Gathering Liturgy | August 16
CALL TO WORSHIP
The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (From Psalm 46)
SONG | Approach My Soul The Mercy Seat
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Holy God, Creator of all that is, Donor of Grace, and Giver of Life: Hear our prayer. There are chasms in our lives, deep valleys that separate us From one another and from You. We confess that we have allowed those rifts to grow, For fear of admitting our part in the separation, for fear of being rejected when we reach out. You call us to a reconciled life, to healed relationships, to a wholeness with each other and with You. Mend us, we pray and make us new creations. Through the power and love of Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
SONG | God With Us
PRAYER OF ASSURANCE
Father, we come before you, these but a portion of the catalog of transgressions we have committed against you. If You, O LORD, should mark iniquities—if you would tally up the number of things we’ve preferred above you; if you would count the number of prideful thoughts, or lustful thoughts, or bitter thoughts, or envious thoughts that have accumulated in our hearts; if you would open the record and judge us for every empty or idle word we’ve spoken—O LORD, who could stand?! But with you there is forgiveness, through Christ Jesus, who was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, and by whose wounds we are healed. It is in his name we pray. Amen.
SONG | Holy Spirit
SCRIPTURE READING | John 14:14-31
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way.
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!
SERMON NOTES
God is the one who ultimately gives peace.
“I am sure of God’s guiding hand, and I hope I shall never lose that certainty. You must never doubt I am traveling my appointed road with gratitude and cheerfulness. My past life is replete with God’s goodness, and my sins are covered by the forgiving love of Christ crucified.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
“We long for the Truth—for the real, the authentic, the true, and the honest. (1 John 2:1)
“It is the Spirit’s special mission, constantly, to testify to this Truth who is Jesus.”
(Dale Bruner)
John 1:10
The Spirit leads us into truth and enables us to be fruitful in this ministry.
Exodus 29:45-46; Exodus 33:14-17; Psalm 132:14
The Spirit anointed Jesus to heal our human brokenness from the inside and transforms our hearts.
John 20:22; John 14:18-20; John 14:26; John 16:13-14
“What Jesus is asserting is nothing less than that our poor and needy hearts will become the residence of the triune God, as all three persons of the Godhead make a home within us. It is difficult to do any justice in words to so immense a vision, or rich a gifting.” (Bruce Milne)
Salvation is to live in loving union with God and to participate in this nature through the Spirit.
Revelation 21:3; Colossian 3:12
Questions for reflection:
Where are you desiring peace the most in this season?
How can God be leading you to surrender and to go deeper with him?
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” (John 14:27)
COMMUNION
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”
(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”
The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
SONG | When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVING
Last week at our Builders Meeting we made some big announcements. Two we want to share with you all this morning is that:
We have hired Demetrius Warren as our new Worship Director. Demetrius and his family will begin worshipping with us on August 23. Demetrius also desires to be a pastor at New Circle. So we will begin the 9-month pastoral process with him soon and Lord-willing he will become the fourth pastor of New Circle.
Matthew Yiesla officially begins his ministry residency with New Circle today! )(Introduce Matt and Kelsey). Matt will be learning from our pastoral team and will be possibly looking to focus in on the area of Youth Ministry in the coming months.
Community Groups will be starting back at the end of August and meet at least once per month. Check-in with your group leader to see what you group plans to do and speak into the decision on how often you meet throughout the fall.
We are launching a new aspect of ministry at New Circle that should be able to endure even in times of extreme social distancing called Triads. Triads are groups of three people who partner together to help one another grow. They will meet for twelve months. Our desire is for people to experience relational investment, spiritual maturation, and holistic transformation. Please be in prayer concerning if you should be involved. Find more information on our website.
With all of this in the face of the pandemic and social unrest, we want to spend 24 Hours in Prayer on August 29. Sign-up through Sign-Up Genius.
NCC Kids Zoom Classes will begin the first week of September.
Encourage folks to give online or in the plate.
SONG | Great Are You Lord
BENEDICTION
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Peace be with you! And also with you!
Midweek Meditation | John 14:25-27
Pastor Christopher leads through our Midweek Meditation on John 14:25-27. The purpose of the Midweek Meditation is to give you an opportunity to rest, meditate on Scripture, and prepare yourself for the upcoming Gathering.
