Fourth Sunday in Lent
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series IV, Cycle B
Call To Worship
This is what Jesus was born for.
Leader:
Born to set your people free!
People:
From sin, and guilt;
Leader:
From anger, and bitterness;
People:
From anxiety, and worry;
Leader:
From sickness, and oppression;
People:
From sorrow, and death.
Leader:
Let us praise the God who has sent his Son
People:
To set us free from all that holds us in its power.
Psalm 107:1-3
Leader:
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
People:
His love endures forever.
Leader:
Let the redeemed of the Lord say this!
People:
God is good!
Leader:
God is good indeed.
People:
God's love endures forever!
Leader:
Let us worship God.
Based on Ephesians 3:8-9.
Leader:
Why have you come here?
People:
We have come to hear of the unsearchable riches of Christ.
Leader:
And ...
People:
To delve into the mysteries of the Father's ways.
Leader:
And ...
People:
To bow down before the immensity of God.
Leader:
Come, let us drink from the living waters;
People:
From the stream that never dries up.
Leader:
Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
This prayer is a little different. It grows out of the tradition of praying the Psalms. It consists of verses 17-21 of Psalm 107. It can be simply prayed as a confession. Do it responsively as we have written it below, or just do it as a unison prayer.
Leader:
Let us pray.
People:
Some became fools through their rebellious ways
Leader:
And suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
People:
They could not eat,
Leader:
And drew near the gates of death.
People:
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
Leader:
And God saved them from their distress.
People:
He sent forth his Word and healed them;
Leader:
Rescuing them from the grave.
People:
Let them,
Leader:
Let us,
People:
Give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love.
The Israelites were set free from bondage in Egypt but preferred bondage to the uncertainty of freedom. Numbers 21:4-9 witnesses to that. We Christians have been set free in Christ, but we too often fear and run from our freedom.
Leader:
Set free, but too often not living free,
People:
That's us, Lord.
Leader:
We allow fear of what others might think,
People:
And fear of what might come tomorrow,
Leader:
And fear of not measuring up;
People:
We allow fear, after fear, after fear to imprison us.
Leader:
Heavenly Father, fill us more with your truth
People:
That we might truly be set free,
Leader:
In mind and heart.
People:
Amen.
Based on Corrie ten Boom's story in the book, The Hiding Place.
Leader:
Two young women languishing in a Nazi concentration camp.
People:
The filth has bred clouds of flies.
Leader:
An almost unbearable nuisance.
People:
One of the women cries out to God,
Leader:
"Why? Where are you? When will it end?"
People:
The other woman prays,
Leader:
"Thank you, God, that these flies keep the brutal guards away."
People:
The first woman was a believer,
Leader:
But the second woman,
People:
Corrie ten Boom,
Leader:
Was a lover of God.
People:
One saw with the eyes of the world,
Leader:
The other with the eyes of faith.
People:
Father, we confess
Leader:
That we too see -- far too often with the eyes of the world.
People:
Forgive us.
Leader:
Heal our vision,
People:
That we may see the eternal purpose
Leader:
And divine love that works behind the scenes of this world.
People:
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Assurance Of Pardon
There is good news even as the snakes of life snap at our heels.
God's victory is assured.
The day will come when every knee will bow,
And every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
And powers great and small will serve him and his love.
Until this day of glory comes, let us be faithful so that his glory and light might shine in and around us for all to see.
Amen.
Prayer Of Dedication
Leader:
Can a man be born again?
People:
Can a woman begin anew?
Leader:
Yes, in Christ we can be born again!
People:
In Christ we can begin anew!
Leader:
Let us pray.
All:
Lord, we give ourselves today to the glorious and high purpose of being made new. Help us to see it through you so that others may see you through us. Amen.
Prayer For Illumination
Leader:
These words are the words of God.
People:
Let us listen as if sitting at the feet of our Lord himself.
Leader:
Yes. For it is in the hearing that the words truly become the Word of God to us.
People:
Amen.
Pastoral Prayer
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, you have been lifted up, on the cross, in your resurrection, at the ascension; you have been lifted up and there is little doubt that all who see you with eyes unclouded by confusion and deception will embrace you. We ask this morning for the small miracle of the increase of the spread of salvation to every corner of the earth. In places near and far where the enemy is entrenched and wreaking havoc, use us to lift high your banner in ways that will allow all to see clearly. May we raise you up in the haze of hatred. May we raise you up in the labyrinth of lies. May we raise you up in the arenas of anger and arrogance. May we raise you up in the fog of fear and the miasma of materialism. Make us one and all messengers, ambassadors for the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For we ask it in his name. Amen.
Benediction
John 3:16
God so loved this world that he gave his only Son that whosoever believes in him will have eternal life. To God be the glory. Amen.
Hymns
Amazing Grace
And Can It Be?
Beneath The Cross Of Jesus
For God So Loved
God So Loved The World
Grace Greater Than Our Sin
He The Pearly Gates Will Open
I Know A Fount
I Will Sing Of My Redeemer
Redeemed
What Wondrous Love Is This?
Contemporary Choruses
Amazing Grace (Sung to one of the modern tunes like "House Of The Rising Sun")
Come Just As You Are, Joseph Sabolick
I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever, Martin Smith
That's Why We Praise Him, Tommy Walker
We Want To See, Doug Horley
You Are Worthy Of My Praise, David Ruis
Other Music
Except For Grace, The Martins
This song reminds us that except for grace we would be lost.
God So Loved The World, Jaci Valasquez
A pretty song using John 3:16 as its basis.
Gospel Of Grace, The, Ray Boltz
Uses the metaphor of a great ship to tell the story of grace. Good stuff!
