Cycle A Easter 3

5/4/2014 Confession

Sunday Title:  Birth of the Church

Sermon Title: Why wait for Pentecost?

Previously:  

Sunday Title:  Mother’s Day

Sermon Title: Completely change the way you think and act

Sunday Title:  Walkabout Sunday

Sermon Title: “Walking and Witnessing”

Sunday Title:  Yearning Sunday 

Sermon Title: “Do we really yearn for the truth?” 

Sunday Title:  Eastern Conference Seminarians Sunday   

Sermon Title: “Within the Heart”

Scripture Cuttings:

Acts 2:14a, 36-41 ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?  I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

1 Peter 1:17-23 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ....

Luke 24:13-35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

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:  Let us open hearts before our God. (listen for hinges on opening hearts)

  O Lord...

C: you know all our crooked ways

you see the corruption of our generation,

  we don’t.

We see other people’s sin,

  and wrap ourselves in self-righteousness,

    and the promise of your grace.

We close our ears to the power of your word

  and we think breaking your bread is only a routine.

Because we do not want to go where you will lead us,

  we squelch our yearning for you

    and extinguish the burning of our hearts.

Forgive us Lord for what we will admit.

Save us Lord from what we dare not name.

    (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  God is faithful and true and we may come to trust God through the Son: Jesus Christ. Repent, remember your baptism! For in Christ we have been ransomed from all our futile ways, not with good works but with the precious blood of Christ. For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven. We are purified and may live in obedience to the truth and love one another with a pure heart. 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:  Let us honestly expose our hearts to God. (pause)

  O Lord we trust our very self to you...

C: we hear your call to repent and be baptized,

  we know you desire to save us

    from the corruptness of our generation, 

      and our hearts do ache for your word to open our eyes.

But Lord we are too busy to respond to your call,

  we are coerced by the sly techniques of these times,

    and we allow caution to make us slow of heart,

      slow to believe and trust in you.

Save, O Lord, your people.

Forgive us the sins we know in our heart.

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

P:  Lord our ways are futile...

C: our conduct is empty.

P:  Our God is merciful and ransoms us with the precious blood of God’s own son Jesus Christ. For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven. We are born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed and we are called to obedience to the truth, and genuine mutual love. 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!