Description

 Luke 8:26-39

Greeted by a man possessed with an impure spirit, Jesus commanded the spirit to flee into a large herd of pigs nearby.  The people in the region were filled with fear and asked Jesus to leave them, but the freed man begged to go with Jesus.  Jesus sent him away and said, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.”  When Jesus frees us from the chains that bind us, our testimonies can transform others who hear and bring God the glory.

 

…  We Lift Our Hearts in Worship  …

[Preservice options include video countdowns, worship song videos, welcomes), CDs, or live music.]

 

Welcome & Time of Greeting

 

Time of Praise and Worship

Yes I Will

Eddie Hoagland, Mia Fieldes, Jonathan Smith
2018 All Essential Music, HBC Worship Music, Jingram Music Publishing, Be Essential Songs, Upside Down Under, Hickory Bill Doc, So Essential Tunes (Admin by Essential Music Publishing)

Today Is The Day

Lincoln Brewster & Paul Baloche, ©2008 Integrity’s Praise! Music; Integrity’s Hosanna! Music; Leadworship Songs (Admin. by Integrity Music, Inc.) 

Shout To The Lord

Martin Smith, ©1995 Curious? Music UK (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

 

[Traditional Options]

Let Us Ever Walk With Jesus

ELW 802; LSB 685; LBW 487; LW 381

Come Follow Me, The Savior Spoke

ELW 799; LBW 455; LSB 688; LW 379

Let Us Ever Walk With Jesus

ELW 802; LSB 685; LBW 487; LW 381

  

Invocation

Pastor               Father in Heaven, we declare Your name and praise you.

 

ALL                  How we praise and revere You, Holy God.

 

Pastor               We will tell of Your works and all the good You have done in our lives.

 

ALL                  Amen!

  

Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction

   Pastor/Worship Leader speaks

 

Pastor              Lord God, we are incredibly blessed to be considered Your children.  You have promised

                        Yourself as an inheritance to us, and one day we will be with You.  Father, as we are

                        here on this earth, we ask You to deliver us from evil, and when you unshackle the

                        chains that keep us bound up and locked up, give us courage to spread the Good News

                        of what You’ve accomplished. 

 

ALL               All glory, honor, and power are Yours forever and ever, amen.

 

 

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location:  following Message]

 

Pastor               Loving Father, we are unmistakably sinful.  Giving into our temptations, we become

                           bound by sin, shackled to the lies of the enemy.  Free us from this prison; set us free.

 

ALL                  For whom the Son sets free is free indeed.

 

Pastor              We confess our sin to you now.  We ask for the freedom that comes with the forgiveness

                         granted us through the cross of Jesus Christ. 

 

ALL                We are forgiven and free by the blood of the Lamb.  Hallelujah!  Amen.

 

 

…  We Hear God’s Word  …

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]

First Reading                                  Isaiah 65:1-9

Although God is good, the people were obstinate toward God and walked in their own ways.  Yet, God still promised an inheritance to His chosen people and His servants.

 

“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’ 2 All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations— 3 a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick; 4 who sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs,
and whose pots hold broth of impure meat; 5 who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me, for I am too sacred for you!’ Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day. 6 “See, it stands written before me: I will not keep silent but will pay back in full; I will pay it back into their laps— 7 both your sins and the sins of your ancestors,” says the Lord. “Because they burned sacrifices on the mountains and defied me on the hills, I will measure into their laps the full payment for their former deeds.” 8 This is what the Lord says: “As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and people say, ‘Don’t destroy it, there is still a blessing in it,’ so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all. 9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains;
my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live.