Cycle B Lent 4

3/15/2015 Confession

Sunday Title:  Rescue Sunday

Sermon Title: Rescue or Salvation?

Previously: 

Sunday Title:  Love Sunday

Sermon Title: Save not condemn.

Sunday Title:  Heads up Sunday

Sermon Title: “Bickering with Grace”

Sunday Title:  Trouble Sunday

Sermon Title: "How do you understand trouble?"

Sermon Title: Elevation Sunday  

Sermon Title: “Death by Faithlessness?”

Scripture Cuttings:

Numbers 21:4-9 So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so

Ephesians 2:1-10 For we are what [God] has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

John 3:14-21 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up….

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 dead to our sin and trespass.

  Let us look up to the Lord for our life. (who ya gonna call?)

  Lord God...

C: why do we wait to earnestly examine our faith,

  until we look at death? 

Why do we think we live in the light,

  when we choose to stimulate our senses,

    satisfy our desires, and indulge our passions?

And those of us who are “good”,

  why do we lift ourselves up in righteousness,

    for others to look at,

      instead of lifting up your Son our Lord?

Save us from the sins we know in our heart.

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

P:  It would be a fair judgment and right that we would die for our sin and faithlessness. But God, who is rich in mercy, great in love, makes us alive together with Christ. It is by grace that we have been saved through faith. (For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven). If we live in the Holy Spirit, we do what is true and come to the light, all of our deeds clearly seen as done in 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!

during Lent the Absolution may be withheld

Cycle B Lent 3

3/8/2015 Confession

 Sunday Title:  House Sunday

Sermon Title: Where do we Abide?

Previously: 

Sunday Title:  Religious Sunday

Sermon Title: Whip our Faith into Shape.

Sunday Title:  Emporium Sunday 

Sermon Title: “Only one item and not for sale.”

Sunday Title:  Instruction Sunday

Sermon Title: "Safety Tips"

Sunday Title:  Sign Sunday

Sermon Title: “Is that a big enough sign?”

Scripture Cuttings:

Exodus 20:1-17 Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.

Psalm 19 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech.... and night to night declares knowledge. the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

John 2:13-22 Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

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:  This may be the first moment in a week,

  we have no other gods before the Lord God.

(contemplate the desire for purity of worship,

and now, the lack of desire for purity in living)

  Lord God...

C: we know your power in the created world,

  and you redeem us through a fallen Christ,

    but we put idols and false gods before you.

We see wisdom in your commandments,

  especially for others,

    but we ourselves evade your instructions.

Now we talk ourselves out of living from within your grace

  and we rely on our foolish “wisdom” and weak “power”.

Save us from the sins we know in our heart.

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

P:  Our God creates us free, extracts us from slavery, and redeems us from the bondage of sin. It is through the humbleness of God’s own Son Jesus Christ that God’s power is perfected for our salvation. (For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven). The power and wisdom of God is in the cross. And now the Holy Spirit reveals our opportunity as called people of God: people of faith, living in the blessing of the resurrection. 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!

during Lent the Absolution may be withheld

Cycle B Lent 2

3/1/2015 Confession(s)

Sunday Title:  Name Sunday

Sermon Title: What is in a Name?

Previously: 

Sunday Title:  Cross Sunday

Sermon Title: Did I sign up for this?

Sunday Title:  Still Promise Sunday 

Sermon Title: Still Trusting the Promise

Sunday Title:  Covenant Sunday

Sermon Title: "Following in Faithfulness"

Sunday Title:  Promise Sunday

Sermon Title: “Acts of Faith and Righteousness”

Scripture Cuttings:

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her."

Psalm 22:23-31 future generations will be told about the Lord, and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.

Romans 4:13-25 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.

Mark 8:31-38 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."

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:  Shall we trust the Lord with our confession?

(perhaps trusting God will be easier than trusting ourselves to end our sinful ways)

  God Almighty...

C: we say your name,

  without understanding who you are.

We set our minds on human things

  not on divine things.

We are pleased to serve you

  but only in an advisory capacity.

We are unwilling to trust your faithfulness,

  perhaps because we are so unimpressed with our faithfulness.

Save us from the sins we know in our heart.

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

P:  To our great fortune, faithfulness does not rely on us. Indeed God keep the promises made throughout the generations. Even to this sinful generation, the promise and fulfillment of salvation is made through Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, the Holy one of God. (For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven). We are invited into this faithfulness in order that the promise may rest solely on God's grace. 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!

during Lent the Absolution may be withheld

-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 Almighty calls us to walk blameless before God. (pause)

  O Lord...

C: you make great promises in your plan of divine love,

  but we lack faith and turn our minds toward human things.

You give us an everlasting covenant of right relationship

  and we choose instead to pursue the whole world.

You reconcile our trespasses

  through the death and resurrection of Jesus our Lord,

    yet in our lives outside these church walls,

      we may be silent and passive,

        as though we are ashamed of Jesus and his words.

Save us from the sins we know in our heart.

