Worship Guide
June 25, 2023
Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World
ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE
Greetings:
Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Special Music: “Living Water” Stefanie
Centering Words:
Come into God’s presence and relinquish all fear. Let go of life as you know it and discover life everlasting.
*Call to Worship:
Leader: Incline your ear, O God. Hear the praises of your people.
People: Gladden the hearts of your servants, as we lift up our souls to you.
Leader: For you, O God, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love.
People: In the day of trouble we call on you knowing you will answer.
Leader: Your people everywhere glorify your name.
People: For you are slow to anger, and abound in steadfast love.
Leader: Turn to us and be gracious. Let us pray
ALL: Thank you, Loving Spirit, for the warmth of summer and for your invitation to embrace abundant life. Your promise of resurrection allows past troubles to die, as we rise with you to new life. Inspire us to follow your lead, even when it requires us to bear a cross of sacrifice in your name. May our love for you be complete, as we share words and acts of compassion with the world that yearns for your peace. Amen.
Hymn: “The Summons”
Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown,
Will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?
Will you love the "you" you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you've found,
to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
Lord your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In your company I'll go where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
The one who frees us from selfishness fills us with God’s selfless love.
In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
Amen.
*Old Testament Reading: Genesis 21:8-21
8 The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. 10 So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.” 11 The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. 13 As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring.” 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
15 When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, “Do not let me look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.
20 God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
Leader: This is the Word of God, for the People of God
People: Thanks be to God!
WORD AND RESPONSE
Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”
Children’s Message: “Shout From the Rooftops”
Hymn: “Grace Alone”
Every promise we can make,
every prayer and step of faith,
every difference we can make
is only by His grace.
Every mountain we will climb,
every ray of hope we shine,
every blessing left behind
is only by His grace.
Grace alone which God supplies,
strength unknown He will provide.
Christ in us, our cornerstone;
we will go forth in grace alone.
Every soul we long to reach,
every heart we hope to teach,
everywhere we share His peace
is only by His grace.
Every loving word we say,
every tear we wipe away,
every sorrow turned to praise
is only by His grace.
Grace alone which God supplies,
strength unknown He will provide.
Christ in us, our cornerstone;
we will go forth in grace alone.
Sermon: “Tell in the Light” Matthew 10:24-39
24 “A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25 it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!
26 “So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
32 “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35 For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
Hymn: “His Eye Is on the Sparrow”
Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely,
and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant friend is he:
His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me;
his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
for his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me.
“Let not your heart be troubled,"
his tender word I hear,
and resting on his goodness,
I lose my doubts and fears;
though by the path he leadeth,
but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me;
his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
for his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me.
Whenever I am tempted,
whenever clouds arise,
when songs give place to sighing,
when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to him,
from care he sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me;
his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
for his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me.
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Psalter: Psalm 86:1-10,16-17
1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; 3 be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all day long.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my cry of supplication.
7 In the day of my trouble I call on you,
for you will answer me.
8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.
9 All the nations you have made shall come
and bow down before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant;
save the child of your serving girl.
17 Show me a sign of your favor,
so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame, because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen
Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”
I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus,
no turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me,
The world behind me, the cross before me,
The world behind me, the cross before me,
no turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
no turning back, no turning back.
Benediction
