Everything you need for February 25 online worship.
Preparations for Worship:
- Do your best to eliminate distractions like the phone, TV, etc.
- Worship actively! Whether you are by yourself or with others, try reading the parts of the service aloud (responses, lessons, and prayers).
- This service is for children too. Help them participate. Ask those who have that ability to read a prayer or lesson aloud. Take a moment to describe what’s happening. Ask questions. Encourage little ones to draw what they are hearing while you all listen. Unlike our more typical Sunday worship at church, you can pause at any time for questions and discussion.
- Before you begin, load each of the videos below. (You might first have to get past a distracting ad.)
- Pause for a moment of quiet meditation. Then pray:
“Heavenly Father, I have come to worship you. Draw near to me in your gracious Word, and assure me of your loving kindness. Curb my wandering thoughts, that with undivided attention I may hear your voice and speak your praise. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.”
INVOCATION
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Almighty God, you see that we have no power to defend ourselves. Guard and keep us both outwardly and inwardly from all adversities that may happen to the body and all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
LESSON – JOB 1:13-22
13One day when Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their oldest brother, 14a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the female donkeys were grazing nearby, 15when the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to death with the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” 16While he was still speaking, another servant came and said, “The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the flocks and the servants and consumed them, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” 17While he was still speaking, another servant came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and plundered the camels and took them away. They put the servants to death with the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” 18While he was still speaking, another servant came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and were drinking wine in the house of their oldest brother. 19Suddenly a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it collapsed on the young people, and they died, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” 20Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshipped. 21Then he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. May the name of the Lord be blessed.” 22In all this, Job did not sin or blame God.
LESSON – ROMANS 5:1-11
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Through him we also have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice confidently on the basis of our hope for the glory of God. 3Not only this, but we also rejoice confidently in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces patient endurance, 4and patient endurance produces tested character, and tested character produces hope. 5And hope will not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who was given to us. 6For at the appointed time, while we were still helpless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7It is rare indeed that someone will die for a righteous person. Perhaps someone might actually go so far as to die for a person who has been good to him. 8But God shows his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Therefore, since we have now been justified by his blood, it is even more certain that we will be saved from God’s wrath through him. 10For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, it is even more certain that, since we have been reconciled, we will be saved by his life. 11And not only is this so, but we also go on rejoicing confidently in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received this reconciliation.
DEVOTION – MARK 8:31-38
OFFERING
Offerings may be given on-line at tithe.ly/risensavior, mailed to the church, or dropped off at the church.
Our members have joined together in faith and love to do the Lord’s work in this community and around the world. Guests need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our ministry.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Heavenly Father, give us Your Holy Spirit, that we might deny ourselves, take up the crosses You give and follow Your Son through this troubled life into heaven.
Prepare us to give up our lives, knowing that Christ has already saved them.
Heavenly Father, teach us to shun neither our Lord’s suffering nor our own. When we endure persecution or ridicule for being Your children, give us faith and perseverance.
As You have promised, deliver us out of the hand of the wicked and redeem us from the grasp of the ruthless.
O Lord, all kingship belongs to You, and You rule over the nations.
Bless our president, and those who govern, that they may rule wisely and in accord with Your will.
Heavenly Father, bless all who are part of our national church body’s Congregational Counseling program. Encourage more congregations and individuals to use the resources available to them to help others know Jesus. Bless the congregations that have used Congregational Counseling to strategically plan their gospel ministry efforts. Give them the lay leaders and resources necessary to implement those plans. Remind us all that, whether we are part of a big congregation or a small one, it is fitting to regularly evaluate our gospel ministry plans. Provide us with needed resources that will make and keep us faithful to proclaiming the good news of Christ.
Instill in us the desire to work while it is day before the night of judgment comes.
Great Physician, heal and restore those we hold in our hearts who are hurting and in need.
Give them Your holy care and strength to bear their crosses, that they may endure to see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.
Heavenly Father, receive our praise this day for St. Peter and his confession that Jesus is the Christ. We rejoice that Your Son builds His Church upon this rock and that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. Keep us in this faith all our days; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who taught us to pray…
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 and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to this new day. Defend us with your mighty power, and grant that this day we neither fall into sin nor run into any kind of danger. And in all we do, direct us to what is right in your sight; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
Amen.
BLESSING
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.