The Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost - Online Worship - September 10, 2023
Lord of Life LIVE - The Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost
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Sunday Worship - The Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
”A New Beginning … Oh You Think So?”
September 17, 2023, 9:30AM
Join us in person or on YouTube for Lord of Life LIVE!
All are welcome, encouraged to visit the Prayer Cross as moved to do so.
Gathering in Joy & Grace
I Will Celebrate
Baloche
I will celebrate
Sing unto the Lord
Sing to the Lord
A new song
I will celebrate
Sing unto the Lord
Sing to the Lord
A new song
With my heart
Rejoicing within
With my mind
Focused on Him
With my hands
Raised to the heavens
All I am
Worshiping Him
(repeat song as led)
Litany Trusting a New Beginning in God’s Faithfulness & Grace
Based on Psalm 66
Friends, today we celebrate and give thanks for a new beginning; it does not take much to begin anew in God’s grace, so we worship in the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit.
Amen. I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice. The Lord listens to me, and strengthens me in my searching; therefore, I will call on his name as long as I live.
People of God: Let us take a moment of silence to confess our sins and those times we fail to realize, it does not take much to lead us astray, away from God’s grace and faithfulness.
(silence for reflection)
Friends in Christ, trust the new beginning in the grace of these words: Jesus saves, Jesus forgives you all your sins. When we say “O Lord I pray, save my life,” let us be still, and trust and live anew: The Lord is gracious and merciful, the Holy One is here!
Song Anew in Grace
Be Still
Evans
vs. 1
Be still for the presence of the Lord
The Holy One is here
Come bow before Him now
With reverence and fear
In Him no sin is found
We stand on holy ground
Be still for the presence of the Lord
The Holy One is here
Today I celebrate the Lord loves me and protects me. Jesus is my rock and my salvation. Jesus has saved me. Though at times it does not take much to question my faith, it does not take much, for God, to make my spirit new in grace, once again.
Friends in Christ: Trust Jesus restores and renews you in God’s grace once again. You are blessed with a new beginning and made new! Be still! Trust and celebrate it takes so little, for the grace of the Lord, is moving in this and every place!
Song Anew in Grace
Be Still
Evans
vs. 3
Be still for the power of the Lord
Is moving in this place
He comes to cleanse and heal
To minister His grace
No work too hard for Him
In faith receive from Him
Be still for the power of the Lord
Is moving in this place
Loving God, today we thank you, and we praise your name. By your Spirit, reveal to us in new ways, it does not take much grace, pure grace, to renew us once again. As we celebrate today, another new beginning in the hope and power you daily make known to us, let us boldly believe anew, and share with others, your faithfulness is so much more than we ever imagined. In Jesus’ amazing name, we pray. Amen.
New Testament Lesson
Romans 13:8-14
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not murder; you shall not steal; you shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
(New Revised Standard Version)
Song of Grace Anew
Children of The Heavenly Father
Sandell, Berg
vs. 1
Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in his bosom gather
Nestling bird or star in heaven
Such a refuge ne’er was given
vs. 2
God his own doth tend and nourish
In his holy courts they flourish
From all evil things he spares them
In his mighty arms he bears them
vs. 3
Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord his children sever
Unto them his grace he showeth
And their sorrows all he knoweth
vs. 4
Though he giveth or he taketh
God his children ne’er forsaketh
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy
Gospel
Matthew 18:15-20
Jesus taught them saying, “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
(New Revised Standard Version)
based on Romans 8:31-39
As God’s Word in grace gave Saul a new beginning to become the Apostle Paul, we, now boldly speak these words to renew our faith.
“What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Amen.
All who are students this year, from preschool to college, along with their parents, or those with them today, and anyone involved in education at any level; administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, nurses, bus drivers, aides, food service employees, custodians, coaches, staff, please raise your hand or stand up as you wish. Whether or not you brought a backpack with you today, we want to bless you as this school year begins.
Today you are receiving a gift. (Pass out the carabiners) They are a carabiner that you can attach to your backpacks. All of them have a compass on them. Maybe some of you are just beginning to discover the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Perhaps some of you know how to get to school, or a neighborhood park, or how to get home from a friend’s house, and yet you are not yet sure of directions. Those of you who are learning to drive, or will be driving soon, are perhaps for the first time acknowledging more and more, if your destination is to the north, south, east or west, of where you are coming from, and where you are going to.
As our faith quest is renewed for us every day, and as we prepare for Sunday School to start in just a few weeks, as our spiritual courses continue, we are each invited to believe and trust anew The Holy Spirit, God’s grace, our Savior Jesus Christ, are blessing our journey, giving us direction, keeping us on track, pointing our way. “I am the way, the truth, and the life!” If we ever feel lost along the way on our faith quest, God will guide us and grace us again, for Jesus loves us this we know, for the Bible tells us so.
