The Celebration of the Gospel
October 30, 2016 —24th Sunday after Pentecost
“Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”
— Luke 19.5
________We Gather as the Body of Christ______
GREETING
PRELUDE Meditation Jules Massenet, arr: Rick Parks
[As we listen to the music we quiet our minds and bodies,
listen for our hearts’ deepest desires,
and become present to the Holy One who is lovingly present for us.]
* CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Creator God, for life and beauty we praise you.
All: Joy and gratitude!
Loving Christ, for grace and mercy, we thank you.
Joy and gratitude!
Holy Spirit, in your life-changing power we worship you.
Joy and gratitude! Alleluia!
* SONG I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry Black hymnal # 2051
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
__________ We Attend to the Word____________
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG Amazing Grace arr. Joel Raney
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Loving God, as Jesus came to Zacchaeus’ house, you come to us; you bless us; you change us. We open the homes of our hearts to you and we welcome your gracious presence. Speak to us, and transform us by your Spirit. Amen.
NEW TESTAMENT 2 Thessalonians 1.1-4, 11-12
[Paul thanks the people of the church for their increasing love for each other, and prays that Christ will be glorified in them.]
From Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Life-Giver and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Life-Giver and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We must always give thanks to God for you, dear siblings, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and among each of you your love for one another is increasing. Therefore we boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring.
So we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of God’s call and will fulfill by God’s power every good resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Christ, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ
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GOSPEL Luke 19.1-10
[Jesus invites himself to the home of Zacchaeus, a despised tax collector, as if they are relatives. In the context of Jesus’ acceptance of him, Zacchaeus experiences a dramatic turnaround in his life. ]
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.”
Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Human One came to seek out and to save the lost.”
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SERMON
SONG O Lord, Your Tenderness Black hymnal # 2143
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
Our Mother, 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 the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
PASSING THE PEACE
______We Are Sent in Ministry to the World_____
CELEBRATING OUR GIFTS
OFFERING OUR GIFTS
Leaning On The Everlasting Arms Anthony Showalter, arr: Bill Wolaver
* OFFERING SONG This Is a Day of New Beginnings Blue hymnal # 383
* PRAYER
Gracious God, in gratitude for all you have given us, and in faithful stewardship of what you have placed in our hands to share with the world, we give you our gifts as symbols of our lives. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. You have received us into your love; now send us out as changed people to serve you for the sake of the healing of the world, in the name of Christ. Amen.
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG Breathe on Me, Breath of God Blue hymnal #420
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE We stand and sing to our neighbors:
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.
POSTLUDE Trumpet Dialogue Alice Jordan
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]