April 26 Worship
Welcome!
Opening Prayer
Holy God,our praise can never match the wondrous measure of your mercy. Our lips can never express the depth of gratitude that our hearts feel. In your providence we have been kept, from your generosity we have received, and under the shadow of your wings our souls have learned to rejoice. Your goodness and mercy have followed us all our days. None of us can live without you. You have named us one by one, knowing each of our needs, and supplying all that we require and more, out of your eternal mercy. Hear us, O God, as our hearts give you the glory that belongs to your name. In you we find our steadfast and unwavering hope through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Scripture Reading - Romans 15:14-33
I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written,
“Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”
This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Discussion Questions
1. Where do I fit into my community’s fabric?
2. What kinds of people do I find myself drawn to? Why? What kinds of people do I avoid? Why?
3. Have I ever thought seriously about the fact that some people might not enjoy God’s Kingdom because I didn’t make an effort to tell them about it? How does this have new meaning in light of COVID-19?
4. What “threads” am I busy following? Have I ever had to change to a new “thread”?
5. How important is prayer in my life? How often to I pray for others? Is that enough?
Donate
Let us worship through generosity. We need to keep the church strong in this time. We need to continue the work God has given us locally and globally. Generosity is part of declaring together that our giving is in obedience and thankfulness to God for His overwhelming generosity toward us.
Click Here to Give Online or to see other options