PROPER 4
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
Series III, Cycle A
CALL TO WORSHIP
In this place of prayer let us invoke God by name, that we may know God's gracious blessing.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Truthful God, Liberating Christ, humbling Spirit, we confess that we have sinned and are deprived of the divine splendor. We are not nearly as good as we were meant to be. Both the law and the prophets have clarified your justice and your willingness to justify us as we accept the sacrificial death of Christ for our sins. We have no reason for self-righteous pride, but should be humble in gratitude for your free grace. Overlook the sins of our past and any unjustified pride, for the sake of the liberating Christ, who is making us free. Amen.
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! All are justified by God's free grace alone, through his act of liberation in the person of Christ Jesus. For God designed him to be the means of expiating sin by his sacrificial death, effective through faith. Friends, believe the Good News. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
EXHORTATION
Do not brag about keeping the commandments. Justification by faith excludes such pride.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Lord Jesus Christ, let us not call you Lord in vain, but both hear and act on the words you speak that our lives may befirmlyfounded on the rock of God's will and indestructible in the midst of the storms of life. Amen.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Heavenly Parent, God of our ancestors, we thank you for all our fathers and mothers in the faith, natural parents and adopting parents, foster parents, and others who have been significant in the shaping of our minds and feelings, our ideas and our values, our goals and our behavior. We are grateful for the learning experiences that have strengthened our faith, memories that draw us to your house and to other places hallowed by awareness of your presence, occasions of sympathy and understanding too intimate to explain. We celebrate every home marked with signs of your faithful love, not only with art and symbol, but also with hospitality and human caring. Your truth is our foundation rock; your unfailing love, our shelter; your will, the walls that guard our way of life. All praise to you, God of all lands, all people, your people. Amen.
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
We can only present what you freely give, gracious God. We express our faith and our thanksgiving in these offerings, that the church may continue to witness your justice, through the law, the prophets and the gospel of your liberating son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
PSALM 46
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.
The nations are in an uproar,
the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice,
the earth melts.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Come, behold the works of the LORD;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the how, and shatters the spear;
he bums the shields with fire. "Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."
The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
In this place of prayer let us invoke God by name, that we may know God's gracious blessing.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Truthful God, Liberating Christ, humbling Spirit, we confess that we have sinned and are deprived of the divine splendor. We are not nearly as good as we were meant to be. Both the law and the prophets have clarified your justice and your willingness to justify us as we accept the sacrificial death of Christ for our sins. We have no reason for self-righteous pride, but should be humble in gratitude for your free grace. Overlook the sins of our past and any unjustified pride, for the sake of the liberating Christ, who is making us free. Amen.
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! All are justified by God's free grace alone, through his act of liberation in the person of Christ Jesus. For God designed him to be the means of expiating sin by his sacrificial death, effective through faith. Friends, believe the Good News. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
EXHORTATION
Do not brag about keeping the commandments. Justification by faith excludes such pride.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Lord Jesus Christ, let us not call you Lord in vain, but both hear and act on the words you speak that our lives may befirmlyfounded on the rock of God's will and indestructible in the midst of the storms of life. Amen.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Heavenly Parent, God of our ancestors, we thank you for all our fathers and mothers in the faith, natural parents and adopting parents, foster parents, and others who have been significant in the shaping of our minds and feelings, our ideas and our values, our goals and our behavior. We are grateful for the learning experiences that have strengthened our faith, memories that draw us to your house and to other places hallowed by awareness of your presence, occasions of sympathy and understanding too intimate to explain. We celebrate every home marked with signs of your faithful love, not only with art and symbol, but also with hospitality and human caring. Your truth is our foundation rock; your unfailing love, our shelter; your will, the walls that guard our way of life. All praise to you, God of all lands, all people, your people. Amen.
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
We can only present what you freely give, gracious God. We express our faith and our thanksgiving in these offerings, that the church may continue to witness your justice, through the law, the prophets and the gospel of your liberating son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
PSALM 46
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.
The nations are in an uproar,
the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice,
the earth melts.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Come, behold the works of the LORD;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the how, and shatters the spear;
he bums the shields with fire. "Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."
The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
