Description

Ephesians 6:10–20

The Lord provides us with all we need in body and soul for this life and the next.  This includes the things we need to protect ourselves from the dangers of this world and the spiritual world around us.  By the power of His Word and by the faith He has given us, we are forever safe and cared for by the Lord.

 

… We Lift Our Hearts in Worship …

[Preservice options include videos (countdowns, worship music, welcomes), worship music CD, or live music by worship band.]

 

Time of Praise and Worship

[Up the Heavens

Andi Rozier, James McDonald, Jason Ingram, Meredith Andrews, & Stuart Garrard, ©2012 Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.) HBC Worship Music (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) Open Hands Music (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) Sony/ATV Timber Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) Stugio Music Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing)

Meet With Me

Lamont Hiebert, ©1999 Maranatha! Music (Admin. by Maranatha! Music)

Your Grace Is Enough

Matt Maher, ©2003 Spiritandsong.com; Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

[Traditional Options]

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

BH 75 37; BH 91 8; CH 151; CHH 65; EH 687,688; ELW 503,504; HWC 26; HPW 18; HFG 118; HLC 11; HGP 10; HSP 31; LBW 228,229; LSB 656,6577; LW 296,297; NCH 439,440; PH 259,260; RH 17; STTL 30; WC 43; UMH 110; WAR 507; WHM 13; WIS 4 

O God, My Faithful God          

ELW 806; LBW 504; LSB 696; LW 371; PH 277

Blessed Jesus, At Your Word 

EH 440; ELW 520; LBW 248; LSB 904; NCH 74; PH 454; UMH 596

  

Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme 

Pastor              We come together this day in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 

ALL                  Amen!

  

Opening Prayer 

Pastor              Lord God, care for us this day.  Open our hearts and minds to Your Holy Word. 

ALL                  We praise You Lord for gathering us today.  Bind us together as Your people. Amen. 

 

Time of Greeting

 

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location:  following Message]

Pastor              Gathered as people whom God has brought together; let us first confess our unworthiness to be in His presence.  Spend some time recalling who you are in the                                             presence of the Holy God.

Moment of silence

Pastor              We pray,

ALL                  Holy and merciful Lord, we have not honored You with our lives.  We have sinned and erred from Your ways.  We call ourselves Your disciples,                            but often in our lives we turn away from You.  Yet, we come to You asking for forgiveness and trusting in Your promises.  Have mercy on us                                    Lord. 

Pastor             Our Lord Jesus Christ hears our confessions.  He knows our hearts and loves us.  By His death you have been freed from your sins.  In the stead and by the command                               of my Lord, I forgive you all of your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

ALL                  Amen! 

   

… We Hear God’s Word …

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]

 

First Reading     Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18

As the Israelites take possession of the promised land, Joshua brings them a challenge:  choose if you will follow the Lord or if you will fall away and worship the false Gods they had turned to historically.  He declares that His family will follow the Lord and the people follow his lead.

1Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God. 2And Joshua said to all the people, 14“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 16Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, 17for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. 18And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”