In this week’s installment of How to Lead Worship, we take a listen to the Confession of Sin and the Assurance of Pardon.
Scriptural Call to Confession
I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Corporate Confession of Sin
Gracious Father,
Your mercy and grace abound to us, calling us to confess our sins. Father we confess that we have not loved you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbor as ourselves.
We have not don’t what we ought to have done, and we have done that which we ought not to have done.
But according to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out our sin.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Scriptural Assurance of Pardon
As you’re able, please stand for the assurance of pardon:
John 3:16 tell us: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
If you are connected to Jesus Christ by faith alone, then these words are for you: in Christ, your sin is forgiven.
Thanks be to God!
And now a longer prayer…
Scriptural Call to Confession
Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
Isaiah 1:18
So, let’s confess our sins now.
Corporate Confession of Sin
Merciful Father,
We come confessing that we are sinners. Our hearts swarm with sinful thoughts, words, and actions that have flowed out from it.
We are ashamed, Lord, and we blush to lift up our faces before you. Our sins increase over our heard, and our trespasses rise up to heaven. When our eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts, we have reason to cry out, “Woe unto us, for we are undone.”
We know that we have sinned, Father, against heaven and in your sight. We know we are not worthy to be called your children.
But we also know there is mercy, forgiveness, and redemption with you. We know that you will not despise a broken and contrite heart.
Though heaven is your throne, and the earth your footstool, still you will look down to the poor and humble person who trembles at your word. You revive the spirit of the humble and contrite in heart.
You say the one who covers their sins will not prosper, yet those who forsake them will find mercy. You have promised that if we will come to you, even though our sins be red like crimson, yet they shall be white as snow.
So Father, we come humbled and sorrowful. We confess not only our sin, we confess our weakness. We are unable to make ourselves righteous, so we ask for your cleansing.
And we know that if we say “Amen” to this prayer while intending to go on in sin, this prayer will have no effect. So hear us as we confess our individual sins to you now in silence.
In Jesus name we pray, AMEN!
Assurance of Pardon
As you’re able, please stand for the assurance of pardon:
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7)
If you have accepted, received, and are resting in Christ and his righteousness alone for salvation, then hear these words: “In Christ Jesus, your sins have been pardoned.”
Thanks be to God!
Immediately after the assurance of pardon, songs that remind us of the redemption and the cross begin. We want clean seams between the elements of worship.