Description

John 5:1-9

When Jesus saw a sick man laying by the pool of Bethesda, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” The man explained the difficulties of his own circumstances to Jesus who in turn told him to get up and walk.  The man was instantly healed.  Do you see the difficulty of your own circumstances without remembering the supernatural power of our miraculous God?

  

…  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)

I Will Rise

Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Louie Giglio, & Matt Maher, ©2008 Vamos Publishing, worshiptogether.com songs, sixsteps Music, Thankyou Music, and spiritandsong.com (All admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

How Great Is Our God

Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, & Jesse Reeves ©2004 worshiiptogether.com songs/Sixsteps Music/ASCAP

[Traditional Options]

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing    

BH 75 69; BH 91 216; CH 21; CHH 5; EH 493; ELW 886; HWC 76; HPW 7; HFG 349; HLC 90; HGP 32; HSP 19; LBW 559; LSB 528; LW 276; NCH 42; PH 466; RH 51; STTL 147; WC 130; UMH 57; WAR 96; WHM 46; WIS 12

Lord, Open Now My Heart To Hear

LSB 908; LW 197

Let All Together Praise Our God

ELW 287; LBW 47; LSB 389; LW 44

 

Invocation

Pastor               The Lord is gracious and kind.  He binds up the broken hearted and gives strength to the weary.  He heals the sick, gives sight to the blind, and restores what has                                 been lost.  Open your hearts to Him today!  

 

ALL                  Lord, we open our hearts to You and You alone.

 

 

Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction

   Pastor/Worship Leader speaks 

Pastor               Father, when Your Spirit moves in us, we are changed.  When Your Word is spoken, we

                          are drawn to You.  We long to be in Your presence.  Thank you for promising to never

                         leave us nor forsake us.  We are Your children.  

 

ALL                We are Your Church, the Bride of Christ.  We belong to you.  Open our eyes and

                        ears to receive Your Word.

 

Pastor               In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location:  following Message]

 

Pastor               Lord, we are drawn to Your loving kindness and compassion. 

 

ALL                  We confess to You, our Father in Heaven.

 

Pastor               We confess because You promise to forgive us and because You love us unconditionally.

 

ALL                  Although we don’t deserve this mercy, You chose to gift us salvation through Your

                          Son, Jesus Christ.  We confess to You now.

 

                                                            (Allow time for individual confession and reflection.)

 

Pastor               Lord, You are faithful and true.  Your compassion never fails and Your well satisfies

                          always.  Thank You for Your forgiveness and mercy.  We are forgiven!

 

ALL                  We are forgiven!  Amen.

 

…  We Hear God’s Word  …

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]

 

First Reading                                  Acts 16:9-15

Paul, Silas, and Timothy met a woman merchant named Lydia by a riverbank where they shared with her things from the Lord.  God opened up her heart and her whole household was baptized. 

 

That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 So we[ decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there. 11 We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis. 12 From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days. 13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 15 She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.