Description
Luke 20:27-38
The Sadducees approach Jesus with a case meant to make the resurrection look powerless and deniable. Jesus simply rejected their premise and directed their attention to the future eternal age where the resurrection would reign, and death would no longer have a pull. As we wait for the Lord’s return, let us be faithful in prayer and find our hope in Him.
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
Our God Saves
Brenton Brown and Paul Baloche, ©2007 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Integrity’s Hosanna! Music Leadworship Songs (Admin. by Integrity Music, Inc.)
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)
Matt Redman & Jonas Myrin, ©2011 Thankyou Music, Said And Done Music, sixsteps Music, SHOUT! Publishing (Admin EMI CMG Publishing)
One Thing Remains (Your Love Never Fails)
Brian Johnson, Christa Black, & Jeremy Riddle, ©2010 Bethel Music (Admin. by Bethel Music Publishing) Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) ChristaJoy Music Publishing (Admin. by Bethel Music Publishing)
[Traditional Options]
Blest Are They
ELW 728; LSB 982; TFWS 2155; WOV 764; WAR 666
Behold A Host Arrayed in White
ELW 425; LBW 314; LSB 676; LW 192; NCH 296
Earth and All Stars
EH 412; ELW 731; HFG 10; LBW 558; LSB 817; LW 438; PH 458; RS 681; WC 357; WAR 642
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
All the heavens, the angels, the heavenly hosts, and all of us people, let’s praise the Lord!
Worshipers
We join in with the sun and moon, the shining stars, the highest heavens and the waters above the skies to praise the Lord.
Pastor / Worship Leader
He is the Lord of Hosts and the Alpha and Omega. He is captivatingly timeless and reigns for eternity. Let’s praise and worship God alone together today.
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord, from the earth, we lift up our voices in unison to praise you with our songs. We surrender to You all of our thoughts, decisions, ways of life, and control and acknowledge You as the true King forever. Your splendor is above all we know. Keep us close to Your heart. We pray this in the name of Jesus, Your begotten Son, amen.
Worshipers
Amen.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Jesus, we acknowledge You as the forgiver of all our sins. We recognize that You are the bridge between us and God, the Father. We confess that You are the only way, the truth, and the life; You are the only way to the Father.
Worshipers
When we face trials, we confess that we don’t always worship You in the midst of them. Many times, we find reasons to blame you or others for what we must endure. Forgive us, Lord.
Pastor / Worship Leader
We accuse You for not being merciful or allowing pain, and in our limited understanding, we put ourselves on the throne that belongs only to You. Forgive us, Lord, of pride.
Worshipers
You lavish Your love on us always. You call us back home to You. We do not deserve this love, but how grateful we are that You are God and we are not. Thank you for the grace and forgiveness You’ve extended to a wayward people. Help us to follow hard after You, Jesus. We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Exodus 3:1-15
Moses meets God in a burning bush that was not consumed. As God commanded Moses to bring His people out of Egypt, He called Himself “I Am” and “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. 7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” 13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever,
the name you shall call me from generation to generation.
