The Celebration of the Gospel
February 18, 2018 —First Sunday in Lent
Jesus was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan;
and he was with the wild beasts;
and the angels waited on him.
— Mark 1.13
______We Gather as the Body of Christ____
GREETING
PRELUDE As The Deer Martin Hystrom, arr: Mark Hayes
[As we listen to the music we quiet our minds and bodies,
listen for our hearts’ deepest desires,
and become present to the Holy One who is lovingly present for us.]
* CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: God of our solitude, we worship you.
All: God of our temptations, we cry out to you.
Christ, our companion we look to you.
Holy Spirit, our hope, help us worship.
Help us love. Help us live.
* SONG Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley Black hymnal # 2112
__________We Attend to the Word________
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
(10:30) SONG Kum Ba Yah
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG
I Want Jesus To Walk With Me African-American Spiritual, arr: Hal Hopson
LISTENING PRAYER
Gentle God, Jesus went into the wilderness to face his shadow side. Accompany us into the darkness of our own souls; come and heal us, shed some light, and lead us to wholeness of life. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 9.8-17
[Today’s texts invite us into the Lenten journey with Jesus. Rooted in God’s Covenant, seen in the rainbow and in baptism, we confront our temptations so that we can more faithfully walk in God’s ways. God establishes the covenant of the rainbow after the flood, promising that God will not respond to our sin by destroying us.]
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you–the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you–every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”
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* PSALTER Psalm 25.1-10
[We pray for the gift of God’s grace, for trust in that grace, and for discernment of God’s leading in our lives: “show me your ways.”]
To you, O Holy One, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.
Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Make me to know your ways, O God;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
Be mindful of your mercy, O God, and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
but remember me according to your steadfast love,
for your goodness’ sake, O God!
Good and upright are you, Holy One;
therefore you instruct sinners in the way.
You lead the humble in what is right,
and teach the humble your way.
All your paths are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep your covenant and decrees.
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NEW TESTAMENT Romans 7.14-25
[Paul laments his shadow side, the part of him that acts against his own intentions. It’s as if sin is a foreign power that possesses him, and he’s powerless over it.]
The law of God guides me in my relationship with God. But there’s a shadow side of me that has secret power over me. I am its slave. I don’t understand myself. I don’t do what I mean to do— I do the thing I hate. It doesn’t matter how much I believe in God’s law: I still do the wrong thing. In fact it’s no longer I that do it: it’s my selfish fear—my sin. There’s nothing life-giving in selfish anxiety. I can intend what is right, but I can’t actually do it. I don’t do the good I intend: instead I do the evil I wanted to avoid. I am powerless over my sin. It controls me.
It’s a basic law of nature: though I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. I delight in the will of God in my soul, but in my flesh another power—the power of my selfish fear— is at war with the will of my soul. I think I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin. How wretched I am! Who will rescue me from this death sentence? Thanks be to God —it is Jesus Christ our Savior!
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GOSPEL Mark 1.9-15
[Jesus is baptized, and fasts and prays and is tempted in the wilderness. He then begins his ministry, proclaiming, “The Reign of God is in the present moment. Change your life and entrust yourself to this good news.”]
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
Jesus was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Empire of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
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SERMON
SONG Just As I Am Blue hymnal # 357 v. 1-3, 6
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
__________We Share at Christ’s Table ________
OFFERING OUR GIFTS Wayfarin’ Stranger Traditional, arr: Cindy Berry
* COMMUNION SONG Let Us Break Bread Together Blue hymnal #618, v 1-3
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Beloved, God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Faithful One, our God.
It is good to give God thanks and praise.
We thank you, God, for you create us as the image of your love.
When we obscure that image, you restore us with love.
You make covenant to be our God.
When we break the covenant, you restore us with grace.
You set us free to live by the guiding and power of your Spirit.
When we are enslaved, you set us free again.
So with all Creation we praise you, singing with one voice.
[Sung. Tune: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence]
Holy, holy, holy One, God of power, God of love,
All Creation shines with your presence. Praise to you! Hosanna on high.
Blessed is the one comes in your name.
Praise to you! Hosanna on high.
Blessed are all who come in your name, and blessed is Jesus, your Christ.
He healed and taught with love. He confronted the powers of injustice.
In the desert he faced his temptations. In his ministry he acknowledged his shadow.
In his love he gave of his life, and you raised him from the dead.
[The Blessing and Covenant…]
Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.”
As often as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection until he comes again.
Remembering these, your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a living and holy sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ in love has died, and Christ is risen.
Christ will come again in love.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us,
that we may be for the world the Body of Christ.
Set us free from all that binds us and that distorts our love,
so that with Jesus we might bring good news to this world,
in his name, and in the Spirit of your love.
Praise to you, O God! Amen.
Praise to you, O God! Amen.
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
SHARING THE HOLY MEAL [Everyone is welcome at the table of Christ’s self-giving love.
The bread is wheat-, soy- and dairy free. We dip the bread in the juice.]
PRAYER OF BLESSING
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Purify our love and send us out for the sake of the healing of the world, in the name and Spirit of Christ. Amen.
_____ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World____
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days
Blue hymnal #269
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE We stand and sing to yur neighbors:
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.
POSTLUDE Postlude In G Minor Lani Smith
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]