Worship Guide
August 25, 2024
Fourteenth 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: “How Great Thou Art” Charles
Centering Words:
God’s light is shining. Christ’s love is flowing. The Spirit’s presence is here, sustaining and strengthening us.
*Call to Worship:
Leader: God is our sun and our shield.
People: God’s glory shines upon us.
Leader: God is our strength and our hope.
People: God’s faithfulness guides us.
Leader: God is our hope and our salvation.
People: God’s love and mercy welcomes us.
Leader: Let us pray.
ALL: God of grace and glory, pour out the power of your Holy Spirit on our worship and our gathering. Strengthen and protect us with your steadfast faithfulness. Feed us with the bread of life, and guide our steps with the wisdom of your word. In your holy name, we pray. Amen.
Hymn: “Blessed Assurance”
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior, all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior, all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior, all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior, all the day long.
Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior, all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior, all the day long.
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
God is our sun and our shield. Christ is the bread of our lives. The Spirit is our strength and our power.
In these truths, we are clothed with protection to live with justice, truth, and peace.
Amen.
*Gospel Reading: John 6:56-69
56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” 59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” 61 But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65 And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”
66 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
WORD AND RESPONSE
Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”
Children’s Message: “God’s Glory”
Hymn: “All I Need is You”
All I need is You, Jesus, all I need is You.
You are the Source of all I need.
All I need is You
All I want is You, Jesus, all I want is You
You are the source of all I need.
All I want is You
My only Hope is You, Lord, my only hope is You
You are the Source of all I need.
My only Hope is You
Sermon: “Sent Out to Live” 1 Kings 8:22-30
22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven. 23 He said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart, 24 the covenant that you kept for your servant my father David as you declared to him; you promised with your mouth and have this day fulfilled with your hand. 25 Therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant my father David that which you promised him, saying, ‘There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children look to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ 26 Therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you promised to your servant my father David.
27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! 28 Regard your servant’s prayer and his plea, O Lord my God, heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you today; 29 that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this place. 30 Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place; O hear in heaven your dwelling place; heed and forgive.
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Hymn: “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus”
'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
and to take him at his word;
just to rest upon his promise,
and to know, “Thus says the Lord!"
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!
O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
just to trust his cleansing blood;
and in simple faith to plunge me
’neath the healing, cleansing flood!
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!
Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
just from sin and self to cease;
just from Jesus simply taking
life and rest, and joy and peace.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!
I’m so glad I learned to trust thee,
precious Jesus, Savior, friend;
and I know that thou art with me,
wilt be with me to the end.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!
Psalter: Psalm 84
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.
3 O Lord of hosts, my Ruler and my God, at your alters even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!
5 Blessed are those who strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the valley of tears, they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.
8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayers; give ear, O God of Jacob!
9 Behold our shield, O God; look upon the face of your anointed!
10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield, and bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts, blessed are those who trust in you!
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: “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
Hymn: “God Be with You till We Meet Again”
God be with you till we meet again;
by his counsels guide, uphold you,
with his sheep securely fold you;
God be with you till we meet again.
