September 1st, Sermon & Ministry Resources

Receiving and Responding to God's Word

Lectionary Readings — Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost — September 1, 2024

Song 2:8-13; Psalm 45:1-2,6-9; James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8;14-15;21-23

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Call to Worship (based on James 1:17-27)

Leader: Every good and perfect gift comes from above,

People: From the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Leader: Let us be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,

People: For human anger does not produce God's righteousness.

Leader: Let us welcome with meekness the implanted word,

People: Which has the power to save our souls.

Leader: Let us be doers of the word, and not merely hearers,

People: So that our faith may be active and alive.

Leader: Pure and undefiled religion before God is this:

People: To care for orphans and widows in their distress,

Leader: And to keep ourselves unstained by the world.

All: May our worship be genuine, our faith be active, and our hearts be open to God's transforming word.

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Opening Prayer (based on Psalm 45:1-2,6-9)

Gracious and Sovereign God,

Our hearts overflow with a goodly theme as we come before You in worship. Like a skilled scribe's pen, may our words and thoughts be shaped by Your divine inspiration.

Lord, You are fairer than all humanity, and grace is poured upon Your lips. We stand in awe of Your majesty and beauty, recognizing that all blessings flow from Your hand.

Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity, symbolizing Your perfect justice and righteousness. You love righteousness and hate wickedness, and we pray that Your Spirit would cultivate these same virtues within us.

As we gather in Your presence, we are reminded of the joy and gladness that accompany those who seek You. Like the fragrant oils of myrrh, aloes, and cassia, may the aroma of our worship be pleasing to You.

Lord, in Your loving-kindness, we bring before You those in our congregation and community who are in need. We pray for the sick, that You might bring healing; for the lonely, that You might provide comfort; for the poor, that You might grant provision. We lift up those who mourn, those facing difficult decisions, and those wrestling with doubt or fear. May Your righteousness and justice extend to all, and may we be Your hands and feet in meeting these needs.

Tune our hearts to sing Your praise, O God, and open our eyes to see the needs around us. May the music of our lives resonate with Your truth, and may our actions reflect the beauty of Your holiness and the compassion of Your heart.

We offer this prayer in humble adoration, grateful for Your unfailing love and constant presence in our lives. Guide us in this time of worship and service, that we may honor You in spirit and in truth, and that we may care for one another as You care for us.

In the name of our Lord and Savior, we pray. Amen.

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Sermon Outline: [NOTE to Paid subscribers — scroll down for the full manuscript sermon].

[Note: All Scripture is taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.]

Sermon Outline: Receiving and Responding to God’s Word

Scripture: James 1:17-27 (NRSV)

I. The Perfection of the Provider (James 1:17-18)

II. The Posture of the Perceiver (James 1:19-21)

III. The Practice of the Performer (James 1:22-25)

IV. The Purity of Practical Piety (James 1:26-27)

Full Manuscript Sermon Below for Paid Subscribers