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Transfiguration Sunday

Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series IV, Cycle B
Call To Worship
In the transfiguration, Christ's inner circle is confronted with the overwhelming glory of God. These Calls To Worship celebrate that glory.
Leader:
O come, let us sing to God.
People:
Let us make a joyful noise to our Maker.

Leader:
Let us come into God's presence with thanksgiving.
People:
For God is great,
Leader:
He is above all gods,
People:
Holding the depths of the earth,
Leader:
And the heights of the mountains,
People:
In the palm of his hands.
Leader:
Come, let us worship and bow down,
People:
Let us kneel before God, our Maker.
Leader:
For he is our God
People:
And we are the people of his pasture.

From Psalm 50.
Leader:
The mighty one, God, the Lord,
People:
Summons the whole earth to gather.
Leader:
Our God comes and will not be silent;
People:
A fire goes before him,
Leader:
And around him a tornado rages.
People:
The summons is to come for judgment.
Leader:
For God is the righteous judge;
People:
Who judges all creation.
Leader:
Let us bow before our maker,
People:
And our judge. Amen.

Psalm 103 also goes well with the texts for this morning. This Call is based on it.
Leader:
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
People:
All that is with me, bless his holy name.
Leader:
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
People:
And forget not all his benefits.
Leader:
He forgives all our sin,
People:
Heals all our diseases,
Leader:
Redeems our lives from the pit of hell,
People:
Crowns us with unending love
Leader:
So that our youth is renewed like the eagle's.
People:
He is merciful and gracious,
Leader:
Slow to anger,
People:
And steadfastly patient.
Leader:
Bless the Lord, all you his people!
People:
Bless the Lord, all his works!
Leader:
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
People:
And forget not his benefits!


Prayer Of Confession
Sometimes our confessions are private, and sometimes our people need encouragement to make those private confessions. This Prayer Of Confession encourages a little personal encounter with God.
Introduction to the prayer:

What is between you and God this morning? Only you know. But whatever it is, it needs to be resolved. It needs to be dropped, dumped, let go, overcome.

This morning, let us a take a few moments in silence to come before God and address these obstacles to our relationship.

Let us pray: Abba, we do not wish there to be matters that prevent us from having the richest relationship with you that we can have. But we do, at times, allow things to get between us. Help us this morning to name these matters and begin to take responsibility for them. If there is some sin in which we are wallowing -- bring it to our minds now. (Silence)

If there is some issue or project that is distracting us from giving you our full attention -- bring it to mind now. (Silence)

If there is some earthly relationship we are neglecting and need to repair -- bring it to mind now. (Silence)

If there is some sin that you have long forgiven us for, but which we still hold on to, which still fills us with shame -- bring it to mind now, that we might truly give it to you. (Silence)

Whatever our sin, Lord, help us this moment not only to name it, but to claim responsibility for bringing it to you and working with you to clean it up.

Do not allow us to walk away from this prayer and this sanctuary this morning and forget what we need to do.

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Here is a prayer that delves into the ways we limit God.
Leader:
"The virgin birth, the resurrection, the raising of Lazarus, even the Old Testament miracles, all are freely used for religious propaganda, and they are very effective with an audience of unsophisticates and children" -- so says atheist Richard Dawkins. Let us pray.
People:
Lord, we confess that we often think as the atheist thinks.
Leader:
We limit you.
People:
We put you in a box,
Leader:
Expecting you to do only things we can understand.
People:
Forgive us trying to cut you down to our size.
Leader:
And free our minds to begin truly understanding
People:
Just how big you are.
Leader:
Infinite mind!
People:
Endless power.
Leader:
Awesome glory.
People:
Forgive us, Lord.
Leader:
Amen.


Assurance Of Pardon
You might sing this hymn as a response to the above Confession. The second and third verses were written to serve as an Assurance.
(Sung a cappella)

Sing alleluia to the Lord. Sing alleluia to the Lord.

Sing alleluia, sing alleluia, Sing alleluia to the Lord.


Jesus has taken all our sin. Jesus has taken all our sin.

Jesus has taken, Jesus has taken, Jesus has taken all our sin.


He's given us all his righteousness. He's given us all his righteousness.

He's given us all, given us all, given us all his righteousness.


Prayer Of Dedication
Let us pray: All things come of thee, O Lord. And of thine own have we given thee.

Thus begins an ancient prayer that reminds us that not only are our things not ours, but we are not our own as well. This morning we dedicate these gifts with the understanding that we are simply returning to you what is rightfully yours. Take these gifts back and use them as you see fit. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.


Pastoral Prayer
Let us pray: Sorrow bruises us and breaks us, but in so doing it also opens us to truths we often fail to see when all is well. It sometimes makes us vulnerable enough to allow a touch from which we would normally shrink. Lord, in our brokenness help us to be open to your healing touch. Heal each one this morning, Lord. Heal them through and through; from head to toe; body and soul, and mind and spirit.

