Description
Mark 10:2-16
Alcatraz, the presumably “inescapable” Federal penitentiary is viewed as a symbol of control and restraint. Still, there were 14 escape attempts (not one of them proved to be successful). Sometimes people tend to view God’s commands as a type of Alcatraz; a code of restrictions and rules to keep us under God’s thumb. Nothing could be further from the truth, and yet many of us occasionally find ourselves on the lookout for a good escape route. Let’s take a look Jesus’ words to self-imposed “prisoners” of God’s law.
We Lift Our Hearts in Worship
[Preservice options include videos (countdowns, worship music, welcomes), worship music CD, or live music by worship band.]
Time of Praise and Worship
I Will Follow
Chris Tomlin, Jason Ingram, & Reuben Morgan, © 2010 SHOUT! Publishing | sixsteps Music | worshiptogether.com songs | Vamos Publishing | Sony/ATV Timber Publishing (Admin. by Integrity Music, Inc.) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by Sony/ATV Sounds LLC)
Mighty to Save
Ben Fielding & Reuben Morgan, ©2006 Hillsong Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Open The Eyes Of My Heart
Paul Baloche, ©1997 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music
[Traditional Options]
Hosanna, Loud Hosanna
BH 91 130; CH 297; HWC 174; HFG 248; HLC 134; HGP 28; LSB 443; LW 106; NCH 213; PH 89; RH 154; STTL 217; WC 203; UMH 278; WAR 267; WHM 220
Praise to You, and Adoration
LSB 692
This is the Day the Lord Has Made
BH 75 68; BH 91 358, 359; CH 209; CHH 286; EH 50; HWC 590; LSB 903; LW 200; NCH 84; PH 230; RH 705; STTL 26; WC 801; UMH 657, 658; WAR 652
Rise, My Soul, To Watch And Pray
LBW 443; LSB 663; LW 302
Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme
Pastor The laws of God are written to show us our sin. The Gospel is written to show us our Savior. May we understand more clearly a need for both in our lives, as the Holy Spirit continues to strengthen our faith during our time together this morning.
ALL May our ears are open to hear, our eyes to see and our hearts to accept the Lord’s message for us today.
Opening Prayer
Pastor Almighty God as we begin our worship, we appeal to You, Oh Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and in Your Holy Name we come. God, we know You are present as we gather now for worship. Abide with us. AMEN.
ALL Yes, yes, may it be so … Amen.
Time of Greeting
As the congregation reaches out to greet one another, ask them to share their response to this question: “Have you ever felt guilty right after saying or doing something that was wrong?”
[This would be a fitting time to share the peace of the Lord]
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor TRUE OR FALSE: If someone breaks one of the Commandments (Ten) they’re guilty of breaking them all? [Accept several points of view from the congregation.] Well, James 2:10 says, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Let’s take a few moments this morning to reflect on our own lives, and examine our hearts in the light of God’s law:
ALL Oh Lord, God, here we are, guilty as accused. There is not one of Your commands that we can honestly say we have kept perfectly. Even if we do not the ways that we have sinned, James reminds us that, yes, if we have broken even one, we stand in need of Your forgiveness. Some sin we are more aware of than others. By our very nature, we are imperfect. Please pardon us, Oh Father.
Pastor Repentance is a term that refers to intentionally willing to turn away, turn 180 degrees and walk AWAY from that temptation to sin again. It means as if you were walking east and you flip around and walk west. God can see our true confessing and repentant hearts. He is faithful and just and will forgive us. . .because of the death and resurrection of His dear Son, our Savior Jesus. It is in His name, I declare, you are forgiven.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Genesis 2:18-25
God had surveyed all His work and declared it “good”. God’s decision to create someone denoted as a “helper” is not a demeaning term. In fact, the same word is also used to describe God when He comes to our aid.
18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
