House Church Worship Guide
Christ is your life
(Colossians 3:4)
Welcome to worship this week! We set aside this special time for God, to give Him honour and praise, and to encourage each other to the good works God calls us to.
Remember to encourage anyone who is feeling unwell to stay home. Think about how you can be caring for one another over these weeks.
Find a simple version of the guide you can print here
You can find song lyrics for the songs here:
Use this Worship Guide flexibly, encourage others to participate, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit leading you.
1. CALL TO WORSHIP
How do you feel today as you come to worship? Bring your heart to Jesus, and let Him meet you right where you are and give you strength.
From Matthew 11:
25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
2. SING
Sure can’t wait to be belting songs out together next Sunday at Ranzau Road. Here’s some songs that you can use to make a joyful noise to the Lord, and lift your hearts to him:
3. FAMILY CONNECTION
In our passage today, Paul says: set your hearts and your minds on Jesus.
(Possible Illustration: Hold up a TV remote. Ask kids to describe what it does, and what they like to turn the TV to.)
As people to share:
What is something that your mind easily goes to when you have nothing to think about?
Why do you think your mind goes to that so easily?
Why is what we set the channel of our minds to so important?
PARENTS: Click on the Family Resources button to find some colouring in activities and videos for preschool and school age children that you can use at any time:
Families, please note that you will need to prepare these colouring and Right Now Media resources ahead of time if you plan to use them.
4. CHURCH UPDATE AND PRAYER
Stream the following church update (Length: 5 mins)
The update gives you a few things to pray about. Ask your group to share any needs that they have.
Take some time to pray for the church of the week and missionary:
Brightwater Community Church, Minister Paul Milson
School Lifeway Chaplains – Malcolm Irvine (Wakefield), Margaret Stewart (Stoke), Steve Polglase (Ranzau)
5. SCRIPTURE READING: COLOSSIANS 3:1-4
Colossians 3 is a big turning point in the book. It doesn’t get much better than Colossians 3:1-4. This passage is an all-out call to set our hearts and minds on Jesus.
3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
6. BIBLE MESSAGE
Stream this message on Colossians 3:1-4
(Length: 20 mins)
7. SHARE AND RESPOND
Every message will have a piece of gold for you to take away. What was it for you today? What is God calling you to do in response to His Word?
8. COMMUNION
Christ is your life. You have union and communion with Him. You have a relationship with Him, you enjoy and experience it in communion.
Just as you digest the bread and juice, and it becomes part of you, so we are to feast on Jesus and be nourished by His grace.
Take communion, repent of your sin, rest in Jesus’ love, know that He is your life.
9. BENEDICTION
Saint Patrick of Ireland wrote this prayer in the 5th century. Ask someone to read it as a benediction:
Christ be with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ be in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left
Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit,
Christ where I arise
Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every person who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.“
May your week by filled with Jesus, who is your life. Amen.
(And see you at Ranzau Road, next Sunday, 9am and 11am!)
The whole service will stream live at 10am if you would prefer to watch it this way. Click on LIVE CHURCH at www.hopechurch.org.nz. Or from midday on, you can find it by clicking on PAST SERVICES.