Description
Luke 10:25-37
When we think about our neighbors and the neighborhood we live in, we think about a small geographical area in the midst of the city where we are located. When you visualize your neighbors, you focus on a few families on your street, perhaps two or three to the left and right of you and some across the street or on the street behind you. You would not normally think of someone two miles down the street as your neighbor. In the parable before us, Jesus defines for us what a neighbor really is. “Neighbor” has no geographical boundaries. Our neighbor is anyone who is in need, or could use our help and resources. Neither location, religion, culture, skin color, nor any other factor has a bearing on the definition of neighbor.
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
Beautiful News
Matt Redman, ©2006 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Build Your Kingdom Here
Rend Collective Experiment, ©2011 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing
Let God Arise
Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash, © 2006 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
[Traditional Options]
God of Grace and God of Glory
BH 75 265; BH 91 395; CH 435; CHH 464; EH 594,595; ELW 705; HWC 292; WFG 528; HLC 466; LBW 415; LSB 850; LW 398; NCH 436; PH 420; STTL 720;; WC 669; UMH 577; WAR 569; WHM 332
Lord of All Nations, Grant Me Grace
ELW 716; LBW 419; LSB 844
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
BH 75 58; BH 91 208; CH 648; CHH 517; EH 657; ELW 631; HWC 92; HFG 21; HLC 5; HGP 3; HSP 24; LBW 315; LSB 700; LW 286; NCH 43; PH 376; RH 34; STTL 507; WC 558; UMH 384; WHM 94; WIS 16
Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme
Pastor Almighty God, we have come once again just as we are – ready to receive refreshment and healing for our souls. Let’s celebrate what it means to love our neighbors and live as the body of Christ!
ALL Amen!
Opening Prayer
Pastor God of healing and restoration, you show your care for us in so many ways, always there to enter our hurts and challenges in life. Your neighborhood is the world! We come to worship today with pains too deep for words and sorrows breathed out in heavy sighs. We have memories that plague us and losses that still linger in our minds and hearts. There are areas of our lives that still get in the way of who you desire us to be as the whole people God. Even though we have our own challenges in life, you call us to reach out to our neighbors which include all people, with no distinction. Help us to take our pain, adversity, and experiences in life and use it all to enter the pain of others and show Christ’s love by reaching out and loving our neighbors.
ALL In the amazing love of Jesus, we pray. Amen
Time of Greeting
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
Pastor Loving God, your love has no limits. You have shown us by example what it means to call all others our neighbors. You are always reminding us that everyone is in need of healing and forgiveness and that you died for everyone with no distinction.
People We confess to you Lord that we find ourselves creating comfortable boundaries so that we will not have to reach out to those different from ourselves. We unjustly devise excuses to stay with those “like us” and end up passing by and not addressing the needs of those in front of us. We confess that pride, arrogance, and control blocks your flow of blessing for the healing and well-being of others. We confess that we have not opened ourselves up to others by sharing our own pain and experiences so that it can help others in their despair. Forgive us Lord for our selfishness and lack of compassion. Give us courage to see you in the eyes of the down and out, the poor, the child, the lonely, the dying, and all people.
Pastor Believe and have complete confidence that all your sins are forgiven because God has kept His promise of forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Give us a passion and willingness now to extend our arms in love and friendship to all our neighbors in need.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Leviticus 18: (1-5) 19:9-18
God gave instructions to the Hebrews on how to treat others and provide for their needs. It all boils down to loving our neighbors as we love ourselves.
The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. 3 You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. 4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God.5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord.
9 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God. 11 “‘Do not steal. “‘Do not lie.
“‘Do not deceive one another. 12 “‘Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. 13 “‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. “‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight.14 “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord. 15 “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.16 “‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord. 17 “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. 18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