NCCKids Weekday Devotionals | Aug. 10-14
It's week two! Let's remember to:
Model eagerness to learn from the word and grow.
Pick a set time for doing the devotion each day. This increases the odds for consistency.
Glance over the reading before starting.
Not get discouraged. There will be days when it seems as if you are wasting your time. Rest assured, God sees your faithfulness and his word does not return void.
August 10:
I John 1:9 (NIRV) - But God is faithful and fair. If we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins. He will forgive every wrong thing we have done. He will make us pure.
Discussion Prompt for little children:
God is such a good Father to us! When we tell him that we have done something wrong, he always forgives us. He loves us so very much!
When Jesus was on the earth his disciple Peter asked him how many times he should forgive a person. Peter thought seven was a good guess. Peter was wrong. Jesus said that Peter should forgive seven times seventy. Back then people thought of seven as a holy and complete number so Jesus was telling Peter that he should forgive infinity times! Over and over and over!
(Parents, open your calculator app and let your child multiply 7x7 until the number gets so big that it fills the screen. It won’t take long :) See that number, that’s what forgiveness looks like to Jesus. You never ever have to fear messing up too many times for God to forgive you!
Let’s pray and thank God for always forgiving us!
Discussion Guide for older children and teens:
What do you think of when you hear the word ‘confess?’
Often TV shows depict a detective urging someone to confess so that their punishment will be less severe. When you think of confessing does punishment come to mind?
While confession does mean admitting to God and to others that we have done something wrong, our scripture says that God is faithful. He will forgive our sins. We don’t need to fear confessing to him. God already knows everything we have done; we can’t hide our actions from him. In fact, we should be more fearful of trying to hide our wrong-doings than of confession. One of the most amazing things about life with God is that confession leads to more peace and freedom and rids us of punishing things like guilt, anger, and shame.
Let’s pray and ask God to help us to run to him when we have done wrong.
August 11:
Colossians 3:13 (NIRV) - Put up with one another. Forgive one another if you are holding something against someone. Forgive, just as the Lord forgave you.
Discussion Prompt for all ages:
Since God loves and forgives us always, we should forgive others. Not only does forgiving others point them to Jesus, but it also brings healing to us.
In a book called “Life with God for Children,” it says that hurts are like hot stones. Have you ever played hot potato with a real hot potato? Or picked up a mug of hot coffee? Have you held a really hot ear of corn? Sometimes you can hold it for a second or two before the heat builds and starts to hurt you.
When someone does something wrong to us- whether on accident or on purpose- it’s like they have handed us a hot stone. If we hold onto that hot stone too long it will burn us.
The best way to handle someone hurting us is to give the hurt, or hot stone, to Jesus. Tell him all about what happened. Ask him for wisdom in how you should respond and for the grace to forgive.
It is also wise to tell a parent about the wrong someone did to you. They can help you find a way to forgive and give you advice on how to address the person who has hurt you.
Let’s pray and ask God to give us forgiving hearts and the wisdom to share our hurts with each other.
August 12:
2 Peter 3:8 (NIRV) - Dear friends, here is one thing you must not forget. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years. And a thousand years are like a day.
Discussion Prompt for all ages:
Have you ever noticed that when you order a toy from Amazon it seems like those two to three days it takes to arrive are SO long? What about a day at the pool or on the beach- does it go by quickly or slowly? What about sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office?
Time is strange, isn’t it? But with God, it gets even weirder! God is not just in all places at once, but he’s also in all times. Mind blown! He’s not limited to this current moment like we are. He can see everything in the past and everything in the future. And since God has always been around and always will be, he sees time differently than we do.
Have you ever prayed to God about something only to have to pray for it again and again and again? It’s hard to wait on God, especially because we know that he has the power to change things the very minute we ask.
God has an incredible plan that started before the world was even made and goes on forever. That’s a big plan! When we don’t understand why we have to wait on God it helps to remember that the plan is still working and that God still loves you.
Is there something you are having a hard time waiting for? Let’s pray and ask God for patience and faith in his plan.
August 13:
Psalm 23:1-2 (NIRV) - The Lord is my shepherd. He gives me everything I need. He lets me lie down in fields of green grass. He leads me beside quiet waters.
