Cycle B Lectionary 32 Proper 27

11/8/2015 Confession

Sunday Title: Women’s Thankoffering.

Sermon Title: Don’t be Alarmed! Sound the Alarm!

Previously:

Sunday Title: Less Sunday

Sermon Title: "Less is More"

Sunday Title: Copper Sunday, 

Sermon Title: "Faithfulness and Abundance"

Scripture Cuttings:

1 Kings 17:8-16, She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days.

Psalm 146 Hallelujah, Praise the Lord, O my soul!

Hebrews 9:24-28 ...he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Mark 12:38-44 ...all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty....

Confession:

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

C: Amen

P:  Let us turn our hearts back over to God.

          (pause to question who owns our hearts instead of God)

P:  Lord God...

C: we are afraid we will run out,

we won't have enough,

  we won't be happy,

    we won't be respected,

      we won't be good enough,

        we won't be loved,

          we won't be remembered.

We want to fix this ourselves:

  we want to buy all these things.

Forgive us the sins we name today,

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

P:  The Lord provides for all things. To the glory of our Heavenly Father, Jesus the Christ appeared once, for all, to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. Our sins are forgiven. By the Holy Spirit, in our baptism, we are made children of God. We are invited to live in the love God pours upon us. 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 Lectionary 31 Proper 26

11/1/2015 Confession 

Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday Title: Instruction Sunday

Sermon Title: When all is more than all.

Scripture Cuttings:

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 

Psalm 119:1-8 Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord…. How can young people keep their way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

Hebrews 9:11-14 …how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God! 

Mark 12:28-34 The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."    

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 prepare to worship the living God! (pause for reflection)

    (heart, soul, mind and strength are required now)

P:  O Lord, our God...

C: we are not close to your words,

  nor do we listen to your statutes, decrees, laws or ordinaces.

We don’t even like to read the instructions

  for our own longevity or prosperity

    if it means giving up the pleasures of the moment.

We do not take satisfaction in faithfulness,

  but only see it as an obedient burden.

How could we ever consider to love to you

  with all our heart, mind, soul and strength?

    And then what could be left for our neighbor?

      For oursleves?

We have many allegances.

  We wear them on foreheads,

    and argue them in our conversations,

      and fly their banners on our homes,

        we give them our resources, time, and passion.

But you have gone missing among them.

How could we teach our children well?

Our works are dead!

For the sins we name, forgiove us.

From the sins we hide, save us. (pause for reflection)

P:  When Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, he obtained eternal redemption through his blood. For Christs’ sake our sins are forgiven. Now through the eternal Spirit our conscience may be purfied and we may turn our heart, soul, mind and strength to the Lord our God. And learning from God’s words we may love our neighbor as ourself. All this 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 All Saints

11/1/2015 Confession

Sunday Title: All Saints Sunday  Tears Sunday

Sermon Title: What makes me cry?

Previously:

Sunday Title: All Saints Sunday

Sermon Title: Waiting for God

Sunday Title: All the Saints Sunday

Sermon Title: Hope

Sunday Title:  ALL Saints

Sermon Title: "The Days are Getting Shorter"

Sunday Title:  All Saints Sunday

Sermon Title: "The Final Trust"

Isaiah 25:6-9 ...This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Psalm 24 The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it....

Revelation 21:1-6a ...he will wipe every tear from their eyes.... ...for the first things have passed away.

John 11:32-44 Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of 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 be honest with God. (pause for reflection)

  (actually, how could we be dishonest with God,

    really only dishonest with ourselves)

P:  Lord God...

C: we really don't trust you,

not with our whole selves,

  not with the things most important to us.

We second guess your stake in our welfare,

  we complain about our weakness and mortality,

    we even doubt the power of your resurrection,

      at least when it applies so dearly to us.

We cling to those who have gone to Glory.

We trust not your mercy and grace.

