Cycle B Advent 4

12/21/2014 Confession

Sunday Title: Ready Sunday

Sermon Title: Ready for the Word?

Previously:  

Sunday Title: Full Sunday

Sermon Title: Mary was the first one to carry the Gospel?

Sunday Title: Love Sunday 

Sermon Title: “Kingship”

Scripture Cuttings:

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle.

Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: ‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’”

-or-

Luke 1:47-55 “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

Romans 16:25-27 but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—

Luke 1:26-38 “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

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:  Let us approach the Lord with respect,

pondering anew what the Almighty will do. (pause)

  Most High God,

C:  our plans are not yours,

  our ways are not yours.

Yet you would choose to use us

  and we would take your choice as our license

    and choose to use you.

You reveal your glory,

  and we hide it away.

You plant your word within us,

  we pick and choose our words,

    building our fiefdom

      instead of proclaiming your Gospel.

Forgive us Lord the sins we name,

Save us Lord from the sins we evade.

  (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  The Most high God is sending a son: Jesus, his reign is without end. It is for the sake of Jesus the Christ that our sins are forgiven. God’s faithfulness is revealed to bring our obedience in faith, that we to might say:

C : “Here am I, the servant of the Lord;

let it be with me according to your word.”

P: To the glory of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle B Advent 3

12/14/2014 Confession

Sunday Title: Ready Sunday

Sermon Title: Who are you?

Previously:

Sunday Title: Identity Sunday

Sermon Title: Who are you?

Sunday Title: Peace Sunday

Sermon Title: “Words of Encouragement?”

Sunday Title: Peace Sunday

Sermon Title: "Where Does True Peace Come From?"

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.

Psalm 126 Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.

John 1:6-8, 19-28 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

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:  God who calls us is faithful to us,

Let us be faithful in our confession. (pause- what is faithful?)

  O God,

C: so little of our lives are devoted to you

We only turn to our relationship with you,

  when we need something special.

We count on your everlasting covenant

  but our prayers end quickly

    and our thanks are only for exceptionally good things;

      all for our own interests, so they do not to display your glory.

You even give to us the light of the world,

  but we turn off our relationship

    and hold fast to evil

      and abstain from what is good.

Save us Lord from the sins we know.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

  (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  Light is coming into the world , witnesses testify to the light that we may become believers through him. Our God sends to us Jesus Christ so our relationship with God may be restored. For Christ’s sake our sins are forgiven. Christ is that light, revealing the glory of the Lord. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle B Advent 2

12/7/2014 Confession

Sunday Title: Ready Sunday

Sermon Title: Ready for God’s Victory?

Previously:

Sunday Title: Beginning Sunday

Sermon Title: When does this start?

Sunday Title: Peace Sunday

Sermon Title: “Words of Encouragement?”

Sunday Title: Peace Sunday

Sermon Title: "Where Does True Peace Come From?"

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 40:1-11 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.

2 Peter 3:8-15a But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient on your account not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

Mark 1:1-8 I have baptized you in water; but he will baptize you with in the Holy Spirit.

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:  Let us approach the Lord in repentance,

seeking the forgiveness of our sins. (pause)

  O God,

C: we rely on our history and tradition

  to secure relationship with you.

We take lightly this act of confession,

  as if the depth of your mercy

    excludes the need for self-examination.

Our lists do not include you.

  We are too hurried

    and do not make a straight paths in our hearts,

      and we ignore your messenger.

We are not preparing ourselves to come into your presence.

Save us Lord from the sins we know.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

  (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  God is sending one who will baptize us with the Holy Spirit. It is God’s own Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Because of Christ, our sins are forgiven. But our baptism may count for even more than the forgiveness of sins. We may receive the power of the Holy Spirit and become the messengers crying out in our wilderness the hope of our coming Lord. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

Cycle B Advent 1

11/30/2014 Confession

Sunday Title: Shine Sunday

Sermon Title: Ready

Previously:

Sunday Title: Waiting Sunday

Sermon Title: Stop watch waiting or in the time waiting?

Sunday Title: Peace Sunday

Sermon Title: “Happy ? New Year”

Sunday Title: Hope Sunday 

Sermon Title: “Happy ? New Year” 

Sunday Title: Hope Sunday 

Sermon Title: "Could be worse. How could it be worse? Could be raining!"

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 64:1-9 Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, the one whom you made strong for yourself. Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name.

1 Corinthians 1:3-9 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Mark 13:24-37 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; and pray for you do not know when the time will come.

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:  We have all become like one who is unclean. (pause)

  O God,

C: do we concentrate to much on future signs

  instead of being prepared for your arrival? 

Have we distanced ourselves from you

  with our sin and iniquity? 

Have we forgotten we are your people

  and you are our God? 

Do we really believe we are the clay

  and you are the potter?

