October 13, 2024 - Treehouse Ministries

To long-time Lutherans, Christians from every tradition, and people new to the faith.
We welcome you

To all who have no church home, want to follow Christ, have doubts or do not believe.
We welcome you

To people of every age and size, color and culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, and marital status, ability, disability, and challenge.
We welcome you

To believers, questioners, and questioning believers.
This is a place where you are welcome to: celebrate and struggle, rejoice and recover.
AMEN

We acknowledge that the land on which we gather is the traditional territory of the Sana and Tonkawa peoples. It is also important to acknowledge that we are here today due to the exclusion and erasure of many indigenous people from their native land, including the land on which we stand today. We honor with gratitude the land itself and its original people.

Treehouse Dinner Church

Welcome to Dinner Church at Treehouse! We are thrilled you are here. Tonight’s worship mirrors a form of worship known by the earliest Christians. If it is new to you, not to worry! We will guide you through everything. Take a moment in prayer to settle yourself and recognize the presence of God already at your table. Then relax and enjoy this night!

Welcome and Explanation of the Night

The Lord be with you!
And also with you.
Let us pray…

Opening Song –

Illuminate The Shadows

Chorus
Illuminate the shadows
Comfort those who are cast down
Illuminate the shadows
Be our refuge in the time of storm

God our help in the time of trouble
(God our help in the time of trouble)

Illuminate the shadows
Cast the evil ruler from His throne
Illuminate the shadows
Break oppression with your mighty arm

Illuminate the shadows
‘Til every idol has been trampled on
Illuminate the shadows
‘Til every statue comes tumbling down

Bring hope to the hopeless

Isaac Wardell, Paul Zach
CCLI Song #7158503
© 2020 Integrity Worship Music; Integrity’s Alleluia! Music; Paul Zach Publishing; PG Songs And Hymns
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License #20897483

Sharing of the Bread

On the night before Jesus was to die, he gathered together with his friends for dinner. And on that night, he took the bread, broke it, and gave it to them saying, “Take and eat, this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

And so tonight, we do the same. We take bread, broken for us, and share it with one another with those sacred words, “The body of Christ given for you.”

Communion Song –

Post-Bread Blessing

Be strengthened this night by the presence of Christ made known to you in the bread and in one another. Amen.

Invitation to Meal

Reading – Mark 10:17-31

As Jesus continued down the road, a man ran up, knelt before him, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to obtain eternal life?”

Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except the one God. You know the commandments: Don’t commit murder. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal. Don’t give false testimony. Don’t cheat. Honor your father and mother.”

“Teacher,” he responded, “I’ve kept all of these things since I was a boy.”

Jesus looked at him carefully and loved him. He said, “You are lacking one thing. Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.” But the man was dismayed at this statement and went away saddened, because he had many possessions.

Looking around, Jesus said to his disciples, “It will be very hard for the wealthy to enter God’s kingdom!” His words startled the disciples, so Jesus told them again, “Children, it’s difficult to enter God’s kingdom! It’s easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.”

They were shocked even more and said to each other, “Then who can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them carefully and said, “It’s impossible with human beings, but not with God. All things are possible for God.”

Peter said to him, “Look, we’ve left everything and followed you.”

Jesus said, “I assure you that anyone who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or farms because of me and because of the good news will receive one hundred times as much now in this life—houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and farms (with harassment)—and in the coming age, eternal life. But many who are first will be last. And many who are last will be first.”

Question

Who can be saved? Does wealth mean blessing from God, and does not having wealth mean a damning from God?

Prayers

Sharing the Cup

When supper had ended that night, Jesus took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this as often as you drink in remembrance of me.”

And so tonight, we take the cup of wine, and we drink together, “The blood of Christ shed for you.”

Communion Song

Post-Wine Blessing

Now that you have tasted the goodness of God in bread and wine, let us be the body of Christ, blessed and broken for the whole world. Amen.

Closing Song –

Boldly I Approach

Verse 1
By grace alone somehow I stand
Where even angels fear to tread
Invited by redeeming love
Before the throne of God above
He pulls me close with nail-scarred hands
Into His everlasting arms

Verse 2
When condemnation grips my heart
And Satan tempts me to despair
I hear the voice that scatters fear
The Great I Am the Lord is here
O praise the One who fights for me
And shields my soul eternally

Chorus
Boldly I approach Your throne
Blameless now I’m running home
By Your blood I come welcomed as Your own
Into the arms of majesty

Verse 3
Behold the bright and risen Son
More beauty than this world has known
I’m face to face with Love Himself
His perfect spotless righteousness
A thousand years a thousand tongues
Are not enough to sing His praise

Bridge
This is the art of celebration
Knowing we’re free from condemnation
O praise the One praise the One
Who made an end to all my sin

Blessing and Sending

Whatever wilderness the Spirit has brought you to:
walk in boldness, as a beloved child of God
walk in peace, under the shelter of the Most High
walk in faith, knowing Christ walks with you. Amen.