Description

Mark 4:26–34

His Kingdom come!  We ask for this in the Lord’s Prayer each week during worship, but what is Jesus’ Kingdom like?  And not just what will it be like, but what is it to us now?  Jesus speaks to us in parables today in our gospel reading to give us an image of what His Kingdom is.  For us, the Kingdom has come, and does come through our work together.  God bless us as we worship in His name and in His presence.

 

… 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

Here For You

Jesse Reeves | Matt Maher | Matt Redman | Tim Wanstall, © 2011 worshiptogether.com songs | sixsteps Music | Said And Done Music | Thankyou Music | Valley Of Songs Music | Chrysalis One Songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) |

Say Say

Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, & Kristian Stanfill, ©2010 sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Vamos Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Sweater Weather Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

In The Hands of God

Peter Furler, Jeff Frankenstein, Steve Taylor, ©2009 FB Holden Music (Admin. by 21 Songs LLC)
First Company Publishing (Admin. by 21 Songs LLC) Oinchtech Music (Admin. by 21 Songs LLC)
Don’t Chase Music (Admin. by 21 Songs LLC) Soylent Tunes (Admin. by Integrated Copyright

Group, Inc.)

[Traditional Options]

The Church’s One Foundation

BH 75 236; BH 91 350; CH 401; CHH 272; EH 525; ELW 654; HWC 277; HFG 547; HLC 200; HGP 184; HS 116; LBW 369; LSB 644; LW 289; NCH 366; PH 442; RH 340; STTL 668; WC 689; UMH 545; WAR 544; WHM 331; WIS 304

We Are Called to Stand Together

LSB 828

Hark The Voice of Jesus Calling

BH 91 591; HFG 669; HLC 493; LBW 381; LSB 826/827; LW 318; RH 365

 

 

Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme

Pastor              We begin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 

ALL                  Amen!

  

Opening Prayer 

Pastor              Oh Lord our rock and redeemer, 

ALL                  We gather in Your name today and pray that You would be with us.  Protect us from all troubles of this life.  Keep us in Your word and guide us                            with Your Spirit, for You are the one true God who loves us now and forever.  Amen.

  

Time of Greeting

 

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location:  following Message] 

Pastor              As we gather in His holy name, let us take a moment to remember who we are, why we need this time together with God, and what it means to have a merciful and                                     loving God.

Moment of silence 

Pastor              Oh Lord, our God,

ALL                  You have all the power and authority in the universe.  We are your people by Your Holy Spirit.  Yet we have sinned against You and not                                             followed the ways You have laid out before us.  We pray that You would have mercy on us, that You would forgive us where we have done                                         wrong, and teach us to do Your will every day.

Pastor              Our Lord has had mercy upon us. He has saved us from our sins through His Son, Jesus Christ.  He has blessed us this day, your sins are forgiven in the name of the                                   Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

ALL                  Amen!  Thanks be to God!

 

… We Hear God’s Word …

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]

First Reading          Ezekiel 17:22–24

From the prophet Ezekiel we hear one of the Lord’s promises to raise up one who seems like nothing but in fact will be the greatest of all who protects and cares for the world.  Here the Lord uses trees and birds to help us picture His work.

 

²²Thus says the Lord God: “I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out. I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. ²³On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest. ²⁴And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.”

 

Pastor           This is the Word of the Lord.

All                 Thanks be to God.