Description
Ephesians 6:10–20
The Lord provides us with all we need in body and soul for this life and the next. This includes the things we need to protect ourselves from the dangers of this world and the spiritual world around us. By the power of His Word and by the faith He has given us, we are forever safe and cared for by the Lord
We Lift Our Hearts in Worship
[Preservice options include videos (countdowns, worship music, welcomes), worship music CD, or live music by worship band.]
Open Up the Heavens
Andi Rozier, James McDonald, Jason Ingram, Meredith Andrews, & Stuart Garrard, ©2012 Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.) HBC Worship Music (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) Open Hands Music (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) Sony/ATV Timber Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) Stugio Music Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing)
Meet With Me
Lamont Hiebert, ©1999 Maranatha! Music (Admin. by Maranatha! Music)
Your Grace Is Enough
Matt Maher, ©2003 Spiritandsong.com; Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
[Traditinal Options]
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
BH 75 37; BH 91 8; CH 151; CHH 65; EH 687,688; ELW 503,504; HWC 26; HPW 18; HFG 118; HLC 11; HGP 10; HSP 31; LBW 228,229; LSB 656,6577; LW 296,297; NCH 439,440; PH 259,260; RH 17; STTL 30; WC 43; UMH 110; WAR 507; WHM 13; WIS 4
O God, My Faithful God
ELW 806; LBW 504; LSB 696; LW 371; PH 277
Blessed Jesus, At Your Word
EH 440; ELW 520; LBW 248; LSB 904; NCH 74; PH 454; UMH 596
Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme
Pastor We begin our time together,
ALL In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Prayer
Pastor This is the day that the Lord has made!
ALL Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Pastor Let us call upon our Lord to bless us now in this place.
ALL We pray, O Lord, that You would come into our presence and care for us. Bind our hearts together and prepare us to receive Your grace. Amen.
Time of Greeting
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor In our Epistle reading today the Apostle Paul reminds us: “[We wrestle] against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” We live in a dark world where the Devil, the great liar, works against us, leading us astray and causing us to sin. We are indeed sinful and yet our merciful Father calls us to Himself to forgive, comfort, and protect us. Let us call upon Him together.
ALL Lord God, King of the Universe. Have mercy on us who have sinned against You and against one another. Gather us in, by the power of Your Spirit and grant us solace and peace. Destroy the evil foe and purify our hearts, that we would never turn from You again. Amen.
Pastor Our Lord has had mercy on us. By His great love, He sent His only son to destroy sin, death and the devil. We are free by grace and protected by Him forever. Your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
ALL Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9
As Moses gives the Law of the Lord to the people he is sure to let them know how special this word is because it came from a loving and personal God. We are to keep the law and remember and pass down the knowledge within them.
1“And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you… 6Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? 8And what great nation is there, that has statutes and just decrees so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? 9“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children…
P This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