This year we encourage you to keep this carabiner on your backpack. May the compass help you grow in confidence as you learn your directions. May the compass and carabiner remind you, you are forever linked to God’s love for you in Jesus Christ, who is always with you, and that God will forever faithfully keep you faithful and on course, forever trusting the Lord of your life.
Remember from Psalm 121 `The Lord bless you and keep you, your going out and your coming in from this time on and forever more. In the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit. Amen.’ (Each child is blessed, making a sign of the cross on their foreheads, saying): “Jesus is with you wherever you go.”
Congregation, you are asked to raise an arm, to visually join in laying your hands on one and all, as we share the following blessing and prayer:
(Those with children today are invited to lay hands on them.)
Let us pray: God of all knowledge and wisdom, bless these children, these students, parents, teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, nurses, bus drivers, aides, food service employees, custodians, coaches, staff, and backpacks as a new school year has begun.
We pray your blessing on these children and upon all students, young and old as their new year begins. Guard and protect students in their schools, on buses, in cars, on bikes, as they walk, everywhere, and as they go to and from school each day.
Help each student discover and develop the gifts you have given them. As they grow in knowledge, help them also grow in kindness and compassion. Bless all who serve the education of others, guide them in their vocation and calling, as they teach and nurture, support and validate each child, seeing them, too, as Your child.
By your Spirit, bless our schools, all students, all who go there, work and serve there, the classrooms, hallways, playgrounds, fields, and events to be places of safety, respect, learning and possibility. We ask your blessing on parents and all who love and care for these children. Strengthen our ministry and each of us as disciples; be our spiritual compass, give us direction, keep us on track, point the way. Bless each of us, too, as students of the faith, to teach God first, to make God and neighbor first, to surround all students with encouragement, support, and love, trusting even the most ordinary action is an extraordinary blessing to your Kingdom, as we believe and make known we are forever linked to you and your grace. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
A New Beginning Does Not Take Much!
EZEKIEL 33:7-11; ROMANS 13:8-14; MATTHEW 18:15-20
Do you ever think what you could do, if you had just a little bit more? If you had just a little more energy, a little more time, a little more money, a little more faith, a little more power, a little more support? What could you do then? When it comes to your spiritual journey, what do you have enough of and what do you need more of? Today, as we study the text from Matthew, we are reminded, `if two of you agree about anything..., where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.’ In this scripture, we see it does not take many of us to come together, to know Jesus is with us. We see, too, it does not take much for Jesus to make his power known to us. Just think, even if Jesus does not have much to work with or many of us to follow and to believe in him, we are still enough, because `for God all things are possible.' Trust a new beginning in God’s grace today does not take much, for God is at work, and God can perform incredible miracles. Celebrate the new beginning in this simple truth: God takes what he has, who we are, and God makes it so much more!
1. A new beginning in God’s grace, does not really take that much!
"Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them."
Matt. 18:19-20
A. It really does not take much grace to grow anew in Christ!
Matthew 18:19
B. It really does not take much grace to lead us in community and a new way to care for others in Christ!
Romans 13:9
C. It really does not take much grace to realize a new beginning in the forgiveness of Christ!
Ezekiel 33:11; Matthew 18:15-18
D It really does not take much grace to know a new beginning in the strength of Christ, the power of Christ, the hope of Christ!
Romans 13:12,14: Romans 8:31-39
E. It really does not take much grace to trust in a new way Christ is here in our midst, to believe anew we are saved in Christ, to remember, The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit are with us always!
Romans 13:11; Matthew 18:20
2. We all would like more and more of everything in life. We sometimes even wonder what we could do or would do if we had more – more energy, more time, more money, more faith and more hope. As we search for more and more hope and faith, let us celebrate and trust a new beginning in Jesus Christ! Thanks be to God, all of this, really does not take much of God’s grace!
Romans 13:11; Matthew 18:20
Offering is available for our indoor services. Find a Lord of Life with a volunteer bucket to deposit offering in person as you leave worship today. If you find yourself wanting to offer your gifts to Lord of Life, you can do so online using the link below. You can also drop offering at anytime in our secure mailbox at Lord of Life located in the parking lot.
Song Anew In Life & Grace
There is None Like You
LeBlanc
refrain:
There is none like You
No one else can touch my heart
Like You do
I could search for all eternity long
And find
There is none like You
(repeat)
vs. 1
Your mercy flows like a river wide
And healing comes from Your hands
Suffering children are safe in Your arms
There is none like You
(refrain with repeat)
...as we pray to you, Jesus, ...
Give us a new beginning in your power and hope and grace.
