Tag: no turning back

After Pentecost | Sunday 29 Jun 2025: 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14; Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20; Galatians 5:1, 13-25; Luke 9:51-62 ~ No turning back.

After Pentecost | Sunday 29 Jun 2025

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

O God, your never-failing providence
sets in order all things both in heaven and on earth:
Put away from us all hurtful things,
and give us those things that are profitable for us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back
is fit for the kingdom of God.”
(Luke 9:62)

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God of Our Fathers (Hymn Charts with Lyrics, Contemporary) / Celebrating Holidays

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OT Reading: 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 (ESV)

Elijah Taken to Heaven

2:1 Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

2:6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more.

Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

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From the Psalms: Psalm 77 – In the Day of Trouble | Wasilla Bible Church Psalms Project / Pilgrims

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NT Reading: Galatians 5:1, 13-25 (ESV)

Christ Has Set Us Free

5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Keep in Step with the Spirit

5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

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Spirit Of The Living God | Meredith Andrews

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Gospel Reading: Luke 9:51-62  (ESV)

A Samaritan Village Rejects Jesus

9:51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus

9:57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

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No Turning Back (Feat. Hope Darst) // The Belonging Co

VERSE 1
Jesus, I believe
You are the Son of God
Willing as a King
To die upon the cross
You didn’t stay
Inside that grave
No one else has done the same

Jesus, I confess
You’re Lord of my life
I choose to say yes
To Your ways, not mine
No more running
No more searching
You’re the only one for me

CHORUS
No turning back, won’t change my mind
I will follow You all of my life
The cross before me, my past behind
I will follow You all of my life

VERSE 2
Jesus, I proclaim
I’m marked by only You
May I bring You fame
May it all be unto You
‘Cause Jesus
You’re the reason
My whole life has changed
Yes, Jesus
You’re the reason
I’m standing here today

BRIDGE
I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
No turning back
No turning back

No turning back, no turning back
No turning back, no turning back
No turning back, no turning back
No turning back, no turning back

CHORUS
Yes I will follow you all of my life
Oh I will follow you all of my life
Yes I will follow you all of my life

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP 2019

Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure conduct. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom, in thy Name, we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear our prayers, and grant that in our local assemblies the pure Word of God may be preached and the Sacraments duly administered. Strengthen and confirm the faithful; protect and guide the children; visit and relieve the sick; turn and soften the wicked; arouse the careless; recover the fallen; restore the penitent; remove all hindrances to the advancement of your truth; and bring us all to be of one heart and mind within your holy Church, to the honor and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem: Intervene in ways that only you can, so the whole world will know that you alone are God. Protect your people from the assaults of the evil one, and grant Israel’s leaders the wisdom and courage to do what’s right in your sight. Deliver all the hostages from captivity, and restore their souls. Comfort those who grieve and mourn the loss of loved ones. Protect the innocent and punish the guilty, that all may live in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Heavenly Father, you have promised to hear what we ask in the Name of your Son: Accept and fulfill our petitions, we pray, not as we ask in our ignorance, nor as we deserve in our sinfulness, but as you know and love us in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 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.

Friday of Easter Week, 21 Apr – John 21:1-14 ~ no turning back

Friday of Easter Week

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Opening Prayer

Our God and Father, through our risen Lord, your Son Jesus Christ, you have given us a message of hope and a person to live for.

Free our faith from triviality and routine and fill us with his Spirit of courage, that we may learn to live with the insecurities of the change of renewal ever-demanded by the gospel and by the needs of the times.

May our Christian living bear witness to the name of him by whom we are saved, Jesus Christ, our risen Lord.
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Reading: John 21:1-14 (NLT)

Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there — Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.

Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”

“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.

At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Fellows,have you caught any fish?”

“No,” they replied.

Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them — fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.

“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.

“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.
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Reflection & Prayer:

Lord Jesus: on Easter, you changed everything – you broke our bondage to sin and death and opened the gates of heaven to all who would repent and believe in your name. Your resurrection authenticated our faith and trust in you – “the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

+ Why is it, Lord, that after the wonder of Easter I go back to business as usual?
+ Why is it, Lord, that I fall back into my old routines that get me nowhere?
+ Why is it, Lord, that after you call me to join you in your work I go back to mine?
+ Why is it, Lord, that I would rather return to the past than move ahead into the future?

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.

+ Thank you, Lord, for your loving-kindness and patience with me.
+ Thank you, Lord, for taking the initiative to renew our relationship.
+ Thank you, Lord, for your providing for all my daily needs – physical and spiritual.
+ Thank you, Lord, for your constant companionship on the journey, come what may.

Lord Jesus: you have called me by name and I have decided to follow you as best I know how. Strengthen me with your Spirit as I face my insecurities, and grant that what I celebrate in worship may be carried out in my life.

Soli Deo gloria!
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“No Turning Back” – Brandon Heath


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Concluding Prayer

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.  – Psalm 118:1 (NLT)

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!