Call to Worship – Psalm 23
The Lord Is My Shepherd – A Psalm of David.
23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Invocation
O God our King, by the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ on the first day of the week, you conquered sin, put death to flight, and gave us the hope of everlasting life: Redeem all our days by this victory; forgive our sins, banish our fears, make us bold to praise you and to do your will; and steel us to wait for the consummation of your kingdom on the last great Day; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Death in His Grave
Although the earth cried out for blood, Satisfied her hunger was;
Billows calmed on raging seas For the souls of men she craved.
Sun and moon from balcony Turned their head in disbelief;
Precious Love would taste the sting, Disfigured and disdained.
On Friday a thief, on Sunday a King.
Laid down in grief but awoke with the keys
Of hell on that day, the first born of the slain:
The Man Jesus Christ laid death in His grave.
So three days in darkness slept The Morning Son of righteousness;
But rose to shame the throes of death, And overturn His rule.
Now daughters and the sons of men Would pay not their dues again;
The debt of blood they owed was rent When the day rolled anew. (Chorus)
He has cheated hell and seated us above the fall.
In desperate places He paid our wages One time once for all. (Chorus)
Words and Music: John Mark McMillan
CCLI #2487144
Children’s Sermon
Prayer and Intercession
Please take a few moments to pray for:
- Ken Goodrich
- Betty Hubbard
- Lyle Willey
- Donald Cooper
- Fennessey Family
- Mays Family
- Chelsea Mends-Cole
- Brady Adams
- The Paradee Family
- Kevin Fleming
- Donna Waguespack
- Other personal concerns
Scripture Reading – Genesis 28:10-22
Jacob’s Dream at Bethel
10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.13 There above it[c] stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”
18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.
20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God 22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”
Sermon: Living the Dream – Rev. Jason R. McConnell
Be Thou My Vision
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me, save that thou art–
Thou my best thought by day or by night, waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word; I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, and I thy true son; Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and thou only, first in my heart, High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won, may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Translated by: Mary E. Byrne/Eleanor Hull
Public Domain