Cycle C Lectionary 21 Proper 16

8/25/2013 Confession (s)

Sunday Title: Unbound Sunday

Sermon Title: What Binds Us?

Previously:

Sunday Title: Worship Sunday

Sermon Title: First in the Basic Themes

Sunday Title: Everyday Sabbath

Sermon Title: You have taken yourself too seriously.

Sunday Title: Sabbath Sunday

Sermon Title: What a Change the Resurrection Makes

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 58:9b-14 If you refrain from trampling the sabbath... then you shall take delight in the Lord.

Psalm 103:1-8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Hebrews 12:18-29 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe....

Luke 13:10-17 Now [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath....

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 is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

  Let us repent and turn to the Lord who loves us.

    (pause for self-examination)

P:  O God...

C: we do not find time to honor you,

  we consider you a distraction.

We go our own ways

  instead of following your way.

We pursue our own affairs,

  pointing fingers and speaking evil of those

    who do not have their act together: like us.

We serve our own interest,

  instead of helping the ones you ask us to help.

We call to you with a formula,

    without devotion to your mission,

and we fail to see the mighty works of your hand,

  outside our narrow traditions.

Lord, forgive us in our shortcomings.

Lord, save us from self-assurance.

    (Pause for reflection)

P:  The Lord is merciful and gracious, and sends Jesus Christ as a mediator of a new covenant. For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven. Through the inspiring work of the Holy Spirit we may see the mighty acts of God in Christ and take our delight in the Lord, telling everyone of Jesus' love, 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-

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

C: Amen

P:  Let us take this time and be honest with God. (pause)

  Oh Blessed Lord,

C: we quickly forget all your benefits to us,

  so we strap on the yoke of our sin.

You satisfy us with good things,

  yet we are never satisfied.

You are our healer,

  and still we will not be healed.

You are full of compassion and mercy,

  and we openly speak evil and point fingers.

Your faithfulness does not rest,

  and we are ready to trample over the day of rest.

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

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

    (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  Lord...

C: help me to put aside my selfish interests

  and turn back to you. Amen.

P:  There is good news! Our God sends a son: Jesus Christ. He is the mediator of a new covenant, a lasting covenant. He forgives our sins and redeems us from the grave. Through our baptism we have been brought into a kingdom which cannot be shaken. The Holy Spirit gives us yet once more the opportunity to live in that kingdom, to offer to God our lives as an acceptable worship. 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 C Lectionary 20 Proper 15

8/18/2013 Confession (s)

Sunday Title: Division Sunday

Sermon Title: God fits into our world, right? or Interpreting the present time.

Previously:

Sunday Title: Frustration Sunday

Sermon Title: Heat and Light.

Sunday Title: Living Sunday  

Sermon Title: “Live like you are forgiven”

Sunday Title: Hammer Sunday

Sermon Title: "Broken"

Scripture Cuttings:

Jeremiah 23:23-29 Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

Psalm 82 I say, "You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, you shall die like mortals,"

Hebrews 11:29-12:2 ...and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith....

Luke 12:49-56 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!

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:  Knowing there are no secret places to hide from God,

  let us be honest in our confession. (honest pause)

    Almighty God,

C: you fill heaven and earth,

  yet we are constantly distracted from your presence, 

you give to us your word,

  and we remain undisciplined in study and use,

you put before us the heritage

  of a great cloud of faithful witnesses, 

    still we stumble again and again back into sin.

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:  Before your judgment Lord...

C: know my heart and know that I am deeply sorry

  and wish to turn from my sins. Amen

P:  Our Lord gives us hope. The hope of the Gospel. Christ secures our heritage by enduring the cross and perfecting our faith. The weight of our sin is laid aside. We are forgiven. Through the Holy Spirit we are made children of the Most High God, and are inspired to know God in our heart. and given the perseverance to live faithfully in our time. 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!

-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:  God is not far off, but near by,

  who can have a secret hiding place from God? 

    (pause for self-examination)

P:  Lord God...

C: we strut our lives before each other,

  as examples of virtue,

    and we present ourselves before you proudly.

We do the things we wouldn't be caught dead doing,

  applying our efforts to not getting caught,

    instead of not doing.

We know your word is a hammer to break us,

  and a fire to cleanse us…

    so we stay far away,

      unwilling to cleave our pride,

        and let you purify our souls.

We know we are unfaithful, forgive us Lord.