Discussion Prompt for all ages:
Do you see what the Psalmist did in our scripture for today? David wrote a word picture to describe his relationship with God. Listen to it one more time and try to let the picture form in your mind: The Lord is my shepherd. He gives me everything I need. He lets me lie down in fields of green grass. He leads me beside quiet waters.
Worship is our response to God and his love for us. King David worshiped God by reflecting on the ways God cared for him and then wrote a word picture about it. Today, take some time to think about how God has shown his love to you and come up with your own word picture to describe your relationship with God. At (breakfast tomorrow, dinner tonight, bedtime- whatever applies to your family) we’ll share our word pictures. You can just say your word picture, draw it, or even write a poem like King David did!
Let’s pray and thank God for how he cares for us and ask him to give us an image of what his care looks like.
August 14:
Discussion Prompt for all ages:
The same psalmist who wrote our scripture from yesterday wrote many of the Psalms in the Bible. David had a very sweet relationship with God. The Bible says he was ‘a man after God’s own heart.’
The things David wrote in the Bible can be surprising. As you listen to the Scripture for today raise your hand when you hear something that sounds strange or surprises you.
Psalm 3 (NIRV) - Lord, I have so many enemies! So many people are rising up against me! Many are saying about me, “God will not save him.” Lord, you are like a shield that keeps me safe. You bring me honor. You help me win the battle. I call out to the Lord. He answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep. I wake up again, because the Lord takes care of me. I won’t be afraid even though tens of thousands attack me on every side. Lord, rise up! My God, save me! Strike all my enemies in the face. Break the teeth of sinful people. Lord, you are the one who saves. May your blessing be on your people.
What were some of the things that surprised you? What things did David say that sounded sad? What things did he say that sounded angry?
Would you say that David was very honest about his feelings as he talked to God? Maybe honesty is one of the things that made David ‘a man after God’s own heart.’
David realized God already knew what was going on in his heart so he felt free to share his feelings. You can share your anger, fear, sadness, and frustration with God.
Is it helpful to know that you don’t have to get your feelings under control before you talk to God?
Further discussion for older children and teens:
Thankfully, God is a good, just ruler. He can hear our hurts and complaints and not lash out at others unjustly. We don’t have to fear that if we pray about someone in anger that God will ‘break their teeth.’ God will provide justice or reconciliation in a wise way.
Let’s pray and thank God that we can take all our cares, concerns, and emotions to him!
Gathering Liturgy | August 9
CALL TO WORSHIP
Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has performed wonders; his right hand and holy arm have won him victory. The Lord has made his victory known; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his love and faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen our God’s victory. Let the whole earth shout to the Lord; be jubilant, shout for joy, and sing. Sing to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and melodious song. With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn shout triumphantly in the presence of the Lord, our King. Let the sea and all that fills it, the world and those who live in it, resound. Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains shout together for joy before the Lord. (From Psalm 98)
SONG | Tis So Sweet
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
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. We have not obeyed the voice of the Eternal our God. (From Daniel 9)
If we go around bragging, “We have no sin,” then we are fooling ourselves and are strangers to the truth. But if we own up to our sins, God shows that He is faithful and just by forgiving us of our sins and purifying us from the pollution of all the bad things we have done. (1 John 1.8-9; The Voice)
SONG | Touch the Sky
PRAYER OF ASSURANCE
Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead, he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. For this reason, God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2.5-11)
SONG | None But Jesus
SCRIPTURE READING
“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. You know the way to where I am going.”
“Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
“Lord,” said Philip, “Show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who lives in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves. “Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. (John 14.1-14)
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!
SERMON - TRUST VS. MISTRUST | Notes
Trust you will know and experience the (presence) of Jesus during your life.
Isaiah 53:3; John 14:1
Jesus followers will spend (eternity) with him in the presence of the Father.John 14:2-4
“This is the next life’s most simple, compact, intimate, and adequate definition.” - Dale Bruner
Jesus is the way that we (enter into) the presence of God.
John 14:5-7; Psalm 25:8-12; John 1:14
Through trusting Jesus, we can (experience) the presence of God (today)!
Jesus promises that his followers will do great (works) in his name.
Jesus will do whatever his disciple (ask) in his name.
"Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God." - William Carey
John 14:12-14; John 1:18
Jesus offers us the (peace) of his presence for our troubled hearts.
“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33)
COMMUNION
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11.23-26)
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”
(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”
The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
SONG | Good Good Father
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVING
Builders Meeting, tonight at 6:00 pm through Zoom.
We will talk about some adjustments we are going to make.
We have a few big announcements and things to celebrate with you all.
And we will spend time encouraging one another and praying.
Stay updated through the Weekly.
In the Weekly, you’ll get some news from New Circle as well as items like the Midweek Meditation. Christopher produces this 10 minutes video each week to help you meditate upon the Scripture that we will be focusing on the following Sunday as a way to prepare your heart and mind.
You also will find links to information from NCC Kids. NCC Kids is sending Weekday Devotions to all of the families in our church. If you want to receive them and are not please reach out to Amy. And if anyone would like to help us be able to have age-specific class meetings over Zoom for our students please let Amy know as well.
If you do not receive it you can text “NewCircle” to 66866 to sign-up.
Examine takes place now each Saturday at 10:00 am through Zoom.
BENEDICTION
Mirror Image, Indelible, Irremovable, Unerasable, Unforgettable, Enduring, Endearing, Undoing, Unmistakable, Likeness, Exact image, Lasting Impression, Very Nature. “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” (Ben Witherington)
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days, he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. (Hebrews 1.1-4)
Peace be with you! And also with you!
Midweek Meditation | John 14:1-7
The point of the Midweek Meditation is to send more time in God’s Word and to prepare our hearts for the Gathering this Sunday. We pray it would be nourishing to you and that you would be open to receiving God’s Word.
We want you to be aware of what you are noticing in the text, what is standing out to you, and what your heart is needing in this section of Scripture.
NCCKids Weekday Devotions | Aug. 3-7
August 3:
Proverbs 2:3-6 (NIRV)
Let your ears listen to wisdom.
Apply your heart to understanding.
Call out for the ability to be wise.
Cry out for understanding.
Look for it as you would look for silver.
Search for it as you would search for hidden treasure.
Then you will understand how to have respect for the Lord.
You will find out how to know God.
The Lord gives wisdom.
Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.
Discussion Prompt for little children:
Did you know that a parent's biggest, most important job is to help their child learn to love God and walk with Jesus? That’s a big responsibility, isn’t it? But you know what? The Bible says if we ask God for wisdom and for guidance that he will give it to us! Isn’t that amazing?!
Would you pray with me that God would give our family wisdom as we walk with Jesus together? Is there anything you would like to ask God about? (Consider sharing something you are asking God for wisdom about.)
Discussion Guide for older children and teens:
What do you think it means to ‘apply your heart to understanding?’
-Potential answer: There’s a difference between just knowing facts and letting them affect us. Knowing that there are hungry people in our neighborhood and letting that information affect our hearts can be two different things.
What does ‘find(ing) out how to know God’ have to do with wisdom and understanding?
-Potential answer: We should desire to understand things the way God understands them.
Before we pray together, is there anything you need wisdom for that we can talk to God about?
August 4:
Proverbs 3:27 (NIRV)
Don’t hold back good from those who are worthy of it.
Don’t hold it back when you can help.
Discussion Prompt for little children:
Can you think of a time when you helped someone? What was it like? Now, can you think of a time when someone needed your help but you didn’t feel like helping them? (Sometimes children need to see an adult admit a bad attitude before they feel comfortable doing so.) Why do you think it’s important to God that we help others whenever we can?
-Potential answers: 1) While he was on Earth Jesus spent lots of time helping and serving others. Doing as Jesus did should be our goal. 2) Matthew 5:16 says that when we do good things for other people it shows them how beautiful God is!
Let’s pray that God would give us the opportunity to help someone today!
Discussion Guide for older children and teens:
Can you think of a time when you wanted to hold back good from someone? (Sometimes children need to see an adult admit a bad attitude before they feel comfortable doing so.)
Why do you think that helping others or showing them love is often a difficult decision?
-Potential answer: helping others often means denying ourselves.
Jesus was a servant. Following Jesus’ example and doing good for others is not easy. And yet, 1 Peter 3 says that when we suffer for doing something good (or for righteousness’ sake) we are blessed. How does that make sense?
