July 12, 2020

This week, we hit pause on Christ in the Psalms to turn our attention to what Jesus has to say about how His people should respond to racial injustice. We’ll do this through the lens of the story of the Good Samaritan (more on that below).

Side note… if you’re like me, you’re pumped each week to see the fresh weekly artwork for Christ in the Psalms, or maybe you’re participating in some of the prayer initiatives of the summer, and right now you may be asking, “Are we still doing Psalm 105 this week or no?” In short, next week is a double-header in both arenas, but if you’re in rhythm with prayer, there’s nothing to lose in praying Luke 10:25–37 this week as you’d normally be praying Psalm 105.

Okay—here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday, July 12!

1. Read our text, Luke 10:25–37.

See passage

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

This week we consider what Jesus has to say about how His people should respond to racial injustice. In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus is confronting the anti-Samaritan racism that was prominent in Jewish culture and calling His followers to be marked by compassion to the hurting and a sacrificial love that bridges ethnic divisions. The Bible is clear, Jesus is the only one who can forgive us of our sins and transform our corrupted hearts. And the Bible is also clear that people with transformed hearts are supposed to be people who do justice, love mercy, confront oppression, care for the vulnerable, repent of wrongdoing, show love, and live with humility. In short, we are called to reflect God’s heart by loving our neighbors as ourselves.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

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CALL TO WORSHIP: Philippians 2:5–11:

See passage

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Walk Among Us (Joel Limpic)

CONFESSION OF SIN: from The Worship Sourcebook:

Eternal God, we confess that often we have failed to be an obedient church: we have not done Your will; we have broken Your law; we have rebelled against Your love; we have not loved our neighbors; we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Colossians 2:13–15

See passage

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.

Man Of Sorrows (Matt Crocker, Brooke Ligertwood)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Lord I Need You (Carson, Maher, Nockels, Reeves, Stanfill) / The Medicine (Dee Wilson)

BENEDICTION

Related:

December 6, 2020

Thursday, December 3, 2020

November 29, 2020

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

November 22, 2020

Thursday, November 19, 2020