All these things and whatever else you see we need, grant to us we pray, for into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Holy Communion will take place during our service. If you are not worshipping with us in person but would like to receive Communion, we will be offering Drive Through Communion at our building at 16200 Dodd Lane, Lakeville, Minnesota, following our indoor service. Drive Through Communion will be available between 10:15am & 10:30am.
For those worshiping with us in person, we receive communion through intinction; that is, you will receive the bread, the host, then dip into the glass of choice, either a red wine in the chalice closest to the host, or in a light colored non-alcoholic grape juice. All are welcome.
We also offer gluten free and pre-packaged options. Please take these options before arriving at the host to receive a blessing.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
Forever and ever. Amen.
Songs During Holy Communion
This is the Day
Garrett
This is the day
(this is the day)
That the Lord has made
(that the Lord has made)
We will rejoice
(we will rejoice)
And be glad in it
(and be glad in it)
This is the day that the Lord has made
We will rejoice and be glad in it
This is the day
(this is the day)
That the Lord has made
(repeat)
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Tomlin
vs. 1
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now I see
vs. 2
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
refrain:
My chains are gone
I’ve been set free
My God my Savior
Has ransomed me
And like a flood
His mercy rains
Unending love
Amazing grace
vs. 3
The Lord has promised good to me
His Word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures
(refrain twice)
vs. 4
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God who called me here below
Will be forever mine will be forever mine
You are forever mine
The body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, strengthen you and keep you in his grace, this day, and on into life everlasting.
Amen.
Let us pray.
Pour out upon us the spirit of your love, O Lord, and unite the wills of those whom you have fed with one heavenly food; through Jesus Christ, The Lord of life. Amen.
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace, as you trust each new beginning in the grace of Jesus Christ. In the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Let us go anew in the peace of Christ, celebrating the love of God, together serving The Lord of life.
Thanks be to God!
Going Anew in Life & Grace
10,000 Reasons
Redman
refrain:
Bless the Lord O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name
vs. 1
The sun comes up
It’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing
Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes
(refrain)
vs. 2
You’re rich in love
And You’re slow to anger
Your name is great
And Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness
I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons
For my heart to find
(refrain)
vs. 3
And on that day
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul
Will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years
And then forevermore
(refrain twice)
Worship Your holy name
Lord I’ll worship Your holy name
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Today, Sunday, September 10, we celebrate The Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost! “A New Beginning … Does Not Take Much!” This morning includes, “The Blessing Of The Backpacks!”
Join us next Sunday, September 17, as we celebrate The Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost! “A New Beginning … Oh, You Think So?”
As we share our worship, we give thanks for every volunteer as you bless our ministry, greeting, ushering, nursery, serving communion, live streaming, AV ministry, set up, clean up, fellowship, worship leaders, and more! You can access details and ways to sign up on our website and Facebook page! Thank you!
Friends, today as always, all who proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, are welcome to God’s table of grace as we share Holy Communion. For those sharing their generosity today, we thank you for your faithful giving! Offering is collected in baskets by the ushers as you exit the sanctuary.
We hope our worship will touch you, comfort you, reassure you, and grace you in some way! If you believe others you know would be blessed to receive this bulletin, the sermon notes, or our live stream links, please forward these to them.
From everyone on every level of leadership and service, we continue to pray for you and to give thanks to God for each of you! Please contact Pastor Jamie if he can serve you in any way: jamie.thompson@lordoflifemn.org
We pray The Holy Spirit breathes anew on us to be God’s people and to be God’s Church, as together we make known and we trust anew God’s gifts of hope, peace, justice, clarity, calm, and comfort forever break forth in new ways for you and your loved ones, today, and as we share every gift of God’s light, love and grace!
Acknowledgments for today’s service include:
Litany Trusting A New Beginning In God’s Faithfulness And Grace – written based on Psalm 66. “Children of the Heavenly Father” Words and Music Public Domain, © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW) and With One Voice Hymnal Supplement © 1995 Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis & Board of Publication, Lutheran Church In America, Philadelphia; and Evangelical Lutheran Worship © 2006 by Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, MN. Used with permission. “Prayer of The Day,” “Lord’s Prayer,” “Post-Communion Blessing, Prayer, & Benediction,” based on the LBW. “I Will Celebrate” © 1990, & this arr. 1991 Maranatha! Music. CCLI #443123 “Be Still” © 1986 Thankyou Music CCLI# 120824 “Children of the Heavenly Father” Words and Music Public Domain, CCLI #98028 “Jesus Loves Me” © Words and Music Public Domain, CCLI #4771887 “There Is None Like You” © 1991 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music, CCLI #674545 “This Is The Day,” © 2011 1980 Scripture In Song CCLI #32754 “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” © 2006 sixsteps Music CCLI #4768151 “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)” © 2011 SHOUT! Publishing, CCLI #6016351 All songs used with permission. CCLI License #1380826 & OneLicense #A-724016.