Proper 10
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series IV, Cycle A
Hymns
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (LBW526, NCH1, PH263, CBH70, UM103)
Spirit Of God, Descend Upon My Heart (LBW486, NCH290, PH326, CBH502, UM500)
O Word Of God Incarnate (NCH315, PH327)
O For A Closer Bond (Walk) With God (NCH450, PH396, 397)
We Plow The Fields And Scatter (LBW362, PH560, CBH96)
God Is Here Among Us (CBH16)
You Are Salt For The Earth (CBH226)
Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast (NCH318)
Anthems
Blessed Are They, Jennings, CGA, SATB
Thy Word Is A Lamp, Amy Grant/Michael Smith, Lift Up Your Hearts, p. 85.
The Word Of God, Jean Berger, Augsburg, SATB w/instruments
The Kingdom Of God, Bolt, 2--part, 2--part Mixed
Call to Worship
Leader: Blest be the tie that binds our lives with all the saints.
People: Praise God for Abraham and Sarah, for Isaac and Rebekah, and all the men and women who covenanted with their Creator.
Leader: We thank God for the greatest gift, his son Jesus Christ,
People: And for all his loyal followers: for Mary and Martha, Paul, Lydia, Peter, and the early Christians who lived with daily persecution.
Leader: We are here because of their faithfulness.
All: Let us worship God.
Call to Confession
Like the Psalmist, we come to God with our shortcomings, asking for God's care and forgiveness. We are severely afflicted, and we ask our God for life. Let us pray together.
Prayer of Confession
O merciful and just God, we come to you today full of guilt. We have so much trouble staying faithful to your law, and to Jesus' model of kindness and generosity. We leave the house and are immediately immersed in traffic that causes us to lose our temper. We treat those anonymous people so badly, God, because we know we'll never see them again. We go to work or to school and get caught up in gossip. We become fearful that we won't do a good job, and immediately think about cheating or taking the easy way out. We don't mean to, God. Each evening we think, "I have to change my way of treating others," but we continually repeat our behavior. Forgive us, God. Walk with us. Whisper in our ear when we are tempted to treat someone with disdain. Open our ears that we might hear you and obey. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
Paul told the believers in Rome, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. If Christ is in you, the spirit is life because of righteousness." Alleluia. You are forgiven. Amen.
Scripture Readings
Genesis 25:19--34: A choral speaking choir may read the Genesis passage. Placement of the choir might look like this:
7 8
5 6
3 4
1 2
Esau Jacob
All: These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham's son:
Voice 1: Abraham was the father of Isaac
Voice 2: And Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddanaram,
Voice 3: Sister of Laban the Aramean.
Voice 4: Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.
Voice 5: The children struggled together within her; and she said, "If it is to be this way, why do I live?"
Voice 6: So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her,
Voice 7: Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger.
Voice 8: When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau.
Voice 7: Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob.
Voice 1: Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
Voice 2: When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field,
Voice 3: While Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.
Voice 4: Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game;
Voice 5: But Rebekah loved Jacob.
Voice 6: Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished.
Voice 8: Esau said to Jacob,
Esau: Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!
Voice 1: Therefore he was called Edom. Jacob said,
Jacob: First sell me your birthright.
Esau: I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?
Jacob: Swear to me first.
Voice 2: So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.
Voice 3: Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way.
All: Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Matthew 18:1--9, 18--23: This passage simply needs an introduction and then is a soliloquy by Jesus. It would be best done memorized, but could be read with much rehearsal. The person playing Jesus should treat it as if he were telling the story and then teaching the explanation that follows.
Narrator: (Jesus comes from stage right and walks up the steps to the chancel area as the Narrator reads) At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called them, and said,
Jesus: Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes! If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the hell of fire. 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.
Narrator: Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times seven?" Jesus said to him,
Jesus: Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy--seven times.
Call to Offering
As the ushers wait on us for the morning offering, remember the parable of the sower. Sow your seeds on good earth, where they can multiply and give life. God loves a cheerful giver.
Prayer of Dedication
We thank you, God, for the beautiful day, the sun that allows the seed to grow. We give you today what we hope is good seed. Take our offering and make use of it in ways that will only help people grow. This we ask in the name of Christ Jesus, the great storyteller and sower. Amen.
Benediction
Leader: Go forth with a new resolve to sow only good seed on healthy ground.
People: We will not go toward the thorns, only to be caught where the seed cannot grow.
Leader: God's word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Do not wander off the path.
