Description
Luke 15:1–3, 11–32
Today we hear Jesus present the parable of the prodigal son, a wonderful story of forgiveness and restoration. We celebrate the first half of the story, the dad welcoming the younger son back into the family, just as we were welcomed by the Father by His grace. We don’t always take the chance to ponder the second half, to place ourselves in the shoes of the older brother. Can we accept the truth that God welcomes whoever He chooses into His family? Are we prepared to celebrate? May today be a celebration that God loves the whole world and His family is full of younger sons and older sons.
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
Everlasting God
Brenton Brown & Ken Riley, ©2006 Thankyou Music
Holy Spirit
Bryan Torwalt & Katie Torwalt © 2011 Capitol CMG Genesis (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Jesus Culture Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Meet With Me
Lamont Hiebert, ©1999 Maranatha! Music (Admin. by Maranatha! Music)
[Traditional Options]
God Himself is Present
LBW 249; LSB 907; LW 206; NCH 68
Jesus Sinners Doth Receive
LBW 291; LSB 609; LW 229
Now the Silence, Now the Peace
CHH 415; EH 333; ELW 460; HS98 848; LBW 205; LSB 910; UMH 619; WR 700
Invocation
Pastor Gathered together in this place as the family of God, let us begin in His name.
ALL In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Prayer
Pastor Holy Father, Almighty Lord,
ALL You have welcomed us this day into fellowship with You and one another. May this time be a celebration of what You have done through Your Son Jesus and by Your grace and mercy, a time that prepares us for service in this world. Amen.
Time of Greeting
Depending on your customs, it may be a good time to mention the greeting the father makes in the story today – a welcoming familial embrace. Everyone may not kiss like he would have, but a good point to make anyway!
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor Like the son who squanders his inheritance, so we often waste what the Lord has given to us, our time, our words, and our actions. We don’t honor the family to which we have been baptized into. We don’t bless the world as we have been called. Instead of running further from the family, let us turn and look towards our Heavenly Father, trusting in His infinite grace and mercy and confessing our sins.
Silence for reflection
Pastor Holy Lord, merciful Father,
ALL We have not honored you with our lives. Have mercy on us. Embrace us and guide us in this life that we may honor you with all we say and do. Amen.
Pastor See how the Father loves you? He came to you and has embraced you even in the midst of your confession. He sent His Son Jesus into the world, to die and rise, that you would forever be a part of His family. In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
ALL Amen!
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Joshua 5:9-12
God has saved, preserved, and delivered His people, Israel, into the Promised Land. Now after celebrating the Passover and eating the manna from the ground, the Lord stops producing manna and His people eat from the land.
9And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day. 10While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. 11And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