In the name of the great physician, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.


Benediction
We may not be able to stay on the mountaintop, but the mountaintop of the presence of God can stay with us. Go forth knowing that God is with you, even in you. Amen!


Hymns

All Glory Be To God On High

An Image Of That Heavenly Light

Bright The Vision That Delighted

Chosen Three, On Mountain Height, The

Forever Would We Gaze On Thee

God Of Grace And God Of Glory

God's Glory Is A Wondrous Thing

In The Days Of Old On Sinai

Lord, Thy Glory Fills The Heaven

Majesty

Not Always On The Mount

O Lord, Our Lord

O Master It Is Good To Be

O Splendor Of God's Glory Bright

O Wondrous Sight!

Tis Good, Lord, To Be Here

To God Be The Glory

With Glory Clad, With Strength Arrayed


Contemporary Choruses

Ancient Of Days, Jamie Harvill

Awesome God, Rich Mullens

Days Of Elijah, Robin Mark

Glorify Thy Name, Donna Adkins

Great Is The Lord, Michael W. Smith

Holy Ground, Geron Davis

Lord, I Lift Your Name On High, Rick Founds

Shout To The Lord, Darlene Zschech


Other Music

Be Still, The Newsboys
A wonderful little song calling us to "Be still and know that he is God."

Gloria, Watermark
A beautiful praise song that simply praises God.

No Higher Place, Sierra
According to this song there is no higher place we can be than with God.
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John Jamison
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Look, he is coming with the clouds,
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2 Samuel 23:1-7
This scripture is said to be the last words of David. We are called to hear the words and know that they need to live on in us. “One who rules over people justly, ruling in the fear of God, is like the light of morning, like the sun rising on a cloudless morning, gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.” This call for justice remains. It is a call that lives throughout the scriptures. Justice is vitally important to the faithful followers of God. To rule with justice is to answer the call of God.
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Just one year later, servants came to check on their master’s delay. They found him on his knees in prayer. He was dead.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:



These responses may be used:




Let us pray for the Church and for the world, and let us thank God for his goodness.

Almighty God our heavenly father, you promised through your Son Jesus Christ to hear us when we pray in faith.

SermonStudio

Robert G. Beckstrand
The LORD is king, he is robed in majesty ...
your throne is established from of old,
you are from everlasting ...
More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters,
more majestic than the waves of the sea,
majestic on high is the LORD.
-- Psalm 93:1a, 2, 4

Theme: The majesty of Yahweh

Outline
1-2 -- Yahweh's eternal sovereignty is seen in the laws of the physical world.
3-4 -- The hostile powers of earth (like "floods"), however majestic or loud-sounding, threaten his rule in vain.
John R. Brokhoff
The Ancient of Days takes his seat on the throne of judgment.
Today's lesson is apocalyptic literature written at a time of
persecution by Antiochus Epiphanes IV around 165 B.C. Chapter 7
tells of four beasts representing the Persian, Medean, Greek and
Syrian empires. The most terrible beast is the last which led to
the writing of Daniel and the Maccabbean revolt. Our pericope
interrupts the account of the fourth beast. It consists of a
vision of a heavenly court of judgment upon the reign of
Lee Ann Dunlap
The weeklong pastor's training event was about halfway through its course and the pastor coordinating the event was enjoying her break with a leisurely stroll across the grounds. But what began as a beautiful leisurely spring day soon turned somewhat anxious when she returned to her room and found a message taped to her door, "Call the bishop's assistant as soon as possible." She spent part of the afternoon playing phone tag between class sessions. "Whatever could it be?" she pondered.

Cathy A. Ammlung
I'd rather hear Saint Matthew talk about Christ the King. His story of the Last Judgment is vivid. Concrete acts are laid out. "As you have done to the least of these," Jesus says, "you have done to me." We may disagree or cringe, but we can picture this King claiming kinship with the lowly.

Luke's story is good, too. Jesus hangs between two criminals and promises to one that "today you will be with me in Paradise." We see a dying King offering kingly gifts to the dying who trust in him. We may be puzzled, we may object, but again, we can picture it.
H. Alan Stewart
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Charles And Donna Cammarata
Call To Worship
From Psalm 145.
Leader: I lift you high in praise, my God, my King!
People: I will bless your name for all eternity.
Leader: You are magnificent!
People: You can never be praised enough!
Leader: There are no boundaries to your greatness.
People: All generations stand in awe of you.
Leader: Your beauty and splendor have them all talking.
People: We compose songs on your wonders.
Leader: Books could be written filled with the details of your greatness.

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