We encourage you to read and reflect on these scriptures, songs, notes, and prayers as we look forward to our time of worship together this coming Sunday.

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CALL TO WORSHIP

Please join in on the bolded lines.

Jesus calls us to praise and prayer, to song and silence;
Jesus calls us to worship.
Jesus calls us to hearing and healing, to service and solidarity;
Jesus calls us to love.
Jesus calls us to advocacy and action, to protest and provision;
Jesus calls us to justice.
Let us heed the call of Christ.
Let us worship together with joy.

MUSIC: COME HOLY ONE

CCLI #6291516 | Eric J. Marshall © 2011
Performed by Emmaus Road Worship Team

CORPORATE PRAYER

Please join in on the bolded lines.

O Lord, forgive us when we fail to respond to your call with faith.
Through your Spirit we stand in the assurance of your acceptance.
Forgive us when we are shackled by our narrow understandings of discipleship and our clouded sense of purpose.
Through your Spirit we are drawn into the illumination of your empowering love.
Forgive us when we are frightened of the future or pull back from the demand of your calling. Forgive us when we fail to sense your presence in our past, to acknowledge your grace in the present moment, and to trust you for our future.
Through your Spirit we offer ourselves in discipleship. We stand together as your disciples. We seek renewed and renewing faith. Touch us now with your Spirit, Lord. Touch us now with your Spirit.

MUSIC: THE NEARNESS OF YOU

Asher Seevinck, Dave Wilton © 2014
Performed by Emmaus Road Worship Team

MUSIC: YOUR PEACE WILL MAKE US ONE

CCLI #7140506 | Audrey Assad and Julia Ward Howe © 2019
Performed by Emmaus Road Worship Team

WORD

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Everyday Faith: Words Matter
James 3:1-12 (NRSV)

INTRO
“Men like me, who possess hidden wisdom are freed from common rules just as we are cut off from common pleasures. Our, my boy, is a high and lonely destiny.” -Uncle Andrew from The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

The keen moral insight of Lewis is clear; the moment one thinks that an action that would be wrong for others is OK for them, they have puffed themselves up with pride and are heading for disaster.

This is essentially the same lesson James gives in 4:11-12.

When we speak evil against one another or pass judgement, we become a judge of the law, not subject to the law. We speak ill of others from a perceived moral high ground.

For James, this makes no sense! His wisdom is this: Those who call themselves Christians are to find themselves as servants of God.

WORDS CREATE WORLDS
This ties into James’ theme of the power of our words in 3:1-12, which includes imagery from Genesis.

The first image from Genesis is when he reminds us that humans are made in the “likeness of God.” Given that humanity is made in God’s image, it is not right to bless God and then curse, slander, or revile people.

The second image from Genesis comes in verse 7 when he says that “every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species.”

“Taming” refers to Adam naming the animals (Gen. 2:19-20). In the ancient world, as in ours, if you named something you had authority over it. Taming, then, is a way of talking about authority. But, he says, despite naming the animals of creation, we are unable to tame the tongue.

What does James want us to get from this Genesis imagery? The first gift distinctive to humans is the gift of language to name the animals, therefore through our words we have the opportunity to continue God’s creative work in the world……or frustrate it.

Our words have the capacity to create worlds in which we and our neighbors must live. In much the same way as God spoke creation into being, so our words have creative power in the world.

This is why James uses such big – even cosmic – language to describe the potential peril of our words. He says our tongue is full of deadly poison; it’s a fire; he goes so far as to say that the tongue can be a fire set by hell itself.

THREE QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
1. Are my words consistent with my testimony of Jesus as Lord?

2. Is the tone of my posts on social media congruent with the tone of Jesus?

3. What kind of world are my words creating?

LORD, help us!

TABLE

Prepare the elements of “bread” and “wine” for use as we gather around The Lord’s Table. These can be any items convenient around the home that symbolize these for you. 

CONFESSION OF THE MYSTERY OF FAITH

Christ has died.
Christ is risen. 
Christ will come again.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

As we pray together, we invite you to share your own requests and testimonies with us this week. If you have a request you can share it live in our video stream chat, or you may email us at emmausroadfc@gmail.com

THE 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 this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins
        as we forgive those
        who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, 
        and deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, 
        and the power,
        and the glory for ever and ever.
Amen.

BENEDICTION

You are invited to hold your hands out, palm-up as we receive this benediction.

As people of faith we have gathered in worship.
As people of faith we now go out into our world.
To share the love of Jesus, the story of life, with the world around us.
Sharing our faith in word and in deed, in speech and in action.
We go to be a living witness of God’s love and peace.
We go to be a living witness of God’s redemption and healing.
And remember this, the Holy Spirit goes with us every step of the way.
Thanks be to God!