But, we don't know the depth of our deceit, save us Lord.

    (Pause for reflection)

P:  God's time is now!  Christ comes and dies for our sins. His faithfulness is what God promises. For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven. Since Christ is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith we may lay aside the sin that clings so closely to us, and run our race with perseverance. 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 C Lectionary 19 Proper 14

8/11/2013 Confession 

Sunday Title: Real Stuff Sunday

Sermon Title: “The Faith is the Real Stuff”

Previously:

Sunday Title: Reckon Sunday

Sermon Title: “Live Reckoning”

Sunday Title: Assurance Sunday 

Sermon Title: "Assurance and Conviction"

Scripture Cuttings:

Genesis 15:1-6 And Abram believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Psalm 33:12-22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen

Luke 12:32-40 Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

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

C: Amen

P:  Let us take this time to be honest with God. (pause)

  Gracious God,

C: You are the hallowed Lord

  giver of all heavenly treasures.

We do not trust your loving kindness,

  instead we seek strength in earthly things

    that can not deliver us.

You make promises greater than all the stars in the heavens,

  yet we do not remain alert for your presence

    and we fail to trust your promise.

You give your Son to redeem us from our sins,

  still we do not trust your righteousness.

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:  We have missed your promise Lord.

C: For these and all that separates us from you

  we are deeply sorry. Amen.

P:  God is faithful. God is righteous. God keeps God’s promises. Jesus Christ the Son of God has come and has died and been raised. For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven, our lives redeemed. Through the Holy Spirit we may receive the faith to believe, the conviction to live the hope of the kingdom: this day; 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 C Lectionary 18 Proper 13

8/4/2013 Confession (s)

Sunday Title: Stuff Sunday 

Sermon Title: “The Pursuit of….”

Previously:

Sunday Title: Wealth Sunday 

Sermon Title: “Last Words”

Sunday Title: Prosperity Sunday 

Sermon Title: "Wind Catching"

Scripture Cuttings:

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, 2:18-23 For all their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest. This also is vanity.

Psalm 49:1-12 Truly, no ransom avails for one's life, there is no price one can give to God for it. For the ransom of life is costly, and can never suffice, that one should live on forever and never see the grave.

Colossians 3:1-11 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above....

Luke 12:13-21 Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.

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

C: Amen

P:  Let us take this time to be honest with God. (pause)

  Gracious God,

C: It is in your image, according to your plan,

  that we are created.

You give us ability to be productive

  and fill us with skills and strength;

    but we turn away from your wisdom

      and use these gifts for personal accumulations.

You give us the inheritance of salvation;

  but we foolishly seek to make our lives focus

    on the abundance of possessions.

We pick and choose what will define our righteousness,

  we set our minds on things that are on earth,

    and even find vanity in our religious habits.

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

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

    (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  For all these Lord we are deeply sorry.  

C: Amen

P:  Our Lord gives us hope. The hope of the Gospel. Christ secures our inheritance by his death on the cross. Our sins are forgiven. Through the Holy Spirit we may pass by whatever is earthly and rise with Christ and the work and worth of our lives may be revealed with Christ in 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!

-or-

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

C: Amen

P:  Before we come into God's presence

  let us reflect on the focus of our lives. (pause for self-examination)

P:  Almighty Lord...

C: We devote our strongest energy

 to things that will perish.

We spend the wages of our toil,

  on pleasure by the minute.

We find no joy in the labor in our back

  or the strain on our minds,

    but only celebrate narrow escapes on payday.

We think we can never catch up,

  because we are fooled by escalating prosperity.

And finally when we get ahead,

  we flaunt it:

    skillful, subtle vanity.

Your way eludes us even in years of self-reflection,

Never once in this race

  do we first seek your treasure.

The world has fooled us, save us Lord.

We are disloyal; we are sorry, forgive us Lord.

  (Pause for reflection)

P:  God knows us. We are dead in our sin. God saves us. God's son, our Lord Jesus Christ, comes and pays the price with his life. For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven. He is raised from the dead and if we, who believe, are raised with Christ, we shall seek the things that are from God. By the power of the Holy Spirit we may live in Christ and put away the things of this world. 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 C Lectionary 17 Proper 12

7/28/2013 Confession (s)

N.B. Sundays and Seasons 2013 has a Confession for the Summer Season that uses Colossians 2:13-14 in the Absolution
Sunday Title: Shameless Sunday

Sermon Title: Prayer integrity test: hallowed be your name thy kingdom come

Previously:

Sunday Title: Petition Sunday

Sermon Title: Of the same mind?

