Description

Mark 7:24-37

Jesus showed no partiality when it came to healing and delivering the sick and tormented.  We witness His kindness and compassion as He extended mercy to a Greek woman whose daughter was possessed by a demon.  She humbly interceded for her daughter, and Jesus healed her.  When people begged Jesus to heal a deaf and mute man, Jesus performed a miracle in a peculiar way and the man healed.  Over and over we see Jesus, meeting people right where they are, and we are reminded that He meets us, too, without partiality or favoritism, to bring us closer to Him.

 

…  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

Open Up the Heavens

Andi Rozier, James McDonald, Jason Ingram, Meredith Andrews, & Stuart Garrard, ©2012 Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.) HBC Worship Music (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) Open Hands Music (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) Sony/ATV Timber Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) Stugio Music Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing)

 

Battle Belongs

Brian Johnson | Phil Wickham, © Phil Wickham Music (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC]) Simply Global Songs (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC]) Sing My Songs (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC]) Bethel Music Publishing

Awesome God

Rich Mullins, ©1988 BMG Music

 

[Traditional Options]

Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness      

CH 293; ELW 843; HS 98 881; LSB 849; STTL 214; WAR 93

Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us With Your Love

BH 91 501; CHH 600; EH 602; ELW 708; NCH 498; PH 367; RS 564; WC 436; UMH 432; WOV 765; WAR 273

Word of God Come Down on Earth

EH 633; ELW 510; LSB 545; RS 653; UMH 182; WOV 716

 

 

Invocation

Pastor / Worship Leader

   We are all on spiritual journeys and in varying walks of life.  Some of us are seeking out faith for the very first time, and others have been grounded in their faith for years.  Maybe you are somewhere in between, trying to figure out what faith you have.  Wherever you are, you are welcome here in this space as Christ welcomed the Jews and the Gentiles and showed no favoritism with whom He dined, healed, or conversed with.  May you feel the love of Jesus as we worship together.   

 

Worshipers

   Embrace us, Lord Jesus, right where we are as we worship You today.

 

 

Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction

 

Pastor / Worship Leader

   Glorious Lord Jesus, Son of God, and Savior and Redeemer, we humbly come before you today acknowledging our places.  We are not on the throne- You are.  We are Your servants, ready to obey Your commands to love one another, to serve and honor You, and to continue the work that You’ve called us to do on this earth for the glory of God.  We don’t deserve Your love, yet freely You give and give and give it to us.  Focus our hearts and minds on Your beauty and grace today.  In Jesus’ name we ask these things.

 

Worshipers

   Amen. 

 

 

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location:  following Message]

 

Pastor / Worship Leader

   Lord, we come and bow at Your feet now.

 

Worshipers

   We recognize our place.  We are Your creation, and You are our God and Lord. 

 

Pastor / Worship Leader

   We confess that we judge each other and show favoritism.  Money has become an idol we worship, and we participate mentally, emotionally, and physically in prejudice, hatred, and pride. 

 

Worshipers

   We do not want to live like this.  We desire to live like You modeled for us on this earth. You healed the blind and mute; you loved the sinners and met with them.  You delivered the tormented from demons, and You saw the heart of people rather than their outward appearances.  Help us to be more like You, Jesus.

 

Pastor / Worship Leader

  Forgive us for our sins.

 

Worshipers

   Help us to walk humbly with You, Lord.  In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.   

 

 

…  We Hear God’s Word  …

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture

First Reading                                       Isaiah 35:4-7a

A promise from God to rescue His people would bring strength to the weakened, healing to the sick, and abundance in the places that were lacking.

 

say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution he will come to save you.” 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer,  and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. 7 The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.