Sermon Tone Analysis

* *

*Prelude*

*Welcome*

*Call to Worship   *

*~*Praise                         #*53           All Things Bright and Beautiful

*~*Invocation  (Lord’s Prayer)         *Our Father of life and light, as we gather in your house to worship, make pure our hearts that we may know your presence.

May we experience your nearness as your Word is proclaimed.

Strengthen our resolve that we may choose the right paths of life.

Lead us in the way of the gospel, which is known to us through your son Jesus Christ.

* *

*~*Gloria Patri       # 575*

*Our Offering to God               *Be imitators of God . . .

and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Eph.

5:1–2 NIV).

*~*Doxology          #572*

*~*Prayer of Dedication         *Eternal God, we know that in your heart a contrite spirit is more acceptable than burnt offerings.

Grant that the gifts we bring are the authentic demonstration of the dedication we give of ourselves—body, soul, and spirit—unto you, which is our reasonable service.

* *

*Scripture Reading       **Nehemiah 8:1-10*

*8* 1 all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate.

They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding.

This was on the first day of the seventh month.

3 He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

/(NRSV)/

5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.

6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands.

Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

/(NRSV)/

8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation.

They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.”

For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.

10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

/(NRSV)/

*~*Hymn of Prayer         # *587        Let the Words of My Mouth

*Pastoral Prayer           *  

/…they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, / / //  //Romans 3:24 /    

*P*raise God for... the saving grace we can experience in God through Christ.

*A*sk God for... encouragement, inspiration, and uplifting strength for the West family, (IM missionaries in Zambia) and for all missionary families.

*T*hank God for... protecting us.

*H*ealing for... Dee as she goes into surgery this week for breast cancer.

Father, thank you for being our Good Shepherd.

We thank you for leading us, loving us, even giving up your life so that we might be restored to an intimate everlasting fellowship with you, our Creator.

You are our shepherd—our protector, our defender.

Help us in the growth process of our spirituality.

Increase our own appreciation of who you are, how you love all of humankind, not just us—or even those like us.

Impress us so that, like you, we can love those who are very different from ourselves, those whose skin is a different color, those whose culture and even values are different from ours, those whose religious convictions are different from ours, and those whose economic level is far below or far above ours.

Because you love all, we ask you to help the oppressed of the earth—the victims of hunger and racial discrimination and those whose individual freedoms are prohibited by political

forces that initiate great injustice.

Make us more sensitive to you and to one another—more conscious.

Bring us to both humility and boldness.

Shepherd us in our own spiritual pilgrimage.

Give us the courage to be merciful, the endurance to be faithful to those in our care, just as you are with each of us.

It is in the name of the one true and everlasting God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that we pray.—Larry

Ellis

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple;

8     the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; 9     the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

10     More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.

*~*Hymn of Praise          # *483        We’ve a Story to Tell to The Nations

*Scripture Text             *1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body.

So it is with the body of Christ.

13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles,~* some are slaves, and some are free.

But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.~*

14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.

15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body.

16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body?

17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear?

Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.

19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part!

20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.

21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.”

The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.

23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care.

So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care.

So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.

25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.

26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

28 Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: 

first are apostles,

second are prophets,

third are teachers,

then those who do miracles,

those who have the gift of healing,

those who can help others,

those who have the gift of leadership,

those who speak in unknown languages.

29 Are we all apostles?

Are we all prophets?

Are we all teachers?

Do we all have the power to do miracles?

30 Do we all have the gift of healing?

Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages?

Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages?

Of course not! 31 So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.

[1]

*Message                       *One Entity

*~*Hymn of Response   #* 96          Praise Him! Praise Him!

*~*Sending forth   *

*~*Postlude*

\\ * *

 

SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, 2007