On the journey with God

Help us celebrate what God is doing in the world and how God calls us to share the good news with others. Here are some tools to plan a worship service. Below, you’ll find a sermon starter, children’s story ideas and worship song suggestions.

Lectionary Readings

Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 (CEB)

¹ Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders of Israel, its leaders, judges, and officers. They presented themselves before God.² Then Joshua said to the entire people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates. They served other gods. Among them was Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. ³ I took Abraham your ancestor from the other side of the Euphrates. I led him around through the whole land of Canaan.

Psalm 78:1-7 (CEB)

¹ Listen, my people, to my teaching;
    tilt your ears toward the words of my mouth.
² I will open my mouth with a proverb.
    I’ll declare riddles from days long gone—
³         ones that we’ve heard and learned about,
        ones that our ancestors told us.
⁴ We won’t hide them from their descendants;
    we’ll tell the next generation
    all about the praise due the Lord and his strength—
    the wondrous works God has done.
⁵ He established a law for Jacob
    and set up Instruction for Israel,
        ordering our ancestors
        to teach them to their children.
⁶ This is so that the next generation
    and children not yet born will know these things,
        and so they can rise up and tell their children
⁷     to put their hope in God—
        never forgetting God’s deeds,
        but keeping God’s commandments—

Matthew 25:1-13

¹ “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten young bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. ² Now five of them were wise, and the other five were foolish. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps but didn’t bring oil for them. ⁴ But the wise ones took their lamps and also brought containers of oil.

⁵ “When the groom was late in coming, they all became drowsy and went to sleep.⁶ But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Look, the groom! Come out to meet him.’

⁷ “Then all those bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. ⁸ But the foolish bridesmaids said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps have gone out.’

⁹ “But the wise bridesmaids replied, ‘No, because if we share with you, there won’t be enough for our lamps and yours. We have a better idea. You go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ But while they were gone to buy oil, the groom came. Those who were ready went with him into the wedding. Then the door was shut.

¹¹ “Later the other bridesmaids came and said, ‘Lord, lord, open the door for us.’

¹² “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’

¹³ “Therefore, keep alert, because you don’t know the day or the hour.

Children’s giving project

Mission Network supports a variety of ministries in Ecuador. One of the primary ways that mission happens is by sharing the good news of Jesus through friendships and loving our neighbors. In Ecuador, this happens by showing and teaching peace to children. When you give, you help other children learn about Jesus in many different ways. Did you know:

$5 a Sunday helps provide Sunday school materials for children in Quito.

$15 helps the church buy supplies for one of the peace workshops for children.

$25 a month helps Vida Juvenil provide homework support for children.

$50 a week helps provide a safe place for refugee families to come and receive help.

By Stanley W. Green

The passages for this worship service may at first seem disparate and disjointed. A closer, more careful reading, however, uncovers a coherent thread. The readings manifest a simple sequence that offers reinforcement for those who seek to flourish and support others on their journey with God. The various elements in the sequence follow the progression of the textual record, and may be encapsulated in four movements:

Choose,

Catechize (teach/instruct),

Cultivate and

Comfort. 

On the eve of his impending death, Joshua reminds the Israelite pilgrims that their identity is grounded in God. For it is only when we discover our true identity in Christ that we begin to live. The essence of the identity of the people who are about to cross the Jordan River is not geographical or tribal. They belong to God and are formed as a people by the call into relationship that came to Abraham. Joshua reminds them who, or whose, they are. Their true identity is in God. Joshua recounts their origins when their ancestors lived in the land beyond the River Euphrates. Joshua goes back to Abraham’s father, Terah, during whose time their ancestors served other gods (24:2). God, however, took Abraham from that place and led him into a new land where God became his God and the God of his descendants.

That relationship of belonging brings about transformation and a deep intimacy with God. It is a reminder and a promise regarding the providence, protection and love of God. Are we living in fear of the future, or in the reassurance and security that we belong to God and exist as the objects of God’s love and care?

In face of this certainty, Joshua then invites them to make a choice and to a renewal of covenant with this God who has been faithful, “…
choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the
Lord“ (Joshua 24:14-15). How do we

choose  – God, or the gods of our age, such as materialism, individualism, addictions, violence, etc.?

Having made our choice, the psalmist cautions that within the covenanted community it is imperative that we teach (catechize) the generations after us about the story that has shaped us:

We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds, but would keep his commands.”
Psalm 78:4-7

The psalmist counsels that it is important that we share our stories about what God has done in our lives with the generations that follow us. We must tell our children what God has done for us. We must recount the stories of God’s providence and salvation. Our stories of faith and life with Jesus Christ are to be grounded in our understanding of who, or whose, we are.

As they witness our faith and experience our relationship with God, we pray that they, too, will set their hope in God. They, too, will own an awareness of God and seek a relationship with Jesus Christ. Are we consciously and intentionally instructing (in word and deed) our children about the God whom we serve?

In the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), Jesus reminds the covenanted, or committed ones, of the need to

cultivate  a spiritual preparedness, or a state of readiness, for Jesus’ promised return. He tells a story about a party of virgins, perhaps bridesmaids, chosen to participate in a wedding. Each of the 10 virgins carries an oil lamp as they await the coming of the bridegroom. They expect that he will come at some time during the night. Five of the virgins are wise and have brought oil for their lamps. Five are foolish and have insufficient oil for their lamps. At midnight, all the virgins hear the call to come out to meet the bridegroom. Upon realizing their lamps have gone out, the foolish virgins ask the wise ones for oil. They are refused by the wise virgins who observe that there will certainly not be enough for them to share. While the foolish virgins are away trying to get more oil, the bridegroom arrives. The wise virgins then accompany him to the celebration. The others arrive too late and are excluded. Are we

cultivating a spiritual readiness by being with Jesus in the world, sharing the good news of God’s healing and hope?

In the final reading (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), Paul responds to the concern among living believers about Christ’s return. Paul’s purpose is to reassure them regarding the Parousia (vv. 15-17). (A common understanding of Parousia refers to the second coming of Christ, but in the Greek language, it means presence.) In these verses, Paul doesn’t emphasize spiritual geography. He doesn’t talk about going to heaven, but, rather, being “with the Lord forever.” Paul brings


comfort to the Thessalonian believers, and to us, with the reassurance that this is our true destiny — being with the Lord. This, too, was Joshua’s, the Psalmist’s and Jesus’ concern: that we and our children will be with God wherever our journey takes us.

Worship songs from Voices Together

There are many songs and readings that fit these worship materials. You will have your own ideas, but here are some we found.

Gathering

• No. 47 “God of Our Strength”
• No. 23 “Hamba Nathi (Come, walk with us)”

Praising/adoring

• No. 182 “I Sing the Mighty Power of God”
• No. 752 “Halle, Halle, Hallelujah!”

Proclaiming

• No. 204 “The God of Abraham Praise”
• No. 421 “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
• No. 226 “Sleepers, Wake!”
• No. 770 “God is Working This Purpose Out”

Affirming faith

• No. 588 “We Walk by Faith”
• No. 162 “The Love of God”
• No. 288 “Love the Lord Your God”

Praying

• No. 306 “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me”
• No. 737 “Breathe on Me, Breath of God”

Offering

• No. 745 “God, Whose Giving”
• No. 759 “Take My Life, and Let It Be”

Witnessing

• No. 102 “Santo, Santo, Santo”
• No. 790 “How Can We Be Silent”
• No. 388 “How Can I Say”

Sending

• No. 194 “Lead On, O Cloud of Presence”