After Pentecost | Sunday 06 Oct 2024
+ In the name the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening prayer:
Keep, O Lord,
your household the Church in continual godliness,
that through your protection
it may be free from all adversities,
and devoutly serve you in good works,
to the glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
“God made them male and female
in the beginning, at creation.”
(Mark 10:6)
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I Sing the Mighty Power of God (Grace Community Church) / Martijn de Groot
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OT Reading: Genesis 2:18-24 (GW)
2:18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is right for him.”
The Lord God had formed all the wild animals and all the birds out of the ground. Then he brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called each creature became its name. So the man named all the domestic animals, all the birds, and all the wild animals.
But the man found no helper who was right for him. So the Lord God caused him to fall into a deep sleep. While the man was sleeping, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. Then the Lord God formed a woman from the rib that he had taken from the man. He brought her to the man.
The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.
She will be named woman
because she was taken from man.”
That is why a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and they will become one flesh.
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From the Psalms: Psalm 8 / Majestic (Psalm 8) [Aaron Shust]
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NT Reading: Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12 (GW)
God Has Spoken to Us Through His Son
1:1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors at many different times and in many different ways through the prophets. In these last days he has spoken to us through his Son. God made his Son responsible for everything. His Son is the one through whom God made the universe. His Son is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact likeness of God’s being. He holds everything together through his powerful words. After he had cleansed people from their sins, he now holds the honored position—the one next to the majestic God [the Father] on the heavenly throne.
God’s Son Is Superior to the Angels
1:4 The Son has become greater than the angels since he has been given a name that is superior to theirs….
2:5 He didn’t put the world that will come (about which we are talking) under the angels’ control. Instead, someone has declared this somewhere in Scripture:
“What is a mortal that you should remember him,
or the Son of Man that you take care of him?
You made him a little lower than the angels.
You crowned him with glory and honor.
You put everything under his control.”
When God put everything under his Son’s control, nothing was left out.
However, at the present time we still don’t see everything under his Son’s control. Jesus was made a little lower than the angels, but we see him crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death. Through God’s kindness he died on behalf of everyone. God is the one for whom and through whom everything exists. Therefore, while God was bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was the right time to bring Jesus, the source of their salvation, to the end of his work through suffering.
Jesus Became One of Us to Help Us
2:11 Jesus, who makes people holy, and all those who are made holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus isn’t ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says,
“I will tell my people about your name.
I will praise you within the congregation.”
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Sovereign ‑ Chris Tomlin / Ed Neidhardt
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Gospel Reading: Mark 10:2-16 (GW)
10:2 Some Pharisees came to test him. They asked, “Can a husband divorce his wife?”
Jesus answered them, “What command did Moses give you?”
They said, “Moses allowed a man to give his wife a written notice to divorce her.”
Jesus said to them, “He wrote this command for you because you’re heartless. But God made them male and female in the beginning, at creation. That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and will remain united with his wife, and the two will be one. So they are no longer two but one. Therefore, don’t let anyone separate what God has joined together.”
When they were in a house, the disciples asked him about this. He answered them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman is committing adultery. If a wife divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.”
Jesus Blesses Children
10:13 Some people brought little children to Jesus to have him hold them. But the disciples told the people not to do that.
When Jesus saw this, he became irritated. He told them, “Don’t stop the children from coming to me. Children like these are part of God’s kingdom. I can guarantee this truth: Whoever doesn’t receive God’s kingdom as a little child receives it will never enter it.”
Jesus put his arms around the children and blessed them by placing his hands on them.
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Two Becoming One / This Pilgrim’s Journey
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We speak the Name of Jesus:
+ Over the Church, fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it. Amen.
+ Over the world, kindle in the hearts of all people the true love of peace, and guide with your pure and peaceable wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth; that in tranquility your kingdom may go forward, till the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love. Amen.
+ Over the Holy Land, have mercy on your faithful followers throughout the Middle East; especially those who are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, and bereavement. Amen.
+ Over Jerusalem, fill it with lasting peace; comfort your faithful followers; and use them to restore your people to their proper place in your Kingdom. Amen.
+ Over those who preach the Gospel, send forth laborers into your harvest; defend them in all dangers and temptations; and hasten the time when the fullness of the Gentiles shall be gathered in, and faithful Israel shall be saved. Amen.
+ Over our Marriages, that we may so love, honor, and cherish each other in faithfulness and patience, in wisdom and true godliness, that our homes may be havens of blessing and peace. Amen.
+ Over those we love, care for them and love them in this life and the life to come; for you can do far better things than anything we can ask or imagine for them. Amen.
For Answered Prayer:
+ Heavenly Father, grant these our prayers for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch
The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil,
and keep us in eternal life.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
16:14 The Pharisees, who love money, heard all this and were making sarcastic remarks about him. So Jesus said to them, “You try to justify your actions in front of people. But God knows what’s in your hearts. What is important to humans is disgusting to God.
Those who live by the corrupt nature have the corrupt nature’s attitude. But those who live by the spiritual nature have the spiritual nature’s attitude. The corrupt nature’s attitude leads to death. But the spiritual nature’s attitude leads to life and peace. This is so because the corrupt nature has a hostile attitude toward God. It refuses to place itself under the authority of God’s standards because it can’t. Those who are under the control of the corrupt nature can’t please God. But if God’s Spirit lives in you, you are under the control of your spiritual nature, not your corrupt nature.
Before Christ came, Moses’ laws served as our guardian. Christ came so that we could receive God’s approval by faith. But now that this faith has come, we are no longer under the control of a guardian. You are all God’s children by believing in Christ Jesus. Clearly, all of you who were baptized in Christ’s name have clothed yourselves with Christ. There are neither Jews nor Greeks, slaves nor free people, males nor females. You are all the same in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants and heirs, as God promised.
The Peanut Gallery 