Description
John 15:1-8
This narrative of the vine and the branches coupled with God as the vine grower gives us a clear and vivid picture of what it means to have an abiding relationship with God in and through Jesus Christ. The greek word, “meno” means abide and emphasizes the intimate relationship we are to have with Jesus. To abide means to remain, stay connected, and bound together. This relationship binds together the Father, Son, and community of believers in a beautiful way which is counter to a culture that often keeps God at a distance. As the Gospel of John reminds us here, the vine must stay connected to the branches. They must abide (remain), otherwise they will wither away and die and there will be no fruit. When we are in an abiding relationship with the Lord, we too, will remain and produce fruit. Serving the world and impacting lives is what this fruit is all about.
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
Open The Eyes Of My Heart
Paul Baloche, ©1997 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music
King of My Heart
John Mark McMillan & Sarah McMillan, © Meaux Jeaux Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Raucous Ruckus Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) McMillan, Sarah (Admin. by Moniker Music Group)
O Come to the Altar
Chris Brown. Mack Brock, Steven Futick, Wade Joye, ©2015 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)
[Traditional Options]
Speak, O Lord, Your Servant Listens
LSB 589; LW 339
Come Follow Me, The Savior Spoke
ELW 799; LBW 455; LSB 688; LW 379
The Will of God is Always Best
LSB 758; LW 425
Invocation
Pastor/Worship Leader speaks
Pastor We have joined together today as one people in Christ to worship our Lord who is full of love and truth. Let us rejoice together in one accord as the people of God!
ALL Amen!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor/Worship Leader speaks
Pastor God of all creation, because of your unconditional for this broken world, you sent your son, Jesus Christ, who changed humanity forever. When your Son, Jesus, rose from the dead, the hope of eternal life for all believers was born. The abiding relationship with Christ gives us strength and nurtures our growth. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. This relationship connects us to our brothers and sisters in a special way. For all believers in Christ, we have that common hope and promise that draws us together and unites us as one. As we sing, pray, and hear your Word today, may the Holy Spirit bring us closer to you and to one another.
ALL In the name of our risen Lord. Amen.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
All Merciful and Loving God,
We know that you and your disciples and apostles found yourselves in the midst of crowds often. Many of them were confused and restless, broken and wounded, and some were filled with curiosity and questions. They were like sheep without a shepherd and therefore there was no unity. Your abiding presence drew them into a relationship that demonstrated compassion and love as well as forgiveness.
We confess before you today that much of the time we are just like the world around us. We often hurt each other with our words and actions. We carry wounds and experiences from the past that prevent us from growing in the present. At times, we keep you at a distance rather than abiding in you and gaining wisdom and strength. We find ourselves looking for meaning, love, and acceptance in all the wrong places.
Loving and grace-filled Lord, forgive us and renew our commitment to you—that we may be one—united in belief, love, and service in your name. Give us the strength and power to change areas of our lives that are barriers to unity with others in the body of Christ – the Church.
(silence for personal confession)
Pastor Know that your sins are washed away in the waters of baptism and removed through the blood of Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God who restores us and renews us daily.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Acts 8:26-40
An Etheopian Eunuch receives Christ and receive the Good News through Phillip and is then baptized.
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
