The Celebration of the Gospel
January 19 , 2020 — Second Sunday after the Epiphany
Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
—John 1.29
______ We Are Received as Children of God____
GREETING
PRELUDE – Come Sunday – Duke Ellington, arr: Lee Evans
[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 (John 1.35-39)
Leader: John was standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus went by he said,
“Look, here is the lamb of God!”
All: The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
When Jesus turned and saw them following him he said, “What are you looking for?”
Calling him teacher, they said,
“Rabbi, where are you staying?”
He said to them, “Come and see.”
They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day.
* SONG – Open our Eyes – Black hymnal #2086
_____We Are Transformed by the Love of Christ____
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG – Lamb of God – Twila Paris
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Pastor: The grace of God is with you.
Congregation: And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, we open ourselves in honesty to God.
God of love, help us to see ourselves with the eyes of love,
to see what is in us that is loving,
and what is not loving.
God, we recall when we have been in harmony with you, or with life, and we give thanks. [silent prayer…]
We recall when we have been out of harmony, and we seek your grace. [silent prayer…]
God of mercy, in Christ you have shown us your grace.
Forgive us, heal us, and perfect your love in us.
SILENT PRAYER … THE WORD OF GRACE
RESPONSE – Alleluia – Black hymnal #2014
PRAYER
God of mercy, you have sent us Jesus, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. We want to see him, to hear his word, to receive your grace through him. Speak your Word to us, and give us life. Amen.
HEBREW BIBLE – Isaiah 49.1-7
[The second of Isaiah’s “servant songs” (we heard the first last week). As God’s servant you may feel you have “labored in vain,” but, doing God’s will, you are sustained. God says, “It is not enough to serve your own people; I will give you as a light to the whole world.” You will even gain the respect of rulers.]
The Lord called me before I was born,
while I was in my mother’s womb God named me.
God said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
But I said, “I have labored in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the Holy One,
and my reward with my God.”
But God has become my strength—
the Holy One, who formed me in the womb to be God’s servant,
to bring Jacob’s children back to God,
and to gather Israel.
The Holy One says, “It is too light a thing
that you should be my servant to raise up
the descendants of Leah and Rachel and Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Thus says the Mighty One, the Redeemer of Israel, the Holy One,
to one who is deeply despised,
who is abhorred by nations, or enslaved by tyrants,
“Rulers shall see and stand up in your presence;
powerful people will bow down before you,
because of the Eternal, who is faithful,
because of the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
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(10:30) PSALTER – Psalm 40.1-11
[The Psalm turns our focus from concern with our self to God, to the whole community. God wants not “sacrifices and sin offerings” but “an open ear” to listen for God’s desire, and the commitment to do God’s will.]
I waited patiently for you, God;
and you inclined to me and heard my cry.
You drew me up from the desolate pit,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
You put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Holy One.
Happy are those who make God their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods.
You have multiplied, O God, your wondrous deeds
and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
they would be more than can be counted.
Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.
Then I said, “Here I am; in the scroll of the book it is written of me.
I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation;
see, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O God.
I have not hidden your saving help within my heart,
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.
Do not, O God, withhold your mercy from me;
let your steadfast love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever.
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(10:30) NEW TESTAMENT – 1 Corinthians 1.1-9
[Paul greets the church in Corinth as those “called to be saints,” assuring them that they do not lack any spiritual gift so that they can serve faithfully.]
From Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
Grace to you and peace from God our Life-Giver and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in Christ, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. God will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; God has called you into the fellowship of God’s Own, Jesus Christ our Beloved.
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GOSPEL John 1.29-34
[John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the One to whom his (John’s) ministry has pointed, the Son of God, who has received the Holy Spirit.]
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
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SERMON – Powerful lamb
SONG – Goodness Is Stronger than Evil – Black hymnal # 2219
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
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 PEACE OF CHRIST
___ We Are Sent in the Power of the Holy Spirit___
OFFERING OUR GIFTS – O Bless This House – Johann Christoph Bach
* OFFERING SONG – Do Justice – Steve G-H
Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.
Oh, help us humbly live your justice, your love, your mercy.
* PRAYER
Gracious God, we give you our lives, symbolized in these gifts. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. Send us in the power of your Spirit to do justice, to practice mercy, to walk humbly and confidently with you in the ways of peace, for the sake of the healing of the world, in the name of Christ. Amen.
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG – We Are Called – Black hymnal #2172
* 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 – Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven – Tune: LAUDA ANIMA, arr: Robert Lau