Description
Luke 15:1-10
The Pharisees criticized Jesus for welcoming tax collectors and eating with sinners. But Jesus explained in parables that one repentant sinner was enough to set the heavens and angels with rejoicing. Jesus not only forgives sinners, He actively searches for them and joyfully forgives them, welcoming them into the Kingdom of God. Are you like the Pharisees criticizing the labor of God’s workers or are you more like Jesus- searching for the lost and radically loving them?
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
If We Are The Body
Mark Hall, ©2003 My Refuge Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Songs LLC)
God So Loved
Ed Cash, Scott Cash, Franni Cash, Andrew Bergthold, Martin Cash, 2019 We The Kingdom Music, Andrew Bergthold Designee, We The Kingdom ASCAP Designee, Capitol CMG Genesis, Capitol CMG Paragon (Admin by Capitol CMG Publishing)
House of the Lord
Jonathan Smith | Phil Wickham, © 2020 Be Essential Songs (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)
Cashagamble Jet Music (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) Phil Wickham Music (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC]) Simply Global Songs (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC]) Sing My Songs (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC])
[Traditional Options]
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
BH 75 32; BH 91 6; CH 33; CHH 66; EH 423; ELW 834; HWC 25; HPW 11; HFG 319; HLC 35; LBW 526; LSB 802; LW 451; NCH 1; PH 263; RH 13; STTL 65; WC 62; UMH 103; WAR 48; WHM 42; WIS 29
Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us
BH 75 213; BH 91 61; CH 688; CHH 558; EH 708; ELW 799; HWC 462; HPW 53; HFG 601; HLC 321; HGP 369; LBW 481; LSB 711; NCH 252; PH 387; RH 611; STTL 578; WC 522; UMH 381; WAR 440; WHM 542; WIS 489
I Will Sing My Maker’s Praises
LSB 977; LW 439
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
We serve a radical God!
Worshipers
He is faithful to the doubting, strength to the weak, and merciful to the undeserving.
Pastor / Worship Leader
He loves us radically.
Worshipers
We are saved by Him.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Let us throw off all that hinders us from praising the Lord. Let us lift up our voices and sing praises to the name of the True God!
Worshipers
We will radically worship the Lord!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Loving and merciful God our Savior, we don’t deserve to be in Your presence, but You invite us in, just as we are. Your love is relentless toward us, Your sheep. You tell us to approach Your throne in confidence, for it is by Christ’s blood that we have been made redeemed and holy in Your eyes. Today we give You our all. We lift up our voices in unison and worship You, Holy God.
Worshipers
We worship You, God above it all, loving and powerful, merciful and radical. You deserve all of our hearts, and we do our best to give You our all. In Jesus’ name we pray these things, amen.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
As people who sin, we must be quick to repent and do so often. We must shed off the layers of our flesh and be filled with the Holy Spirit so that He can produce good fruit in us.
Worshipers
Jesus, we confess our sins before You, merciful Son of God, for You accept us just as we are. We are sorry for the sins we commit day and night. We admit that we need Your strength, because we cannot produce enough strength to overcome temptations on our own. Holy Spirit, fill us with more of You and rid us of our sin. We ask You to cleanse us by the washing of Your blood, and renew our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. We ask these things not with entitlement, but with great humility as Your humble servants. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask, amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Ezekiel 34:11-24
The Lord planned to place David, a shepherd boy, as king of Israel. Comparing His people to sheep, God promised to care for them, return the strays, and strengthen the weak.
11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. 12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. 14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. 16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice. 17 “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? 19 Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet? 20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, 22 I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.
