The Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost - Online Worship - September 1, 2024
Lord of Life LIVE - The Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Upcoming Events
Sunday Worship - The Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
“God Is Who God Is: Going Out Of His Way!”
September 8, 2024, 9:30AM
Join us as we begin our September worship theme,
“Celebrating All God Is, In The Grace Of Jesus Christ!”
Faith Quest Sunday School resumes!
Join us as we celebrate the“Blessing Of The Backpacks!”
Registration for Faith Quest is now open!
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 Spirit & Grace
The Lord is My Light
Bouknight
vs. 1
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
Whom shall I fear
refrain:
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
The Lord is the strength
Of my life
Whom shall I fear
vs. 3
Wait on the Lord and be of good courage
Oh wait on the Lord and be of good courage
Wait on the Lord and be of good courage
He shall strengthen thy heart
(refrain)
Litany Celebrating the Rush of the Wind in Power & Grace
BASED ON PSALM 112
Today the One who is our Light and Salvation, blesses us to feel the rush of The Wind in a new tradition in grace, so we worship, in the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit.
Amen. Praise the Lord! Happy are all who fear the Lord and all who are changed by Christ to follow him from generation to generation, for they are blessed.
People of God: Jesus secures righteousness for all who trust in him. Let us take a moment of silence to confess our sins and those times we have trusted human traditions for traditions’ sake, failing to put our trust in the Lord!
(silence for reflection)
Friends in Christ, today believe anew, God has changed what was into what is, as we feel the rush of The Wind of God’s grace in these words: Jesus saves; Jesus forgives you all your sins. Let us sing and live anew! God has changed our darkness into brilliant light; God has forever changed our lives, and our hearts!
Song Anew In Grace
Change My Heart, O God
Espinosa
Change my heart O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart O God
May I be like You
You are the Potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray
Change my heart O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart O God
May I be like You
We rejoice! The Lord has blessed us and renewed us. In God’s time, a new tradition in grace has begun. We, who were far off in darkness; we are brought close in the Lord’s spirit and light.
People of faith: Today, in the rush of The Wind, we take delight in God’s Word and commandments, and in the new tradition of God’s saving grace. The Lord fills us to overflowing. Nothing gets in the way of His covenant of grace and salvation. Live anew in, the One who forever changes our lives and our hearts!
Song Anew In Grace
Change My Heart, O God
Espinosa
Change my heart O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart O God
May I be like You
You are the Potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray
Change my heart O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart O God
May I be like You
Loving God, today we celebrate and give thanks for the blessing of faith to trust anew in you and your power. May our traditions always point to our new life in your grace. In the rush of The Wind, by your Spirit, change our hearts once again to make God and our neighbors first, with our lips, hands and hearts, trusting you alone for forgiveness, strength, salvation, and hope. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
The Old Testament
DEUTERONOMY 4:1–2, 6-9
Moses spoke to the people, So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of our ancestors, is giving you. You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God with which I am charging you....You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!” For what other great nation has a god so near to it, as the Lord our God is, whenever we call to him? And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today? But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children ...”
(New Revised Standard Version)
The New Testament
JAMES 1:17–27
Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures. You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore, rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act – they will be blessed in their doing. If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
(New Revised Standard Version)
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)
Gospel
MARK 7:1–8, 14–15, 21–23
Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Jesus, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” Jesus said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.’ You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.” ... Then Jesus called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.” ... “For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
(New Revised Standard Version)
Stating Our Faith in God
BASED ON PSALM 89
As we feel the rush of The Wind, let us speak boldly of all we believe, trusting God’s power and grace in Jesus Christ.
I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: ‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’” Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the sky can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, great and awesome above all that are around him? O Lord, God of hosts, who is as mighty as you? Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen and Amen.
Faith Quest Sunday School will resume on Sunday, September 8!
“Tradition! Tradition! … In the Rush of the Wind!”
DEUTERONOMY 4:1-2, 6-9; JAMES 1:17-27; MARK 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
We have traditions we celebrate, keep alive. Traditions are important. Some traditions, however, leave us asking why this or that is important, why such traditions matter to someone else? In your Christian walk, what are the traditions most important for you? Why? Today we hear Jesus' word against tradition for tradition's sake. If what we do in our spiritual life becomes more vital than who we do it with and who we do it for, then we have missed the importance altogether! Today the rush of The Wind gives peace, assurance, hope and energy in this simple and powerful truth: If God was more focused on tradition for tradition's sake, there would be no Jesus! May we forever celebrate the enduring, timeless, eternal tradition of God's saving grace!
1. Traditions help us celebrate, keep moments, memories, mission alive. Traditions are important to us. In the rush of The Wind, Jesus makes known tradition for tradition’s sake means nothing, without grace.
A. For most of us, some traditions leave us wondering why this or that, why such traditions are so vital to someone else.
