Order of Worship

BOLD indicates congregational SPEAKING participation

GATHERING AS THE BODY OF CHRIST

Prelude

 Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me   

UMH #361

Welcome

A Time to Make Connections

Meditation Time

Introit

      “Spirit Song” 

          by John Wimber

Nancy Burns, vocalist  

Call to Worship

Liturgist : Have mercy on us, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy, blot out our transgressions.

People: Wash us thoroughly from our iniquity, and cleanse us from our sin.

Liturgist: You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach us wisdom in our secret hearts.

People: Create in us clean hearts, O God, and put a new and right spirit within us.

Liturgist: Restore to us the joy of your salvation, and sustain in us a willing spirit.

People: O Lord, open our lips, and our mouths will declare your praise.

Liturgist: For you have no delight in sacrifice; if we were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.

People: The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

(based on Psalm 51)

Opening Prayer

Thank you, God, for the great lessons of the Bible. Thank you for Jesus, for Abraham, and for all people of courage and faith who hear your call and follow you. Help us to order our lives, Lord, in ways that are pleasing to you, and to see clearly when the world becomes more important to us than your Word. On that day, remind us of the true source of life, love, and spiritual well-being. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Opening Hymn

   “Standing on the Promises” 

UMH #374 (verses 1 & 2)

Message in Music

    “The Old Rugged Cross”          

    by George Bennard

Nancy Burns & Mark Johnson, vocalists 

Young Disciples' Time

     Mark Beatty   

Joys and Concerns

Lord's Prayer

Prayer Response

    “Lead Me, Lord”            

UMH #473

ATTENTION TO THE WORD OF GOD

Scripture Readings: Genesis 19:19, Genesis 22:1-12, Hebrews 11: 17-19



Genesis 19:19 

God said, [Y]our wife Sarah shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. 

Genesis 22:1 - 12 

After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. And the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them walked on together.

9 When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 

Hebrews 11:17-19

17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

Liturgist: The word of God for the people of God.

People: Thanks be to God.  

Message

     “Now I Know”             

  Mark Beatty

We Respond

Offertory

      “Be Still, My Soul”  

UMH #534 (verses 1 & 2)

Doxology

 UMH #94

*Offertory Prayer

O Lord, as Abraham was a man who sacrificed his own will to yours, may our offerings today be a sign that we, too, are willing to offer you acceptable sacrifices. May our lives embody your compassion, our words tell of your mercy, and our offerings spread your love throughout your creation. Amen.

Closing Hymn

     “Trust and Obey"

   UMH #467

The Blessing and Sending Forth 

Leader: Lord, we pray that today you will forgive what we have been and that you will light our path toward redemption and holiness.

People: We pray that today you will sanctify us, so that we can serve you well.

Leader: We pray that you will order our lives, and that our prayer in each moment will be, "Thy will be done." May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

People: Thanks be to God. Amen.              

Postlude

"Toccata"

 Adolphus Hailstork