Plenty Valley Uniting Church
Epping
31st October 2021
- I Sing a Song of the Saints of God
- Oh when the saints go marching in
- Joyful, joyful, we adore you ~
Call to Worship (inspired by Psalm 119: 1-8)
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Happy are those who walk in God’s ways.
Blessed are those who observe God’s commandments.
Faithful are those whose eyes are fixed on righteousness.
Joyful are those whose hearts are filled with praise.
Come, let us love the Lord our God.
We come to worship the One who leads us in the ways of life.
Hymn TiS 452 ~ God of mercy, God of grace
Prayer of Adoration and Praise
Psalm Reading ~ Psalm 146
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqIbFZt-XNc
Hymn ~ Your words to me are life and health
Scripture reading Deuteronomy 6: 1-9
1.Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the ordinances—that the Lord your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy,
2so that you and your children and your children’s children, may fear the Lord your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long.
3Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you.
4Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.
5You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
6Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart.
7Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.
8Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead,
9and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Mark 12: 28-34
28One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?”
29Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one;
30you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
31The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
32Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’;
33and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’ —this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.
This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Lord Jesus, thank you for your great love.
Help us to love God completely, and to love others as we love ourselves. Amen.
Sermon
Prayer of Intercession
Hymn TiS 342 ~ When I survey the wondrous cross
Benediction
Go in peace, love and care for one another in Christ's name,
go forth from this place and follow the saints of Christ in faith, hope, and love,
may the living word bloom and grow within your hearts and minds,
and may the God of the Cross give you strength to face your defeats,
the God of the Empty Tomb give you trust in the face of all mysteries,
and the God of the Outpoured Spirit be present in your lives
and give you love and the power to glorify His Name,
both now and forevermore. Amen
Postlude ~Now unto him
Yesu, Yesu