New Hope @ Worship 17 Feb 2008

It's a holiday weekend and I had a feeling going in, plus some knowledge, that attendance might be lower, and it was. Weather was rolling our way as well, but we were still blessed with a warm crowd in both services. I won't belabor the point, but I pretty much sabotaged the morning service with an inattention to time. We got home at 12:35. Yeah, way late. Have to do a better job of culling when I get a text I'm so passionate about.

Worship Music

Hallelujah (Your Love Is Amazing)
Holy Is the Lord
Breathe
Holy Holy Holy
I Need Thee Every Hour

Message: There's Something You Need To Know - John 15

I used two clips in the message (added 11 minutes I should have allowed for, but very strong messages in both) First was from an ER episode called "Atonement" that I discovered only the night before. Link and the second was from Sermonspice called "An Unspoken Plea"

Both incredibly powerful and I hope they spoke to people's hearts. I went in hoping to show what God's heart was all about and challenging the people to match up with that. But I got carried away. So I'll learn from that.

Sunday nights during Lent we're trying some alternative worship. Here's the layout of it as we did it last night.

EVENING WORSHIP FEBRUARY 17, 2008
PRAYER
Veils
How Deep the Father’s Love For Us - Video {From You Tube}

"By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the thick veil hanging in the Temple was torn apart." Luke 23:44, 45, NLT.

MEDITATION DURING THE VIDEO
As you realize that God has torn away the barriers between Him and you, tear your veil from top to bottom. (Very powerful to hear each individual come to that realization and tear his or her veil. Awesome sound.)

FIRST READING
"Once when Jesus had been out praying, one of his disciples came to him as he finished and said, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." He said, "This is how you should pray: "Father, may your name be honored. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us our food day by day. And forgive us our sins--just as we forgive those who have sinned against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.""
Luke 11:1-4, NLT.

Religion or Relationship? Video - Bible ("You don't fix faith. It fixes you." From You Tube)

SECOND READING
Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this illustration: "Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You would say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ He would call out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and we are all in bed. I can’t help you this time.’ But I tell you this--though he won’t do it as a friend, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you what you want so his reputation won’t be damaged. "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks." Luke 11:4-10, NLT.

(I gave a couple of minutes of context and application to today and then asked these questions to start people talking)

SHARING

What was your biggest answered prayer? What was your toughest unanswered one?

(Great time of sharing between people who normally are very reserved.)

PRAYER BEFORE COMMUNION

PERSONAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

EACH PERSON COMES AND TAKES COMMUNION WHEN THEY ARE READY. TAKE A PIECE OF BREAD AND TAKE A CUP OF GRAPE JUICE. WHEN WE ALL HAVE THEM, WE WILL FIRST EAT THE BREAD, THEN DRINK THE JUICE.

(Two weeks in a row? In a Baptist church? It is a powerful symbol)

TAKE ONE OF THE SLIPS FROM THE BASKET AND READ IT AS THE VIDEO PLAYS.

The slips were the Tozer quote - "Anything God has done anywhere, He can do here. Anything God has ever done anytime, He can do now. Anything God has ever done for anyone, He can do for you." So keep on seeking, keep on asking, keep on knocking.

Video: A Living Prayer (Allison Krauss - off You Tube)

CLOSING PRAYER

My wife, who's blog is linked to the left, felt the Spirit there far more powerfully than in the morning service. "That was worship." I'm praying that as we press out from where we've always been that I hear more people say that, and see more people involved.