Who Do You Say That I Am?

July 18, 2021
William L.
Worship

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Service of Worship

Andante Religioso from Organ Sonata No. 4
F. Mendelssohn
Public Domain

Opening Prayer
Lord God,
Maker of heaven and earth,
we gather together in Your name.

We come as living sacrifices,
to offer You our worship and thanksgiving,
our praise and our prayers.

Come among us, living Lord.
Through the power of Your Holy Spirit,
transform our hearts and minds
so that we may recognize Your presence,
hear Your voice,
know Your will,
and walk in Your way.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Savior.
Amen.

Opening Hymn — #89 Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee

1. Joyful, joyful, we adore thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flowers before thee,
opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
drive the dark of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day!

2. All thy works with joy surround thee,
earth and heaven reflect thy rays,
stars and angels sing around thee,
center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
flowery meadow, flashing sea,
chanting bird and flowing fountain,
call us to rejoice in thee.

3. Thou art giving and forgiving,
ever blessing, ever blest,
wellspring of the joy of living,
ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our brother,
all who live in love are thine;
teach us how to love each other,
lift us to the joy divine.

4. Mortals join the mighty chorus
which the morning stars began;
love divine is reigning o’er us,
binding all within its span.
Ever singing, march we onward,
victors in the midst of strife;
joyful music lifts us sunward,
in the triumph song of life.

Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee (Hymn To Joy)
Edward Hodges | Henry Van Dyke | Ludwig van Beethoven
Public Domain

Scripture Reading — Mark 8:27-38 (NRSV)

27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Children’s Time with Ms. Leah

Joys and Concerns, and Pastoral Prayer

Pastoral Prayer
It is too easy, God
for faith to become an escape
  —a way to avoid the pain of being human and alive;
or a path to success
  —a way to pursuade the universe to give us the things we want;
or a system of control
  —a way to bend others to our will

But the faith you offer is different, Jesus,
more dangerous and compelling;

It’s the faith that carries the cross,
that embraces death
and lays itself down for the sake of others;

It’s the only faith that can lead us to resurrection
to life renewed and overflowing.

We praise you for this faith, God,
and open our hearts to receive it.

Offering Our Gifts to the Lord
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 — Marshall and Richard

He Touched Me
William J. Gaither
© 1964 William J. Gaither, Inc.
Used by Permission. CCLI License # 656051

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

Holy God, you love us so deeply that you pursue us relentlessly. You sent your son Jesus into the world that we who were far off would be brought near to you by his blood. We offer our gifts to you, knowing we can never outgive you, never balance the equation. You don’t desire balance, no quid-pro-quo, only that we find the peace you desire for us, whose foundation is in your word and whose cornerstone is Christ alone. In that holy name, we pray. Amen.

Sermon – Bill L
Who Do You Say That I Am?

Closing Song — #159 Lift High The Cross

Refrain
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
till all the world adore his sacred name.

1. Come, Christians, follow this triumphant sign
The hosts of God in unity combine.

Refrain

2. Each newborn servant of the Crucified
bears on the brow the seal of him who died.

Refrain

4. So shall our song of triumph ever be:
Praise to the Crucified for victory!

Refrain

Lift High The Cross (Crucifer)
George William Kitchin | Michael Robert Newbolt | Sydney Hugo Nicholson
© 1978 Hope Publishing Company
Used by Permission. CCLI License # 656051

Benediction

Go now and follow Jesus in the way of the cross.
Rejoice in hope,
hold fast to what is good,
persevere in prayer.
Do not be overcome by evil,
but overcome evil with good.
As far as is possible, live peaceably with all.

And may God hear your cries and deliver you;
May Christ Jesus repay you with fullness of life;
And may the Holy Spirit be with you always
…nourishing you in love and hope.

We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
…In the name of Christ. Amen.

Postlude – Hani

Processional on Psalm 150
Public Domain