Third Sunday after Epiphany
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
Related to this passage, many congregations always stand for the reading of the Word of God… especially the one read for the sermon.
Others have adopted the bringing in of the Word of God or the carrying in of the Bible at the first of the service. This is what we do at our place. If you have not done this but would like to do it – especially TODAY related to this scripture passage – try having someone (a child, youth or adult) bring a large copy of the Bible from the rear of the worship center to the front; we do this immediately after the Organ Prelude as the Trinity is chimed (three slow chimes!) As the person passes, each pew stands to honor the Word of God. It is sort of like “the wave” at a ball game, but it is highly effective.
The Bible is then placed on the altar table and opened to the sermon text for the day. This is usually followed by a responsive reading or the singing of the first hymn… something congregational.
In the order of worship, this is what we print:
Organ Prelude
Chiming of the Trinity
[To honor the Word of God, please stand as the one carrying the Bible passes.]
We do not “flaunt” the Bible at our place… even though we ARE Baptists!!! But Scriptures are central to our worship and to our teaching, so centralizing the Bible visually each Sunday morning works for us! These twenty seconds have become one of MY personal favorite worship events each week.
Dramatic Reading Based from Nehemiah 8
Notes:
- As the leader reads the first line, have him/her hold up the Bible; the people will stand when the book is raised.
- A passage from Deuteronomy 6:4-6 has been inserted; in the Nehemiah passage, no specific passage is read.
- Follow immediately with a hymn of praise; e.g. “Stand Up and Bless the Lord” or “The Joy of the Lord Is My Strength.”
- At the end of this service, use the last two statements as the benediction.
Leader: Gather round, all you people who are able to understand.
People: [Please stand as the Word of God is raised.]
Leader: Let us bless the Lord our God whenever the words of this book are read.
People: Amen! Let us bless the Lord, lifting up our hands, bowing low and worshiping the Lord with our faces to the ground.
Leader: “The Lord our God is One, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words shall always be on your hearts.”
People: At times, the reading of the Word of God causes us to break down in sobs and weeping. We are moved to hear these words.
Leader:Do not mourn or weep. This day is holy to the Lord our God.
People: Indeed, this day is holy to the Lord our God.
Leader: Go your way, eating and drinking; and remember togive to him who has nothing.
People: This day is holy to our Lord. The joy of the Lord is our strength.
Responsive Reading from Nehemiah 8 [Please remain seated.]
Leader: The new wall had been completed.
People: All the people gathered as one at the square which was in front of the Water Gate.
Leader: They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel.
People: So Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of all who could listen with understanding.
Leader: He read from it from early morning until midday; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
People: When Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, all the people stood up.
[The people will stand.]
Leader: Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God.
People: And all the people answered, "Amen, Amen!" while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
Leader: The book of the law was read, translating when necessary so that they understood the reading.
People: All the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
Leader: Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep. The joy of the Lord is your strength!”
People: This day is holy to the Lord our God. The joy of the Lord is our strength!
Hymn/Song Suggestions:
“Stand Up and Bless the Lord”
“We Stand United in the Truth” (BH 625)
“Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus”
“The Joy of the Lord Is My Strength”
“This Is the Day”
“Wonderful Words of Life”
“O Word of God Incarnate”
“Word of God, Across the Ages”
Psalm 19
(First Setting – in familiar language)
Leader: The heavens are telling the glory of God. The firmament displays his handiwork.
People: The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.
Leader: The decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple.
People: The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart rejoice.
Leader: The commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye.
People: The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
Leader: The ordinances of the Lord are true and altogether right.
People: More to be desired than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
Leader: By your Word, your servants are warned; by adhering to it, there is a great reward.
People: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Leader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
(Second Setting – All statements made TO God)
Leader: O God, the heavens declare your glory. The skies above display the work of your hands.
People: The law you have made is perfect: by it, our souls are revived.
Leader: The decrees you have made are sure; by them the simple are made wise.
People: Your precepts are right: in them our hearts rejoice.
Leader: Your commandment is clear; by it our eyes are enlightened.
People: Our fear of you is cleansing, making us clean for all time.
Leader: True and altogether right are the judgments you hand down.
People: You are more to be desired than gold, even much fine gold. Our life in you is sweeter than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
Leader: By your Word, we - your servants - are warned; when we adhere to it, there is a great reward.
People: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Leader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Anthem Suggestion: “Let the Words of My Mouth” (Pepper Choplin)
“The Heavens Are Telling” (Haydn)… a greatly abbreviated
version of this for call to worship is available on this site.
Choir Parts
Chorus Suggestion: “More Precious Than Silver”
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Responsive Reading:
Leader: For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
People: For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Leader: For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says,
People: "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body."
Leader: It is not any less a part of the body. And if the ear says,
People: "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body."
Leader: It is not any less a part of the body.If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?
People: If the whole body were the ear, where would the sense of smell be?
Leader: But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
People: If they were all one member, where would the body be?
Leader: But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand,
People: "I have no need of you."
Leader: Nor again can the head say to the feet,
People: "I have no need of you."
Leader: On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.And those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor; and our less-presentable members become much more presentable, even though our more presentable members have no need of it.
People: But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Leader: Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, then prophets, then teachers, then miracles, gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.
People: All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they?
Leader: All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?
People: All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?
Leader: But earnestly desire the greater gifts.
Hymn/Song Suggestions:
“Of All the Spirit’s Gifts to Me”
“Serve the Lord with Gladness”
“Take My Life, Lead Me, Lord”
“Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated”
“The Bond of Love”
“Where the Spirit of the Lord Is”
“We Are Called to Be God’s People”
“He Who Began a Good Work in You”
Luke 4:14-21
Short Drama (3 characters)
Reader 1: Full of the power of the Spirit, Jesus returned to Galilee.
Reader 2: A report about him spread through all the surrounding communities.
Reader 1: He began to teach in their synagogues, and most everyone spoke very highly of him.
Reader 2: When he came to Nazareth – where he had been brought up – Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day.
Reader 1: That was his custom – going to the synagogue on the Sabbath.
Reader 2: He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him.
Reader 1: He unrolled the scroll and began to read.
Jesus: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. I have been anointed to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
Reader 2: (silence) He rolled up the scroll… gave it back to the attendant… and sat down.
Reader 1: The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
Reader 2: Then he began to say to them,
Jesus: Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing, right before your eyes.
Hymn/Song Suggestions:
“Arise, Your Light Has Come”
“The Spirit Sends Us forth to Serve” (FWS 2241)
“Holy Spirit, Come to Us” (Taize)
“Spirit, Sing” – Joseph Martin anthem