August 30, 2020
In early fall every year, we take time to revisit and recenter around the mission of our church: we exist to make disciples of Jesus for the glory of God and the joy of all people. This is the last week of this year’s “Mission” series, Following Jesus in the Wilderness. In step with our ongoing Matthew series, this mini-series has addressed the tension and “waiting” of the wilderness.
Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday, Following Jesus Toward A Life of Love:
1. Read our text, Matthew 28:16–20.
Read, pray, and sing through the service:
Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.
CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 63:1–4:
O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift up my hands.
Joy (Anthony Brown, Pat Barrett arr. VaShawn Mitchell) / Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee (Ludwig van Beethoven, Edward Hodges, Henry Van Dyke)
CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:
Everlasting God,
fountain of all life and the true home of every heart:
our hearts are restless until they rest in You.
Yet we confess that our hearts have been enslaved
by selfish passion and base desire.
We have sought after many things
and have neglected the one thing needful.
We have not loved You with our whole hearts;
help us to turn to You and find forgiveness.
Lead us home, that we may again find in You
our life and joy and peace. Amen.
Heart Of God (Aodhan King, Jonas Myrin)
ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 Peter 2:24–25
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
PASSING THE PEACE
(Click to Read)
When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”
While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.
It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.
SERMON & COMMUNION
Jesus What A Savior (Kirby Kaple)