Cross-Purposes-Third Sunday in Lent-LCMS Readings

Description

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

The cross contradicts all that makes sense to the world.  To those who want to think that God’s good graces can be earned by our intentions and deeds the cross proclaims the need for a Savior.  And to those who rely on their own understanding and wisdom as guide through life, the cross looks like folly.  What kind of God goes to a cross?  The God Who is Love.

 

… We Lift Our Hearts in Worship …

[Preservice options include videos (countdowns, worship music, welcomes), worship music CD, or live music by worship band.]

 

Time of Praise and Worship

Here I Am To Worship

Tim Hughes, ©2001 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music

(*consider altering text from “gladly choose You now” to “gladly serve You now”)

This is Amazing Grace

Jeremy Riddle, Josh Farro, & Phil Wickham, ©2012 Bethel Music (Admin. by Bethel Music Publishing) Phil Wickham Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) Seems Like Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) Sing My Songs (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) Warner Chappell Music (Admin. by Unaffiliated Admin (UA))

How He Loves

John Mark McMillan, ©2005 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music

[Traditional Options]

Thy Strong Word        

EH 381; ELW 511; LBW 233; LSB 578; LW 328

Alas And Did My Savior Bleed

BH 75 157,113; BH 91 139,145; CH 323,306; CHH 204; ELW 337; HWC 188,208; HFG 95,274; HLC 279,156; HGP 84,96; HSP 58; LWB 98; LSB 437; LW 97; NCH 199,200; PH 78; RH 166,162; STTL 299; WC 512,208; UMH 359,294; WAR 263; WHM 417,252; WIS 143

I Need Thee Every Hour

BH 75 379; BH 91 450; CH 638; CHH 578; HWC 428; HPW 54; HFG 443; HLC 340; HGP  355; HSP 292; NCH 517; RH 565; STTL 600; WC 538; UMH 397; WAR 476; WHM 514; WIS 476

 

Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme 

Pastor:             Welcome!   We stand beneath the cross this day.  To the world, the cross looks like foolishness and weakness.

ALL                  To us, it is the Wisdom of God and the Power of God.

Pastor:             We stand beneath the cross, invoking the name of the One Who loves us:

ALL                  In the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

 

Opening Prayer 

Pastor              Almighty God, Your grace seems at cross-purposes to the ways of the world  What looks foolish, is Your wisdom.  And what looks like                                           weakness is power.  And what looks like loss is gain.   Fill us with the power of Your Spirit, that we may walk in the ways of Your Son, Jesus                               Christ, even if that puts us at cross-purposes with those around us.  In the name of Jesus.

ALL                  Amen. 

 

Time of Greeting 

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location:  following Message]

 

Pastor          Let us confess our sins before God our Father.

Father, we acknowledge that we have not always lives as those who are Your children.

ALL               We confess, Father, that we live at cross-purposes to Your desire for us. 

                        We wander about on our own, as if we know best. 

                         We rely on our own understanding, rather than surrender to Your wisdom. 

                          We refuse Your strength by trying to get by on our own 

                         We reduce Your Gospel to pious platitudes, and live as if we do not need you.       

                         We wear crosses as jewelry, but refuse to carry one.                                 

                         Forgive us, we pray.  We are no different than the Jews and the Greeks, for whom the cross was a stumbling block, and                               foolishness. 

                         We are silent before You.

(a brief silence)

Pastor        Here is the wonder of the grace of God, whose ways are at cross-purposes with the world.  We preach Christ crucified, the wisdom of God and                            the power of God.  In the cross of Jesus, we are forgiven, and in the empty tomb we are released from bondage to our own ways.  We are                                      forgiven.  We are redeemed.

ALL           Amen.  We live in the wisdom and power of God. 

  

… We Hear God’s Word …

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture] 

First Reading:  Exodus 20:1-17                       

God provides the 10 Commandments to His people 

 ¹And God spoke all these words: ² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ³ “You shall have no other gods before me. ⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. ