The Best Offering
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
Series VII, Cycle A
Call To Worship (based on Micah 6:6-8)
One: With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?
All: Shall I come before him with my offerings of one and two percent?
One: Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of dollars, with millions or billions of dollars?
All: Shall I give my car, my house, my family for the sin of my soul?
One: He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
All: and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Collect
God of what is seen and what is unseen, we praise your name that in the midst of a world that measures and weighs every sacrifice to be credited against an account of good deeds, you instead have chosen to ask almost nothing of us, and nothing less than almost everything. Justice, kindness, and a humble walk with you - a sacrifice so little and so great that we shudder, knowing that without your help this would be impossible. But you walk with us, and guide us, and goad us. Thank you, Lord, for speaking through your prophets, both in the pages of the Bible and in our lives together. Hallelujah. We praise you Lord! Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord, your patience is astounding. You have waited for us as you have worked with us and on our behalf, cherishing us as your children, and waiting for us to assume our tasks as disciples. What do you require of us, but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you? You are patient with our failure when we try, but we confess that at times we have never tried to do these things. No more. Lord, today we resolve to listen to your Word, and to live it as our response to your bountiful grace. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
Hymns
"Let God, Who Called The Worlds"
"What Does The Lord Require"
"O Worship The Lord In The Beauty Of Holiness"
Fourth Sunday After Epiphany
Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Theme: The Wisdom Of This World Is Folly!
Call To Worship
God calls the humble, the weak, those despised by the world. Come together not in pride, but in humility. Let your weakness be a mark that Christ is present among us!
Collect
Our boast, if boast we must, is in you, Spirit of the Living God! We praise your name in this assembly because your foolishness is greater than the so-called wisdom of human leaders. We preach Christ, Christ crucified, Christ resurrected! Amen and Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Christ Jesus, we confess that we hear the call of the world, and have weighed in our hearts the rewards the world promises, even though we know that heaven and earth will pass away. We resolve to put our hope and trust in the cross. If we will boast, we will boast in you, now and forever. Amen.
Hymns
"In The Cross Of Christ I Glory"
"Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross"
"Take Time To Be Holy"
Fourth Sunday After Epiphany
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 5:1-12
Theme: Rejoice And Be Glad
Call To Worship (Psalm 15)
(Unison) O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart; who do not slander with their tongue, and do no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; in whose eyes the wicked are despised, but who honor those who fear the Lord; who stand by their oath even to their hurt; who do not lend money at interest, and do not take a bribe against the innocent. Those who do these things shall never be moved.
Collect
Lord Jesus, your lessons spoken on that mount are clear. You call us to a radical discipleship that is neither right nor left, either liberal or conservative, but off the chart, a different way of living we desire to embrace and emulate. Thank you, Lord, for these lessons which we will share in our worship today. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord, we confess that we give lip service on Sunday to your Sermon on the Mount, but struggle the other six days with the call of the world. We idolize success and are reluctant to live lives of discipleship. Strengthen our resolve, patient Lord, so that we might magnify your name through our commitment to following in your footsteps. In your name as Lord of our lives we pray. Amen.
Hymns
"Who Now Would Follow Christ?"
"Dona Nobis Pacem"
"You Shall Go Out With Joy"
One: With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?
All: Shall I come before him with my offerings of one and two percent?
One: Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of dollars, with millions or billions of dollars?
All: Shall I give my car, my house, my family for the sin of my soul?
One: He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
All: and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Collect
God of what is seen and what is unseen, we praise your name that in the midst of a world that measures and weighs every sacrifice to be credited against an account of good deeds, you instead have chosen to ask almost nothing of us, and nothing less than almost everything. Justice, kindness, and a humble walk with you - a sacrifice so little and so great that we shudder, knowing that without your help this would be impossible. But you walk with us, and guide us, and goad us. Thank you, Lord, for speaking through your prophets, both in the pages of the Bible and in our lives together. Hallelujah. We praise you Lord! Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord, your patience is astounding. You have waited for us as you have worked with us and on our behalf, cherishing us as your children, and waiting for us to assume our tasks as disciples. What do you require of us, but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you? You are patient with our failure when we try, but we confess that at times we have never tried to do these things. No more. Lord, today we resolve to listen to your Word, and to live it as our response to your bountiful grace. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
Hymns
"Let God, Who Called The Worlds"
"What Does The Lord Require"
"O Worship The Lord In The Beauty Of Holiness"
Fourth Sunday After Epiphany
Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Theme: The Wisdom Of This World Is Folly!
Call To Worship
God calls the humble, the weak, those despised by the world. Come together not in pride, but in humility. Let your weakness be a mark that Christ is present among us!
Collect
Our boast, if boast we must, is in you, Spirit of the Living God! We praise your name in this assembly because your foolishness is greater than the so-called wisdom of human leaders. We preach Christ, Christ crucified, Christ resurrected! Amen and Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Christ Jesus, we confess that we hear the call of the world, and have weighed in our hearts the rewards the world promises, even though we know that heaven and earth will pass away. We resolve to put our hope and trust in the cross. If we will boast, we will boast in you, now and forever. Amen.
Hymns
"In The Cross Of Christ I Glory"
"Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross"
"Take Time To Be Holy"
Fourth Sunday After Epiphany
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 5:1-12
Theme: Rejoice And Be Glad
Call To Worship (Psalm 15)
(Unison) O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart; who do not slander with their tongue, and do no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; in whose eyes the wicked are despised, but who honor those who fear the Lord; who stand by their oath even to their hurt; who do not lend money at interest, and do not take a bribe against the innocent. Those who do these things shall never be moved.
Collect
Lord Jesus, your lessons spoken on that mount are clear. You call us to a radical discipleship that is neither right nor left, either liberal or conservative, but off the chart, a different way of living we desire to embrace and emulate. Thank you, Lord, for these lessons which we will share in our worship today. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord, we confess that we give lip service on Sunday to your Sermon on the Mount, but struggle the other six days with the call of the world. We idolize success and are reluctant to live lives of discipleship. Strengthen our resolve, patient Lord, so that we might magnify your name through our commitment to following in your footsteps. In your name as Lord of our lives we pray. Amen.
Hymns
"Who Now Would Follow Christ?"
"Dona Nobis Pacem"
"You Shall Go Out With Joy"
