Worship Resources for February 21st
1st Sunday in Lent
And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
“This is the way, walk in it,”
when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
—Isaiah 30:21
Lord, you are my God and my Lord, and never have I seen you. You have created me and re-created me and you have given me all the good things I possess, and still I do not know you. In fine, I was made in order to see you, and I have not yet accomplished what I was made for.
—Anselm, Proslogion 1
Gathering
Call to Worship
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, Hebrews 12:2-3
the author and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy set before him endured the cross,
scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God.
Let us consider him who endured such opposition from sinful people,
so that we will not grow weary and lose heart.
We have come to fix our eyes on Jesus, and it is God himself who calls and greets us.
To those who are called, Jude 1-2
who are beloved in God the Father,
and kept safe for Jesus Christ:
May mercy, peace, and love be yours
in abundance.
Amen.
Song
Prayer of Adoration
Holy God, mighty and immortal,
we are people on a journey,
but you are beyond our knowing,
our grasping or conceiving.
Before you the angels veil their faces,
yet we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ,
whose compassion illumines the world.
As we worship today,
beholding your glory with unveiled faces,
transform us into the likeness of the love of Christ,
who renewed our humanity through his life, death, and resurrection—
the same Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Psalm 25:1-10
To you, O Lord, 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 Lord;
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 Lord, and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!
Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
Service of Confession & Assurance
Call to Confession Exodus 20:1-2, 12
Then God spoke all these words:
I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of slavery.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
Let us confess our sin together before almighty God.
Prayer of Confession
Gracious and merciful God,
we confess our sin in our relationships
with our parents and those in authority:
for the things we have done that we regret,
for the things we have failed to do that we regret,
for all the times we have acted without love,
for all the times we have reacted without thought,
for all the times we have withdrawn care,
for all the times we have failed to forgive and failed to be patient,
for hurtful words said and helpful words unsaid,
for unfinished tasks and unfulfilled hopes.
Gracious and merciful Father,
for our failure to love, honor, and obey
our parents and those in authority, forgive us. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon Psalm 103:8, 10, 13-14, 17-18
Hear these words of assurance from Psalm 103:
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.
For he knows how we were made;
he remembers that we are dust.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
The Peace
The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
Call to Holy Living
Ephesians 4:32-5:2
As God’s beloved and forgiven children, here is the call God has placed on our life:
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children.
And walk in love, as Christ loved us
and gave himself up for us,
a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Song
Word
Prayer of Illumination
Psalm 25:4-5
Lord God,
help us to know your ways;
teach us your paths.
Lead us in your truth, and teach us,
for you are the God of our salvation;
for you we wait all day long.
Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Scripture Reading
1 Corinthians 13:8-13
13 8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9 For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; 10 but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
Jeremiah 6:16
6 16 Thus says the Lord:
Stand at the crossroads, and look,
and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way lies; and walk in it,
and find rest for your souls.
But they said, “We will not walk in it.”
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Sermon
The End of the Christian Pilgrimage
Sacrament
Song
Spiritual Communion
For those worshiping with us online, and not able to partake of the sacrament, we invite you to pray the following prayer of Spiritual Communion and listen to the song below, knowing that God himself is with you, and that your union with Christ remains unbroken.
O Christ, we love you above all things,
and we desire, at all times and in all ways, to be fed by you.
And since we cannot now come to your Table,
we ask you to come by your Spirit into our hearts.
Unite us to you, together with all your faithful people,
and help us to embrace you with all our affections, body and soul.
Never permit us to be separated from you.
By your goodness we pray, Amen.
Song
Praise
Praise the Lord, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion.
—Psalm 103:1-4
Offering
In addition to our various funds (General, Building, Mission, Benevolence, Christian Education), online giving is also now available for today’s special offerings (Brothers House II, World Renew & River of Life School) through the Give button below.
Sending
Blessing
As you set out on this Lenten pilgrimage, know that God goes with you until that day when he draws you fully to himself, and you see him face to face.
Until that day…
May God go before you to lead you.
May God go behind you to guard you.
May God go beneath you to support you.
May God go beside you to befriend you.
May the blessing of God—the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit—
come upon you today and settle in around you.
Amen.
Song
There is a Redeemer,
Jesus, God’s own Son;
precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
Holy One.
Refrain
Thank you O my Father,
for giving us your Son,
and leaving your Spirit till
the work on earth is done.
Jesus, my Redeemer,
name above all names,
precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
hope for sinners slain. Refrain
When I stand in glory
I will see his face;
there I’ll serve my King forever,
in that holy place. Refrain
Text: Melody Green (b. 1946) © 1982 Birdwing Music (ASCAP)/BMG Songs (ASCAP)/Ears to Hear Music (ASCAP), admin. EMICMGPublishing.com. Used by permission, CCLI# 220360
Introduction to Lent at 14th Street
If you haven’t had a chance yet to hear what the Faith Formation Team has planned for us during Lent this year, see the video below. The first day of our Bible Path readings and Parish Path walks begins Monday, February 22. If you are a member of 14th Street, the book we’ll be using should have been delivered to you late this week, or will be soon!