PROPER 23
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
Series III
* CALL TO WORSHIP
Be satisfied with God's love when morning breaks and sing for joy
and be glad all your days.
* PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of all possibilities, Gatekeeper of heaven, Assayer of
Eternal values, you only are good. It is simpler to recite your
commandments than to do them. Even if we do them, we often
neglect the poor and risk eternal human values for the sake of
perishable riches. Take from us all encumbrances that would
prevent our entering the place of your rule. Apart from you,
our salvation is impossible. Through Jesus, our high priest we
come expecting mercy and grace and timely help. Amen.
* DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! Jesus is our high priest, able to sympathize
with us in our weakness, because he has been tested in every way
like we are, but without sin. He intercedes for us at the throne
of our gracious God. Friends, believe the Good News! In Jesus
Christ, we are forgiven.
* EXHORTATION
Seek your happiness in the pursuit of wisdom and the acquiring of
understanding. Wisdom is more profitable than silver and that
gain is better than gold.
* PRAYER OF THE DAY
Life's Gamemaster; we cannot hurdle all the expectations you have
of us in order to win eternal life, so forgive our infractions
of the rules and bring us to final victory with your needed help.
Amen.
* PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
God before all ages, God with all generations, God of the years
to come, we are humbled by the thought of your eternal being.
Your majesty inspires our praise. Your love moves us to sing and
rejoice. The help of all good and delightful things sustains us
in days of suffering. We trust you to lead us through the gate
of wisdom, knowing that we can learn in days of suffering and
gladness and years of testing and accomplishment. We will sing
and be glad all our days, God of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Amen.
* PRAYER OF DEDICATION
All-seeing and all-knowing God, we cannot hide our thoughts and
purposes from you. Sift the motives in our worship and
stewardship so that we may worship you more truly, through Jesus
Christ our High Priest. Amen.
* PSALM 22:1-15
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me,
from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.
Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our ancestors trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried, and were saved;
in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm, and not human;
scorned by others, and despised by the people.
All who see me mock at me;
they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
"Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver --
let him rescue the one in whom he delights!"
Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
you kept me safe on my mother's breast.
On you I was cast from my birth,
and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
Many bulls encircle me,
strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.
I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
my mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.
Be satisfied with God's love when morning breaks and sing for joy
and be glad all your days.
* PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of all possibilities, Gatekeeper of heaven, Assayer of
Eternal values, you only are good. It is simpler to recite your
commandments than to do them. Even if we do them, we often
neglect the poor and risk eternal human values for the sake of
perishable riches. Take from us all encumbrances that would
prevent our entering the place of your rule. Apart from you,
our salvation is impossible. Through Jesus, our high priest we
come expecting mercy and grace and timely help. Amen.
* DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! Jesus is our high priest, able to sympathize
with us in our weakness, because he has been tested in every way
like we are, but without sin. He intercedes for us at the throne
of our gracious God. Friends, believe the Good News! In Jesus
Christ, we are forgiven.
* EXHORTATION
Seek your happiness in the pursuit of wisdom and the acquiring of
understanding. Wisdom is more profitable than silver and that
gain is better than gold.
* PRAYER OF THE DAY
Life's Gamemaster; we cannot hurdle all the expectations you have
of us in order to win eternal life, so forgive our infractions
of the rules and bring us to final victory with your needed help.
Amen.
* PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
God before all ages, God with all generations, God of the years
to come, we are humbled by the thought of your eternal being.
Your majesty inspires our praise. Your love moves us to sing and
rejoice. The help of all good and delightful things sustains us
in days of suffering. We trust you to lead us through the gate
of wisdom, knowing that we can learn in days of suffering and
gladness and years of testing and accomplishment. We will sing
and be glad all our days, God of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Amen.
* PRAYER OF DEDICATION
All-seeing and all-knowing God, we cannot hide our thoughts and
purposes from you. Sift the motives in our worship and
stewardship so that we may worship you more truly, through Jesus
Christ our High Priest. Amen.
* PSALM 22:1-15
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me,
from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.
Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our ancestors trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried, and were saved;
in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm, and not human;
scorned by others, and despised by the people.
All who see me mock at me;
they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
"Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver --
let him rescue the one in whom he delights!"
Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
you kept me safe on my mother's breast.
On you I was cast from my birth,
and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
Many bulls encircle me,
strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.
I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
my mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.
