now minds that can comprehend your Word and have the Spirit work in us to be more obedient. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Bible reading and commentary: Mark 4:1-20

In this section of Mark’s gospel Jesus teaches the people using parables

Questions to think about for the bible passage:

What is a parable?

Why did Jesus use parables to teach people about the Kingdom of God?

What is the parable of the sower about?

Commentary

Before Jesus begins teaching, he introduces parables — simple, earthly stories that reveal spiritual truth and call for a response. A parable places one thing beside another to help us see what God is doing. For those open to Jesus, parables illuminate; for those closed to him, they expose hardness of heart.

To help us feel how parables work, consider this modern example:

The Flashlight

A man walks home at night with a dead flashlight. He stumbles repeatedly, insisting he can find his own way. A friend offers light, but he refuses.

Lesson: We often think we can navigate life alone, but we need the light God provides to walk safely in his ways.

With that in mind, Mark 4 opens with Jesus teaching a massive crowd from a boat. He tells the parable of the sower, using a farming image everyone understood. In that world, seed was scattered broadly without plowing first, so it landed on different kinds of ground — each representing a different kind of heart.

Some hearts are hard, some shallow, some crowded with distractions, and some open and ready. Only the good soil produces fruit — and Jesus emphasizes that God’s blessing can bring extraordinary growth, far beyond normal agricultural expectations.

Later, when the disciples ask about the parables, Jesus explains that they have been given insight into the kingdom, while others hear only stories. This echoes Isaiah’s warning about hearts that hear but refuse to understand. Jesus isn’t shutting people out; he’s showing that spiritual understanding requires humility and openness.

Then Jesus compassionately explains the parable. The sower is Jesus (and, secondarily, anyone who shares the gospel). The soils are human hearts. Some are indifferent, some enthusiastic but shallow, some overwhelmed by life’s worries and desires. But the good soil — the receptive heart — hears, accepts, and bears fruit.

Closing Thought

The parable of the sower invites us to consider not just what Jesus taught, but how we are hearing him. Every heart in the story receives the same seed, yet only one lets the word take root, grow, and bear fruit. Jesus is showing that spiritual understanding isn’t about intelligence or background — it’s about openness, humility, and a willingness to let God’s light guide us, like the friend with the flashlight. As we listen to Jesus’ words, the question becomes personal: What kind of soil am I, and how is God inviting me to grow?

Discuss questions above

Closing Hymn: The Doxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below; Praise him above, ye heav’nly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen

Closing Scripture: Ephesians 3:20–21

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)

The Lord’s Prayer (together):

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.