Sunday Worship Service
March 13, 2022 – 10:30am
We are RECEIVED as the Beloved of God
The actual worship service begins 15 minutes into the recordings.
WELCOME
OPENING SONG – Meditation
OPENING PRAYER
SONG – Be Still, My Soul UM Hymnal (blue book) # 534
CHILDREN’S TIME WITH MESSAGE FOR ALL AGES
ANTHEM – Come Lift Your Hearts on High
Come lift your hearts on high.
Let our praises fill the sky.
God is our guide and friend, and God’s love will never end.
On heaven’s blissful shore, God’s goodness we’ll adore.
Praise is His gracious choice. Let us praise with heart and voice.
We are TRANSFORMED by the Word of God
James 1:2-8
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. 5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
James 2:1-9
1 My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? 2 For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. 3 If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, 4 doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives? 5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? 6 But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear? 8 Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 9 But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.
GOOD NEWS – The Five Marks of a Mature Christian (Part 1)
Lent is a sanctifying journey to be more like Jesus. It is a God-given opportunity to practice spiritual disciplines to get matured. The Letter of James introduces the five marks of Christian maturity. This Sunday, we are going to learn the first two marks of a mature Christian.
SONG – Jesu, Jesu UM Hymnal (blue book) # 432
THE HOLY COMMUNION
RESPONSE TO GOD’S GRACE (OFFERING)
Pastor: God says, “I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know Me more than I want burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6).
All: God, we give what we have decided in our hearts to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for You love a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).
INTERCESSORY PRAYER
THE LORD’S PRAYER UM Hymnal (blue book) # 895
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
We are SENT in the Power of God
LIFE OF ST. MATTHEW’S COMMUNITY
BLESSING AND SENDING
CLOSING SONG – In Christ Alone