Sunday Title: Persistent Sunday

Sermon Title: “Trial Prayer”

Sunday Title: Listen Sunday

Sermon Title: "Hello - is anybody home?"

Scripture Cuttings:

Genesis 18:20-32 "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it."

Psalm 138 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me

Colossians 2:6-19 ...when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God.

Luke 11:1-13 ...one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray....'

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:  Listen, God is calling, we need to put aside our noise.

    (pause for self-examination)

P:  Almighty Lord...

C: we hold your judgment up to our sense of fairness,

  yet we do not to submit ourselves

    even to our own standards.

How quickly we write off a whole person,

  one of your children.

    or prejudice ourselves against a group,

      people of your choosing.

And when we pray

  we wish to speak to you as a peer,

    without seeking your wisdom,

      rather we intend to give you ours,

        and we remain distracted listeners.

Lord when we recognize our sin, forgive us.

  Teach us to look deeply so we may know your salvation.

        (Pause for reflection)

P:  God is good. And God's love rules. God sends his only son, our Lord Jesus Christ. In him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and we come to fullness in him. For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven. Therefore as we receive Christ Jesus the Lord, we will continue to walk in him, rooted, built up, and established in faith, abounding in thanksgiving. 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-

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. (pause)

  Heavenly Father,

C: Your son taught us to pray to you as a loving parent.

We are wayward children.

  We trust in ourselves instead of asking for your Holy Spirit.

    We wait until we are in trouble before seeking you.

      We strike bargaining positions when we ask.

        We knock impatiently.

We use our petitions as if a formula to co-opt your will.

  We limit ourselves to our own abilities

    instead of your faithfulness.

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

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

  (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  For all these Lord we are deeply sorry.

C: Amen

P:  We are rooted and built up in Christ Jesus the Lord. We have died to sin and been buried with Christ in our baptism. We are also raised with him through faith in the power of God. God makes us alive together with Christ, forgiving us our trespasses, erasing the record of our sins, setting aside our condemnation, by nailing them to the cross. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

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

C: And also with you!

Cycle C Lectionary 16 Proper 11

7/21/2013 Confession (s)

Sunday Title: BothAnd Sunday

Sermon Title: There is always more going on than it seems.

Previously:

Sunday Title: Better Sunday

Sermon Title: Do be do be do.

Sunday Title: Home Body 

Sermon Title: “Guess who’s coming for Dinner”

Sunday Title: Hospitality Sunday 

Sermon Title: "What home do you give to the Lord?"

Scripture Cuttings:

Genesis 18:1-10a The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre....

Psalm 15 Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart.

Colossians 1:15-28 …he has now reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him....

Luke 10:38-42 Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?  Tell her then to help me.

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:  Might we hope that God would listen to our confession? (pause)  

  Almighty God,

C: You come straight forward into our lives;

yet we distract ourselves with many things.

  You are our host in life

    and we do not show you the hospitality of our hearts.

We forget the spirit of service and giving,

  and expect our actions to justify rewards.

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

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

(pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  For all these Lord we are deeply sorry.

C: Amen.

P:  Our Lord gives us hope: the hope of the Gospel. Jesus Christ reconciles us to God, by the flesh of his own body through death, that we may be presented to God as holy and blameless. Because of Christ our sins are forgiven, our faith can be secured, and we may become again steadfast hosts of the hope of the Gospel. 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-

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

C: Amen

P:  Surely the command to be loyal is not too hard for us.

Let us repent from our unfaithfulness. (pause for self-examination)

P:  Lord...

C: when have we seen you in the stranger?

  Do we devote ourselves in faithful service?

    Or humble ourselves before you?

We welcome relatives and the notable,

  but resist the unfamiliar.

We must succeed in our own ventures,

  before beginning your kingdom's work.

Happy in our self-sufficiency,

  we stand before you with our pride out in front.

Please Lord, forgive us for the sins we understand.

Please Lord, save us from our lack of insight.

   (Pause for reflection)

P:  God is pleased to reconcile all things through the blood of the cross. We are presented holy, blameless and irreproachable by Jesus Christ through the body of his flesh through death before God. Our sins are forgiven. In the power of the Holy Spirit we may continue, securely established in steadfast faith, in the hope promised by the good news of Jesus Christ. 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!