Description

John 17:20-26

As we look at the content of Jesus’ prayer, it is very apparent that His use of the word “one” four times in the first four verses was intentional.  His greatest desire is that His disciples and other believers would be one, thus unified in their Christian faith.  He states the comparison to His oneness with God, the Father and people as the example for unity between believers. If Christians are in union with God and Christ, they can live in union with other believers. There is awesome power when people are united as one. The Church—the body of Christ—is where we see this unity or at times, disunity, lived out.   As people, we have our differences, yet the unity or oneness Jesus speaks of here is not based on who we are, but rather on who God is. The big question is this:  “Can we love others as Christ loved us in spite of our differences?”

 

… 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

Let God Arise

Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash, © 2006 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

Everlasting God

Brenton Brown & Ken Riley, ©2006 Thankyou Music

Love The Lord

Lincoln Brewster, ©2005 Integrity’s Praise Music

 

[Traditional Optiona] 

O God of Mercy, God of Light             

ELW 714; LBW 425; LW 397; LSB 852

O Perfect Love

BH 5 395; BH 91 512; CH 458; HWC 533; HFG 530; HLC 529; LW 253; PH 533; RH 630; WC 388; UMH 645; WAR 610; WHM 574; WIS 500

We All Believe In One True God                                 

ELW 411; LW 374; LSB 953/954; LW 213; PH 137

 

 

Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme 

Pastor              We have joined together today as one people in Christ to worship the one, true God made known in the three in one.  We celebrate in the name of the Father, and of                                 the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!

 

ALL                  Amen!

  

Opening Prayer

Pastor            God of all creation, in the midst of a broken world, You orchestrated the events of Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection which changed humanity forever.  When                                     Your Son, Jesus, rose from the dead, the hope of eternal life for all believers was born.  This is such great news and we cannot bear the thought of not sharing it.  For                               all believers in Christ, we have that common hope and promise that draws us together and unites us as one. As we sing, pray, and hear Your Word today, may the                                     Holy Spirit draw us closer to You and to one another.             

ALL                  In the name of our risen Lord.  Amen.

  

Time of Greeting 

 

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location:  following Message]

 

All                   Holy God and compassionate Jesus,

                        We know that You and Your disciples and apostles often found yourselves in the midst of crowds.  Many of them were confused and restless,                              broken and wounded, and some were filled with curiosity and questions.   They were like sheep without a shepherd and therefore there was no                          unity.  You demonstrated compassion and love, as well as forgiveness and humility.

 

                        We confess before You today that much of the time we are just like the crowds.   We often hurt each other with our words and actions.   We                                  carry wounds and experiences from the past that prevent us from growing in the present.  Our curiosities do not develop into commitments.                                We find ourselves looking for love and acceptance in all the wrong places.  

 

                       Loving and grace-filled Lord, forgive us and renew our commitment to You—that we may be one—united in belief, love, and service in Your                                 name.   Give us the strength and power to change areas of our lives that are barriers to unity with others in the body of Christ – the Church.

 

(silence for personal confession)

 

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

  

… We Hear God’s Word …

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]

 

First Reading          Acts 16:16-34

Paul and Silas found themselves in a situation of persecution based on their proclamation of the faith.  Even though they were attacked and put in jail,

God used them to bring the jailer and his family to Christ.

 

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. 19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.