Description
John 1:43-51
Jesus invited Philip to follow Him. Philip in turn invited Nathanael to come meet Jesus from Nazareth, who scoffed at the thought of anything good coming from that town. But when Jesus told Nathanael where he had just been, Nathanael moved from skepticism to faith. We never know what outcome could result from a simple invitation to follow Jesus, but we as followers of Christ are commanded to go and make disciples trusting the Holy Spirit to give us the words.
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
Won’t Stop Now
Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, © 2018 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)
Good Grace
Joel Houston © 2018 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King
Robert Robinson & Thomas Miller, ©2005 Gateway Create Publishing (Admin. by Integrity’s Praise! Music)
[Traditional Options]
Spread the Reign of God The Lord
LBW 379; LSB 830; LW 321
God of the Prophets, Bless the Prophets’ Sons
EH 359; LSB 682; LW 258; NCH 358
O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright
CHH 105; ELW 308; LBW 76; LSB 395; LW 73; NCH 158; PH 69; UMH 247; WAR 230
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
The Lord is omniscient- He knows all.
Worshipers
He knows when we go and stay when we sit and rise. He knows our inmost being better than we know ourselves.
Pastor / Worship Leader
He goes before us and leads us. He is beside us along the way. He is behind us as our Protector and He is all around us.
Worshipers
We worship the Lord God Almighty!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Heavenly Father, You are God above it all. You are powerful and mighty, You are good and timely, You are awesome and magnificent, and we praise You. You call us by name, and You know us intimately. In our mothers’ wombs, you knit us together. You fashioned us to be Your people. Lord God, we give You our attention today. We choose to honor You, to praise You, to glorify You and lift You high. You are worthy, worthy, worthy of all honor, glory, and praise!
Worshipers
Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lord God Almighty! Halleluiah! Amen.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Forgiving Father, we approach Your throne with heavy hearts ready to confess our sins.
Worshipers
You are the Almighty God, just and loving in all You do. You know our thoughts, our deeds, and the desires of our hearts both good and evil.
Pastor / Worship Leader
In our hearts we harbor secret sins of lust, sexual immorality, jealousy, coveting, greed, hatred, and even murder. We are sinful people capable of plotting evil.
Worshipers
No sin is too dark for You to see. No evil is too ugly for You to forgive. You are merciful, kind, compassionate, and just. Your Son, Jesus, bore our sins on the cross out of His obedience to You and His love for us.
Pastor / Worship Leader
So, we beg for Your forgiveness Lord and plead for Your help to break the strongholds of secret sins in our lives. We ask that You would set us free!
Worshipers
Thank You, Jesus, for forgiving me. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)
The young boy Samuel heard a voice call his name and thought it was the prophet Eli. When he ran to Eli’s room for the third time, it dawned on the prophet that God was calling Samuel.
The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. 2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’” 15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 17 “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.” 19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.