B. In your Christian walk, what are some of the traditions that are most important for you? Why?
C. Today we hear Jesus' word makes known, tradition for tradition's sake means nothing, without grace.
Mark 7:1-5
2. In the rush of The Wind, difficult traditional truths are made known: `humans will be human.’
Deuteronomy 4:9; James 1:22-23; Mark 7:1-6,8,15
A. It is very human of us to hold onto the tradition of making rules and following the rules, as long as they work for us.
B. It is traditionally human of us to make excuses and to let our words speak louder than our actions.
C. Traditions can build foundation when the traditions themselves build on the foundation. Traditions crumble when they are built for their own sake. In the rush of The Wind, let us make God’s grace known as a foundation and a living tradition `to our children and to our children's children.'
3. Hear anew the tradition for God to be God! God is the one in charge. In the rush of The Wind, peace and assurance and hope and energy are made known again in the tradition of this truth: If God was more focused on tradition for tradition's sake, there would be no Jesus!
Deuteronomy 4:7-9; James 1:18-22; Mark 7:8
A. It is a tradition: God's traditions, grounded in grace, are vital for our salvation's sake.
B. It is a tradition: God makes rules for us, then breaks them for us!
C. It is tradition: God is at work in what we do, not how we do it. Our favorite phrase, `we've never done it that way before.' If that was the case, we would have no Jesus. God puts James' words into action.
D. It is tradition: God's traditions are vital, not for tradition's sake, but for the sake of salvation. Trust God keeps the tradition, the truth, of salvation alive for us, for our children, and for our children's children.
4. Today, may we feel the rush of The Wind, blessing us so our traditions never become what matter most, blessing us to celebrate and keep alive, the enduring, timeless, eternal tradition of God’s saving grace, in the new tradition, in the new, fulfilled, truth and grace of Jesus Christ!
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 Filled In Faith & Grace
Cry of My Heart
Butler
refrain:
It is the cry of my heart
To follow You
It is the cry of my heart
To be close to You
It is the cry of my heart
To follow
All of the days of my life
vs. 1
Teach me Your holy ways O Lord
So I can walk in Your truth
Teach me Your holy ways O Lord
And make me wholly devoted to You
(refrain)
vs. 2
Open my eyes so I can see
The wonderful things that You do
Open my heart up more and more
And make me wholly devoted to You
(refrain twice)
All of the days of my life
All of the days of my life
… as we pray to you, Jesus, ...
Let us feel the rush of your presence and your 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.
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.
Song During Holy Communion
Let Us Break Bread Together
African American Spiritual
vs. 1
Let us break bread together
On our knees
Let us break bread together
On our knees
refrain:
When I fall on my knees
With my face to the rising sun
O Lord have mercy on me
vs. 2
Let us drink wine together
On our knees
Let us drink wine together
On our knees
(refrain)
vs. 3
Let us praise God together
On our knees
Let us praise God together
On our knees
(refrain)
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 feel the rush of The Wind in God’s saving grace. In the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Let us go in the peace of Christ, celebrating the love of God, and serving the Lord of life.
Thanks be to God!
Going Anew in Glory & Grace
America the Beautiful
Bates & Ward
vs. 1
O beautiful for spacious skies
For amber waves of grain
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain
America
America
God shed His grace on thee
And crown thy good
With brotherhood
From sea to shining sea
vs. 2
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness
America
America
God mend thy every flaw
Confirm thy soul
In self-control
Thy liberty in law
vs. 3
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life
America
America
May God thy gold refine
‘Til all success be nobleness
And every gain divine
vs. 4
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears
America
America
God shed His grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea
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Today, Sunday, September 1, we celebrate The Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost “Tradition! Tradition! In The Rush Of The Wind!” Faith Quest Sunday School will resume on Sunday, September 8!
Join us next Sunday, September 8, as we begin our September worship theme, “Celebrating All God Is, In The Grace Of Jesus Christ!” and as we celebrate The Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost “God Is Who God Is: Going Out Of His Way!” Faith Quest Sunday School resumes next Sunday, September 8! Join us next Sunday as we celebrate, “Blessing Of The Backpacks!”
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 Celebrating The Rush Of The Wind In Power & Grace – written based on Psalm 112. “Let Us Break Bread Together,” © 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 “The Lord Is My Light” © 1980 Savgos Music, Inc., CCLI #315103 “Change My Heart, O God” © 1982 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing CCLI #1565 “There Is None Like You” © 1991 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music, CCLI #674545 “Jesus Loves Me” © Words and Music Public Domain, CCLI #4771887 “Cry of My Heart” © 1991, this arr. © 1997 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing CCLI #844980 “Let Us Break Bread Together On Our Knees” © Words and Music Public Domain, OL #84125 “America the Beautiful” © 1956 Fred Bock Music Company CCLI #1881629 All rights reserved. All songs used with permission. CCLI License #1380826 & OneLicense #A-724016.