Worship Service for January 9, 2022 at 11 AM

Welcome

Invocation

Confession and Forgiveness:

P: As we gather, today, let us cleanse our hearts and our consciences by confessing our sin to God.

(Time of silence for reflection and confession)

C: Heavenly Father, we confess that we are sinful and unclean. We have sinned against you and against our neighbor in our thoughts, words, and actions. We are truly sorry for our sins and sincerely repent of them. We ask for Your mercy. For the sake of Jesus Christ’s bitter suffering and death, please forgive us and renew us that we may walk in Your Spirit to the glory of Your holy name. Amen

P: The Lord has heard your confession. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of the Lord, in the stead and by the command of my Lord, Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

Songs of Praise and Thanksgiving – What A Friend

Everybody has trials and temptations
Everybody knows heartbreak, isolation

Pre-Chorus:
But we can lay our burdens down, Lay our burdens down

Chorus:
What a friend we have in Jesus.
East to west my sins are gone
I see grace on every horizon.
And forever and ever His heart is my home

Verse 2:
Everybody has fears, everybody got worries
Everybody knows sorrow, devastation

Pre-Chorus

Chorus

Bridge:
No more betrayal, for He is faithful
He fills me up and my cup runneth over
No more betrayal, for He is faithful.
How He has proven it over and over
No more betrayal, for He is faithful
He fills me up and my cup runneth over
No more betrayal, for He is faithful
How He has proven it over and over, over and over

Chorus 2x

Forever and ever His heart is my home

Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 3:1-14

My son, do not forget my teaching,
    but let your heart keep my commandments,
for length of days and years of life
    and peace they will add to you.

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
    bind them around your neck;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will find favor and good success
    in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh
    and refreshment to your bones.

Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
then your barns will be filled with plenty,
    and your vats will be bursting with wine.

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline
    or be weary of his reproof,
for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
    as a father the son in whom he delights.

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding,
for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
    and her profit better than gold.

Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading: Galatians 5:16-25

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading: John 15:1-17

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches.

Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise be to You, o Christ.

Sermon Song – This Is My Father’s World

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise, 
the morning light, the lily white, declare their maker’s praise.  
This is my Father’s world: he shines in all that’s fair; 
in the rustling grass I hear him pass; he speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world.  O let me ne’er forget 
that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.  This is my Father’s world:  why should my heart be sad?  
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!  
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

This is my Father’s world: why should my heart be sad?  
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!  
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

Repeat last 2 lines

Sermon – Series: Breaking Down the Barriers to a Deeper Faith-Life
                    Week 1: “What Are Your Barriers?”

Prayers:

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth,

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen

Benediction

Closing Song – Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts.
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen

Offering

Week 1 Take-Home Print Out

Upcoming Events

January 9, After the Service – Youth Bible Study
Song and Dance

January 9, After the Service – Adult Bible Study
Song and Dance

January 16, 4 PM Confirmation
Location TBD

January 17, 7 PM Council Meeting
Zoom

February 5, 10 AM – 2 PM – Spiritual Conversations (Free)
“How to Have More Meaningful Spiritual Conversations”
Presented by Lutheran Hour Ministries
Messiah Lutheran Church – 14920 Hutchison Rd. Tampa, FL 33625
(Lunch provided) – Register at LHM.org/SCDATampa

Also, be sure to check out our daily Devotional Blog

https://faithwesleychapel.com/blog/

(Sign up to receive the devotion in your email each day)

Week 1 Take-Home Content:

Series: Breaking Down the Barriers to a Deeper Faith-Life

Week 1: “What Are Your Barriers?”

Take Home Sheet

In this week’s message we discussed the concept of barriers we put up in our lives which keep us from living by faith in every part of our lives.

For example:

• I don’t really ever think about God at work.
• My friends outside of church probably don’t even know I’m a Christian.
• There’s really no difference between my viewing habits and those of someone who doesn’t know Jesus.

This week, take some time prayerfully reflect on where there may be barriers in your life, areas of your life in which your faith doesn’t seem to play a role. You may not be intentionally pushing God away. In fact, you may have never really even have thought about how God and His Word play a role in that area of your life.

Ask God to show you where these barriers are. Below are some questions which may guide you, but feel free to move beyond these questions.

• I trust God’s wisdom for my salvation, do I trust His wisdom at work? How about in my relationships? Etc.
• I trust that God will provide all that I need for salvation, but do I trust Him with my finances? Do I feel like I can gladly give generously to those in need or for the sake of God’s ministry?
• I believe it’s important to learn about God, His ways, His promises, and what He says about me, but do I make time in my day-to-day life to read the Bible, do a devotion, or listen to sermon/message?
• I believe God listens to prayers and it’s important to pray, but do I make time for prayer each day? Do I pray about things at work? Do I pray about what I choose to do with my time? Do I pray about my marriage or friendships?