Sunday, August 21, 2022 - Recognizing a Changed Heart
Online Playlist
Welcome
Hymn 15 All Creatures of Our God and King (In Person Only)
Awakening to God’s Presence (In Person Only)
Prayer for God’s Guidance
Matthew 15:1-2 Common English Bible Translation
Then Pharisees and legal experts came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why are your disciples breaking the elders’ rules handed down to us? They don’t ritually purify their hands by washing before they eat.” (Question: Do you ever get aggravated when others don’t follow the rules you follow? Why?)
Hymn 664 Morning has Broken (In Person Only)
Matthew 15:3-6
Jesus replied, “Why do you break the command of God by keeping the rules handed down to you? For God said, Honor your father and your mother, and The person who speaks against father or mother will certainly be put to death. But you say, ‘If you tell your father or mother, “Everything I’m expected to contribute to you I’m giving to God as a gift, “then you don’t have to honor your father.’ So you do away with God’s Law for the sake of the rules that have been handed down to you. (Question: What rules in life do you find important? Why?)
Matthew 15:7-11
Hypocrites! Isaiah really knew what he was talking about when he prophesied about you, This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me. Their worship of me is empty since they teach instructions that are human rules.” Jesus called the crowd near and said to them, “Listen and understand. It’s not what goes into the mouth that contaminates a person in God’s sight. It’s what comes out of the mouth that contaminates the person.” (Question: What rules do you ignore or find frivolous? Why?)
Matthew 15:12-14
Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended by what you just said?” Jesus replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be pulled up. Leave the Pharisees alone. They are blind people who are guides to blind people. But if a blind person leads another blind person, they will both fall into a ditch.” (Question: What characteristics, ethics, morals, etc.… of someone else makes you want to follow them?)
Hymn 726 Lord, I Want to Be a Christian (In Person Only)
Matthew 15:15-20
Then Peter spoke up, “Explain this riddle to us.” Jesus said, “Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you know that everything that goes into the mouth enters the stomach and goes out into the sewer? But what goes out of the mouth comes from the heart. And that’s what contaminates a person in God’s sight. Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adultery, sexual sins, thefts, false testimonies, and insults. These contaminate a person in God’s sight. But eating without washing hands doesn’t contaminate in God’s sight.” (Question: What are the things you think indicate a changed heart?)
Offering Ourselves to God
During this time let us quietly reflect upon an excerpt from the Brief Statement of Faith.
We trust in God the Holy Spirit everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church. In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace.
Special Music (In Person Only)
Prayers of the People and The Lord’s Prayer
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom and the power
and the glory, forever. Amen
Closing Hymn 697 Take My Life (In Person Only)
Benediction
Hymn List
15 All Creatures of Our God and King
664 Morning Has Broken
697 Take My Life
726 Lord, I Want to Be a Christian
Upcoming Themes for Sunday
Aug 28th – Practices that Can Bring You Freedom
Sept 4th – TBD
Sept 11th – Change
New Sermon Series Starting September 18th
Facing Barriers Flourishing
Baby Diaper and Wipes Drive: July & August
For Starfish Family Services
The need is great, especially now, for baby diapers and baby wipes. Diapers are basic material necessities all babies and toddlers require, as essential as food, shelter and clothing. Most state and national safety-net programs do not recognize baby diapers as a basic need.
The Need:
Diapers: Sizes 2 to 7
Pull-Ups: Sizes 3T to 7
Baby Wipes
Monetary donations to LPPC will also be accepted and applied to the purchase of baby diapers and baby wipes.