Gathering Preview | Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43
CALL TO WORSHIP
You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless; when you’re kind to the poor, you honor God. The evil of bad people leaves them out in the cold; the integrity of good people creates a safe place for living. Lady Wisdom is at home in an understanding heart— fools never even get to say hello. God-devotion makes a country strong; God-avoidance leaves people weak. Proverbs 14:31-34 (The Message)
SONG | THIS IS AMAZING GRACE
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
I turned to the Lord God, praying diligently, begging for His mercy, grieving and fasting in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Eternal One my God, praising His greatness and confessing our sins: Lord God, You are great and awesome! You are always faithful to the covenant You made with us. Your unfailing love extends to all who love You and keep Your commandments. But we have sinned and wronged You. We have acted wickedly in our rebellion, going so far as to disregard Your commandments and regulations. But You, O Lord our God, still show us compassion and forgiveness even though we have openly rebelled against You. Daniel 9:1-5;9 (The Voice)
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent, for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
SONG | ESTABLISH THE WORK OF OUR HANDS
PRAYER OF ASSURANCE
I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth! What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me. I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people. From Psalm 116 (NLT)
SONG | IS HE WORTHY
SCRIPTURE READING -PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND THE WEEDS
He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared.The landowner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he told them.“‘So, do you want us to go and pull them up?’ the servants asked him.“‘No,’ he said. ‘When you pull up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but collect the wheat in my barn.’” Then he left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”He replied, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all who cause sin and those guilty of lawlessness.They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Let anyone who has ears listen. MATTHEW 13:24-30;36-43
THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD.
SONG | IN CHRIST ALONE
ANNOUNCEMENTS & GIVING
BENEDICTION
But— When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. TITUS 3:4-7 (NLT)
PEACE BE WITH YOU. And also with you!