Description

Mark 8:31-38

The Gospel makes no sense.  Even Peter, who recognized Jesus as the Christ, couldn’t comprehend a Messiah Who would die.  That simply didn’t add up.  And when Jesus calls us to follow Him, He calls us to life that seems contrary to the ways of the world – to win you must lose, and to gain you must surrender.  And yet that is precisely the message of the cross.  We live in the death of Jesus.

 

… 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

Open The Eyes Of My Heart

Paul Baloche, ©1997 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music

My Heart is Yours

Brett Younker, Daniel Carson, Jason Ingram, Judson Wheeler, Van DeVenter, Kristian Stanfill, Winfield Scott Weeden, © 2014 sixsteps Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Open Hands Music (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) Sony/ATV Timber Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing)

Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King

Robert Robinson & Thomas Miller, ©2005 Gateway Create Publishing (Admin. by Integrity’s Praise! Music)

[Traditional Options]

Come Thou Fount of Ev’ry Blessing

BH75 12,13; BH 91 15, 18; CH 11; CHH 16; EH 686; ELW 807; HS98 876; HWC 2; HPW 4; HFG 318; HLC 28; HGP 9; HSP 16; LBW 499; LWB 686; NCH 459; PH 356; RH 11; STTL 51; WC 45; UMH 400; WAR 68; WHM 30; WIS 62

In The Cross Of Christ I Glory

BH 91 554; CH 328; CW 345; ELW 324; HFG 251; LBW 104; LSB 427; LW 101; NCH 193; PH 84; WC 209

Jesus I Will Ponder Now

ELW 345; LBW 115; LW 109

 

Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme

Pastor:            Welcome!   We gather as the people or God, celebrating Who He is, and who we are in Him.

ALL                  He has redeemed us to live as His own people, filled with His love, following His path.

Pastor:            We call upon His name, remembering our baptism:

ALL                  In the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

 

Opening Prayer

Pastor             Almighty God, You have reached for us when we could not reach for You.  You redeemed us from our falseness, and have                                 declared we are Your people.  You sent Your Son, Who died and rose again and has called us to follow Him in ways that                                   make no sense to those around us.  Fill us with His Spirit that we may live as those who are followers of the Way, the Truth                             and the Life.

ALL                  Amen. 

  

Time of Greeting 

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location:  following Message]

 

Pastor            Drawing together before our God, responding to His invitation to be His people, we acknowledge our unworthiness to stand                 before Him.  We have fallen short of all that He desires.

(a brief silence)

                          Father, You have demonstrated a love for us which is beyond comprehension.  You have redeemed us, not because we have                            proved ourselves worthy, but because we could not.  Here and now we confess our failure to lives as Your people:

ALL                We confess, Father that we still go our own way.

                         You call us to follow Your lead, and we insist we know the best direction for our lives. 

                         You call us to die to ourselves, and we insist on being self-preserving.  

                         You call us to surrender our lives, and we insist on gaining the world, even at the cost of our soul.   

                         You call us to a new way of living, and we give lip service to You when we are in here, and then leave here                                                           and go live in ways that allow us to remain comfortable. 

                         You call us to take up our cross, but it has splinters, and we keep laying it down. 

                         Forgive us, we pray.  We are much like Peter, who recognized Christ, but did not understand grace.    

Pastor            Hear the Good News of the Gospel this day, and be reminded of all that God has done for us.  He sent His Son to die and rise again, that we                               might be redeemed.  In Jesus, we are forgiven, and in His Spirit, we are empowered to live as His people.

ALL                  Amen.  We live in the death and resurrection of Jesus, and follow Him into a life of love and peace and joy. 

  

… We Hear God’s Word …

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]

 

First Reading:  Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

                        God makes a covenant with Abraham 

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.”