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Gathering Music – Marty Merryman
Welcoming Guests and Announcements – Pastor Ross
Prelude – Christians, We Have Met to Worship ‐ Arr. Hayes
Meditation:
Christian love acknowledges God’s law. It’s a love that tells us we cannot love God unless we love our neighbors. It’s a love in response to God’s love manifest in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s a love not only in word and speech, but indeed and action. It’s our love bursting forth as the Word of God is revealed in our lives here and now.
Call to Worship – Pastor Linda
Opening Hymn – God of Love and God of Power- Hymnal #578
Special Recognition – Pastor Dave
Prayer of Confession – Pastor Ross
Words of Assurance – Pastor Ross
Hymn – Take Time to Be Holy – Hymnal #395
Prayer Concerns – Pastor Dave
Prayer Song – Kyrie ‐ Ancient Greek
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer, Lord’s Prayer
Anthem – If Thou but Suffer God to Guide Thee ‐ arr. Larry Mayfield
Scripture Reading – I John 3:1, 14‐19 NIV – Susan Rapp
Offering – Pastor Ross
Preparation Hymn – Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service – Hymnal #581
Message – Savior 3: The Moral Example
Closing Hymn – I Have Decided to Follow Jesus – TFWS #2129
Benediction – Choral Amen – Pastor Linda
Postlude – Praise Ye the Lord ‐ Bach
I John 3:14‐19 – New International Version
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.
15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:
Drawing on The Moral Example theory, we look at the whole of Jesus’ life and resurrection, from the Incarnation to the Ascension to understand what he has done to save us. Savior salvation is about following Jesus’ example. We have tarnished and corrupted the image of God that was originally created within us. It has left us unable to fully reflect the image of God and causes harm to each other and the world. Through his life, death and resurrection, Jesus demonstrates for us the way to live and love, and it empowers us to follow his example. As we conform to God’s law, we become more able to love the way God loves, to forgive the way God forgives. Jesus demonstrated on the cross the ultimate act of self-giving love, showing us that we are to do all things out of love rather than fear.
We can talk about Salvation all we want but Salvation by our Savior is created by Love in Action.