Description
Mark 3:20-35
Jesus, in the Gospel of Mark, has been drawing large crowds. He has upset some by seemingly violating the Sabbath. He has driven out an impure spirit from a man. He is now in a house with a large crowd and the accusations are flying. The teachers of the law say He is possessed by Beelzebul, it is the prince of demons who is driving out demons, He has an impure spirit. Even Jesus’ family says He is out of His mind. He speaks in parables stating a kingdom divided cannot stand and makes two amazing statements- “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgiveable, an eternal sin”. And Jesus seems to reject His family, saying “whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
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
The Only Name (Yours Will Be)
Benji Cowart, © 2011 Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.) HowieCowie Publishing (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.)
Everlasting God
Brenton Brown & Ken Riley, ©2006 Thankyou Music
I Lift My Eyes Up
Brian Doerksen, ©1990 Vineyard Songs Canada (Admin. by Music Services) ION Publishing (Admin. by Vineyard Music USA)
[Traditional Options]
Praise, My Soul, The King of Heaven
BH 75 8; BH 91 32; CH 1; EH 410; ELW 865; HS 98 893; HWC 3; HLC 26; HFG 339; HGP 9; LBW 549; LSB 793; PH 478; RS 684; STTL 42; WC 26; UMH 66; WAR 82; WHM 48
O That the Lord Would Guide My Ways
ELW 772; LBW 480; LSB 707; LW 392
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord, into your most holy presence we now come. Calm our anxious spirits. Remove the distractions that would keep us from you here today.
Worshipers
Break down the walls of separation that we have built to keep you from our hardened hearts. Lead us in joy and celebration of the only reality worth knowing, that you love us as we are.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Let us rise and meet our Creator. Let us raise our hands and voices in acknowledgment that God’s Holy Spirit moves among us, calling us to new life in Christ.
Worshipers
Let us raise our eyes, knowing that this new life of stewardship for all God’s creation is seen in the life of Jesus the Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord, we come before your throne of grace not trusting in ourselves but in your marvelous and gracious love as it seeks expression among us. May we listen for your still, small voice as it speaks to us today and as it boldly proclaims the undeniable reality of your love that will not let us go.
Worshipers
Stir our hearts and our imaginations so that we may see beyond appearances of what is to the reality of what can be.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Free us for joyful obedience to your claim and call on our lives this day and every day. Amen
Worshipers
Amen!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the great love you have lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. And when you appear, Jesus, that we will be like you, for we shall see you as you are. This is how we know what love is, that while we were yet sinners, you laid down your life for us. Jesus, we reject what some may say about you, that you were just a good teacher. We know that you are the Son of Man and the Son of God. You are our Lord and Savior. We thank you Jesus for your pain and suffering, for your mercy and grace, for your forgiveness of sins. You are the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and we worship you. In the Holy Name of Jesus, amen!
Worshipers
Amen!
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Since the Garden, God has been calling to us, “Where are you?” Since the Garden, humans have been hiding in shame. Let’s stop hiding and bring our sins to light.
Worshipers
Our God, you created the world and called it good. You created man and woman in your image
and called them very good.
Pastor / Worship Leader
But we have been deceived by half-truths and false promises. We have tasted temptation, and it is bitter in our mouths.
Worshipers
We thought our desire for forbidden fruit would bring us wisdom, but it brought us only the curse of pain and death.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Please cover us in your love. Take away our sin. Restore our relationship with you, our God.
Worshipers
For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Worshipers
Thanks be to God! Amen!
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Genesis 3:8-15
In the Garden of Eden, the fall of man has just been described. Both Adam and Eve have disobeyed the only commandment they were given. Their eyes are now open, they have knowledge of good and evil, and they hide from God. When questioned, Adam blames both God and Eve, Eve blames the serpent for deceiving her. The Lord God curses the serpent and then speaks what is sometimes referred to as the First Gospel, (the Protoevangelium), a messianic prophecy of victory by Christ over Satan.
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” 11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
