Description
Mark 9:38-50
It is very sad that the un-churched sometimes view the body of Christ as divisive entities who compete for membership by claiming to be “the REAL Christian Church. Ouch! Even the disciples attempted to stop the ministry of someone because he wasn’t part of “their group”. Jesus warned that disagreements may cause a young believer to stumble. He urged His students to “have salt among themselves but be at peace with each other” – in other words – play nice with each other!
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
On Our Side
Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, & Jesse Reeves, ©2004 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Alletrop Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)
The River Is Rising
Michael W. Smith, ©2008 Smittyfly Music (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.) Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)
[Traditional Options]
Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name We Raise
BH 75 65; EH 345; ELW 534; HWC 604; HFG 519; LBW 262; LSB 917; LW 221; NCH 80; PH 539; WC 835; UMH 663; WAR 711; WHM 321; WIS 509
Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me
ELW 767; LBW 333; LSB 722; LW 512
Oh, That the Lord Would Guide My Ways
ELW 772; LBW 480; LSB 707; LW 392
Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme
God of Peace, compassionate Savior, and Spirit of Love fill this place with Your presence and draw us into the unity You share – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the One True God, in whose name we gather.
Opening Prayer
God of all peace, you desire your children to live as co-heirs of Your kingdom on earth. Help us today, to lay aside all bitterness and jealousy and embrace all others who have called on the name of the Lord for salvation. Move us to a place of unity so that the world may see your loving kindness through us. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Time of Greeting
[This would be a fitting time to share the peace of the Lord]
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor The last thing that Jesus did before he was arrested and sentenced to death was to pray for the unity of all future believers. In His prayer, recorded in Chapter 17 of John, He says: “21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
When we hear that God expresses His love for the world through the unity of believers, we realize that we – both individually and as the body of Christ – we have fallen short. Let us offer ourselves to the Lord with a repentant heart and willing spirit.
All Gracious God, when we are reminded that Your perfect love is expressed by our unity, we are grieved; for we have acted selfishly and independently.
Forgive us for being critical of others who believe in salvation through faith alone, by grace alone, as You have taught us.
Forgive us for focusing on what separates us, rather than what unites us.
Forgive us for competing with others who also proclaim Your great name.
Forgive us for making boundaries and conditions that You have not ordained.
Pastor The Father is in the Son, and the Spirit of the Son is in those who believe in the Son.
All Help us, O God, to recognize and embrace Your Spirit in all people.
Pastor It is God’s desire that we live in complete unity with all who are in the body of Christ.
Holy God show us any hidden bitterness or resentment that exists in our hearts. [Time for
reflection]. Hear our confession, Lord.
ALL Forgive our sin and give us a clean heart, O God. Renew our Spirit so that we may love one another in perfect unity, bringing glory to You, and revealing your loving kindness to the world.
Pastor Through the blood of Christ, your sins are forgiven. Through the Spirit of God, your hearts are made clean.
ALL We thank you for your grace, Heavenly Father.
Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29
The Israelites had been living in the wilderness for two years since escaping slavery in Egypt. God met with Moses daily and lead the people solely through him. They relied on God for all their needs.
4 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna! ”10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors? 13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me —if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.” 16 The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you.24 So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied —but did not do so again.26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” 29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”
