Cycle C Lectionary 31 Proper 26

11/3/2013 Confession

Sunday Title: not a Festival Sunday

Sermon Title: “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Piety”

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 1:10-18 …learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed,

defend the orphan, plead for the widow. 

Psalm 32 I resolved, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and You forgave the guilt of my sin.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 To this end we always pray for you,

asking that our God will make you worthy of his call….

Luke 19:1-10 "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost."

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  The Lord calls us to deliberate on our actions and our worship….

    (pause to search ourselves for honesty)

P:  We come before you Lord

C: in this time, this morning, with our prayers and offerings.

But you see what we do before we are here.

  Our praise is corrupted by our iniquity,

    Our worship revoked by our sin.

While we celebrate great festivals with feasting,

  we do not feed the hungry.

We may sing Stand up Stand up for Jesus!

  But when do we defend the orphan, or plead for the widow?

We pray earnestly, and even stretch out our hands in praise.

  Still we sequester our wealth and our abilities for ourselves,

    and despise those who we designate as sinners. (Pause for reflection)

P:  Lord…

C: We are lost.

Forgive us the sins we name.

Save us from the sins we deny.  (Pause for reflection)

P:  Today salvation comes to this house! It is for Christ’s sake our sins are forgiven. Our shouts and praise may be for our deliverance. According to the grace of God we are made worthy of his call, and we may now grow abundantly in faith and love and by his power fulfill every good resolve and work of faith, so we may glorify the Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always!

C: And also with you!

-or -

Psalm 32