Save us Lord from the sins we know in our heart.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

  (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  The Lord is our heavenly Father. We are being redeemed by the work of God’s faithful hand through Jesus Christ. For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we may be blessed with every spiritual gift and be continually strengthened in the fellowship of  God’s son, Jesus Christ our Lord. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle A Christ the King

11/23/2014 Confession 

Sunday Title: Christ the King Sunday 

Sermon Title: Relevant Lordship

Previously:

Sunday Title: Christ the King Sunday 

Sermon Title: Shepherd King

Sunday Title: Christ the King 

Sermon Title: “Hearing your Blessings”

Sunday Title: Christ the King Sunday -

Sermon Title: “What Crown? What King?”

Scripture Cuttings:

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak....

Psalm 95:1-7a Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

Ephesians 1:15-23 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you....

Matthew 25:31-46 Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.

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 seeks the lost.

C: O God, we have strayed, and we call out to you. (pause)

P:  Heavenly Father hear us….

C: In the blessings you have given us

  we forget you are the champion of the weak, the injured, the lost.

We call ourselves your church

  but in our fellowship we look past the stranger,

    the hungry, the naked, the sick, those in prison.

We call Christ our King

  but we do not let your Son reign over our lives.

Save us Lord from the sins we know in our heart.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

  (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  Our Lord rescues us from all the places we scatter ourselves. In the working of God’s great power, Jesus Christ, God’s own Son is given for our sake. And our sins, which separates us from God, are forgiven. We may gather together in Christ name. Through the Holy Spirit we may receive the immeasurable greatness of his power. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle A Lectionary 33 Proper 28

11/16/2014 Confession

Sunday Title: Igneous Sunday

Sermon Title: “Abundance vs. Scarcity”

Previously:

Sunday Title: Veterans Sunday

Sermon Title: Loyalty to Go

Scripture Cuttings:

Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18 Their wealth shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them.

Psalm 90:1-12 So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him.

Matthew 25:14-30  For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents,  to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

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

C: Amen

P:  Our iniquity is before the Lord, who sees even our secret sin. (pause)

  O Lord,

C: we are complacent and sedentary in our faith,

  it occupies little of our lives

    and is inconvenient against our desire for pleasure.

We seek security in the wrong places

  and think about judgment as a long, long time away.

We fail to use the gift you have given us in salvation

  and we hoard your grace and love in our tiny pieties.

Save us Lord from the sins we know in our heart.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide. (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  Even though we deserve it, God has not destined us for wrath, but rather for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our sins are forgiven. This forgiveness and restoration to a right relationship with God is not just a future event, but by the power of the Holy Spirit it is alive and active right now! We are called out of darkness and fearfulness to be awake in our faith, to live boldly as children of the light. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle A Lectionary 32 Proper 27

11/9/2014 Confession

Sunday Title: Veterans Sunday

Sermon Title: Ready

Previously:

Sunday Title: Light Sunday 

Sermon Title: "Job Descriptions"

Scripture Cuttings:

Amos 5:18-24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Psalm 70 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, "God is great!"

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Matthew 25:1-13 Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

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:  Why delay? Lets prepare to meet Jesus right now.

    (pause to think, when you meet Jesus, will it be in shame or with delight)

  Lord, Lord,

C: we know who you are,

  we know you bring in the kingdom of heaven.

But when you assign us the job of lighting the way,

  we barely announce your divine rule to ourselves

    let alone the ends of the earth.

Our worship hour has solemn times and festivals.

  And we celebrate your redemptive action in history

    with our calendar - Sundays, seasons, year after year.

Yet we become drowsy: unprepared,

  because we are not disciples each day, at all hours.

    Those times we live for ourselves.

We do not need you right now.

  So we do not want justice, unless we judge for ourselves,

    and self-righteousness is easier than right relationship.

Forgive us Lord the sins we can bear to name,

Save us Lord from the sins we will not speak.

    (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  God redeems. Our hope lives in the one we call Jesus the Christ. Time and again we go to this hope, ready or not. For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven. May the flood of God's love in Christ Jesus be poured out in our lives and cease not at this worship's end. To the glory of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle A All Saints

 11/2/2014 Confession

A Great Sunday to use Thanksgiving for Baptism -ELW

Sunday Title: All Saints Sunday

Sermon Title: Present Tense Saints

Previously:

Sunday Title: All Saints Sunday

Sermon Title: Saint “hood” (the neighborhood of saints)

Sunday Title: All Saints Sunday

Sermon Title: “Hearing your Blessings”

Sunday Title: All Saints Sunday

Sermon Title: “Pure in Heart”

Scripture Cuttings:

Revelation 7:9-17 These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Psalm 34:1-10 & 22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

1 John 3:1-3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Matthew 5:1-12 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

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:  Let us put down our defenses and be honest with God.

  (what defense can you set down in this silence?)

  Lord of all,

C: we search for the wrong things,

  our desires make an illusion of our lives.

