Description
Mark 8:31-38
Jesus and his disciples are in Caesarea Phillippi where some amazing words are spoken. When Jesus asks who they think He is, Peter states that He is the Messiah. And yet, soon after, as Jesus teaches them that he must suffer and be killed, Peter, thinking he knows better than the Messiah, rebukes Jesus. Jesus uses harsh words, “Get behind me Satan!” Jesus then goes on to tell the crowd that anyone who wants to follow him must deny themselves and take up their cross. Whoever wants to save their life will lose it.
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
Live Like That
Ben Glover | Ben McDonald | David Freyb© 2011 9t One Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Ariose Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Mike Curb Music (Admin. by Curb Music Publishing)
My Story
Jason Ingram/Michael Weaver, © 2014 Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.) Open Hands Music (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) Sony/ATV Timber Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) Weave Country (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.)
Lifesong
Mark Hall, ©2005 My Refuge Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Songs LLC)
[Traditional Options]
Come Follow Me, The Savior Spoke
ELW 799; LBW 455; LSB 688; LW 379
Lift High The Cross
BH 91 594; CH 450; CHH 108; EH 473; ELW 660; HWC 304; HLC 141; LBW 377; LSB 837; LW 311; NCH 198; PH 371; STTL 237; WC 229; UMH 159; WAR 28; WHM 221
Lord, Who Throughout In These Forty Days
CHH 180; EH 142; ELW 319; LBW 99; LSB 418; LW 92; NCH 211; PH 81; RS 553; WC 200; UMH 269; WAR 252
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord, into your most holy presence we now come. Calm our anxious spirits. Remove the distractions that would keep us from you here today.
Worshipers
Break down the walls of separation that we have built to keep you from our hardened hearts. Lead us in joy and celebration of the only reality worth knowing, that you love us as we are.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Free us for joyful obedience to your claim and call on our lives this day and every day.
Worshipers
Let us rise and meet our Creator. Let us raise our hands and voices in acknowledgment that God’s Holy Spirit moves among us, calling us to new life in Christ.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Let us raise our eyes, knowing that this new life of stewardship for all God’s creation is seen in the life of Jesus the Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Worshipers
Lord, we come before your throne of grace not trusting in ourselves but in your marvelous and gracious love as it seeks expression among us. May we listen for your still, small voice as it speaks to us today and as it boldly proclaims the undeniable reality of your love that will not let us go.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Stir our hearts and our imaginations that we may see beyond appearances of what is to the reality of what can be. In the name of Jesus our Lord, we pray. Amen.
Worshipers
Amen!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord God of eternity, Creator and sustainer of life, King of all powers in heaven and on earth and under the earth, may we learn to see beyond our passing world to your eternal world. May we have hearts that are pulling towards our real home with you, so that every moment of our life here is lived to your praise and glory. Father, thank you for sending your son Jesus to die for our sins on the cross at Calvary. Lord, help us follow in His footsteps and take up our crosses daily. Help us nail our flesh to that cross so we can deny ourselves daily. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Worshipers
Amen!
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Merciful God, Jesus revealed the great depth of your love in his determination to defeat evil even when this meant giving up his own life.
Worshipers
Forgive us, O God, when we allow the power of evil to flourish because we fear that taking up one’s cross would be just too costly an exercise.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Faithful God, the apostle Paul emphasizes Abraham’s complete trust and faith in your promises and how he grew ever stronger in faith, fully convinced of your ability to fulfill what had been promised.
Worshipers
Forgive us, O God, when we find it hard even to hear your promises above commercial assurances of transformation—promises tempting us to trust the newest and trendiest product to realize our dreams.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Gracious and loving God, forgive our lack of trust in you; Have mercy on us and forgive us.
Worshipers
Forgive us when we hesitate and strengthen us when we are weak. Breathe your Spirit into our hearts and minds—our lives—so that we have the courage to follow Jesus wherever he takes us.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Hear and believe these words about God’s amazing grace, grace experienced through Jesus’ sacrificial love, as forgiveness of sins. Amen.
Worshipers
Amen!
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
The Abrahamic Covenant. This is an unconditional covenant as indicated in Genesis 15, when only the Lord passed between the slaughtered animals. Here, the Lord renames both Abram and Sarai, as they will be the father and mother of many nations. Nations will come from Abraham; kings will come from Abraham. This covenant is everlasting and includes his descendants for generations to come.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” 3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