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

P:  In faithfulness our God is tireless. Through the righteousness of the faith of Jesus Christ we are heirs of the everlasting covenant. (For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven). The Holy Spirit provides for us opportunity to live; not as adherents of the law, but as people of faith, faith in our risen Lord Jesus Christ. 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!

during Lent the Absolution may be withheld

Cycle B Lent 1

2/22/2015 Confession

Sunday Title: Wilderness Sunday

Sermon Title: Critical Verses

Previously: 

Sunday Title: Pilgrimage Sunday

Sermon Title: A Vision Quest With Christ.

Sunday Title: Promise Sunday

Sermon Title: Trusting the Promise

Sunday Title: Battle Sunday

Sermon Title: "Redemption Is Not permission for Loosing the Battle to Sin"

Scripture Cuttings:

Genesis 9:8-17 This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

Psalm 25:1-10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness.

1 Peter 3:18-22 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God.

Mark 1:9-15 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan….

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 take this time to be honest with God.

  (honest with God? how could we hide anything form God?)

  O Lord...

C: we expect you to win this war between good and evil for us.

You did purify the earth in the flood,

  you did wash us of our sins in baptism,

    and Christ suffered for our sins once for all,

      but why do we still have to struggle between good and evil?

With all this cleansing why do our choices still matter?

  Can’t you just give us blanket permission to do anything?

Lord have you ever seen a people more self-centered?

Forgive us the sins we know in our heart.

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

P:  We are blessed with a God who loves us. Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, the Beloved has come into our presence, proclaiming the arrival of the kingdom of God. (For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven). Through the power of the Holy Spirit we may make an honest repentance and believe in this good news. With this power we too may resist evil and be witnesses to the kingdom 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!

during Lent the Absolution may be withheld

Cycle ABC Ash Wednesday

2/18/2015 Confession 

Scripture Cuttings:

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love....

Psalm 51:1-17 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.

2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 ...we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them;

Psalm 51:1-17   

Leader:    Have mercy on me, O God,

Women:    according to your steadfast love;

Men:    according to your abundant mercy

Women:    blot out my transgressions.

Men:    Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

Women:    and cleanse me from my sin.

Men:    For I know my transgressions,

Women:    and my sin is ever before me.

Men:    Against you, you alone, have I sinned,

Women:    and done what is evil in your sight,

Men:    so that you are justified in your sentence

Women:    and blameless when you pass judgment.

Men:    Indeed, I was born guilty,

Women:    a sinner when my mother conceived me.

Men:    You desire truth in the inward being;

Women:    therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

Men:    Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

Women:    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Men:    Let me hear joy and gladness;

Women:    let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.

Men:    Hide your face from my sins,

Women:    and blot out all my iniquities.

Men:    Create in me a clean heart, O God,

Women:    and put a new and right spirit within me.

Men:    Do not cast me away from your presence,

Women:    and do not take your holy spirit from me.

Men:    Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

Women:    and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Men:    Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

Women:    and sinners will return to you.

Men:    Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,

Women:    O God of my salvation,

Men:    and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

Women:    O Lord, open my lips,

Men:    and my mouth will declare your praise.

Women:    For you have no delight in sacrifice;

Men:    if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.

All:    The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;

          a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. -New Revised Standard Version

Cycle B Transfiguration

2/15/2015 Confession(s)

Sunday Title: The Transfiguration- God Sunday

Sermon Title: How hard is it to let God be God?

Previously: 

Sunday Title: Shine Sunday

Sermon Title: A Message from God.

Sunday Title: The Transfiguration: Deal with it Sunday

Sermon Title: “Listen up!”

Sunday Title: Transfiguration Sunday

Sermon Title: "Enter the Mystery"

Scripture Cuttings:

2 Kings 2:1-12 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit."

Psalm 50:1-6 The mighty one, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth….

2 Corinthians 4:3-6 For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Mark 9:2-9 Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them.

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:  Almighty God, we cannot grasp your Glory,

   yet you reveal your faithfulness in the face of our sin.

(pause to ponder the contrast between God's Glory and our unfaithfulness)

P:  Lord,

C: we are not faithful in the face of fear,

  we do not listen when you speak

    we do not trust you in time of loss

      we do not seek your Spirit as a gift

        we are blinded by the world's way

          we are confused disciples.

Lord our sin is that we will not rely on you as our God.

  (pause for self-examination)

P:  God's faithfulness is not detoured by our wanderings. In Christ Jesus, God's Glory shines out of the darkness and into our hearts. For the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord, our sins are forgiven. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we too proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord in all we do and say. 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!

-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:  Heaven and earth are witnesses to the judgment of God’s people. (pause)

  Almighty God,

C: can we be servants for Jesus' sake

  while we actually avoid coming fully into your presence?

We prefer to be part time followers and temporary believers.

  We pretend we would be loyal in a biblical epic

    but when asked to stand

      against the undertow of wrongdoing

        we become turncoats.

We do not speak against outrage

  and we sin with the tools of our own fear and ignorance

    as well as our obsessive pursuit of pleasure.

We readily participate with the gods of this world

  in blinding the minds of unbelievers.

Lord forgive the sins we name,

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

P:  Heaven and earth are witnesses to the judgment of God’s people. God is revealed in glory, showing mercy and forgiveness on God’s loyal followers. Through Jesus Christ, God’s Son, the Beloved, our sins are forgiven. By the power of the Holy Spirit we may abandoned our allegiance to the gods of this world and become loyal followers of our risen Christ. 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!