:: Download the 6.22.2014 Worship Study Guide and Sermon Notes
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image :: The Wedding Party, Henri Rousseau (1905, French)
Preparation for Worship :: Submission
“In contemporary psychological literature, ‘thriving’ is regarded as a developmental concept: a trajectory or a becoming rather than a destination. Previously I have suggested that thriving can be thought of as the state of ‘growing toward the being we are intended to be’, and sought some guidance for unpacking what ‘we are intended to be’ from our status as created in God’s image. Christian theology provides additional resources for specifying the direction of the thriving trajectory, however, including a Christological approach to the question. If Jesus’ life embodied the fullness of humanness in some critical respects, identifying those respects provides a key to thriving. In light of the New Testament, this reasoning leads to a surprising conclusion for much of American culture. Thriving includes appropriate exercise of self-humbling before others: other individuals and sometimes one’s community. To thrive—to grow toward what we are intended to be and all of the fruit that comes with that growth trajectory—requires humility and submission. It appears we must thrive through submission.” (Justin Barrett)
Call to Worship :: Revelation 19:6-7,9
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready.” And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
Old Testament Reading :: Genesis 2:20-25
The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
Sermon :: Ephesians 5:21-33
21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
We Confess Our Sin Together
Good and gracious God, we lay our sins before You, confessing the times when we have not lived in light of Your commandments and promises. You purchased us to be a people who are open-hearted, God-trusting, neighbor-loving, risk-taking, life-giving. Forgive us for our sins against You and our neighbor. We have been tight-fisted, God-doubting, neighbor-scorning, risk-avoiding, life-taking. Because Jesus lived, died, was raised, and ascended into heaven, we confess our sins with the great confidence that You will forgive, accept, and renew us. Amen.
Words of Encouragement :: Isaiah 43:25
I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake, and remembers your sins no more.
Benediction