Description
John 12:20-33
Sir, we want to see Jesus. The Greek men in this passage had heard of the miracles and teachings of Jesus, but now they wanted to see him and meet him. But Jesus does not reveal himself in the way that they, or perhaps you and I, expect. Jesus says to them, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” That’s his response to those who want to see him; to the Greeks, to you, to me. If you want to see Jesus, look for it in places of loss, death, and smallness and watch for Him to bring transformation. But seeing Jesus isn’t a spectator sport. It is a way to be followed, a truth to be embodied, a life to be lived. It’s being the grain of wheat that falls into the ground and dies so that it might bear much fruit, just as Jesus did. That’s where we see him. It’s the letting go, the emptying, the leaving behind, and the dying that makes space for a new and eternal life to arise.
We Lift Our Hearts in Worship
[Preservice options include video countdowns, worship song videos, welcomes), CDs, or live music.]
Welcome & Time of Greeting
Pastor / Worship Leader
Good morning! We welcome you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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)
Graves Into Gardens
Brandon Lake, Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, Tiffany Hammer © 2019 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) Maverick City Publishing Worldwide (Admin. by Heritage Worship Publishing) Bethel Music Publishing
Chain Breaker
Jonathan Smith, Mia Fieldes, and Zach Williams, © 2015 Anthems of Hope (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) Be Essential Songs (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) Not Just Another Song Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) So Essential Tunes (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) Upside Down Under (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) Wisteria Drive (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)
[Traditional Options]
Son of God, Eternal Savior
ELW 655; LBW 364; LSB 842; LW 394; NCH 542
Come To Calvary’s Holy Mountain
HFG 276; LBW 301; LSB 435; LW 96
Christ is Made the Sure Foundation
BH91 356; CH 403; CHH 275; EH 518; ELW 645; HS98 865; HWC 276; HFG 557; LBW 367; LSB 909; NCH 400; PH 416,417; STTL 671; WC 699; UMH 559; WOV 747
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord we invite you here this morning – open our eyes that we may see you today. Help us to see that your kingdom and your ways are not the ways of this world. Help us to know that we will never find the peace and love we were created for by clinging to our earthly ways, by following our desire for possessions, power, status, security, or anything else in this world. We need you, Jesus. Help us to let all of this go, to place our whole lives in your hands, for it is in you that we find our lives. And so, this morning we come before you and say:
Worshipers
Open our eyes Lord, we want to see Jesus.
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord Jesus, it is you who puts the desire in our hearts to seek and know you. Without you, we have no hope, and our life is empty. But because of your love you offer to us the way of eternal life, by letting go of our earthly way of life and believing in You. May our hearts be open to your word of invitation, may we be willing to place our lives and all of our hopes in your hands, may we see your love, life, and light shine through us as we trust and follow you.
Worshipers
Amen.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
O King and Father, your Son died and was raised up in power. Now enable us to die to our sin in repentance so we may rise to new life in Him. We confess to you:
Worshipers
Lord, though you should guide us, we inform ourselves; though you should rule us, we control ourselves; though you should fulfill us, we console ourselves. We think your truth too high, your will too hard, your power too remote, your love too free. But they are not! And without them, we are of all people most miserable.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord, your Word tells us that you are faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us when we turn to you in repentance. Thank you Lord for your forgiveness. We thank you that you took the punishment for our sins, and that by Your stripes we are healed. We ask for your healing:
Worshipers
Heal our confused minds with your word, heal our divided wills with your law, heal our troubled consciences with your love, heal our anxious hearts with your presence, all for the sake of your Son, who loved us and gave himself for us. Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Jeremiah 31:31-34
God never intended the Law to only be an external list of rules and regulations for His people to follow. His ultimate plan was always to put His word within the human heart and mind – a covenant of indwelling relationship between God Almighty and His people.
The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt–a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the LORD,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.
