Description
Luke 11:1-13
Prayer is vital in our relationship with Jesus. When we pray, we must remember that Father God is good and intends good things for His children. As the disciples observed Jesus praying, they wondered about best prayer practices. Jesus taught them the Lord’s prayer followed by two examples of persistent prayer. The Lord answers prayers- we just have to ask.
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
Death Was Arrested
Adam Kersh, Brandon Coker, Heath Balltzglier, Paul Taylor Smith, © 2015 Seems Like Music (Admin. by BMG Rights Management [c/o Music Services, Inc.]) Adam Kersh Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Bcoker Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Centricity Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Paul Taylor Smith Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Music At North Point (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)
Come As You Are
Ben Glover, David Crowder, & Matt Maher, ©2014 9t One Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Ariose Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing)
Open The Eyes Of My Heart
Paul Baloche, ©1997 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music
[Traditional Options]
Come, My Soul, With Every Care
LSB 779; LW 433
Rise, My Soul, To Watch And Pray
LBW 443; LSB 663; LW 302
Hear Us, Father, When We Pray
LSB 773
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
How wonderful it is to serve a God who listens to mere people like us.
Worshipers
He is good and worthy of our worship!
Pastor / Worship Leader
He listens to the prayers of His people. So, let us go before Him with prayerful hearts today.
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord Jesus, we are just imperfect people operating out of our flesh. We need the Holy Spirit in our lives to fill us with You. When we call on Your name, You answer! You never leave us, nor forsake us. You are faithful and unfailing. We rejoice in You, Jesus. We are so glad that You are our God!
Worshipers
We praise You, Jesus, for Your unfailing love. Praise the Lord!
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Father, in this world we have become self-sufficient, or so we think. We ignore the stress, anxiety, depression, and stuff it within ourselves. We say, “I’m fine; everything is fine” but all the while the world is crumbling around us.
Worshipers
Forgive us for lying. Forgive us for relying on ourselves and not on You.
Pastor / Worship Leader
We ignore the prompts from You, Holy Spirit, to pray and seek Your face. We turn away from You when we desperately need You, and we end up losing strength, joy, and hope. We burn ourselves out, and we doubt and frown and spread evil rather than love.
Worshipers
Forgive us, Jesus, for turning to ourselves. Forgive us for hating and not loving as You commanded. We need You, Jesus. We need You!
Pastor /Worship Leader
You know all this about us, and yet You still love us and extend love, forgiveness, and grace. Help us to be more like You in all we think, say, and do.
Worshipers
In the name of Jesus, we ask, amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Genesis 18: (17-19) 20-33
God intended to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, but Abraham pleaded with the Lord to save the cities if there were at least ten righteous people found. The Lord agreed with Abraham, but only found Abraham righteous in the end.
Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” 20 Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.” 22 The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23 Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” 26 The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27 Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?” “If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.” 29 Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?” He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.” 30 Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31 Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?” He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.” 32 Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.” 33 When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.
