Description
John 15:9-17
Jesus encouraged His disciples to remain in His love and keep His commands just as He perfectly modeled this example for them on earth. When we sacrifice what means most to us and choose to love Father God and one another, we experience the complete joy of Jesus and the working of the One and Only Holy Spirit who produces fruit for us to bear.
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
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)
See a Victory
Ben Fielding | Chris Brown | Jason Ingram | Steven Furtick, © 2019 SHOUT! Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Fellow Ships Music (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) So Essential Tunes (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)
Come As You Are
Ben Glover, David Crowder, & Matt Maher, ©2014 9t One Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Ariose Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing)
[Traditional Options]
Come, My Soul, With Every Care
LSB 779; LW 433
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
May We Your Precepts, Lord, Fulfill
LBW 353; LSB 698; LW 389
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
Let us sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done, is doing, and will do great and marvelous things!
Worshipers
The Lord is worthy of our praise offering. We come to Him with hearts rejoicing, for He is good!
Pastor / Worship Leader
Indeed, the Lord our God is great! He has made His salvation known through His one and only Son, Jesus. His Spirit works in us to produce good fruit.
Worshipers
We bear His name, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! By His Spirit, we will bear much fruit.
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Holy Lord of Heaven and of all the earth, we rejoice in Your name. You are like water for our thirsty souls. You are faithful to us like You were faithful to the Israelites, and we sing and make music and offer up prayers to You. Renew our hearts and our minds today, and work powerfully in our midst, Holy Spirit, as we receive all You have for us. In the name of the One and only Jesus we pray,
Worshipers
Amen.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Let us prepare our hearts and lay before the Lord any sins that are unconfessed. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, so let’s go to the Father with open hearts.
Worshipers
Father, You have commanded us to obey You and to keep Your commands. Doing so marks our lives with Your love. Yet we fail to keep even the simplest command. Father, forgive us. We confess that we take over the plans for our lives without asking You first. We confess that we don’t love like You love in many situations. Forgive us. Please fill us with Your Holy Spirit even more. Give us the ears to hear Your Spirit speaking and the guidance to go Your way, not our own. We receive Your forgiveness. We receive Your love. In Christ’s redemptive name we pray, amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Acts 10:34-48
In those early days after Jesus’ ascension, the Holy Spirit worked powerfully to move both Jews and Gentiles to the Lord, thus proving that He doesn’t show favoritism, but loves all people. Peter and other followers were astonished at the Holy Spirit’s pouring out and baptized those who had received in the name of Jesus.
34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. 39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
