DAY OF REPENTANCE:
4 MODELS FOR A CHURCH SERVICE
National Day of Repentance
4 Models of a Church Service
For a Day of Repentance
Suggested Service #1:
The Worship/ Prayer/ Silence/ Optional public sharing model…….
OPENING PRAYER…. PSALM 51:1-17
SCRIPTURES: PSALM 17: 15; EPHESIANS 5: 26-27; REVELATION 3: 1-22
BRIEF SERMON ON REPENTANCE:
--- the definition of repentance Amplified version Mark 1: 14-15
----the call to preach repentance even before remission of sins: Luke 24:47
------a lifestyle of seeking His Purity and Holiness: 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 John 3:3
-----repent to have the Lord heal a nation 2 Chronicles 7:14
----repent as His Bride before His soon return Ephesians 5: 26-27
TIME FOR PERSONAL REPENTANCE: 2 of the 7 sins of Proverbs 6: 16-19:
A proud look
3-4 MINUTES OF SILENCE, GIVING TIME FOR EACH PERSON TO SEEK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CONFESS THAT PERSONAL SIN AND REPENT
One who sows discord among brethren
3-4 MINUTES OF SILENCE, GIVING TIME FOR EACH PERSON TO SEEK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CONFESS THAT PERSONAL SIN AND REPENT
TIME FOR NATIONAL REPENTANCE: [pick any one; 3-4 minutes of silence after that one]
---THE KILLING OF INNOCENTS;
--- IDOLATRY [humanism];
---THE LEGALIZATION OF SEXUAL PERVERSIONS;
----FAILURE TO STAND WITH ISRAEL
OPEN TIME FOR SHARING BY THE CONGREGATION WHAT A PERSON MAY HAVE REPENTED OF, AND NOW THEIR REACTION
CLOSING WORSHIP/PRAYER
EXTENSIVE TIME FOR FELLOWSHIP!!! [ there will be a wonderful sense of Freedom in Christ/ the Love of God; great JOY]
Suggested Service #2
THE LITANY OF REPENTANCE [The Litany is an Abridged Version of the Great Litany Found in the American Book of Common Prayer]
Oh God the Father, Creator of Heaven and earth, Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the World, Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the faithful, Have mercy upon us.
Remember not, Lord Christ, our offenses, nor the offenses of our forefathers; neither reward us according to our sins. Spare us Good Lord, spare your people, whom You have redeemed by Your precious blood. In Your mercy preserve us forever. Spare us, Good Lord.
From all evil, all wickedness, all sin; from the schemes and assaults of the enemy of life, from everlasting condemnation, Save us Good Lord.
From all blindness and arrogance of heart; from pride, conceit, and hypocrisy; from envy and malice; from indifference, self-satisfaction and passive affection substituted for love, Good Lord restore us.
From all perverted, sinful, and inappropriate affections; from the counterfeits and shadow constructs of the world, the flesh and the devil, Good Lord be our intervention.
From all false teaching, false thoughts and words and visions of God, from splits within the Body of Christ, from hardness of heart, and from contempt of Your Word, Your Commandments, and Your whole revelation, Good Lord awaken and heal us.
From such natural disasters as earthquake, fire, flood, and cataclysmic storms; from drought, disease and famine, Good Lord rescue us.
From oppression, rebellion and subversion – inside or outside the structures of government, Good Lord set us free.
By the mystery of your Holy Incarnation, Birth, and submission to the Law of Moses; by your Baptism, Fasting and Temptation, Good Lord make us holy as You are holy; make us whole as You are whole.
By Your Agony, Blood and Sweat; by Your Cross and Suffering; by Your precious Death and Burial; by Your glorious Resurrection and Ascension; by the coming of Your Holy Spirit and in anticipation of your Return to Reign, Good Lord make us holy as You are holy; make us whole as You are whole.
In our poverty and prosperity, in our death and in our life, in your Day of Judgment, Good Lord bring us closer and closer to You as we turn and seek You daily.
We beg You to hear us, undeserving though we are; we beg You to govern us, rebellious and self satisfied as we are; we beg You to open our eyes as leaders and as ordinary citizens of Your kingdom and adopted members of your family. Give us authentic understanding and leaders who will lead us into Your presence by word and act. Please Lord – because we need You and we cannot make it without You step by step.
That it may give You joy to bless us and confidence to send us out to bring all mankind into Your Kingdom in the power of Your Spirit and through no power and might of ours; that it may bless You to bless us with the real understanding that follows obedience and leads to the fruit of Your Spirit; that it may touch Your heart to see Your children restored and healed wherever we have strayed – beginning with us as we speak these words, Dear Lord we are begging You.
That You may have joy as they respond to Your prompting and authority – the President of the United States and all others in worldly power – that they may do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly in Your presence, Dear Lord we are begging You.
That You bring true peace and freedom to the tribes and nations that war and oppress, Dear Lord we are begging You.
That You show and empower love to the homeless, the hungry, and the prisoners – to all who are under any kind of desolation, Dear Lord we are begging You.
That you show us how best to use and preserve the bounty of Your creation, that all may enjoy it and enjoy it for all time; that You move us to walk in the callings and challenges You provide with single focus as Your servants, and for the common good, Dear Lord we are begging You.
