Today’s THEME:
redeemed for work
(published 10.18.20)
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Part 1 | God's Work
L Jesus said to Nicodemus, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5)
G Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3:6)
L Surely we were sinful at birth, sinful from the time our mothers conceived us. (Psalm 51:5)
G But we were washed, we were sanctified, we were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)
L Let’s join and confess our sins to God.
G Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Song | all Is forgiven
Part 2 | Our Work
Genesis 3:16-19
16 To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”
17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
1 Corinthians 10:23-33
23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” c
27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
Children’s Message
song | all creatures of our god and king
Part 3 | Redeemed for work
Ruth 2:1-3, 17-23
1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz.
2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.”
Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.
17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. 18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.
19 Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!”
Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said.
20 “The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.”
21 Then Ruth the Moabite said, “He even said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.’ ”
22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.”
23 So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
Part 4 | prayer & blessing
L I praise you, Lord, for everything you have ever taken away from me or refused to give me.
G For I trust you to remove anything that might stand between me and my Savior.
L. Thank you, God, for every trouble you allow into my life.
G For through each sorrow you draw me closer to your Word and promises.
L Father, I thank you for the loved ones you have called to yourself.
G For through your loving actions you not only rescue your children from the sorrows of this life; you also remind us who remain to prepare for eternity.
L Savior, I express my sincere appreciation for never having enough money.
G For with every penny you withhold you turn me to the One Thing needful and lead me to pray for my daily bread.
L Jesus, Head of the Church, thank you for not revealing how you will rescue your people in the face of seemingly impossible problems.
G For by withholding your answer you lead us not to rely on our human wisdom and to trust implicitly your divine wisdom and protection.
L At every turn in life, turn our hearts to true repentance and sincere thanksgiving, believing you have already forgiven all our sins and prepared a place in heaven for all who trust in you.
G So when you say, “All things work together for good,” I come to trust that you really mean “all things.” Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever.
Amen.
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Illumine Church
1262 Riverchase Blvd.
Rock Hill, SC 29732
THANK YOU!