March 15, 2020
(Clicking on the text underlined in blue will take you to Youtube videos. Most are songs, except for the Sermon, Cleaning the Temple)
Pray: God, our Rock, our refuge, our resting place, we come to you. Out of another busy week of work, out of our struggles to be meaningful in our world, out of our desire to meet you and know you as the center of our being, we come to you, O unmovable Rock of our security. Amen.
Sing or Listen: Traditional- This Is My Father’s World
Contemporary: The Heart of Worship
Confess: Our Father, forgive us for thinking small thoughts of you and for ignoring your immensity and greatness. Lord Jesus, forgive us when we forget that you rule the nations and our small lives. Holy Spirit, we offend you in minimizing your power and squandering your gifts. We confess that our blindness to your glory, O triune God, has resulted in shallow confession, tepid conviction, and only mild repentance. Have mercy upon us. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Be: Sit (or stand) in silence for one minute.
Be Assured: While it is true that we have sinned, it is a greater truth that we are forgiven through God’s love in Jesus Christ. To all who humbly seek the mercy of God I say, in Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Read God’s Word:
Psalm 86:8-13 (New Revised Standard Edition)
There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.
All the nations you have made shall come
and bow down before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.
Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
Mark 11: 11, 15-19 (New Revised Standard Edition)
Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. He was teaching and saying, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”
And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
Listen to the Sermon: “Cleaning the Temple”
Think or Discuss: What does it mean for something to be clean? What do we need to clean in our hearts? What gets in the way of our relationships with God?
Do: Clean a space or object you would like to use regularly, but don’t use often because it’s dirty or messy.
Pray: Use this time to pray, silently, at first, and then for others who need your prayers.
Finally, pray the Lord’s Prayer. (Our Father…)
Sing or Listen: Traditional- God of Grace and God of Glory
Contemporary: Thank You, My Lord
Bless and Be Blessed: May the God of Peace and the Peace of God be with you always.
After Worship, Our Service begins…
Serve: Check in on your neighbors, particularly any who are elderly or homebound. Is there something you can safely buy or do for them in this time of isolation? Even a conversation through a screen door might be a blessing.