That You protect and rescue all who are in danger in their work or travel; that You protect and preserve women in childbirth and women and men in fear of the childbirth You have provided; that You hold children, orphans and widows in the palm of Your hand and bring peace to homes and families torn by violence and hatred; that You – through us and ahead of us – would visit and comfort the lonely and strengthen the suffering ones, Dear Lord we are begging You.
That You would lead us into authentic repentance as you lead us away from the worship of the petty things we substitute for You; that You remind us constantly of how it is infinitely more important to Whom we turn than from what we turn; and that You forgive those we need to forgive even when we are slow to obey You in this, Dear Lord we are begging You.
Abba God we are begging You to hear us. Abba God we are begging You to hear us.
Father God we are begging You to turn us until You alone fill our field of vision. Father God we are begging You to turn us until You alone fill our field of vision.
Abba God we are begging You to restore us to the joyful obedience we find only in You. Abba God we are begging You to restore us to the joyful obedience we find only in You.
Son of God we are begging You to hear us. Son of God we are begging You to hear us.
Lamb of God we are begging You to release us from bondage to ourselves. Lamb of God we are begging You to release us from bondage to ourselves.
Son of God we are begging You to usher us into the freedom of your presence. Son of God we are begging You to usher us into the freedom of your presence.
Spirit of the Living God, fall again on us. Spirit of the Living God, fall again on us.
Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, fill us to bursting as You once did, and make our wineskins new. Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, fill us to bursting as You once did, and make our wineskins new.
The Minister Prays a Concluding Prayer for Blessing the Renewed Lifestyle of Repentance
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Suggested Service #3
Welcome, opening prayer
Worship:
Liturgy: Reverend /Pastor _________
Leader: If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14.
The Lord says there is nothing we can do that will separate us irrevocably from Him, but we must turn from self-adoration to the worship of God alone. It is a process, but it is also the greatest privilege ever granted.
Congregation: The Lord has posted watchmen on the walls. We are the watchmen. Day and night He calls us to give ourselves no rest – and to give Him no rest – until He has established Jerusalem in our midst and makes her the praise of all the earth. Isaiah 62:6-7.
The Lord says we are to give neither ourselves nor Him rest as we call upon Him to establish His Kingdom in our midst. He wants us to pester Him as He wants us to learn to be faithful to Him. It is a process, but it is also the greatest privilege ever granted.
Leader: For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to do you good, plans to give you a hope and a future. You will call to me and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you. Jeremiah 29:11-14
The Lord says when we seek Him with all our hearts we cannot fail to find Him.
Congregation: We choose to follow You, Lord. We believe in Psalm 139 which says: “ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
READING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT PASSAGE JAMES 4:1-10
4 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
AMAZING GRACE – All Sing Together
Congregation: The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way. A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.” John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Mark 1:1-4.
We thought repentance was how we got ready to receive the Good News. Now we see that the privilege of repentance is itself the Good News. Praise Him!
READING OF THE GOSPEL PASSAGE MATTHEW 28:16-20
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
BRIEF SERMON: [ e.g. REPENTANCE AS A LIFESTYLE TO CARRY OUT THE GREAT COMMISSION]
THE LITANY
THE PEOPLE PASS GOD’S PEACE TO ONE ANOTHER
THE MINISTER PRAYS OVER THE COMMUNION ELEMENTS The shape of the prayer is discretionary, but it should include thanksgiving for all that God has given in creation, the various leaders He has sent from time to time, and honest admission that we have rejected and distorted and even destroyed His gifts; the Words Jesus used over the Last Supper should be included and a prayer for the Holy Spirit to fill and bless and commission the congregation should conclude.
SINGING TOGETHER CLOSING…….All Sing Together Closing with two or three songs might include traditional hymns such Be Thou My Vision, Alleluia Sing to Jesus, or Lead on O King Eternal, or contemporary songs such as Alleluia He is Coming, As the Deer, More Love, More Power, or They Will Know We are Christians by Our Love.
A DISMISSAL OR SENDING ACCLAMATION
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Suggested Service #4
Before you begin, fill the building with your heavenly language and worship; invite the Presence of the Holy Spirit
Welcome!
Opening Scriptures: Psalm 22: 27-28 & Psalm 51: 1-17
1. Short message by the pastor: were Godly roots planted in our State? in our Nation? How have recent actions locally and nationally pulled up those roots?
Do we have any power? is there any point in our opposing these actions?
1 Samuel 14:6." Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, ' Come, let us go over to the garrison of those uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few."
God can work with only two of us to defeat an enemy; there are more than two of us here!
2. It's not by our might, our power; GOD HAS A SOLUTION! One, among several, is set forth in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14. Our forefathers knew this well and used it often; over 800 times since the Pilgrims !!:
13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
When the Lord sends drought, locusts, or pestilence, He wants His People to return to Him; He has His Solution in 2 Chronicles 7: 13-14 to solve it.
