Forgiveness
Worship
THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE
Liturgical Aids
Call to Worship
O God, we enter your gates with thanksgiving;
And your courts with praise.
Your steadfast love endures forever;
And your faithfulness to all generations.
Your forgiveness has been present on so many occasions.
More than seven times seven times seven.
How can we respond but with joy as forgiveness washes us clean?
Gladness floods our hearts; so are we led anew in your way.
Thus, Lord, receive our worship.
We lift voice and heart; we offer praise and thanksgiving.
Invocation
God, full of grace and mercy, you offer forgiveness to all your children. However, we who receive it often refuse to extend the same to others. Give us, we pray, generous spirits, that we not heap up conditions upon the forgiveness we offer, but that we be able to forgive even those who will not forgive in return. In doing so, let us imitate Jesus, who had compassion for all, including the very ones who nailed him to the cross. It is in his name that we begin our worship; it is in his name that we pray. Amen.
Call to Confession
We too often keep score rather than maintain a ledger of grace. We proclaim an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, rather than rejoice in a forgiveness that brings reconciliation and new life. Let us acknowledge our need to grow in this very crucial aspect of our faith and our life together.
Prayer of Confession
Merciful God, Jesus spoke of us saying, "Father, forgive them"; but we have said of others, "They do not deserve our forgiveness."
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Jesus spoke of us saying, "Father, forgive them"; but we have said of others, "We can never forgive them; just look at what they have done."
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Jesus spoke of us saying, "Father, forgive them"; but we have said of others, "No way! Too many times have we been hurt by them."
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Jesus spoke of us saying, "Father, forgive them"; but we have said of others, "Justice demands punishment. Only then will we think of mercy."
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Merciful God, Jesus taught us to pray, "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."
Forgive us, Lord, when at times we display very unforgiving hearts. Let your ever--present forgiveness cause us to remove from our minds and from our living the lists of grievances we keep. May your readiness to forgive correct our vision which can be so shortsighted, that we can sense the joy and peace that comes from the word of forgiveness we offer. It is in knowing how much you have forgiven that moves us to be forgiving too. This, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Jesus' words to the repentant thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in Paradise," are his words to us as well. How can we receive these utterly amazing words without their influencing our whole attitude on life and everything around? Let us acknowledge our own forgiveness with a life of forgiveness, a life lived for others in Jesus' name.
Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto the God of grace and mercy.
Psalter Reading (from Psalm 103)
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who revere him;
As far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who revere him.
Offering Sentences
As followers of the Christ, we are to confirm words of mercy with deeds of mercy. Allow your discipleship to lead you into distinct paths of service, responding to need whenever and wherever you encounter that need in your daily walk. Let us give evidence of this willingness as we bring forward this day's tithes and offerings - for the work of Christ's church in this place.
Prayer of Dedication
Do we even have an inkling of the joy that these gifts will bring into the lives of others, the many ways in which they will cross boundaries to bring people together in Christ, the pain that they will help to alleviate, the new beginnings and the new life that they will prompt? God, you know the good that can issue forth from these gifts. By your Spirit direct them - and us - to those places where what is here offered can best serve your kingdom's coming on earth, as it is in heaven. Lead us forward, O God, into your future. Amen.
Benediction
Each time during this new week that you are tempted to keep score, turn rather to God's provision of grace. Draw from it, as much as you like, as much as you need, to create for yourself and for others around you a forgiven and forgiving community, one willing to allow Christ's peace to enter and to reign. Amen!
O God, we enter your gates with thanksgiving;
And your courts with praise.
Your steadfast love endures forever;
And your faithfulness to all generations.
Your forgiveness has been present on so many occasions.
More than seven times seven times seven.
How can we respond but with joy as forgiveness washes us clean?
Gladness floods our hearts; so are we led anew in your way.
Thus, Lord, receive our worship.
We lift voice and heart; we offer praise and thanksgiving.
Invocation
God, full of grace and mercy, you offer forgiveness to all your children. However, we who receive it often refuse to extend the same to others. Give us, we pray, generous spirits, that we not heap up conditions upon the forgiveness we offer, but that we be able to forgive even those who will not forgive in return. In doing so, let us imitate Jesus, who had compassion for all, including the very ones who nailed him to the cross. It is in his name that we begin our worship; it is in his name that we pray. Amen.
Call to Confession
We too often keep score rather than maintain a ledger of grace. We proclaim an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, rather than rejoice in a forgiveness that brings reconciliation and new life. Let us acknowledge our need to grow in this very crucial aspect of our faith and our life together.
Prayer of Confession
Merciful God, Jesus spoke of us saying, "Father, forgive them"; but we have said of others, "They do not deserve our forgiveness."
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Jesus spoke of us saying, "Father, forgive them"; but we have said of others, "We can never forgive them; just look at what they have done."
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Jesus spoke of us saying, "Father, forgive them"; but we have said of others, "No way! Too many times have we been hurt by them."
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Jesus spoke of us saying, "Father, forgive them"; but we have said of others, "Justice demands punishment. Only then will we think of mercy."
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Merciful God, Jesus taught us to pray, "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."
Forgive us, Lord, when at times we display very unforgiving hearts. Let your ever--present forgiveness cause us to remove from our minds and from our living the lists of grievances we keep. May your readiness to forgive correct our vision which can be so shortsighted, that we can sense the joy and peace that comes from the word of forgiveness we offer. It is in knowing how much you have forgiven that moves us to be forgiving too. This, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Jesus' words to the repentant thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in Paradise," are his words to us as well. How can we receive these utterly amazing words without their influencing our whole attitude on life and everything around? Let us acknowledge our own forgiveness with a life of forgiveness, a life lived for others in Jesus' name.
Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto the God of grace and mercy.
Psalter Reading (from Psalm 103)
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who revere him;
As far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who revere him.
Offering Sentences
As followers of the Christ, we are to confirm words of mercy with deeds of mercy. Allow your discipleship to lead you into distinct paths of service, responding to need whenever and wherever you encounter that need in your daily walk. Let us give evidence of this willingness as we bring forward this day's tithes and offerings - for the work of Christ's church in this place.
Prayer of Dedication
Do we even have an inkling of the joy that these gifts will bring into the lives of others, the many ways in which they will cross boundaries to bring people together in Christ, the pain that they will help to alleviate, the new beginnings and the new life that they will prompt? God, you know the good that can issue forth from these gifts. By your Spirit direct them - and us - to those places where what is here offered can best serve your kingdom's coming on earth, as it is in heaven. Lead us forward, O God, into your future. Amen.
Benediction
Each time during this new week that you are tempted to keep score, turn rather to God's provision of grace. Draw from it, as much as you like, as much as you need, to create for yourself and for others around you a forgiven and forgiving community, one willing to allow Christ's peace to enter and to reign. Amen!