We dislike the depressed for their mood,

  we judge the weak in their inadequacies.

We value traits of strength and self-rightness

  above purity in relationship.

We are even proud of our humbleness.

Save us Lord from the sins we know in our heart.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

  (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  Our Lord does desire for us to be blessed with pure hearts to know God. For our sake God provides the blood of the Lamb so that we might be able to stand before the throne of God and worship in God’s own temple. The Son of God: Jesus Christ is that Lamb, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Our sins are washed away. We are made pure in Christ. By the power of the Holy Spirit we may live together in hope as children of God. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle ABC Reformation

10/26/2014 Confession

Sunday Title: Reformation Sunday

Sermon Title: “Independence Day?”

Previously:

Sunday Title: New Sunday

Sermon Title: “From faithfulness to religion and back”

Sunday Title: Heritage Sunday

Sermon Title: What is Your Favorite Passage in Scripture?

Sunday Title: Reformation Sunday

Sermon Title: God and God Alone

Sunday Title: Reformation Sunday

Sermon Title: dismembering

Sunday Title:  Reformation Sunday

Sermon Title: Freedom.

Sunday Title:  Affirmation Sunday

Sermon Title: What is next?

Sunday Title:  Reformation Sunday

Sermon Title: "Grace is that hard to believe"

Sermon Title: "Free to Choose Freedom"

Sermon Title: "Inner Bondage"

Sermon Title: "Slave or Free"

Sermon Title: “Why Reform”

Sermon Title: “Know the Lord!- Compliance or Confidence”

Scripture Cuttings:

Jeremiah 31:31-34 I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Psalm 46 The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Romans 3:19-28 For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus....

John 8:31-36 Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.

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:  Let us put aside our good works

  and remember that we do sin and fall short of the glory of God.

    (silence is a good way to end a public boast

      confession is a good way to end a private boast)

  Lord of all,

C: the demands of your righteousness

are too hard for us to fulfill alone,

  so we rush off with this excuse

    and ignore your law.

You forgive our iniquity and remember our sin no more,

  and we abuse this freedom

    as if it were a license to selfishness,

      self-indulgence and self-righteousness.

You give us the gift of grace: atonement in the blood your Son,

  yet we make it cheap without serious repentance.

We fail to see the power of your faithfulness.

We are your people, but do we know you as our God?

Forgive us Lord, the sins we know in our heart.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

  (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  God of our refuge and strength...

C: have mercy on us, write on our hearts. Amen

P:  God does show us God’s own righteousness, and divine forbearance. Through the work of the Holy Spirit given to us, we may come to know the truth and be made free. Jesus Christ the Son of God sets us free from our slavery to sin. Our sins are forgiven. Through his death and resurrection a place is made for us in the household, and we may be know as children of God. To the glory of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

-or-

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:  We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

  before we worship we should prepare our hearts...

      (pause for self-examination)

P:  Faithful Lord...

C: we are slaves to our sin,

  we choose this bondage each day.

Sometimes we plot a wicked deed,

  or use our status for personal gain.

    We follow through with an unfair advantage,

      and always remain oblivious in small offenses.

Whatever our sin is we justify it to ourselves,

  ignore our conscience,

    rationalize it to the authorities

      and boast of it to our friends.

This remains our habit, our way

  because we do not tend to our relationship with you.

Rather we consider ourselves all right with you.

  We treat your forgiveness like permission.

Lord, forgive the sin we confront.

Lord, save us from the sin we evade in heart and mind. (Pause for reflection)

P:  God's righteousness is shown to us. We are now justified- that is brought into right relationship- with God by God's grace, as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven. In this state of grace we may recognize God is writing on our hearts, and live as faithful people of God. To the glory of the Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle A Lectionary 30 Proper 25

10/26/2014 Confession

Sunday Title: Authority Sunday

Sermon Title: “Why are we good?”

Previously:

Sunday Title: Law Sunday

Sermon Title: “Too Many Laws”

Scripture Cuttings:

Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Psalm 1 Happy are those… but their delight is in the law of the Lord,  and on his law they meditate day and night.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts.

Matthew 22:34-46 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

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  Our Lord God is holy and just and good,

and our Lord God requires us to be holy and just and good. (pause)

  O Lord...

C: your list of laws is too great,

we can not remember them all:

  no vengeance, no grudge,

    no hate, no partiality in justice, no slander....

Books and books of your law,

  not even counting all our special cases and exceptions.

Yet in our freedom we encroach upon your will.

  It is our nature to do so.

Forgive us Lord for the sins we know in our hearts.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

   (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  God holds our relationship with God above even God’s own stiff requirements of us. It is in this love that God gave Jesus Christ as a sacrifice to pay the price of our sinfulness. Our sins are forgiven. Calling us in love to repentance. We have even been given the power of the Holy Spirit that we might seek to love the Lord our God with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind, and even our neighbor as our self. In the name of Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

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

C: And also with you!