Description
Mark 7:31-37
Jesus healed a deaf mute by taking him aside, touching Him, and speaking a command to ‘be opened’. He does the same with us. He gets personal with us. He touches us, in His Word and sacraments and ‘opens’ us. And we are unstuck. He opens us to Himself, and when we are open to Him, we become open to each other, to those around us, to those in need, to the whole world. And we become vessels through which His love flows.
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
Your Grace Is Enough
Matt Maher, ©2003 Spiritandsong.com; Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Open The Eyes Of My Heart
Paul Baloche, ©1997 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music
Healer
Mike Guglielmucci, ©2007 Planet Shakers Ministries Int. Inc. (Admin. by Music Services)
[Traditional Options]
Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty
ELW 533; LBW 250; LSB 901; LW 198, NCH 67; PH 489
Lord Jesus Christ Be Present Now
ELW 527; LBW 253; LSB 902; LW201; NCH 324
Lord, Open Now My Heart To Hear
LSB 908; LW 197
Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme
Pastor: In the name of the Father, Who sent His Son to the cross;
In the name of the Son, Jesus Christ, who opens us to all that He would have for us;
In the name of the Holy Spirit, through Whose work the love of God flows through us.
ALL Amen
Opening Prayer
Pastor Almighty God, how good You are. Your love and grace and mercy continually flow to all creation. And when our hearts and minds and ears and eyes were stuck, when we could not hear You or see You or love You, You sent Your Son to open us. Through His death and resurrection and the work of His Spirit, we are open to recognize Your presence, receive Your love, and respond in Your will. Here are now we gather to worship You, our hearts and hands and minds open to You, and each other.
ALL Amen.
Time of Greeting
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor We confess our sins and our sinfulness before our Father
(a time of silence)
Father, we gather as Your people, acknowledging we are often stuck, stymied, stalled.
ALL Our eyes do not always see Your hand at work in our lives.
Our ears do not always hear Your proclamations of love and mercy
Our hearts are often closed to You, and to those around us.
Our hands are shut, desperately attempting to hold on to what we have, unable to receive Your gifts, and unwilling to share with others.
Even our church is a closed system, going about our business as we ignore the needs of those around us.
Forgive us, we pray, and open us to the wonder of Your love and grace.
Pastor Jesus took aside a deaf man, touched his tongue, and proclaimed, “Ephatha”, which means “be opened.” And the man’s ears were opened, and his tongue was unstuck, and he spoke. Jesus does the same for us. He touches us, with His Word, and with His body and blood. And from a cross He proclaimed, “Ephatha”, and the sin that had clogged our living was forgiven, and we are made open. We hear, we see, we love, we love, we share, we rejoice, we serve, we praise. Jesus has opened us, and His Spirit flows in us and through us.
ALL Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading: Isaiah 35:4-7
Through all the workings of our world, God remains in charge.
Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. 7 The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.
