For the week of August 27 to September 2 – 13th Sunday after Pentecost
Morning Prayer God of Miriam and Moses, You are our help from age to age. Accept our worship, our living sacrifice, and transform us by Your Spirit, that, being many members of one true body, we may dare to pray together in the name of Christ the Lord. Amen. (Lectionary Prayers)
Hymn #545 The Church’s One Foundation
- The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation by water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her to be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.
- Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses, with every grace endued.
- Though with a scornful wonder we see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping; their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song.
- Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation of peace forevermore;
Till, with the vision glorious, her longing eyes are blest,
And the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.
- Yet she on earth hath union with God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with Thee.
Psalm 138
138:1 I give You thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing Your praise;
138:2 I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness; for You have exalted Your name and Your word above everything.
138:3 On the day I called, You answered me, You increased my strength of soul.
138:4 All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD, for they have heard the words of Your mouth.
138:5 They shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.
138:6 For though the LORD is high, He regards the lowly; but the haughty He perceives from far away.
138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve me against the wrath of my enemies; You stretch out Your hand, and Your right hand delivers me.
138:8 The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands.
Children's Sermon: Then He asked them, "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Matthew 16:15-16 (NIV)
It's back to school time again! Some of you are probably feeling excited. Some of you may be a little sad that summer is over. You may feel nervous or a little scared about going back to school because of all the new things that you will have to face. You will have new teachers, some new friends, and some of you may even be going to a new school.
On the first day of school, the teacher will probably ask some questions to see how much you already know. When the teacher asks a question to which you know the answer, you might wave your hand excitedly in the air and say, "I know! I know!" It is a great feeling when you know the answer, isn't it? It sure helps to take away those "Back to School Jitters."
In our Bible lesson today, the disciples are going "back to school." Can you guess who their teacher is? Right! Jesus is their teacher. Jesus often took His disciples aside to teach them important lessons about the Kingdom of God. This was one of those days. Jesus began His lesson that day by asking His disciples a question.
"Who do men say that I am?" Jesus asked (Matthew 16:15).
I imagine that one of the disciples raised his hand and said, "I know! I know! Some people say that you are John the Baptist."
Then another of the disciples raised his hand and said, "I know! I know! Some people say you are Elijah."
A third disciple raised his hand and said, "Some people say that you are Jeremiah or one of the other prophets."
"Very good," Jesus said, "that is what other people are saying, but who do you say that I am?"
You know, I think that Peter was so excited that he forgot to raise his hand. I think he just called out to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus said, "You are right, Peter. You didn't learn that from listening to other people. It was taught to you by my Father in heaven."
The lesson that the disciples learned that day is just as important today as it was then. Many people in our world today still do not know who Jesus is. You and I need to be ready with the answer, "He is the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16)
Dear Father, when people are searching for the answer to the question, "Who is Jesus?" help us to be ready with the answer. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. (sermons4kids.com)
Prayers of Intercession: Thank You, Lord, for hearing our prayers for those dear to our hearts. We now pray as You have taught us: 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 sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us, not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Offering spotlight: Bloomsburg University has many social groups, one of which is Cornerstone Christian Community. This group offers a meeting place for Christian students to work and play with those who follow Christ. Cornerstone is supported in part by your Missions offerings.
Offering prayer: Loving and generous God: As we offer our gifts this day, we confess that when confronted with Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” our answer is ambivalent at best. Even when we get the words right, we know our lives give a different answer. We turn away from the suffering and oppression of Your children. We accumulate wealth and prestige and ignore the poor and powerless. You give and hold nothing back, and we give from our excess and resent being asked to do more. Help us to respond with the answer that comes from the center of our being and that is demonstrated in our living. In Christ, we pray. Amen. (Discipleship Ministries)
- Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee;
let the water and the blood, from Thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me pure. - Not the labors of my hands can fulfill Thy law's commands;
could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone. - Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to Thee for dress; helpless, look to Thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die. - While I draw this fleeting breath, when mine eyes shall close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown, see Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.
Scripture: Romans 12:4-8
For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
Hymn: #555 Forward Through the Ages
- Forward through the ages, in unbroken line, move the faithful spirits at the call divine;
gifts in differing measure, hearts of one accord, manifold the service, one the sure reward.
Refrain: Forward through the ages, in unbroken line, move the faithful spirits at the call divine.
- Wider grows the kingdom, reign of love and light; for it we must labor, till our faith is sight.
Prophets have proclaimed it, martyrs testified, poets sung its glory, heroes for it died. (Refrain) - Not alone we conquer, not alone we fall; in each loss or triumph lose or triumph all.
Bound by God's far purpose in one living whole, move we on together to the shining goal.
(Refrain)
Go into your week with the blessings of The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit.