-Potential answer: suffering or doing something difficult often leads us closer to God, the greatest blessing of all!
Before we pray together, does anyone come to mind that may be in need of help?
August 5:
Matthew 19:13-15 (NIRV)
Some people brought little children to Jesus. They wanted him to place his hands on the children and pray for them. But the disciples told them not to do it. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t keep them away. The kingdom of heaven belongs to people like them.” Jesus placed his hands on them to bless them. Then he went on from there.
Discussion Prompt:
Get ready to use your imagination! We’re going to picture what it would have been like to be one of the children in the story from Matthew.
(Parents, try to read this prompt slowly, giving your child time to form a picture in their mind.) Close your eyes for a minute and imagine you are standing in a big crowd. Everyone’s really excited about someone who is up in the front but all the adults are so tall that you are having trouble seeing who it is! All you can see are legs and backs. People are pressing forward to get to the important person and it’s kind of scary to have all those big bodies bumping into you.
Now imagine that I lean down, pick you up, and say, ‘Look! It’s Jesus! He’s the one who has been healing people and doing miracles! Why don’t you squeeze through everyone and see if you can make it up to him? Maybe he will bless you!’
Can you imagine how scary it would be to make your way through the crowd… squeezing, maneuvering through the people? But look! There he is! You’re so close! Can you see Jesus in your mind?
Suddenly some other man is putting his arm out in front of you and blocking your way! He raises his voice and says ‘Stop sending your children up to Jesus! He is very busy and he needs to speak to important adults!’ How does hearing that make you feel? Are you frustrated... sad... embarrassed?
Now, see Jesus look at the man as if he’s silly, and hear him say, with a little bit of laughter in his voice, ‘Don’t keep them away! My wisdom and love and power belong to them!’
The man drops his arms and watches, with a confused look on his face, as you and several other children walk past him towards Jesus.
Imagine yourself walking up to Jesus. Can you feel him put his hand on the top of your head? Can you see him lean in closer, to look you in the eye? Hear him say kind, loving words over you. Does he know your name? (Allow a moment for your child(ren) to linger in their imagination)
Okay, open your eyes. How does it feel to know that Jesus’ love and attention belong to you just as much as they belong to any adult?
We’re about to talk to Jesus in a moment when we pray. Is there anything you would like to say to him?
August 6:
Proverbs 15:5 (NIRV)
A foolish person turns their back on their parent’s correction.
But anyone who accepts correction shows understanding.
Discussion Prompt for younger and older children and teens:
Can you think of a time when I told you that you were doing something the wrong way, like tying your shoes or cutting food incorrectly? At the time it was probably frustrating that I was correcting you, right?
What do you think would happen if no one ever corrected anything you did?
Sometimes, even adults wish that people would leave us alone and let us do things our own way. But, our scripture for today reminds us that it is wise to let others teach and correct us.
During our prayer time, let’s thank God for placing people in our lives who love us and correct us.
August 7:
Psalm 117 (NIRV)
All you nations, praise the Lord.
All you people on earth, praise him.
Great is his love for us.
The Lord is faithful forever.
Praise the Lord.
Discussion Prompt for little children:
God is so good to us! Our scripture for today tells us that he will love us and be good to us forever! Even if we get mad and yell at our sister, or hide toys under our bed when it’s time to clean, God still loves us. Isn’t that amazing?! What’s one thing about God that you think is amazing?
Let’s spend our prayer time today praising God and thanking him for his goodness.
Discussion Guide for older children and teens:
The dictionary says being faithful is ‘remaining true, constant and loyal.’ Psalm 117 says God is faithful forever. Humans have a hard time being constant. We change our minds and our loyalties often. God, however, never changes. His overwhelming love for you is eternal. And the promises he has made to his people in the Bible will never be broken. You can always trust God.
Can you recall any promises God has made in his word?
Some suggestions if your child gets stuck: ’I will never leave you or forsake you.’ ‘But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.’
Let’s choose one promise that God has made in the Bible and memorize it over the weekend. Knowledge of God’s intentions and love for us can be a powerful tool when times are hard. Even when everything is going perfectly, knowing God’s promises can be a source of praise- as it was for the Psalmist.
