The Celebration of the Gospel
March 8 , 2020 — Second Sunday in Lent
You must be born anew from above.
—John 3.7
______ We Are Received as Children of God____
GREETING
PRELUDE – Jesus, Remember Me – arr: André van Vliet
[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: Mother God, you give birth to all Creation.
All: We your children praise you.
Mother Christ, you give us new birth, death and resurrection in your Spirit.
We your children thank you.
Mother Spirit, you give us new birth through water and through love.
Mother Spirit, we serve you with joy.
Have mercy on us, that we may be your faithful children. Amen.
* SONG – You Alone Are Holy – Black hymnal #2077
_____ We Are Transformed by the Love of Christ____
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross — arr. Michael Kastner & Kevin McChesney (Bells of St. Matthew’s)
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 gentle mercy,
we confess our sin,
for even the brokenness we don’t see
keeps us from loving perfectly.
Receive us, forgive us,
relieve us of our burdens,
and set us free.
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 – O Lord, Hear My Prayer – Black hymnal #2200
PRAYER
God of grace and mercy, Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, seeking to know your truth. We come in the day, still seeking. Bring to light our questions our wondering, and our hunger for you. Speak to us, that your Spirit may blow through us today. Amen.
HEBREW BIBLE – Genesis 12.1-4
[Today’s texts consider how God calls us out of our established ways into new ways of living. Here God calls Abram, at the ripe old age of 75, to leave his relatives and his homeland and journey toward a new land and a new life, in which, he is told, “You will be a blessing.” He will even become a new person, with the name Abraham.]
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your parents’ house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
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(10:30) NEW TESTAMENT – 1 Peter 1.3-5
[God has raised us up with Jesus in a “new birth”— a new life that is rooted in the Realm of God and the resurrection of Christ. It is a gift that can’t be taken away from us, and that is eternal and perfect. It enables us to endure trials, knowing that in the end we will see, even though we don’t now. ]
Blessed be the Abba God of our Lord Jesus Christ! In great mercy God has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. God has given us an inheritance that can’t ever be marred, diminished or taken away, for it is kept in heaven for you. You are being protected by the power of God, which you know through your faith, and promised a salvation that is right here but will only be revealed in the last time.
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GOSPEL – John 3.1-17
[Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night— in the dark, so to speak— and Jesus tells him we must be born anew from above (from God). Jesus says the wind/spirit/breath (one word means all three things) blows as it chooses, suggesting we are “blown about” by God’s Spirit. John then adds an editorial comment about Jesus as the bearer of our salvation.]
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.”
Jesus said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the Realm of God without being born anew from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can you enter a second time into your mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the Realm of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
For God so loves the world that God gives the Only Begotten, so that everyone who trusts will not perish but have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Only Begotten into the world to condemn the world, but in order that through the Only Begotten the world might be saved. And this is the judgment: that the light has come into the world.
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SERMON – The first time I died
SONG – I Wait for Your Will – Steve G-H
(Refrain) I wait for your will, I wait for your will, I wait for your will, O God.
1. All I desire to control I let go and place into your hands, my God.
2. Heal and protect and provide. Hear me and stay by my side, my God.
3. You are my wisdom and strength. I will do your will alone, my God.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
___________We Share at Christ’s Table _________
OFFERING OUR GIFTS
My Faith Looks Up To Thee – Tune: OLIVET, arr: Jason W. Krug
* COMMUNION SONG
Dear God, we bring our gifts as your praise, as your praise,
we bring our gifts of love as your praise.
We share the bread you give, the wine that makes us live,
the love that births us new every day, every day,
the love that births us new every day.
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.
[…The Blessing and Covenant…]
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.]
PRAYER OF BLESSING
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. You have received us in love, so that we might die and rise in you. Born anew by your grace, we go into the world to love and serve in the name and spirit of Christ. Amen.
_____ We Are Sent in the Power of the Holy Spirit_____
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG – Spirit Wind – Steve G-H
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
That you who made the earth with love would give us birth
and by your Spirit’s breath lead us on, lead us on,
and by your Spirit’s breath make us whole.
Great Spirit, may the wind of your love freely blow,
oh, let your wind of love freely blow,
and guide us in your grace in every time and place,
to bear your love and peace as we go, as we go.
Oh, let the winds of love freely blow!
As we are born anew from above, from above,
God, send us out to serve in your love.
And may we freely go wherever your winds blow,
though how we do not know, in your love, in your love,
wherever your winds blow, in your love.
* 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 – The Church’s One Foundation – Tune: AURELIA, arr: David Cherwien