Description
Luke 9:28-36
Light is great for many things. Light helps us see. Light gives us comfort when things around us are dark. In this passage, light also wakes people up. The disciples are sleeping and are awoken by a marvelous light. This same light shines in our lives to wake us up and helps us to see the glory of God in Jesus!
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
Shine
Matt Redman, © 2006 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
God of Brilliant Lights
Aaron Shust, Ed Cash, Scott Cash, ©2013 Bridge Building Music, Inc. (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.) CP Shust Tunes (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.) Worship Together Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Alletrop Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) Unknown (Admin. by Unaffiliated Admin (UA))
Go Light Your World
Chris Rice, © 1995 BMG Songs, Inc. (Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)
[Traditional Options]
Awake, My Soul, And With The Sun
EH 11; ELW 557; HLC 551; LBW 269; LSB 868; LW 478; PH 456;
Christ, the Word of God Incarnate
LSB 540
O Wondrous Type, O Vision Fair!
EH 136; ELW 316; LBW 80; LSB 413; LW 87; NCH 184; PH 75
Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme
Pastor: Almighty God, You are a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths.
ALL: Hear our cry, O Lord our God.
Pastor: Your light guides us, protects us, and provides us comfort in times of need.
ALL: Hear our cry, O Lord our Savior.
Pastor: Even when we turn from your light and wander toward the darkness, You remain shining brightly so that we might repent and return.
ALL: Hear our cry, O Lord our Sanctifier.
Pastor: We give You praise for being the light of the world; a beacon of hope that can never be extinguished. We rejoice that You have shined upon us and have been gracious unto us.
ALL: Hear our cry, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Pastor: The LORD is my strength and my defense. He is my God, and I will praise Him. He has promised us that whosoever follows Him shall never walk in darkness, but have the light of life. He uses his light as a promise to his people; that He will be a constant presence in our lives. He will not forsake us, abandon us, or leave us mired in hopelessness. His light provides comfort, strength, and peace even during the bleakest of times. It is a light powerful enough to shine brightly even as He took our place and died on the cross so that we may live. It is a light that snuffed out the darkness through His glorious resurrection, and continues to shine in us through the divine work of the Holy Spirit. Blessed be the name of the Lord. How great and awesome is He! The earth is filled with His glory. May His name and His light be lifted up forever and ever.
Time of Greeting
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor: Almighty God, we have actively turned away from Your light.
ALL: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: We have become haughty and arrogant. We act as if we can forge our own path and we don’t need You to lead the way.
ALL: Christ, have mercy.
Pastor: We have walked a path paved by greed, selfishness, hatred, and an utter lack of self-control. At our worst, we’ve ran down this path.
ALL: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: Our wandering has caused us to fall asleep and stumble short of Your glory. We deserve Your temporal and eternal punishment for our evil words, thoughts, and deeds. Yet for the sake of Your only begotten son, please have mercy upon us. Make us fully awake, so that we may once again walk the path of righteousness, the path that You have made for us, even though it is undeserved.
ALL: O Lord, our God, have mercy on us.
Pastor: We fall at Your feet and humbly repent of our sins, so that we can once again draw near to You and Your promises.
(pause for silent reflection)
Pastor: The LORD has heard your cries for mercy. I, as a called and ordained servant of the word, proclaim God’s grace of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ to all of you. By His triumph over the grave through His death and glorious resurrection, your sins have been forgiven. May this most precious gift that comes from the light of the world transform you and give you the hope of deliverance.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading: Deut. 34:1-12
The Lord let Moses see the land promised to Abraham and his descendants but he was not allowed to enter in. Moses died in Moab. The Israelites grieved for him for thirty years. Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses.
Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the Lord showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, 3 the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.” 5 And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said.6 He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. 8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses. 10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
