4th Sunday in LentLENT CALL TO WORSHIP P: People of the covenant: God does not remember us according to our sins and transgressions. C: God remembers us according to God’s own steadfast love! P: The God of our salvation teaches us right paths and leads us in truth. C: All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness; we put our trust in God. CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS P: This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, for people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. Let us uncover our sin before the liberating light of Christ. Silence for Personal Reflection P: Merciful God, C: we confess the folly of our sin and the hypocrisy of our complaints. We grumble about the evils in our world, even as we commit injustices and deceit. We fret about the scarcity of resources while hoarding earth’s goods and cheating the poor. We protest the problems of our world, but we do not actively work to address them. Merciful God, expose our sins before the light of your grace. Heal our sin and free us from our foolish ways that we me know the joy of eternal life in Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. P: Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. C: Thanks be to God. HYMN “Lift High the Cross” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbcBXYP4AlE PRAYER OF THE DAY Based on Ephesians 2:10 P: Almighty God, through Jesus Christ you bring salvation to the world. Give us strength to believe in him that we may share in his victory over the power of death and fulfill the purpose for which you have made us, for he dwells with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. C: Amen. READINGS Hebrew Bible Reading: Numbers 21:4-9 4From Mount Hor [the Israelites] set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. 5The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” 6Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 7The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” 9So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. Epistle Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10 1You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—9not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. Gospel: John 3:14-21 [Jesus said:] 14“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” SERMON HYMN “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION P: Sisters and brothers, confident in God’s love and mercy, let us pray for the world and for our needs. P: Holy God, you created us in Christ Jesus for good works. Help those who profess faith in Christ to do good in the world, following the way of life you have prepared for those who believe in him. For the church of Jesus Christ, Merciful God, C: hear our prayer. P: Your children walk by your light, doing what is true. Yet salvation is not earned by good works, but through trust in your grace. Dispel from your children arrogance of heart, that the world may be drawn to your truth by their humble witness. Merciful God, C: hear our prayer. P: In every age you call forth men and women of integrity to lead your people in the way of righteousness. Help pastors and teachers fulfill their calling; give them courage to speak the truth in love, and shield them from temptation to misuse their authority. For pastors and teachers, Merciful God, C: hear our prayer. P: God, your reign encompasses all the earth, though the nations may rebel against your justice. Save the nations from the wrath of their disobedience. Help them to dwell in peace and promote the common good. For governments and leaders, Merciful God, C: hear our prayer. P: You hear the cry of the sick and the afflicted. Save them from their distress, heal them of their disease, and deliver them from the destructive power of suffering. For all who sorrow in distress, (especially Julie, Karla, Stephanie, Cammie, Nancy, Beverly, Micala, Murlene, and Brian.) Merciful God, C: hear our prayer. P: O God, in Jesus Christ you have shown your love for the world. Receive our prayers, grant us what we need, save us from perishing, and bring us to everlasting life. C: Amen. LENT OFFERING PRAYER Financial gifts may be sent to the church. We are collecting unscented bottles of lotion for local nursing home residents. P: God our provider, you have not fed us with bread alone, but with words of grace and life. Bless us and these your gifts, which we receive from your bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. C: Amen. LORD’S PRAYER Sung by Michael O’Brien BENEDICTION P: May the love of God, the grace of Christ, and the light of the Spirit bless you and keep you in the way of truth. C: Amen. HYMN “Goodness Is Stronger than Evil” CHARGE P: Go And...Be Intentional! So that you can better love God and your neighbor. C: Thanks be to God. Printed by permission oneliscense.net A-717495
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AuthorRev. Lori E.L. Kitzing Archives
April 2024
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