Love Trumps Tradition-Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost-LCMS Readings-2018

Description

Mark 7:1-13

Traditions abound wherever we turn. Traditions can persist and evolve for thousands of years. The word “tradition” itself derives from the Latin tradere literally meaning to transmit, to hand over, to give for safekeeping. We find tradition in families, businesses, clubs, schools, churches, nations, cultures, ethnic groups, and the list is endless including tradition in the Bible. Traditions are positive and meaningful, yet they can also create barriers. God is certainly not opposed to traditions, yet God makes it very clear through His Word and in and through the words of Jesus. We, as the people of God, are not set apart by our unique traditions, cultures, and ethnicity, but by hearts filled with unconditional love for our neighbors. This love emanates from the heart and comes first before any traditions.  Furthermore, traditions can be great and communicate inclusion or they can communicate exclusion. Exclusion flies in the face of God’s command to love one another. In God’s word, love always trumps tradition.

…  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

At the Cross (Love Ran Red)

Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, Jonas Myrin, Matt Armstrong, Matt Redman, © Countless Wonder Publishing (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.) Fots Music (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.) McKittrick Music (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.) Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Songs (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.) Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Tunes (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.) S. D. G. Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Said And Done Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Sixsteps Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Worship Together Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) SHOUT! Music Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

Good Good Father

Anthony Brown/Pat Barrett, © 2014 Capitol CMG Paragon (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Common Hymnal Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Housefires Sounds (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Tony Brown Publishing Designee (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Vamos Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

Today Is The Day

Lincoln Brewster & Paul Baloche, ©2008 Integrity’s Praise! Music; Integrity’s Hosanna! Music; Leadworship Songs (Admin. by Integrity Music, Inc.) 

[Traditional Options]

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

BH 75 58; BH 91 208; CH 648; CHH 517; EH 657; ELW 631; HWC 92; HFG 21; HLC 5; HGP 3; HSP 24; LBW 315; LSB 700; LW 286; NCH 43; PH 376; RH 34; STTL 507; WC 558; UMH 384; WHM 94; WIS 16

Dear Christians, One And All Rejoice 

ELW 594; LBW 299; LSB 556; LW 353

Alleluia! Let Praises Ring

LSB 822; LW 437

Invocation

   Pastor/Worship Leader speaks 

Pastor              It is a joy to be in worship together as we give glory to the name above all names, God, our Father, in and through our Lord Jesus Christ. We celebrate in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!

ALL                  Amen!

Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction

   Pastor/Worship Leader speaks 

Pastor              Loving and Gracious Lord, You, loved the world so much that you orchestrated the events of Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection which changed the life of humanity                                forever. When your Son, Jesus, rose from the dead, the hope of eternal life became a reality for all believers. This is an incredible gift that we can embrace throughout                               our lives, thereby giving us an abundant life on earth. As we worship today, may the Holy Spirit draw us closer to you and to our brothers and sisters in Christ.               

ALL                  In the name of our Lord.  Amen.

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location:  following Message]

All                    Holy and Loving God,

                         We know that you and your disciples found yourselves in the middle of crowds often.  Many of them were confused and restless, broken and                                  wounded, and some were filled with curiosity and questions. For the pharisees, Jews, and others, tradition was first and foremost, and Jesus                                had to point out this idolatry to them. Their hearts were not in the right place and the commandment to love first had escaped them.

                       We confess before you today that much of the time we are just like the people surrounding Jesus.  We often put out our preferences and                                           traditions before you and your command to love our neighbors. At times, we hurt each other with our words and actions. We carry wounds and                           experiences from the past that prevent us from growing in the present. We confess that we often honor you with our lips, but our hearts are far                             from you.  We don’t show love to one another as Christ displayed to all. 

                       Loving and grace-filled Lord, forgive us and renew our commitment to you—that we will live out the commandment to love one another as you                             have loved us. Give us the strength to make changes in our lives so that we will live in conformity to your will and bring glory to your name.

(silence for personal confession)

Pastor           Know that your sins are washed away and removed through the blood of Jesus Christ.   We give thanks to God who restores us and renews us daily.

ALL               Amen!

…  We Hear God’s Word  …

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]

First Reading                      Isaiah 29:11-19 

The Israelites claimed to be close to God, yet they were disobedient and merely were going through the motions rather than possessing heart-filled love.

¹¹ For you this whole vision is nothing but words sealed in a scroll. And if you give the scroll to someone who can read, and say, “Read this, please,” they will answer, “I can’t; it is sealed.” ¹² Or if you give the scroll to someone who cannot read, and say, “Read this, please,” they will answer, “I don’t know how to read.” ¹³ The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.
¹⁴ Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.” ¹⁵ Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?” ¹⁶ You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”? ¹⁷ In a very short time, will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field and the fertile field seem like a forest? ¹⁸ In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. ¹⁹ Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.