THE FIRST LESSON Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
THE SECOND LESSON Luke 14:25-33
SERMON "The Porcupine Whose Name Did Not Matter"
Worship Notes
In our worship this morning we consider the question of the cost of discipleship particularly in light of Luke 14 where Jesus speaks of the priority of our relationship with God and the necessity of carrying one's cross. The Call to Worship and Prayer of Adoration are taken from the psalm of the day, Psalm 139, and celebrates the truth of God's ever present grace. The Opening Hymn "Lift High the Cross" communicates this commitment to proclaim the love of Christ and our Prayer of Confession reflects how often we fail to live out our faith.
The sermon this morning is a little different than normal as we primarily engage the text through a story told by the preacher. Jesus used stories to communicate his message encouraging the disciples to "live" in the story to better understand the kingdom of God. While there will be some exposition in the sermon, you are encouraged to think of the connections between the story and the biblical text particularly as you consider the natural cost of being in relationship.
Since this is the first Sunday of the month we will be taking communion. All are invited to partake of this gift of God's love whether one is Presbyterian or not. It is Westminster's practice to hold the bread when you receive it until all can eat together signifying our communal unity in Christ, while the juice is drunk when you receive it symbolizing our personal relations to God's Spirit.