Gathering Liturgy - August 2
CALL TO WORSHIP
Hallelujah! How good it is to sing to our God, for praise is pleasant and lovely. The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem; he gathers Israel’s exiled people. He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; he gives names to all of them. Our Lord is great, vast in power; his understanding is infinite. Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; play the lyre to our God, who covers the sky with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, and causes grass to grow on the hills. He provides the animals with their food, and the young ravens what they cry for. He is not impressed by the strength of a horse; he does not value the power of a warrior. The Lord values those who fear him, those who put their hope in his faithful love. (from Psalm 147)
SONG | Approach My Soul the Mercy Seat
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Almighty Father; we enter your presence confessing the things we try to conceal from you and the things we try to conceal from others. We confess the heartbreak, worry, and sorrow we have caused, that make it difficult for others to forgive us, the times we have made it easy for others to do wrong, the harm we have done that makes it hard for us to forgive ourselves. Lord have mercy and forgive us through Christ. Amen.
SONG | All the Poor and Powerless
PRAYER OF ASSURANCE
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5.1-8)
SONG | Open Space
SCRIPTURE READING
“Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.” “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times. (John 13.36-38)
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
SERMON NOTES | Spirit vs. Self
COMMUNION
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11.23-26)
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”
(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”
The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
SONG | Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)
GIVING AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Builders Meeting, August 9, 6 pm via Zoom
Sign Up for the Weekly via Text
Midweek Meditation
NCC Kids Materials
Examine, every Saturday at 10 am on Zoom
BENEDICTION
The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live. (Psalm 23)
Peace be with you! And also with you.
Gathering Liturgy - July 26
Welcome and Call to Worship
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Prayer
Song | Oh! Great is our God
Prayer of Confession
Lord God, we rejoice in your resurrection and in your promise to return. Help us live today as people who await the fulfillment of your kingdom. We confess we often look for comfort outside of you. Bend our knees to the hard work of prayer, worship, repentance, and intercession. Throughout history you have used the seemingly weak to nurture justice, to fight poverty, and to walk bravely toward human thrones of power proclaiming another way. Help us find comfort and hope in our afflictions, knowing you are present with us always. In the name of Jesus, our Savior, Amen. (Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals)
Song | How He Loves Us
Prayer of Assurance
This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent his Son as the world’s Savior. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God—God remains in him and he in God. And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love. We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:13-19)
Song | From the Inside Out
Scripture Reading | John 13:1-20
Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. Now when it was time for supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him. Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands, that he had come from God, and that he was going back to God. So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.” “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said. Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you. “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. “I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: The one who eats my bread has raised his heel against me. I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am he. Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives me receives him who sent me.”
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Sermon Notes
“Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. Now when it was time for supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him. Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands, that he had come from God, and that he was going back to God. So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him…When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them,“Do you know what I have done for you? You call me Teacher and Lord — and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you. Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them…I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:1-5, 12-17, 34-35)
Understanding the sin of pride:
- Satan: Ezekiel 28:17; 1 Timothy 3:6
- Adam and Eve: Genesis 3:1-7
“Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly of spirit with the humble…” (Proverbs 16:18-19)
“In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that — and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison — you do not know God at all. As long as you are proud, you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” —C.S. Lewis
As we grow in our ________________ with God, we should grow in ________________.
In Jesus, we see humility ________________.
John 13:4-5; Like 22:24
(1) True humility begins through a ________________ with God.
John 13:1, 3; Philippians 2:5-8
“How can anyone be arrogant when he stands beside the cross?” —Carl Henry
(2) Humility, in view of God, cultivates ________________ in our hearts.
John 13:1, 3:35, 5:20; Matthew 5:44; Romans 5:5, 10:13
(3) Humility is demonstrated through ________________.
John 13:12-15, 13:34-35; Colossians 3:23
“We would gladly wash the feet of our Divine Lord; but he disconcertingly insists on washing ours, and bids us wash our neighbor’s feet.” —William Temple
As long as you are proud, you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” —C.S. Lewis
Communion
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11.23-26)
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
(For the bread) “This is the body of Christ, broken for you.”
(For the juice) “This is the blood of Christ, shed for you.”
The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
Song | Way Maker
Giving and Announcements
Builders Meeting, August 9 at 6:30 // Zoom
Benediction
May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13)
Peace be with you! And also with you.