Mill Plain UMC
Sunday January 22, 2023
God’s Capacity for the New
Scripture
Isaiah 9:1-4
Matthew 4:12-23
Songs
Open the eyes of my heart
This is amazing grace
Lord Reign in me
The heart of worship
How great is our God
Forever
Pass it on
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Mill Plain UMC
January 22 2023
9:30 a.m.
Prelude
Announcements
Song Open The Eyes Of My Heart
Greeting
Call to worship
Worship Assistant: Behold, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs forth, says your God.
People: If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation.
Worship Assistant: God has a capacity for the new.
People: We are God’s new creation, thanks be to God!
Opening Prayer
God of all Creation, each day you make the world anew, each moment you bring us new possibilities; where we walk in dimness and anguish you shine your light, where we stumble because it is too bright you shade our eyes. Grant that when we struggle to see your promises and fail to hear your good news that we will recognize your new creation at work within us. Tear down the old ways of doing things and give us the imagination to recognize the new that you unfold within us this very day. Amen.
Song This is Amazing Grace
Song Lord Reign In Me
Young Disciples
Silent Prayer
Pastoral Prayer
Lord’s Prayer
Music
Offertory
Presentation of Offerings
Doxology How Great Is Our God
Reading from the Hebrew Bible Isaiah 9:1-4
But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
Gospel Scripture Matthew 4:12-23
Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.’
From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
Sermon: God’s Capacity for the New
Prayer
Our God, we confess that we often become stuck in the old ways, in the way we’ve always done things, in the comfort of familiar routines. We fail to see the new thing you are doing among us and in us. Awaken us to your capacity for the new and ignite within us our own capacity for the new. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Song Pass It On
Benediction
Postlude