Description
John 17:20-26
Jesus prayed a heartfelt prayer for future believers to have unity just as He had with the Father. He gave His life for us that we would experience the glory of God on earth and share with the world this precious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. As we read this beautiful prayer of our Savior, may we be reminded of the hope we find in Him, the great love of our Father, and the eternal life we have to look forward to in Heaven.
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
Your Love Awakens Me
Chris Quilala & Phil Wickham, © Capitol CMG Genesis (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Jesus Culture Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Phil Wickham Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) Seems Like Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) Sing My Songs (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)
Our God Saves
Brenton Brown and Paul Baloche, ©2007 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Integrity’s Hosanna! Music Leadworship Songs (Admin. by Integrity Music, Inc.)
Who You Say I Am
Ben Fielding | Reuben Morgan, © 2017 Hillsong Music Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
[Traditional Options]
Jesus, Thy Boundless Love To Me
BH75 326; BH91 123; HS 98 857; HLC 364; LBW 336; LSB 683; LW 280; PH 366; STTL 499; WC 556
O Holy Spirit, Enter In
ELW 786; LBW 459; LSB 913; LW 160
I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light
EH 490; ELW 815; LSB 411; RS 651; WC 539; UMH 206; WOV 649; WAR 249
Invocation
Pastor Praise the Lord- He is good!
ALL His mercies are new every morning.
Pastor The Lord is kind and compassionate. He intercedes on our behalf.
ALL He prayed for all future believers and us to have unity with one another through Him.
Pastor So let us cast aside our differences and disagreements and come together as one body in Christ our Lord.
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor/Worship Leader speaks
Pastor Let us pray. Lord in Heaven, just like you are one with the Son and Spirit, we ask that
You would join Your body, Your Bride, together as one in this place and all around the
world. We lack unity with one another and need your strength, courage, and love. May
we see one another as You see us- members of one body. May we use our strengths to
build Your Kingdom and not tear one another down. We need You, Lord. Come Lord
Jesus.
ALL Come Lord Jesus! Amen.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor In our fleshly nature, it is much easier to give into the temptation of tearing one another
down.
ALL We confess that we gossip behind one another’s backs, reject each other, and live
in isolation instead of unity. Forgive us, Father.
Pastor In our fleshly nature, it is much easier to rely on our own power instead of following the
example of our Lord Jesus Christ as He took everything to the Father in prayer.
ALL We confess that we put prayer on the back burner and rely on the ideas of this
world or our own imaginations, feelings, and thoughts to steer us when we should
go to God in prayer. Father forgive us.
Pastor Lord, we pray.
ALL Father, we confess of these sins and accept your forgiveness through Your Son-
Jesus Christ who died in our place and resurrected on the third day to give us
eternal life. We thank you for loving us so much even when we choose sin over
You. Help us to listen to Your voice, heed Your Word, and follow You forever. In
Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Acts 16:16-34
In a heated moment, Paul rebukes a fortune-telling spirit. This led to Paul and Silas’ arrest, but the Lord had other plans. About midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and praising God, a violent earthquake shook the prison doors open and chains loose. The jailer, shocked, believed in the Lord Jesus and was saved that very night.
Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. 19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