This is what Jesus was born for.
Leader:
Born to set your people free!
People:
From sin, and guilt;
Leader:
From anger, and bitterness;
People:
From anxiety, and worry;
Leader:
From sickness, and oppression;
People:
From sorrow, and death.
Leader:
Let us praise the God who has sent his Son
People:
To set us free from all that holds us in its power.
Psalm 107:1-3
Leader:
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
People:
His love endures forever.
Leader:
Let the redeemed of the Lord say this!
People:
God is good!
Leader:
God is good indeed.
People:
God's love endures forever!
Leader:
Let us worship God.
Based on Ephesians 3:8-9.
Leader:
Why have you come here?
People:
We have come to hear of the unsearchable riches of Christ.
Leader:
And ...
People:
To delve into the mysteries of the Father's ways.
Leader:
And ...
People:
To bow down before the immensity of God.
Leader:
Come, let us drink from the living waters;
People:
From the stream that never dries up.
Leader:
Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
This prayer is a little different. It grows out of the tradition of praying the Psalms. It consists of verses 17-21 of Psalm 107. It can be simply prayed as a confession. Do it responsively as we have written it below, or just do it as a unison prayer.
Leader:
Let us pray.
People:
Some became fools through their rebellious ways
Leader:
And suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
People:
They could not eat,
Leader:
And drew near the gates of death.
People:
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
Leader:
And God saved them from their distress.
People:
He sent forth his Word and healed them;
Leader:
Rescuing them from the grave.
People:
Let them,
Leader:
Let us,
People:
Give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love.
The Israelites were set free from bondage in Egypt but preferred bondage to the uncertainty of freedom. Numbers 21:4-9 witnesses to that. We Christians have been set free in Christ, but we too often fear and run from our freedom.
Leader:
Set free, but too often not living free,
People:
That's us, Lord.
Leader:
We allow fear of what others might think,
People:
And fear of what might come tomorrow,
Leader:
And fear of not measuring up;
People:
We allow fear, after fear, after fear to imprison us.
Leader:
Heavenly Father, fill us more with your truth
People:
That we might truly be set free,
Leader:
In mind and heart.
People:
Amen.
Based on Corrie ten Boom's story in the book, The Hiding Place.
Leader:
Two young women languishing in a Nazi concentration camp.
People:
The filth has bred clouds of flies.
Leader:
An almost unbearable nuisance.
People:
One of the women cries out to God,
Leader:
"Why? Where are you? When will it end?"
People:
The other woman prays,
Leader:
"Thank you, God, that these flies keep the brutal guards away."
People:
The first woman was a believer,
Leader:
But the second woman,
People:
Corrie ten Boom,
Leader:
Was a lover of God.
People:
One saw with the eyes of the world,
Leader:
The other with the eyes of faith.
People:
Father, we confess
Leader:
That we too see -- far too often with the eyes of the world.
People:
Forgive us.
Leader:
Heal our vision,
People:
That we may see the eternal purpose
Leader:
And divine love that works behind the scenes of this world.
People:
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Assurance Of Pardon
There is good news even as the snakes of life snap at our heels.
God's victory is assured.
The day will come when every knee will bow,
And every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
And powers great and small will serve him and his love.
Until this day of glory comes, let us be faithful so that his glory and light might shine in and around us for all to see.
Amen.
Prayer Of Dedication
Leader:
Can a man be born again?
People:
Can a woman begin anew?
Leader:
Yes, in Christ we can be born again!
People:
In Christ we can begin anew!
Leader:
Let us pray.
All:
Lord, we give ourselves today to the glorious and high purpose of being made new. Help us to see it through you so that others may see you through us. Amen.
Prayer For Illumination
Leader:
These words are the words of God.
People:
Let us listen as if sitting at the feet of our Lord himself.
Leader:
Yes. For it is in the hearing that the words truly become the Word of God to us.
People:
Amen.
Pastoral Prayer
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, you have been lifted up, on the cross, in your resurrection, at the ascension; you have been lifted up and there is little doubt that all who see you with eyes unclouded by confusion and deception will embrace you. We ask this morning for the small miracle of the increase of the spread of salvation to every corner of the earth. In places near and far where the enemy is entrenched and wreaking havoc, use us to lift high your banner in ways that will allow all to see clearly. May we raise you up in the haze of hatred. May we raise you up in the labyrinth of lies. May we raise you up in the arenas of anger and arrogance. May we raise you up in the fog of fear and the miasma of materialism. Make us one and all messengers, ambassadors for the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For we ask it in his name. Amen.
Benediction
John 3:16
God so loved this world that he gave his only Son that whosoever believes in him will have eternal life. To God be the glory. Amen.
Hymns
Amazing Grace
And Can It Be?
Beneath The Cross Of Jesus
For God So Loved
God So Loved The World
Grace Greater Than Our Sin
He The Pearly Gates Will Open
I Know A Fount
I Will Sing Of My Redeemer
Redeemed
What Wondrous Love Is This?
Contemporary Choruses
Amazing Grace (Sung to one of the modern tunes like "House Of The Rising Sun")
Come Just As You Are, Joseph Sabolick
I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever, Martin Smith
That's Why We Praise Him, Tommy Walker
We Want To See, Doug Horley
You Are Worthy Of My Praise, David Ruis
Other Music
Except For Grace, The Martins
This song reminds us that except for grace we would be lost.
God So Loved The World, Jaci Valasquez
A pretty song using John 3:16 as its basis.
Gospel Of Grace, The, Ray Boltz
Uses the metaphor of a great ship to tell the story of grace. Good stuff!
