Crandall United Methodist Church

Worship Guide

October 8, 2023

Nineteenth 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: Stefanie

Centering Words:

In the scriptures found in the Bible, you will find commandments of old and lessons from perplexing parables. But there is an older scripture– a scripture beyond words, a scripture as deep and mysterious as the night sky. For the heavens proclaim God’s glory with every colorful sunrise and budding flower.

*Call to Worship:

Leader:   Christ the cornerstone welcomes us to this house of God.

People:   May our minds perceive God’s word, even as our hearts receive God’s love.

Leader:   May God’s Spirit bless us with wisdom and faith.

Leader:   Let us pray.

ALL: Holy Spirit, heavenly God, shine upon us with the wisdom of ancient words. Enlighten our minds, that we may perceive your presence. Strengthen our resolve, that we may press toward growth in love and faith. Help us grow closer to your likeness each and every day. Amen.

Hymn: “Trust and Obey”

When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word,

what a glory he sheds on our way!

While we do his good will, he abides with us still,

and with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

but our toil he doth richly repay;

not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,

but is blessed if we trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of his love

until all on the altar we lay;

for the favor he shows, for the joy he bestows,

are for them who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at his feet,

or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

what he says we will do, where he sends we will go;

never fear, only trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD

Words of Assurance

Do not be afraid, God’s love is strong enough to overcome our weaknesses.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

*Old Testament Reading: Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

¹ Then God spoke all these words: ² I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; ³ you shall have no other gods before me.

⁴ You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

⁷ You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

⁸ Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 

¹² Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

¹³ You shall not murder.

¹⁴ You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ You shall not steal.

¹⁶ You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

¹⁷ You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

¹⁸ When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, ¹⁹ and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” ²⁰ Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.”

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: “A Real Treat”

Hymn: “Jesus, Light of the World”

See the bright and Morning Star,

Jesus, the Light of the World!

He has risen in our hearts,

Jesus, the Light of the World!

Walk in the light, beautiful light;

come where his love and his mercy are bright.

Shine all around us by day and by night,

Jesus, the Light of the World.

He's the lamp that lights our way,

Jesus, the Light of the World!

Step by step and day by day -

Jesus, the Light of the World!

Walk in the light, beautiful light;

come where his love and his mercy are bright.

Shine all around us by day and by night,

Jesus, the Light of the World.

No more darkness, no more night -

Jesus, the Light of the World!

He will shine forever bright,

Jesus, the Light of the World!

Walk in the light, beautiful light;

come where his love and his mercy are bright.

Shine all around us by day and by night,

Jesus, the Light of the World.

Sermon: “Fruit of the Kingdom” Matthew 21:33-46

³³ “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. ³⁴ When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. ³⁵ But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. ³⁶ Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. ³⁷ Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ ³⁹ So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. ⁴⁰ Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” ⁴¹ They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”

⁴² Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:

‘The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone;

this was the Lord’s doing,

and it is amazing in our eyes’?

⁴³ Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. ⁴⁴ The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”

⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. ⁴⁶ They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.

 RESPONSE TO THE WORD  

Hymn: “Lord of the Dance”

I danced in the morning when the world was begun,

and I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,

and I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth,

At Bethlehem I had my birth.

Dance, then, wherever you may be;

I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.

And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be,

And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee,

but they would not dance and they would not follow me;

I danced for the fishermen, for James and John;

they came to me and the dance went on.

Dance, then, wherever you may be;

I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.

And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be,

And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

I danced on the sabbath when I cured the lame,

the holy people said it was a shame;

they whipped and they stripped and they hung me high;

and they left me there on a cross to die.

Dance, then, wherever you may be;

I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.

And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be,

And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

I danced on a Friday and the sky turned black;

it’s hard to dance with the devil on your back;

they buried my body and they thought I’d gone,

but I am the dance and I still go on.

Dance, then, wherever you may be;

I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.

And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be,

And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

They cut me down and I leapt up high,

I am the life that’ll never, never die;

I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me;

I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.

Dance, then, wherever you may be;

I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.

And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be,

And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

Psalter: Affirmation From 1 Timothy

There is one God

and there is one mediator, Christ Jesus,

   who came as a ransom for all,

   to whom we testify.

This saying is sure

   and worthy of full acceptance:

That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners,

   and was manifested in the flesh,

   vindicated in the Spirit,

   seen by angels,

   proclaimed among the nations,

   believed in throughout the world,

   taken up in glory.

Great indeed is the mystery of the gospel.  Amen

Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father and to the son

and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Amen.

Prayers of the People:  Joys and concerns

   Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer   

SENDING FORTH

Hymn: “Standing on the Promises”

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,

through eternal ages let his praises ring,

glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,

standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing,

standing on the promises of God my Savior;

standing, standing,

I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,

when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,

by the living Word of God I shall prevail,

standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing,

standing on the promises of God my Savior;

standing, standing,

I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,

bound to him eternally by love’s strong cord,

overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,

standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing,

standing on the promises of God my Savior;

standing, standing,

I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,

listening every moment to the Spirit’s call,

resting in my Savior as my all in all,

standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing,

standing on the promises of God my Savior;

standing, standing,

I’m standing on the promises of God.

Benediction