Description
Matthew 14:22-33
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus had just fed the crowd of 5000. He dismisses the crowd and goes by himself to pray, instructing the disciples to meet him on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. During a storm as the disciples fought the wind, Jesus comes to them, walking on the water. The disciples think they are seeing a ghost. Peter challenges Jesus to call him onto the water. Peter walks on the water himself and then sinks in fear.
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
Unfailing Love
Chris Tomlin, Cary Pierce, & Ed Cash, ©2004 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Alletrop Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Popular Purple Publishing (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.) Bridge Building Music, Inc. (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Cool Springs Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)
Trust In God
Brandon Lake | Chris Brown | Mitch Wong | Steven Furtick © Brandon Lake Music (Admin by Essential Music Publishing, City Publishing Worldwide (Admin by Essential Music Publishing)Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) Remaining portion is unaffiliated
Surrounded (Fight My Battles)
Elyssa Smith, © 2017 UR Global Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
[Traditional Options]
Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me
ELW 767; LBW 333; LSB 722; LW 512
God Moves in a Mysterious Way
BH 75 439; BH 91 73; EH 677; HFG 603; LBW 483; LSB 765; LW 426; NCH 412; WC 73; WAR 65; WIS 22
My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less
BH 75 337; CH 526; CHH 537; ELW 596; HFG 92; HLC 313; HSP 125; LBW 293,294; LSB 575; LW 368; NCH 403; PH 379; RH 419; UMH 368; WAR 405
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
Blessed are You, Lord our God! Glorious is Your name in all the earth!
Worshipers
We celebrate who You are, and all that You have done for us. You hold our lives in Your hands and catch us when we stumble.
Pastor / Worship Leader
So we come together today, led by Your Holy Spirit, to worship You: to sing Your praise, to confess our mistakes, and to receive Your love and mercy, made possible through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Worshipers
Be present among us as we worship You, and as we open ourselves to Your Word.
Pastor / Worship Leader
To You be all glory, now and forever.
Worshipers
One God, now and evermore.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Amen.
Worshipers
Amen!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Gracious God, we gather once again to offer You praise and thanksgiving for Your unfailing love and faithfulness, shown most clearly through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us grace to worship You in spirit and in truth. Through the power of Your Holy Spirit, open our eyes to recognize You here among us. Give us courage to step out in faith to meet You, and confidence to follow where You lead. For You are our God, and we are Your people, called by Your name. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
Worshipers
Amen!
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Let us confess our failures and renounce our sins. Please hear us, loving God, when we cry to you,
be gracious to us and answer our prayers.
Worshipers
If we have slid away from new opportunities or failed to give our best effort to long familiar duties,
forgive us and restore us, merciful Friend. Christ Jesus is our light and salvation, of whom shall we be afraid?
Pastor / Worship Leader
If we have become weary and slipped into mirroring the prejudices and dissatisfactions of a greedy and unjust world, forgive us and heal us, merciful Friend. Christ Jesus is our light and salvation, of whom shall we be afraid?
Worshipers
If we have performed well in public, smoothly keeping up appearances, while our personal faith has grown shabby and weak, forgive us and rehabilitate us, merciful Friend. Christ Jesus is our light and salvation, of whom shall we be afraid?
Pastor / Worship Leader
Wait for the Lord. Be strong and allow your heart to take courage. Wait; yes my soul, wait on the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Worshipers
Loving God, you are not impatient and tight fisted like us, your generosity flows freely to all your creatures. We praise you that our sins are forgiven and that the future has again become an open door.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Thanks be to you, God of grace and glory! Through Christ Jesus our Savior.
Worshipers
Amen!
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Job 38:4-18
Job, who had lost everything and is suffering incredible physical pain, had been lamenting and debating his friends, questioning God, demanding from God proof of his sin. God finally speaks. He tells Job to brace himself like a man. Now, God is going to question Job and Job shall answer.
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. 5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? 6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? 8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, 9 when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, 10 when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, 11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’? 12 “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, 13 that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? 14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment. 15 The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken. 16 “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? 17 Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness? 18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.