All: God is our light and our guide. Amen.
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (LBW526, NCH1, PH263, CBH70, UM103)
Spirit Of God, Descend Upon My Heart (LBW486, NCH290, PH326, CBH502, UM500)
O Word Of God Incarnate (NCH315, PH327)
O For A Closer Bond (Walk) With God (NCH450, PH396, 397)
We Plow The Fields And Scatter (LBW362, PH560, CBH96)
God Is Here Among Us (CBH16)
You Are Salt For The Earth (CBH226)
Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast (NCH318)
Anthems
Blessed Are They, Jennings, CGA, SATB
Thy Word Is A Lamp, Amy Grant/Michael Smith, Lift Up Your Hearts, p. 85.
The Word Of God, Jean Berger, Augsburg, SATB w/instruments
The Kingdom Of God, Bolt, 2--part, 2--part Mixed
Call to Worship
Leader: Blest be the tie that binds our lives with all the saints.
People: Praise God for Abraham and Sarah, for Isaac and Rebekah, and all the men and women who covenanted with their Creator.
Leader: We thank God for the greatest gift, his son Jesus Christ,
People: And for all his loyal followers: for Mary and Martha, Paul, Lydia, Peter, and the early Christians who lived with daily persecution.
Leader: We are here because of their faithfulness.
All: Let us worship God.
Call to Confession
Like the Psalmist, we come to God with our shortcomings, asking for God's care and forgiveness. We are severely afflicted, and we ask our God for life. Let us pray together.
Prayer of Confession
O merciful and just God, we come to you today full of guilt. We have so much trouble staying faithful to your law, and to Jesus' model of kindness and generosity. We leave the house and are immediately immersed in traffic that causes us to lose our temper. We treat those anonymous people so badly, God, because we know we'll never see them again. We go to work or to school and get caught up in gossip. We become fearful that we won't do a good job, and immediately think about cheating or taking the easy way out. We don't mean to, God. Each evening we think, "I have to change my way of treating others," but we continually repeat our behavior. Forgive us, God. Walk with us. Whisper in our ear when we are tempted to treat someone with disdain. Open our ears that we might hear you and obey. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
Paul told the believers in Rome, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. If Christ is in you, the spirit is life because of righteousness." Alleluia. You are forgiven. Amen.
Scripture Readings
Genesis 25:19--34: A choral speaking choir may read the Genesis passage. Placement of the choir might look like this:
7 8
5 6
3 4
1 2
Esau Jacob
All: These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham's son:
Voice 1: Abraham was the father of Isaac
Voice 2: And Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddanaram,
Voice 3: Sister of Laban the Aramean.
Voice 4: Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.
Voice 5: The children struggled together within her; and she said, "If it is to be this way, why do I live?"
Voice 6: So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her,
Voice 7: Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger.
Voice 8: When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau.
Voice 7: Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob.
Voice 1: Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
Voice 2: When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field,
Voice 3: While Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.
Voice 4: Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game;
Voice 5: But Rebekah loved Jacob.
Voice 6: Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished.
Voice 8: Esau said to Jacob,
Esau: Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!
Voice 1: Therefore he was called Edom. Jacob said,
Jacob: First sell me your birthright.
Esau: I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?
Jacob: Swear to me first.
Voice 2: So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.
Voice 3: Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way.
All: Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Matthew 18:1--9, 18--23: This passage simply needs an introduction and then is a soliloquy by Jesus. It would be best done memorized, but could be read with much rehearsal. The person playing Jesus should treat it as if he were telling the story and then teaching the explanation that follows.
Narrator: (Jesus comes from stage right and walks up the steps to the chancel area as the Narrator reads) At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called them, and said,
Jesus: Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes! If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the hell of fire. 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.
Narrator: Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times seven?" Jesus said to him,
Jesus: Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy--seven times.
Call to Offering
As the ushers wait on us for the morning offering, remember the parable of the sower. Sow your seeds on good earth, where they can multiply and give life. God loves a cheerful giver.
Prayer of Dedication
We thank you, God, for the beautiful day, the sun that allows the seed to grow. We give you today what we hope is good seed. Take our offering and make use of it in ways that will only help people grow. This we ask in the name of Christ Jesus, the great storyteller and sower. Amen.
Benediction
Leader: Go forth with a new resolve to sow only good seed on healthy ground.
People: We will not go toward the thorns, only to be caught where the seed cannot grow.
Leader: God's word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Do not wander off the path.
All: God is our light and our guide. Amen.
