The Sixth Sunday After Pentecost

July 8, 2007 9:00am

Thank You for sharing this time of worship with us. We're glad you're here! Do come again! If you do not have a local church home, we invite you to make your home with us. You will find Christian love, opportunities for spiritual growth, warm friendships, and an appreciation of being part of God’s family.

Please Don’t Rush Off After The Worship Service. Stick around for some refreshments and a little conversation. We hope you are able to stay!

Large Print Hymnals and personal sound devices are available at the usher's station to help make worship more meaningful for those who may appreciate such assistance. Just ask one of the ushers before the service.

Assisting Us In Worship This Morning

Lee & Linda Petersen, greeters

Joel Meier, head usher

Nicole Burkhardt, organ and Clavinova

We Gather To Worship The Lord

Order of Service: Service of the Word, page 38 in front of the hymnal

Hymns: 195 456 457 474

Message: I Kings 19:21, Galatians 5:25, and Luke 9:62

“Let’s Burn Our Plows!”

THE FIRST LESSON: I Kings 19:14-21

Elijah replied, "I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected Your covenant, broken down Your altars, and put Your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

The Lord said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel-- all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."

So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother good-by," he said, "and then I will come with you." "Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?" So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.

THE SECOND LESSON: Galatians 5:1,13-25

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

...You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

THE GOSPEL LESSON: Luke 9:51-62

As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for Him; but the people there did not welcome Him, because He was heading for Jerusalem.

When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do You want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village.

As they were walking along the road, a man said to Him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head." He said to another man, "Follow Me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow You, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

This Week At Mt. Olive

Today: 9:00am Family Worship Service

10:00am Social Time

7:00pm Coordinating Council Meets

Monday: 11:30am Mt. Olive Worship Service on Cable Channel 14

6:30pm Mt. Olive Worship Service on Cable Channel 14

7:00pm “Time of Grace” Bible Study

Tuesday: 7:00pm “More Than Rubies” Women’s Bible Study

Next Sunday: 9:00am “Time of Grace” on WUCW, Channel 23

9:00am Family Worship Service

Our July “Fix It Morning” is set for Saturday, July 21^st, beginning at 8:30am. Your help would be greatly appreciated! A list of projects may be found in the current “Olive Branch.” Contact Joel Meier for more information. Come for a couple hours and tackle a cleaning or fix-up project or two. Thanks!

Walk With The Animals is coming soon! Our one day V.B.S. event "Walk with the Animals" is scheduled for Saturday, July 28th. This is an outdoor event under a tent on our parking lot. There will be food, skits, puppet shows, face painting, music, crafts, a fish pond and fun for all. We need everyone who is able to help with this special day. Pray for the Lord's blessings on this event right now. With His blessing it will be a day of learning and fun for all.

A Baby Shower For Angela Young is being planned for Saturday, July 28, at 4:00 p.m. Mark your calendars and plan to attend to shower our dear friend Angela with all the things new babies need! A sign-up sheet is posted in the narthex.

The Como Park Living at Home/Block Nurse Program (LAH/BNP) provides seniors in the Como Park/Falcon Heights areas with needed support and resources which aid them in living as long as possible in their own homes. Our organization is seeking volunteers to transport clients using their own vehicles to medical appointments or other locations as needed. All volunteer support is greatly appreciated and highly valued. If you are interested in volunteering please contact the Como Park LAH/BNP at (651) 642-1127. Thank you very much.