Genesis 21:1-3, 22:1-14; John 1:29

Sept. 19, 2021
Narrative Lectionary, Year 4, Week 2

Genesis 21:1-3, 22:1-14
John 1:29

Prayer of Invocation
God as we have spent the time this week preparing to come here into your presence this morning to offer our worship and praise, there are times we may have been distracted.  But now, we ask that you will make us ready to hold nothing back from you so that we can hear what you want us to learn today about you.  Amen.

Prayer of Preparation
God as we have spent the time this week preparing to come here into your presence this morning to offer our worship and praise, there are times we may have been distracted.  But now, we ask that you will make us ready to hold nothing back from you so that we can hear what you want us to learn today about you.  Amen.

Offering Prayer
Wonderful Savior, you offered yourself up as the Lamb of God for us.  You sent your angel to Abraham to test if he trusted your provisions.  We bring to you our offerings with prayers that the sacrifice we make is acceptable in your eyes and that you will bless these gifts for use by your church.  Amen.

Intercessory Prayer
God who provides, we cannot imagine the agony of a situation that Abraham found himself in, asked to make this sacrifice.  We cannot imagine the confusion that his son, Isaac, must have felt as he realized what was happening.  We cannot imagine the anger that the wife, Sarah, might have known if she had heard what Abraham was planning.  Yet, each day, there are familial relationships damaged by the actions and choices people make.  For families who are hurting, Lord we pray to you.  If that hurt is caused by death, by illness, by abuse, by addictions, by mental health, by economic problems, by divorce, by separation due to circumstances of business travel, imprisonment, or military service.  Or for hurts that are caused by any other thing, Lord we pray to you.  And Lord we ask that you provide to each of these in our prayers today.  May the ram caught in the thicket be visible to them so that they realize that even in their troubles they can worship you, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  We pray, Lord, for all these troubles, using a prayer that you taught that is prayed throughout our world in every language. Our Father… Amen.

Benediction

Benediction
Go now with trust for our God
Hear Him
See what He shows you
Follow where He leads
Worship Him without holding back
For He is Jehovah Jireh who provides
For He is the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world
For He is the Spirit who speaks to us in our time of need. Amen