Description
Mark 10:35-45
You have likely seen an Organizational Chart of Authority, with one square on the top representing the head of the organization. The remaining employees’ status is labeled in various lower-level boxes. God’s organizational chart, if He had one, would look a little differently. Although Jesus has authority over all, He willingly left His heavenly position to become The Ransom for many. In God’s house the order is topsy-turvy: The greatest shall be the least and the least shall be the greatest.
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
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)
*Come, Now Is The Time To Worship
Brian Doerksen, ©1998 Vineyard Songs
*adapt text to “gladly serve You now…”
How Deep The Father’s Love For Us
Stuart Townend, ©1995 Thankyou Music
[Traditional Options]
Built on the Rock the Church Doth Stand
BH 75 235; BH 91 351; CHH 273; ELW 652; HFG 555; HLC 201; LBW 365; LSB 645; LW 291; WC 705; WAR 546; WHM 340
Word of God Come Down on Earth
EH 633; ELW 510; LSB 545; RS 653; UMH 182; WOV 716
Church of God, Elect and Glorious
HS98 864; LSB 646; WAR 541
Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme
Pastor This morning our worship focus is on the role we each are called to perform in the Lord’s Kingdom that is the role of being a servant. May the Holy Spirit impart in each of our hearts the message that applies specifically to our own individual lives. Lord, speak. . Your servants are listening.
Opening Prayer
Pastor We give thanks to You, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ Your dear Son, that You protected us through the night from all harm and danger. We ask that You would guide Your servants’ worship of You today so that our words, lives and actions may please You. Into Your hands we commend our worship of You now. Let your Holy Spirit be with us, so that the wicked foe has no presence among us.
Amen.
ALL In the power-filled Name of Jesus … Amen.
Time of Greeting
As you greet one another, say something like this: “Good Morning, I am God’s servant, Bob. Blessings on your worship.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor Do you believe that you have personally kept God’s law perfectly?
ALL No.
Pastor Do you believe that you can do enough good to make up for all of the bad things you think, do and say every single day, to merit eternal life on your own?
ALL No.
Pastor Do you realize that apart from the saving grace from God, the Father, your eternal life will not be spent forever with Him in heaven?
ALL Yes, I realize that. Jesus alone can save me from eternal punishment apart from Him.
Pastor God hears the of the faith you profess from your lips. We now confess our shortcomings with silent thoughts in our hearts. . .[pause for reflection in silence] . . . Having confessed your sin and claimed your faith in His Son, Your Savior, Jesus Christ, I announce forgiveness to you in the Name of our Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Now go, and live freely with joy, as His called and forgiven servants.
ALL We stand as joyful, forgiven Christian servants of the Lord, ready to do His will. AMEN.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Hebrews 5:1-10
The book of Hebrews compares many aspects of the Jewish faith and the ministry of Jesus Christ, showing how Jesus satisfied the old traditions, thereby making the old traditions unnecessary.
Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.” 6 And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
