MISSION LIBERTY HILL LUTHERAN CHURCH OUR GOD of TRUTH July 12, 2020

MISSION LIBERTY HILL LUTHERAN CHURCH OUR GOD OF TRUTH July 12, 2020

We stand and lift up our hands, for the joy of the Lord is our strength. We bow down and worship Him now. How great, how awesome is He. And together we sing, ev’ryone sing.

Chorus: Holy is the Lord God Almighty. The earth is filled with His glory. Holy is the Lord God Almighty. The earth is filled with His glory. The earth is filled with His glory.

We stand and lift up our hands, for the joy of the Lord is our strength. We bow down and worship Him now. How great, how awesome is He. And together we sing, ev’ryone sing. Chorus 2x

Words of Welcome and Announcements

Our Call to Worship - Today’s Gospel Reading Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Our Prayer of Beginning

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, Open the eyes of my heart; I want to see You, I want to see You. (repeat)

To see You high and lifted up, Shining in the light of Your glory. Pour out your pow’r and love; As we sing holy, holy, holy.

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, Open the eyes of my heart; I want to see You, I want to see You. (repeat)

To see You high and lifted up, Shining in the light of Your glory. Pour out your pow’r and love; As we sing holy, holy, holy.

Holy, holy, holy, Holy, holy, holy; Holy, holy, holy, I want to see You. (repeat)

Our Prayer of Confession and Assurance of Pardon Pastor: Our help is in the name of the Lord, People: who made heaven and earth. Pastor: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, People: and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Silence for reflection and self-examination in the light of God’s Word of Truth… Pastor: In His Word of Truth, God promises, “My word . . . shall not return to Me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. People: We acknowledge those shallow, rocky and thorny places in our lives, that have closed the eyes of our hearts to You. We have sinned in thought, word, and deed. Forgive us, Heavenly Father. Silence for personal confession of sin… Pastor: In today’s Gospel, our Lord promises that “the one who hears the word and understands it . . . bears fruit.” By the grace of God, His Word is bearing fruit in your life. He is opening your eyes and your heart to all the grace and truth that He has for you. As your pastor and your brother in Christ, I assure you that—in and through Jesus Christ—you stand forgiven and loved by God. Confess Him with your lips and honor Him through your life! People: Amen! Thanks be to God!

We Profess and Proclaim Our Savior in His Meal of Holy Communion

1 Corinthians 11: 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

The Words of Institution: Pastor: The peace of the Lord be with you all. People: And also with you.

Should I Receive Communion Today?

Christ commands us saying, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” Forgiveness, life, and salvation are truly offered to all who eat the Lord’s body and blood in the Sacrament, but only through faith can we receive the blessings offered there.

Therefore, we should ask ourselves these questions to personally examine our hearts before communion: ++DO I BELIEVE in Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior from sin? ++DO I REPENT of all my sins in thought, word, and action? ++DO I BELIEVE THAT I RECEIVE the very true body and blood of Jesus Christ in, with, and under the bread and wine? ++DO I RELY on Jesus’s promise that all my sins are forgiven as I receive this Holy Supper? ++DO I BELIEVE that I am one with my fellow communicants in accepting all of Jesus’ teachings? ++WILL I RELY on the power of the Holy Spirit to change my sinful life?

Source: Luther, Martin. Luther’s Small Catechism, with Explanation. Concordia Publishing House, 1991.

Christ, the Word of God incarnate, Lord and Son of Abraham; Christ, the radiance of the Father, Perfect God, the great I AM; Christ, the light, You shine unvanquished, Light and life You bring to all; Light our path with Your own presence, Grant us grace to heed Your call.

Christ, our good and faithful shepherd, Watching all Your lambs and sheep; Christ, the gate that guards the sheepfold, Neverfailing vigil keep. When we stray, Good shepherd, seek us, Find us, lift us, bear us home; Lamb of God, our shepherd, keep us; Let us hear Your voice alone.

Christ, the Alpha and Omega, Christ, the firstborn from the dead, Christ, the life and resurrection, Christ, the Church’s glorious head: Praise and thanks and adoration And unending worship be To the Father and the Spirit And to You eternally.

You are my joy; You are my song. You are the well, the One I’m drawing from. You are my refuge my whole life long. Where else would I go?

Chorus: Surely my God is the strength of my soul. You love defends me, Your love defends me. And when I feel like I’m all alone, Your love defends me, Your love defends me.

Day after day, night after night. I will remember, You’re with me in this fight. Although the battle, it rages on, The war is already won. I know the war is already won. Chorus x2 / Verse 1 The Communion Blessing

With Thankful Hearts, We Call Upon our Living and Loving God in Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer 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 power and the glory forever ever. Amen.

The Message: Rev. Dr. Mike Coppersmith “INFLUENCING WITH INTEGRITY” Becoming a Person of True Integrity

Closing Prayer of Response

The Benediction

Purify my heart, let me be as gold and precious silver. Purify my heart, let me be as gold, pure gold.

Chorus: Refiner’s fire, my heart’s one desire is to be holy, Set apart for You, Lord. I choose to be holy, set apart for You my master, Ready to do Your will.

Purify my heart, cleanse me from within and make me holy. Purify my heart, cleanse me from my sin, deep within. Chorus 2x

NEXT SUNDAY Thank You for again for worshiping with us this Sunday! You are invited to join us for worship again next Sunday at Mission Liberty Hill. If you were blessed by this morning’s message, be sure to pass the link to today’s message on to your family and friends—it is available on our church’s website: www. missionlibertyhill.com

Credits Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series A, Quarter 3. Copyright ©2020 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. LIVE LIFE GOD’S WAY… BY INFLUENCING WITH INTEGRITY Becoming a Person of True Integrity ~ 1 Peter 2:11-25 Mission Liberty Hill July 12, 2020

INTRODUCTION

In Your Bible: 1 Peter 2:11-25

1 Peter 2:12 (NLT) Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.

Today: Three Essentials to Influencing Others for Jesus by Living with Integrity

I. STAND STRONG AGAINST ______(v. 11)

1 Peter 2:1(NLT) I urge you…to live in this world as strangers and temporary residents, to keep clear of the desires of your lower nature, for they are always at war with your soul.

As 1 Peter 2:11 (Message Bible) Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul.

II. SHOW RESPECT FOR ______(v.13-19)

Why Should You Do This?

For the ______!

Acts 5:27-30 Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men!”

III. SUFFER ______IN CHRIST’S STEPS (v. 20-25)

1 Peter 2:21-23 (The Message) This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came His way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step…they called Him every name in the book and He said nothing back. He suffered in silence—content to let God set things right.

CONCLUSION