The definition of "Pestilence" in the dictionary includes MORAL pestilence.
those of us who are His People can now take time to 1) humble ourselves, 2) pray, 3) seek His face, and individually and collectively 4) TURN from our wicked ways. THEN He will hear from heaven, forgive sin and heal a land. 2 Chronicles 7: 14.
TURN means to repent. It is a 180% change of direction in one's thinking, pivoting from the world and the flesh to His Word, His Way, from this point forward. It also includes showing a sincere change in character thanks to repentance so that others notice--- one has to "bear fruit worthy of repentance."
3. REPENTANCE IS GOD'S GIFT TO US, AS WAS HIS BLOOD
Repent was John the Baptist's message. Matthew 3:1
Repent was Jesus' first word as a preacher. Matthew 4:17
Repent was the message his first disciples preached for all to come into His Kingdom: Mark 6: 12
Repent was required of all souls: Luke 13: 3,5. Jesus said: " Unless you repent you will all likewise PERISH."
The Risen Christ then directed those disciples then, and us today, to preach repentance to everyone in the world. Repentance, even before remission of sins, was to be preached to all the world, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:47
REPENT was then the center of Peter’s powerful sermon bringing 3,000 into the Kingdom after Pentecost. Acts 2: 38: " Then Peter said to them, 'REPENT, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." And then shortly thereafter Peter said, " REPENT therefore and be CONVERTED, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord..." Acts 3:19:
Instead of being lukewarm the Risen Christ now calls all of us to be zealous to REPENT. Revelation 3:19.
Many are sitting in churches who have never truly repented; many have never converted from their old lives. Perhaps even some pastors/ priests are not yet converted and may be simply mouthing old empty words.
All humans were born children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3), repentance is necessary to join His Kingdom. "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2: 4-7).
Instead of being lukewarm we are now called to prepare as His Bride to be holy and without spot (Ephesians 5: 27) and to be zealous to repent.
Even before John the Baptist and Jesus preached repentance, the Jews each year then, and now, honor a Day of Atonement [ Leviticus 23: 26-32] to "afflict their souls"-- to repent.
And Daniel [Daniel 9: 4-19] and then Nehemiah [ Nehemiah 1: 4-11] both confessed the sins not only their own sins and the sins of their families, but also the sins of their nation-- committed hundreds of years earlier.
4. Now we invite the Holy Spirit to help us confess personal sins and national sins. This will be a private time of several minutes with your Teacher, the Holy Spirit, the One Who comforts us and also rightfully convicts us of our sins.
At any point when in private with the Holy Spirit, you can ask Him if that sin applies to you. If it does, and you confess it to Him, He will forgive you. (1 John 1:9). You can then take the key next step and repent, renouncing in Jesus' Name that old sin pattern, choosing instead His Word as your path to His Purity.
5. the first issue for personal repentance: killing of innocents
a. personal: [please take 3 minutes in silence with the Holy Spirit, seeing if this is an old sin issue for you, a residue that is not yet removed. Ask the Lord to help you see it; then you can confess it privately to Him. He will forgive you-- and then you can also take the final step to decide to repent, to remove that old sin pattern forever]
b. national: now the issue of killing of innocents in our Nation.
[please take 3 minutes in silence with the Holy Spirit, seeing if this is a sin issue for our nation that you wish to confess, as did Nehemiah and Daniel for their nation]
6. the next issue for personal repentance: idolatry
a. personal: please take 3 minutes in silence with the Holy Spirit, seeing if this is an old sin issue for you, a residue that is not yet removed. Ask the Lord to help you see it; then you can confess it privately to Him. He will forgive you-- and then you can also take the final step to decide to repent, to remove that old sin pattern forever.
b. national ---now the issue of idolatry in our Nation--
please take 3 minutes in silence with the Holy Spirit, seeing if this is a sin issue for our nation--- humanism, self, mammon---- that you wish to confess, as did Nehemiah and Daniel for their nation.
7. the next issue for personal repentance: sexual perversions
a. personal: please take 3 minutes in silence with the Holy Spirit, seeing if this is an old sin issue for you, a residue that is not yet removed. Ask the Lord to help you see it; then you can confess it privately to Him. He will forgive you-- and then you can also take the final step to decide to repent, to remove that old sin pattern forever.
b. national: now the issue of legalizing, approving sexual perversions in our Nation. Please take 3 minutes in silence with the Holy Spirit, seeing if this is a sin issue for our nation that you wish to confess, as did Nehemiah and Daniel for their nation.
8. the next issue for personal repentance: failure to stand for God's plan for your life---John 15:16
a. personal: please take 3 minutes in silence with the Holy Spirit, seeing if this is an old sin issue for you, a residue that is not yet removed. Ask the Lord to help you see it; then you can confess it privately to Him. He will forgive you-- and then you can also take the final step to decide to repent, to remove that old sin pattern forever.
b. national: now the issue of apathy, fear of others, failing to stand for God's plan for our Nation. Please take 3 minutes in silence with the Holy Spirit, seeing if this is a sin issue for our nation that you wish to confess, as did Nehemiah and Daniel for their nation.
9. Sharing of testimonies of anyone who may wish to share
Closing prayer
Ongoing worship and JOYFUL FELLOWSHIP which ALWAYS follows!!