Description
Luke 13:22-30
To strive in the Greek is “AGONIZOMAI,” from which we derive the word “AGONY,” and it means to contend with adversaries; to enter into a contest. To contend with difficulties and in dangers; to compete for a prize; to endeavor with strenuous zeal. It simply means to make or exert an effort with earnestness. We are all contenders in our individual lives of faith – so we “strive” or make a wholehearted effort to obtain the eternal reward Jesus has promised. To be able to enter by the narrow gate we have to surrender everything to God. We must let go of any extra baggage that hinders our entrance to the door of life.
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
Raise A Hallelujah
Jonathan David Helser, Melissa Helser, Molly Skaggs, Jake Stevens
2018 Bethel Music Publishing
Our God
Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Jonas Myrin, & Matt Redman, ©2010 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Said And Done Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Vamos Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) SHOUT! Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Open The Eyes Of My Heart
Paul Baloche, ©1997 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music
[Traditional Options]
I Will Sing My Maker’s Praises
LSB 977; LW 439
From God Can Nothing Move Me
LBW 468; LSB 713; LW 409
The Man is Ever Blessed
LSB 705
Invocation
Pastor Our Father and our God, we bless your name forever. There is none like you on earth or in heaven. Your children have gathered to worship in your presence and sing your praises. Let us come unto you, sweetest savior. Our provider and our light, we put all of our trust in you. We commit our plans to you and ask that you bring them to pass. Do not allow us to fall to evil or become vain. Bless us so that we can show the world your goodness and light. Let us be filled with your presence.
ALL Amen!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor Gentle Shepherd … King of Love, we come to You as we are, not as we pretend to be. The truth is, God, that when we lift our heads above our path, we all too often discover ourselves lost in a maze of choices. We confess from the very beginning of this worship that we are lost… Were it not for You, O great seeker of our souls, patient parent to our childhood, joyful host to our homecoming; Were it not for You, O Lord, we would be lost forever. But, because of You, there is room for us at the great Love Feast. Gentle Shepherd … King of Love, seek and find us as we are, not as we pretend. Be patient with us and teach us how to wait. May the echoes of Your celebration reverberate in our midst this hour, transforming our worship from a mournful plea to a joyful song. Gentle Shepherd … King of Love, lead us. Amen.
ALL Amen!
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor O Holy God, we confess that we have sinned against you. In the moment of our sinning, we have loved our sin more than You. We have often forgotten the price you paid to set us free from sin and death.
ALL But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus Christ humbled Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Pastor He became sin that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. He became a curse for us in order to redeem us from the curse of the law. Through His death on the cross, He has reconciled us to God and brought us peace.
ALL Since He has taken our sin upon Himself, we pray that we, through the power of His Spirit, might die to sin and live to righteousness. Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Psalm 50:1-15
As the song says, our God is an awesome God. He is perfect and mighty. And he has called us by name to be His people. What God requires of His people is follow-through and gratitude, not sacrifice or the pretense of martyrdom. There is nothing we could offer God that is not already His – and this is not what He wants from us anyway. He desires for us to faithfully live for Him (as we have committed ourselves to do), to give Him thanks and praise for what He has done for us, and to call on Him when we are in need of help.
The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest. 4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people: 5 “Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!” 6 The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah 7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. 8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me. 9 I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds 10 For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. 12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. 13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
