If you’re viewing this page as a group, pick someone to be the reader to read the normal print, while everyone else can respond with the words in bold. 

Praising God 

Psalm 147:1 says 

Praise the Lord! How good is it to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! 

Our musicians will lead us in our first song of praise 

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Bible Reading  

As we turn to this weeks Bible reading, let’s pray together: 

Heavenly Father, give us faith to receive your word, understanding to know what it means, and the will to put it into practice, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Our Bible reading this week is Mark 12:13-17 

Mark 12:13-17

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar

¹³ Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. ¹⁴ They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”¹⁶ They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

And they were amazed at him.

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Sermon 

Marty Kemp will now preach the sermon titled Christians and the Government 

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Confession of Sin 

In telling the story of the Lost Son, Jesus describes how the son “came to his senses, saying ‘I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father” (Luke 15:17-20). 

We are called to be like this lost Son, returning to God our Father with repentance and faith. Let us confess our sins, praying together 

Heavenly Father, You have loved us with an everlasting love, But we have often gone our own way, and rejected your will for our lives. We are sorry for our sins and turn away from them. For the sake of your son who died for us, forgive us, cleanse us, and change us. By your Holy Spirit, enable us to live for you, and to please you in every way, for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen 

Jesus tells us of the Father’s response, explaining that “while the son was still a far way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). This is how our Heavenly Father will respond to each of us as we return to him in the same way. 

Allow Tim Young to lead you in prayer! 

Let’s finish our time of prayer with the Lord’s Prayer together: 

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For the Kingdom, the power and glory are yours, now and forever,
Amen 

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Announcements 

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Final Song 

Our musicians will lead us again as we close our time together. 

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Benediction 

Hear these words from Numbers 6:24-26. 

The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. 

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, 

In the name of Christ, Amen! 

Thanks for joining us! See you next week!