Description
John 17:20-26
In the last part of his High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prays for his disciples (the messengers) and the people who would receive that message. It not only gives us a fantastic example of a prayer we can pray when sharing the Gospel with others, but it also gives us a glimpse of the heart of Jesus who intercedes for us. The unity He seeks is a unity based upon the mutual life we have in God.
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
Dancing Generation
Matt Redman, ©2004 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
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.)
Nothing Is Impossible
Jonathan Hunt © 2008 Planet Shakers Ministries Int. Inc. (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
[Traditional Options]
Jesus, Thy Boundless Love To Me
BH75 326; BH91 123; HS 98 857; HLC 364; LBW 336; LSB 683; LW 280; PH 366; STTL 499; WC 556
O Holy Spirit, Enter In
ELW 786; LBW 459; LSB 913; LW 160
I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light
EH 490; ELW 815; LSB 411; RS 651; WC 539; UMH 206; WOV 649; WAR 249
Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme
Pastor: Almighty and everlasting Father, you have gathered us together on this day so that we may praise and glorify your sacred name.
ALL: Bring us together, O Lord.
Pastor: You have given us the glory of your salvation, not to keep to ourselves, but as a beacon of hope to unite all who may believe in your resurrection.
ALL: Bring us together, O Lord.
Pastor: The world may not know you, but those who follow your word know that you have been sent for all that dwell on the earth.
ALL: Bring us together, O Lord.
Pastor: Although we sometimes feel alone when we share the Gospel with others, you have given us assurance that you are always with us, and will be to the end of the age.
ALL: Bring us together, O Lord.
Pastor: We begin this service worshipping as one, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
ALL: Bring us together, O Lord!
Opening Prayer
Pastor: O heavenly Father, our maker and redeemer, we give you thanks and praise for the glory that we have in Christ Jesus. You continue to make yourself known to us so that the love you have for your Son may also be in us. It is a love that is boundless, unfathomable, and is the cornerstone of the hope that we have through your Son’s death and resurrection. It is a love that stirs us to action, as we share the good news of your glory with others. We praise and thank you on this day and all of our days, because you have first loved us. In the name of Jesus Christ, who sits at your right hand.
ALL: AMEN!
Time of Greeting
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor: O most merciful God, your message of salvation is for all people. Yet we have grown fearful of sharing this good news with others.
ALL: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: We not only have hid your message under a bushel, but we have perverted your message through our own sinful actions.
ALL: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: Our sin has interfered with your message of hope and salvation. It has caused others to reject, mock, and ridicule your word rather than embrace it.
ALL: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: We take a moment to silently confess all that we have done and what we have left undone. And for the sake of the suffering and death of Christ Jesus, your only begotten son, we cry out in mercy.
(pause for silent reflection)
Pastor: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2: 4-5) Therefore, I, as a called and ordained servant of the word, announce the grace of God to all of you, and that all of your sins, great and small, have been forgiven. O let us give thanks to the Lord for he is good!
ALL: And His mercy endures forever! Amen!
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading: Acts 16:16-34
Paul and Silas encounter a slave girl possessed by a demon. They have pity upon her and release her from the grips of the spirit. Instead of rejoicing in her situation, her owner gets them thrown into jail. But God has a miraculous escape planned.
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 uproar21 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.
