Description
Luke 18:1-8
Jesus, while on the road to Jerusalem, continues His teaching of the disciples. In this parable Jesus speaks of the power of prayer and the justice of God. He tells of a widow pleading with an unjust judge for justice. The judge refuses multiple times but eventually relents. Jesus points out that God himself will bring justice for His chosen ones who cry out to Him day and night.
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
Always
Jason Ingram & Kristian Stanfill, ©2010 sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Sony/ATV Timber Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) West Main Music (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing)
Windsor Hill Music (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing)
Only a Holy God
Dustin Smith | Jonny Robinson | Michael Farren | Rich Thompson, © 2016 CityAlight Music (Admin. by Integrity Music) Farren Love And War Publishing (Admin. by Integrity
Music)Integrity’s Alleluia! Music (Admin. by Integrity Music Integrity’s Praise! Music (Admin. by Integrity Music)
Open The Eyes Of My Heart
Paul Baloche, ©1997 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music
[Traditional Options]
With The Lord Begin Your Task
LBW 444; LSB 869; LW 483
Holy God, We Praise Your Name
CH 2; EH 366; ELW 414; HWC 12; HFG 385; HLC 9; LBW 535; LSB 940; LW 171; NCH 276; PH 460; RS 657; STTL 12; WC 3; UMH 79; WAR 138; WHM 117
Today Your Mercy Calls Us
LBW 304; LSB 915; LW 347
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
Praise be to the Lord!
Worshipers
We praise you Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
Pastor / Worship Leader
We worship You Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Worshipers
We welcome You here today.
Pastor / Worship Leader
You are worthy of all praise.
Worshipers
Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise.
Pastor / Worship Leader
In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen!
Worshipers
Amen!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Jesus, You have called us to prayer and so we pray. We worship You in our prayers, we confess to You in our prayers, we petition You in our prayers. We listen to You in our prayers. We know that You are good and just. You are sovereign, God. And yet You call us to pray. Lord, Your death on the cross was enough, and yet You call us to ask in prayer. Your love and grace and mercy is enough, yet You still call us to pray. Jesus, please help us, teach us to pray like you did. To be persistent, to pray without ceasing. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen!
Worshipers
Amen!
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Worshipers
Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.
Pastor / Worship Leader
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.
Worshipers
I will confess my transgressions to the Lord. And you will forgive the guilt of my sin.
Pastor / Worship Leader
I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.
Worshipers
Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Look on my iniquities and my distress and take away all of my sins.
Worshipers
May integrity and uprightness protect me because my hope, Lord, is in you. Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Genesis 32:22-30
Jacob wrestles with God. Jacob struggled all his life to prevail but now that he is about to re-enter Canaan, he finds out that it is with God Himself whom he must wrestle. God shows Jacob that He can disable him at will. And because Jacob struggled with God and overcame, he will now be called Israel.
That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” Jacob,” he answered. 28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”
