Peace,
Pastor Chris Lee
Order of Worship for the Third Sunday in Lent, March 20, 2022:
Prelude: ACS 955- “Come to the Water of Life.” Senior Choir.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Meditation
The warnings are plentiful and blunt on the third Sunday in Lent. Cut it out or get cut down! The warnings are accompanied by God’s invitation to attentiveness: “Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live.” The landowner’s ultimatum is forestalled by the gardener’s readiness to till the ground one more year. That is good news for all of us. Thanks be to God!
Confession and Forgiveness
In the name of God, who makes a way in the wilderness, walks with us, and guides us in our pilgrimage.
Amen.
Holy One,
we confess that we have wandered far from you: we have not trusted your promises, we have ignored your prophets in our own day, we have squandered our inheritance of grace, we have failed to recognize you in our midst. Have mercy on us! Forgive us and turn us again to you. Teach us to follow in your ways, assure us again of your love, and help us to love our neighbor.
Amen.
Beloved in Christ, the Word draws near to you, and all who call out to God shall be saved. In Jesus, God comes to you again and again and gathers you under wings of love. In ☩ Jesus’ name, your sins are forgiven. God journeys with you and teaches you how to live in love.
Amen.
Opening Hymn: ELW 618- “Guide Me Ever, Great Redeemer,” all verses. Pam Edwards on pump organ.
Kyrie
Prayer of the Day
Eternal God, your kingdom has broken into our troubled world through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son. Help us to hear your word and obey it, and bring your saving love to fruition in our lives, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 55:1-9
To those who have experienced long years in exile, the return to their homeland is a celebration of abundant life. God calls them into an everlasting covenant of love. Those who return to God will enjoy new life and forgiveness, because God’s ways are not our ways.
1Ho, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
2Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
3Incline your ear, and come to me;
listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
4See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
5See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.
6Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
7let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
9For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Psalm: Psalm 63:1-8
O God, eagerly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you. (Ps. 63:1)
1O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place,
that I might behold your power and your glory.
3For your steadfast love is better than life itself;
my lips shall give you praise.
4So will I bless you as long as I live
and lift up my hands in your name.
5My spirit is content, as with the richest of foods,
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips,
6when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the night watches.
7For you have been my helper,
and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.
8My whole being clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Paul uses images from Hebrew Scriptures and prophecy to speak the truth of Jesus Christ: He is our rock, our water, our food, and our drink. Christ is the living sign of God’s faithfulness.
1I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3and all ate the same spiritual food, 4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.
6Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. 7Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.” 8We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. 10And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. 13No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
Gospel Acclamation
Gospel: Luke 13:1-9
Asked about current tragic events, Jesus turns a lesson about whether suffering is deserved into a hard call to obedience. He then tells a parable that holds out hope that the timeline for ultimate judgment will be tempered by patience.
1At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.2Jesus asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”
6Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ 8He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. 9If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”
Sermon: Pastor Chris Lee
Hymn of the Day: ELW 331- “As the Deer Runs to the River,” all verses.
Prayers of Intercession
Drawn close to the heart of God, we offer these prayers for the church, the world, and all who are in need.
We pray for the church around the world in all its forms: for pastors, deacons, bishops, chaplains, and mission developers; for church councils, committee chairs, and all lay ministry leaders; for congregations that contemplate difficult decisions about the future of their ministry. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
For the health of this planet and the well-being of its creatures: for thankfulness for new life, for lands impacted by droughts and at risk of wildfires; for fig trees and vineyards that produce fruit for our nourishment and delight; for animal habitats threatened by climate change. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
For those called into positions of civic responsibility: for judges, attorneys, and court administrators tasked with uncovering truth and delivering justice; for activists and community leaders who cast a vision of a more compassionate and equitable society. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
For those who call upon you for mercy: for all who live in poverty and experience hunger; for any who feel tested beyond their strength; for those who are hospitalized or near death, and for all in need of healing especially Barbara Witte; Art Renfro; Ruth Mortland; Richard Mowery; Melvin Neu; Sky Stoutt; Gary Berg; Jeanna LaRue; Bruce and Sandy Wright; Betty Lee; Julie Prenatt; David Neu; Sheri Stoutt; Nan Hibbs; Everett Noah; Noah Stoutt; Richard Hotchkiss; Charysse and Adean Heritage and Family; Randy McIntyre; Karen Bemowski; Marilyn Hubbard; Helen Schubert, and all those we name before you now, aloud or in our hearts…
Give them tangible signs of your steadfast love. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
For the advocacy efforts of this congregation: for those whose faith leads them to speak difficult truths and engage in difficult conversations with policymakers; for those who promote mercy over vengeance or retaliation. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
For those whose earthly journeys have ended, we give thanks. With Kay Larson all the saints, we praise you for the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
Accept the prayers we bring, O God, on behalf of a world in need, for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Peace
Great Thanksgiving
The Lord’s Prayer
Communion Hymns:
ACS 925- “Beautiful Things.”
ELW 542- “O Living Bread from Heaven.”
Prayer after Communion
Blessed Jesus, in this rich meal of grace, you have fed us with your body, the bread of life. Now send us forth to bear your life-giving hope to a world in need.
Amen.
Blessing
You are children of God, anointed with the oil of gladness and strengthened for the journey. Almighty God, motherly, majestic, and mighty, ☩ bless you this day and always.
Amen.
Sending Hymn: – ELW 328- “Restore In Us, O God,” all verses.
Dismissal
Go in peace. Jesus meets you on the way.
Thanks be to God.
Postlude: “What Wondrous Love is This?” – Manz
Facebook link to service for Sunday, March 20, 2022:
https://www.facebook.com/190629367619921/videos/496794098775272
Image credits: Fig Tree, souljoywellness.com and Fig Tree, Pixabay
Music credits:
Miriam Anderson: Song Leader
Pam Edwards: Music Director/ pump organ/ organ
“Come to the Water of Life.” Text: Ray Makeever, b. 1943. Music: Ray Makeever. Text and music copyright 1999 Ray Makeever, admin. Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Permission to podcast/stream and print the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-704843.
“Guide Me Ever, Great Redeemer.” Text: William Williams, 1717 – 1791; tr. William Williams and Peter Williams, 1722 – 1796, alt.. Music John Hughes, 1873 – 1932. Public domain.
“As the Deer Runs to the River.” Text: Herman G. Stuempfle Jr., b. 1923. Music: David Hurd, b. 1950. Text copyright 2002 GIA Publications, Inc.. Music copyright 1983 GIA Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved. Permission to podcast/stream and print the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-704843.
“Beautiful Things.” Text: Michael Gungor, b. 1980, and Lisa Gungor, b. 1982. Music: Michael Gungor and Lisa Gungor. Text and music copyright 2009 worshiptogether.com Songs, admin. CapitolCMBPublishing.com. All rights reserved. Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from CCLI with license #11114590.
“O Living Bread from Heaven.” Text: Johann Rist, 1607 – 1667; tr. Catherin Winkworth, 1827 – 1878, alt.. Music: Samuel S. Wesley, 1810 – 1876. Public domain.
“Restore In Us, O God.” Text: Carl P. Daw Jr., b. 1944. Music: Hal H. Hopson, b. 1933. Text copyright 1989 Hope Publishing Company. Music copyright 1985 Hope Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Permission to podcast/stream and print the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-704843.
“What Wondrous Love is This?” Words and Music – ©1990 MorningStar Music Publishers / Birnamwood Publication. Contributors: Paul Manz. (One License #10-300.1) All rights reserved. Permission to podcast/stream and print the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-704843.
Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2022 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Reprinted/ streamed with permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS006904. Duplication in any form is prohibited without permission or valid license from the copyright administrator.