Forgive us our weak faith,

Save us from our evasion. (pause for reflection)

P:  Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. If we believe, we will see the Glory of God in Jesus Christ. It is through Christ that our sins are forgiven, and through Christ that we may believe in the resurrection. Christ himself calls us to come out of our tombs of sin and faithlessness. Now, we are unbound and set free to live! To live to God's glory. 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

10/25/2015 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 B Lectionary 30 Proper 25

10/25/2015 Confession 

Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday Title: Sight Sunday

Sermon Title: A cross the distance.

Scripture Cuttings:

Jeremiah 31:7-9 "Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel."

Psalm 126 Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,

shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

Hebrews 7:23-28 Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself. 

Mark 10:46-52 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly,

"Son of David, have mercy on 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:  Let us mortals approach God who is holy, blameless, undefiled,

for the forgiveness of our sins. (pause to remember God calls us to be holy, blameless, and undefiled)

P:  Lord God...

C: we do not respect you as a loving parent.

  we do not rejoice with our distant kindred

    especially when you gather us together.

We do not cry out for your mercy,

  nor insist on your righteousness.

Perhaps because we are not ready to retrun to you,

  and follow you on the way.

For us the sins we name:

  have mercy upon us,

From the sins we hide:

  save us, save, O Lord, your people. (Pause for reflection)

P:  It is Christ Jesus who is able make intercession on behalf of us mortals. It is in Christ Jesus’ faithfulness, once and for all, that our sins are forgiven. Now shall our witness be that the Lord has done great things for us? And will we walk in straight path and not stumble? All too 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 Lectionary 29 Proper 24

10/18/2015 Confession 

Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday Title: Ransom Sunday

Sermon Title: The Lesson of the Cross.

Previously:

Sunday Title: Cost Sunday

Sermon Title: Discipleship on the way to the cross.

Sunday Title: Position Sunday

Sermon Title: What can I do for you?

Sunday Title: Service Sunday

Sermon Title: "Lip Service"

Sunday Title: Career Advancement Sunday,

Sermon Title: "Movin' on Up"

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 53:4-12 ...upon him was the punishment that made us whole.

Psalm 91:9-16 With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation.

Hebrews 5:1-10 ...he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him....

Mark 10:35-45 ...but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant....

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 offer our confession before God,

  in reverent submission. (pause to remember submission can be ok)

P:  Lord God...

C: it is hard for us to be modest, even in your presence.

We are concerned with rank and position,

  and putting forward a most confident image,

    but we remain truant from the school of service.

We resent loftiness in our leaders,

  but then think too much of ourselves.

    We like your salvation,

      but this humility; it just isn’t for us.

Forgive us the sins we name,

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

P:  The Lord is our refuge, and we shall not be plagued with evil, even of our own making. God has appointed Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son, our high priest. In his obedient suffering and death, Christ has become the source of eternal salvation. For his sake our sins are forgiven. With clean hearts we my follow and serve him. 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 Lectionary 28 Proper 23

10/11/2015 Confession

Sunday Title: Muscle Memory Sunday

Sermon Title: “Practice, Practice, Practice”

Previously:

Sunday Title: Rich Sunday

Sermon Title: Welcome Pastor Edward Ulseth

Sunday Title: Relinquish Sunday

Sermon Title: What to give up to follow Jesus

Sunday Title: Rich Man Sunday,

Sermon Title: "Thank God I'm not a rich man!"

Scripture Cuttings:

Amos 5:6-7, 10-15 Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you.

Psalm 90:12-17 So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.

Hebrews 4:12-16 Indeed the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword....

Mark 10:17-31 For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.

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 are lost, for God knows the number of our transgressions,

and how great are our sins. (pause for self-examination)

P:  Lord God...

C: what do we lack in being righteous?

We kept the commandments... ...mostly.

  We are good Christians... ...we tell everybody that!

And we follow you, see we are here today... ...this morning.

  Look at us, we are not even like those rich people.

    When is it, tell us again, when will we be rewarded?

Save us, save us, save us Lord from our sins. (Pause for reflection)

P:  God who demands righteousness, who divides soul from spirit, who judges all, sends for our sake a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God. For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven. We receive mercy and grace finds us. Now through the Holy Spirit, let us make our confession honest and live that grace and mercy throughout our whole lives. 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!