COVENANT SERVICE
Commitment
Pastor: we now yield ourselves to the Lord. As his servants, we must give up the dominion and control of ourselves to Christ.
"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey it evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, But rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law but under grace."
All: we are yours, Lord. We reverence you. We dedicate ourselves to your service.
Pastor: in so giving ourselves to the Lord, we affirm that we will heartily embrace what he has appointed us to do, both corporately and personally.
Let him appoint you to your work. Christ has many services to be done; some are more easy and honorable, others more difficult and menial.
Some are suitable to our inclinations and interest; others are contrary to both. In some we may please Christ and please ourselves, as when he requires us to feed and clothe ourselves.
Indeed, there are some spiritual duties that are more pleasing than others; as to rejoice in the Lord, to be a blessing and praising God.
These are the sweet works of a Christian. But then there are other works, wherein to please Christ is to deny ourselves.
Find what it is that Christ expects of you and then give yourselves totally to his will, without bargaining and without reservation.
All: make us what you will, Lord, and send us where we are to go. Let us be vessels of silver or gold, or vessels of wood or stone; as long as we are vessels of honor we are content.
If we are not the head, or the eye, or the ear, one of the nobler and more honorable instruments, then let us be the hands, or the feet, as one of the lowest and least esteemed of all the servants of our Lord.
Pastor: Lord, place us in your kingdom in the roles you have designed for us.
COVENANT SERVICE
Commitment
Pastor: we now yield ourselves to the Lord. As his servants, we must give up the dominion and control of ourselves to Christ.
"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey it evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, But rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law but under grace."
All: we are yours, Lord. We reverence you. We dedicate ourselves to your service.
Pastor: in so giving ourselves to the Lord, we affirm that we will heartily embrace what he has appointed us to do, both corporately and personally.
Let him appoint you to your work. Christ has many services to be done; some are more easy and honorable, others more difficult and menial.
Some are suitable to our inclinations and interest; others are contrary to both. In some we may please Christ and please ourselves, as when he requires us to feed and clothe ourselves.
Indeed, there are some spiritual duties that are more pleasing than others; as to rejoice in the Lord, to be a blessing and praising God.
These are the sweet works of a Christian. But then there are other works, wherein to please Christ is to deny ourselves.
Find what it is that Christ expects of you and then give yourselves totally to his will, without bargaining and without reservation.
All: make us what you will, Lord, and send us where we are to go. Let us be vessels of silver or gold, or vessels of wood or stone; as long as we are vessels of honor we are content.
If we are not the head, or the eye, or the ear, one of the nobler and more honorable instruments, then let us be the hands, or the feet, as one of the lowest and least esteemed of all the servants of our Lord.
Pastor: Lord, place us in your kingdom in the roles you have designed for us.
People: Lord, make all of us your servants.
Pastor: in exalted places, or humble places.
People: let us be full; let us be empty.
Pastor: let us have all things; let us have nothing.
People: we freely and gladly embrace our places in your kingdom.
Hymn: ‘I Am Thine O Lord’ UMH#419
Covenant Requirements
Pastor: Beloved, the commitment to Christ we have just expressed is the essence of discipleship. When we have laid all our hopes upon Christ, casting ourselves wholly upon the merits of his righteousness; when we have with understanding, given ourselves to him; then we are Christians indeed, and not until then. His people are a willing people. He will be all in all, or he will be nothing.
The Covenant
Pastor: And now let us confirm our commitment by a solemn covenant to him.
What would it take for us to make a covenant with God? What would it mean for us to commit ourselves to his plan for our lives in 2008?
All: First, it would mean the forgiveness of our sins and the constant realization of our continual need of the grace of God in our lives.
Second, it would mean a resolve in our own lives to live as disciples of our Lord, forgoing our own selfish motivations and living in our world as servant to others in the name of God.
Finally, it would mean not trusting in our own strength and abilities, but anchoring in the source of our strength and abilities . . . God himself.
God is here in a very real way. His presence is here to give evidence of his promises to us.
Visit us online at http://www.uecf.net
People: Lord, make all of us your servants.
Pastor: in exalted places, or humble places.
People: let us be full; let us be empty.
Pastor: let us have all things; let us have nothing.
People: we freely and gladly embrace our places in your kingdom.
Hymn: ‘I Am Thine O Lord’ UMH#419
Covenant Requirements
Pastor: Beloved, the commitment to Christ we have just expressed is the essence of discipleship. When we have laid all our hopes upon Christ, casting ourselves wholly upon the merits of his righteousness; when we have with understanding, given ourselves to him; then we are Christians indeed, and not until then. His people are a willing people. He will be all in all, or he will be nothing.
The Covenant
Pastor: And now let us confirm our commitment by a solemn covenant to him.
What would it take for us to make a covenant with God? What would it mean for us to commit ourselves to his plan for our lives in 2008?
All: First, it would mean the forgiveness of our sins and the constant realization of our continual need of the grace of God in our lives.
Second, it would mean a resolve in our own lives to live as disciples of our Lord, forgoing our own selfish motivations and living in our world as servant to others in the name of God.
Finally, it would mean not trusting in our own strength and abilities, but anchoring in the source of our strength and abilities . . . God himself.
God is here in a very real way. His presence is here to give evidence of his promises to us.
Visit us online at http://www.uecf.net