Second Sunday after Pentecost

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

Opening Prayer:

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name, increase in us true faith, nourish us with all goodness, and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“In Christ There Is No East or West” – BBC Christian Music

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A Reading from the New Testament: Galatians 3:23-29 (NLT)

Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.

Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 9:18-24 (NLT)

One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.”

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!”

Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was. “The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
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Intercession:

Gracious and Loving God: Through faith in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have made us your children – united with him in baptism. Help us to live like him through the power of your Spirit at work within us. We pray especially –

+ For world peace, that warring factions may die to themselves and be raised to new life in you….
+ For world leaders, that they may govern their nations with wisdom and understanding from you….
+ For church leaders around the world, that they may be peacemakers by word and example….
+ For believers from different traditions, that we might love one another and learn from one another….
+ For all believers suffering persecution, that they may be delivered from evil…..
+ For all believers, that we may be clothed in Christ in every circumstance….
+ For all those who are in trouble, sick, or needy, that they may receive your help and healing….

Gracious God: Show us your loving-kindness and come quickly to the aid of your people. And strengthen us through the pwoer of your Word and Spirit as we await the coming of your justice and peace. We ask this in Jesus’ name, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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“Living Hope” – Phil Wickham

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Closing: – Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
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+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen