The Celebration of the Gospel
February28, 2016 —Third Sunday in Lent
“Let it be for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it….”
— Luke 13.8
________We Gather as the Body of Christ______
GREETING
PRELUDE Machs Mit Mir, Gott — Sigfrid Karg-Elert
[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 adapted from Psalm 63
[The Psalm confesses, “My soul thirsts for you,” and also rejoices: “My soul is feasted when I think of you.”]
Leader: O God, you are my God. I seek you. My soul thirsts for you.
All: My flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land without water.
So I gaze at your glory, your presence in every moment.
Your steadfast love is better than life. This is what I hunger for.
My soul feasts on you as on a rich banquet, a divine dessert.
I meditate on you all day, and in the dark hours of night.
I will bless you as long as I live.
Your strong hand upholds me.
My soul clings to you, and my lips will praise you.
In the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
Because your steadfast love is better than life
I will sing for joy.
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* SONG Softly and Tenderly Blue hymnal # 348
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
[We invite you to sign and pass the red attendance pads down the row and across the aisle—
and back again, so you can learn your neighbor’s names.]
___________We Attend to the Word___________
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG
What a Friend We Have In Jesus Arr. Gilbert M. Martin
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Pastor: The grace of God is with you.
Congregation: And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, let us confess our sin to God with one another.
God of love, help us to see ourselves with the eyes of love.
By your grace we look at all in us that is loving, and we give thanks.
…[Silent reflection]…
God of love, by your grace
we behold what in us is not loving,
and we pray that you forgive us, heal us, and perfect your love in us.
…[Silent reflection]… THE WORD OF GRACE
RESPONSE Bless the Lord, My Soul Black hymnal #2013
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of love, we are hungry for your Word, thirsting for your grace as in a dry and weary land. Speak your Word to us, your Word of life that cleanses us, renews us, and sets us free. Speak your Word to us in which you give yourself to us. Speak your Word to us that gives us back ourselves, radiant with your love. Speak to us; for we are hungry and thirsty for you. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT Isaiah 55.1-3, 6-9
[God calls us to repentance, to stop working for what does not nourish our souls. God says, “My ways are not your ways.” We need to change our ways, not to avoid punishment, but because our sin is starving us, while God’s ways truly nourish us.]
“Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live.
Seek Yahweh while you can;
call on God, who is near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways and the evil one their thoughts.
Let them turn to Yahweh, and God will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for God will freely pardon.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,” declares Yahweh.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
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GOSPEL Luke 13.1-9
[ Jesus opposes the belief that God punishes sinners with suffering. God is like a patient gardener who will give an unfruitful tree another year to produce. God does not punish sin, Jesus says, but gives life. Therefore unless we repent, that is, turn to God, we will perish. To bear fruit, first we ourselves need to be nourished.]
At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or 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? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”
Then he told this parable: “An owner had a fig tree planted in a vineyard; and the owner came looking for fruit on it and found none. So then owner 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?’ The gardener replied, ‘Let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
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SERMON
SONG Blessed Assurance Blue hymnal # 369
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
PASSING THE PEACE
___________We Share at Christ’s Table _________
OFFERING OUR GIFTS Nearer, Still Nearer Lelia N. Morris, arr: Brian Buda
* COMMUNION SONG Spirit Song Blue hymnal #347
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is good to give God thanks and praise.
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. You have restored in us once again your image, your presence, your Spirit. You have brought us on the journey with Christ from death to life. Send us now into the world to share your love, to shine with your light, to serve with love and humility in the name of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
______We Are Sent in Ministry to the World_____
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG More Like You Black hymnal # 2167
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE We stand and sing to our 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 Improvisation On “ST. ANNE” — J. Stuart Archer
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]