Description
Hebrews 12:18-24
Our hope is in Christ, the one who one day with bring us to our heavenly home. We remind one another of this truth every time we gather for worship. Scripture lifts it up and today our Epistle reading from Hebrews gives us a snapshot of Zion as place where there are no consequences of the law. One day soon we will gather with all the angels, saints, and Christ Himself. What a glorious day that will be! Come quickly 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
Open 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)
Build Your Kingdom Here
Rend Collective Experiment, ©2011 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing
Revelation Song
Jennie Lee Riddle, ©2004 Gateway Create Publishing (Admin. by Integrity’s Praise! Music)
[Traditional Options]
O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing
BH 75 69; BH 91 216; CH 21; CHH 5; EH 493; ELW 886; HWC 76; HPW 7; HFG 349; HLC 90; HGP 32; HSP 19; LBW 559; LSB 528; LW 276; NCH 42; PH 466; RH 51; STTL 147; WC 130; UMH 57; WAR 96; WHM 46; WIS 12
Jesus, Priceless Treasure
CH 623; ELW 775; HWC 413; HFG 277; LBW 457,458; LSB 743; LW 270; NCH 480; PH 365; WC 119; UMH 532; WAR 431
Jerusalem My Happy Home
BH 75 488; BH 91 577; EH 620; ELW 628; HLC 539; LBW 331; LSB 673; LW 307; NCH 378; WC 675
Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme
Pastor Praise the Lord who gathers us in His name today.
ALL Alleluia!
Pastor In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
ALL Amen!
Opening Prayer
Pastor Let us pray together,
ALL Holy and Mighty God we pray Your blessings upon us during this service. May we leave our sins and worries here. Replace them with joy and peace. Guide us in all we do here and forever. Amen.
Time of Greeting
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor Now that we are gathered and centered on Jesus Christ, our Lord, let us accept who we are in His presence. This past week has not gone according to plan. We have strayed from the plans our Lord has for us. We haven’t cared for others as Christ would. We have done and said things that harm others and ourselves. We need to be forgiven and lifted up.
ALL Amen. We have sinned and turn now to the cross of Christ, asking for His forgiveness.
Brief silence to confess our sins.
Pastor Oh Lord,
ALL Have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew our hearts and minds, and guide our ways by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pastor Jesus Christ has had mercy upon you and calls you His own. In the stead of and by His command, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
ALL Amen! Amen!
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Isaiah 58:9b-14
God’s people are called to repentance, to return to the Lord. He will restore us and make us strong for Him and His purposes.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden; like a spring whose waters never fail. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. 13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words 14 then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Reader The word of the Lord.
ALL Thanks be to God.
