Blessed Are Those… (3)
The Second Chance

September 17, 2023
Pastor Jacob Lee
Worship

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Service of Worship

Lento Espressivo
Albert W. Ketelbey
Public Domain

Leader: Come, let us worship the one who calls us here.
People: We gather to worship with joy and in hope.
Leader: Come, let us worship the one who desires our hearts.
People: We bring our whole selves in worship to our God.
Leader: Come, let us set aside all that distracts us from true worship.
People: We come as we are and ask the Spirit to gather us in and direct our vision.
Leader: Come, let us worship the one who calls us here.
People: We are here to worship with all that we are.

(Written by Derek C. Weber, Discipleship Ministries)

Opening Hymn — #139 “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”

1. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear,
now to his temple draw near;
join me in glad adoration!

2. Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigning
bears thee on eagle’s wings, e’er in his keeping maintaining.
God’s care enfolds
all, whose true good he upholds.
Hast thou not known his sustaining?

3. Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
surely his goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew
what the Almighty can do,
who with his love doth befriend thee.

4. Praise to the Lord, who doth nourish thy life and restore thee,
fitting thee well for the tasks that are ever before thee.
Then to thy need
God as a mother doth speed,
spreading the wings of grace o’er thee.

5. Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before him!
Let the amen
sound from his people again;
gladly forever adore him.

Praise To The Lord The Almighty
Catherine Winkworth | Joachim Neander | Paul Schilling | Rupert Eric Davies
Public Domain
Ste. 2 & 4 Words: © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House
Used by Permission. CCLI License # 656051

Pastor’s Time With the Children – Rev. Jacob Lee

Joys and Concerns, Pastoral Prayer, Lord’s Prayer

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, the power, and glory forever. Amen.

For those who are called and able, gifts and tithes can still be made through online giving, by mailing them in, and by dropping them off to the office through the secure mail slot to the left of the double door entry to the church hallway.

Offertory – Josh

Blest Are They
David Haas
© 1985 GIA Publications, Inc.
Used with Permission. ONE LICENSE # A-401420

Doxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow (Old 100th)
Louis Bourgeois | Thomas Ken
Public Domain

Offertory Prayer

Generous God, you have given so much to us in love and joy – every good thing in our life reflects your caring. Even in the giving of our offerings, we have tried to give our best but know we could do more. In a world where forgiveness has become a rare commodity, it is often an asset we hold back to maintain power over one another. Help us to hear the teaching of Jesus in the generosity of forgiveness. May we learn to give that to others with wild extravagance! We pray in Christ’s name, who gave all. Amen.

(Matt 18:21-35)

Scripture Readings — 2 Corinthians 5:11-19 (NRSV)

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15 And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.

The Word of the Lord:
Thanks be to God.

Choral Anthem — Chancel Choir

“Three Irish Blessings” III: The Lord Bless and Keep You
Arnold Sherman
© 1983 Beckenhorst Press
Pending Permission. ONE LICENSE # A-401420

Sermon — Rev. Jacob S. Lee
“Blessed Are Those… (3) The Second Chance”

Closing Hymn — #364 “Because He Lives”

1. God sent his Son, they called him Jesus;
he came to love, heal, and forgive;
he lived and died to buy my pardon,
an empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Refrain
Because he lives, I can face tomorrow;
because he lives, all fear is gone;
because I know he holds the future,
and life is worth the living just because he lives.

3. And then one day I’ll cross the river;
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain;
and then as death gives way to victory,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know he reigns.

Refrain

Benediction

Postlude – Hani

Carillon
Lani Smith
Public Domain