Description
John 15:1-8
We as Christ followers cannot bear spiritual fruit on our own. It is the True Vine, Jesus, who is our source of life and causes us to produce good fruit for His glory. As long as we are remaining in the True Vine, we are connected to His Spirit who guides us, leads us, and produces good fruit in us.
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
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)
Matt Redman & Jonas Myrin, ©2011 Thankyou Music, Said And Done Music, sixsteps Music, SHOUT! Publishing (Admin EMI CMG Publishing)
Reckless Love
Caleb Culver, Cory Asbury, Ran Jackson, © 2017 Watershed Publishing Group (Admin. by Watershed Music Group) Bethel Music Publishing, Richmond Park Publishing
Your Great Name
Krissy Nordhoff & Michael Neale, ©2008 Integrity’s Praise! Music | TwoNords Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)
[Traditional Options]
O Blessed Spring
ELW 447; LSB 595; TFWS 2076; WOV 695
Dearest Jesus We Are Here
ELW 443; LBW 187; LSB 592; LW 226; PH 493
O Jesus King Most Wonderful
HLC 73; LBW 537; LSB 554; LW 274
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
Let us praise the Lord in this place today!
Worshipers
We praise him in this house, we praise Him in His mighty heavens!
Pastor / Worship Leader
We praise God for His acts of power and His surpassing greatness. Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord!
Worshipers
We praise the Lord!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord Jesus Christ, we are here to praise You, the True Vine, and the Giver of True Life. You are mighty in everything You do and have done and are going to do. We watch with expectation for Your coming and we anticipate miracles in our lives and in the lives of others around us as Your Spirit moves. We take those miracle moments as another opportunity to praise You, Lord. Help us to abide in You today and always as we live as Your branches. In the name of Jesus we ask these things,
Worshipers
Amen.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are commanded to confess our sins to the Lord who is faithful to forgive us. We are also asked to forgive one another as we have been forgiven. Today, I would encourage you to seek the Lord and ask Him to search your hearts- in every corner and dark place, and invite Him to do a transforming work in you. He is faithful and kind and He loves you no matter what. Confess your sins to Him today, and be free!
Worshipers
(Enter a time of quiet , prayerful reflection and prayer of confession to the Lord.)
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord Jesus, You are greater than the one who is in the world. You have overcome sin, death, and the grave. Resurrect in us true life that only comes from You.
Worshipers
We thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your amazing grace and forgiveness. Give us the spiritual understanding to accept Your forgiveness and freely extend the same forgiveness to those we need to forgive.
Pastor / Worship Leader
In Jesus’ holy name we pray, Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Acts 8:26-40
The eunuch was reading the book of Isaiah in his chariot and caught Philip’s attention. The Spirit prompted Philip to approach the man and moved in him to share the Gospel that led to the eunuch’s conversion and baptism.
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a] eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
