Description
Luke 14:25-35
Jesus must be the most important person in our lives on earth. As Jesus was traveling with large crowds, He expressed the weight of being one of His disciples. A follower of Jesus gives up his or her life to live like Jesus to others and wholeheartedly for Jesus. Does your life reflect a daily carrying of your cross? Are you experiencing true life in Christ?
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
O Praise the Name (Anastasis)
Benjamin Hastings | Dean Ussher | Marty Sampson, © 2015 Hillsong Music Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Mighty to Save
Ben Fielding & Reuben Morgan, ©2006 Hillsong Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
This is Amazing Grace
Jeremy Riddle, Josh Farro, & Phil Wickham, ©2012 Bethel Music (Admin. by Bethel Music Publishing) Phil Wickham Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) Seems Like Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) Sing My Songs (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) Warner Chappell Music (Admin. by Unaffiliated Admin (UA))
[Traditional Options]
Come Follow Me, The Savior Spoke
ELW 799; LBW 455; LSB 688; LW 379
The God of Abraham Praise
BH 75 25; BH 91 34; CH 23; CHH 24; EH 401; ELW 831; HWC 34; HFG 332; HLC 36; LBW 544; LSB 798; LW 450; NCH 24; PH 488; RS 685; STTL 73; WC 66; UMH 116; WAR 16; WHM 26
Dear Christians, One And All Rejoice
ELW 594; LBW 299; LSB 556; LW 353
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
The Lord is full of grace and mercy and bestows on us His great love. Today as you engage in worship, as you commune together with the Saints, consider the true life that can only be discovered in Christ. Where you lack, the God-breather breathes life into your lungs and life into your soul.
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Kind Father, we offer simple thanks because there is simply no eloquence that interprets the deep thanksgiving in our hearts that You, Gracious Abba, love us. You chose us. As we ponder the mysteries of our faith and your wondrous nature, cut back the choking weeds and plant your roots deep into our hearts. In Jesus’ name we pray,
Worshipers
Amen.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord, you are wealthy in mercy. You possess more mercy than we have mess.
Worshipers
And our lives are messy with sin.
Pastor / Worship Leader
We confess of uptight and busy spirits. We confess of choosing the distracting, chaotic, and numbing way of life that leads us away from You and straight toward destruction.
Worshipers
Save us, Lord!
Pastor / Worship Leader
We know that accepting Your life brings true life and breath to our souls. It brings us that peace that can only come from You, Father. It is only by Your grace.
Worshipers
That peace is the one that passes our understanding and knowledge of the present and of the future. Help us to trust You, Lord, and experience life in You.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Thank you for your grace that covers our sin. Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Deuteronomy 30:15-20
The Israelites had a choice to make: choose life or choose death. To choose life meant to walk in obedience to the Lord’s commands and incur His blessings; to choose death meant to turn away from God to false gods and to face destruction.
See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
