Leader: Have a couple of people read Hebrews 12:1-3 and Hebrews 4:14-16. Then, lead the group in the following responsive reading.
Leader: Father, the Author and Perfecter our faith, we choose to worship You tonight.
Group: You have given us so much.
Leader: In Jesus you have provided the perfect high priest. He has sat with You in the glory of heaven and He has walked the dirty roads of our lives. He knows You and He knows us.
Group: We ask for the grace to hold firmly to the faith we profess.
Leader: And we ask for the desire to throw off all that hinders us from running the race set before us.
Group: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.
Leader: For we have a high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He knows what we feel because he too has felt it. He knows what it means to want, to desire, to dream, to hope. He has known temptations of all kinds. He was tempted by power, by physical wants and by popularity.
Group: He was tempted in every way, just as we are.
Leader: Yet was without sin.
Group: Thank You God for the perfect One.
Leader: Thank You Lord for the One who endured our shame.
Group: Thank You for the Son.
Leader: With a deep sense of gratitude and awe, we approach the throne of grace with confidence. We approach with confidence because we know Jesus feels our pain and knows our struggles. There is no condemnation. Iinstead there is sympathy and compassion.
Group: For He has been where we are.
Leader: We come, Lord, on our knees in worship.
Group: We come, Lord, with our hearts bowed in reverence.
Leader: We come not as convicted criminals, but as prisoners set free.
Group: We come because we love you.
Leader: We come because we need You.
Group: We come because You will help us.
Leader: We come because we are confident of Your grace and mercy.
Group: We come, Lord, because You are worthy of our praise.
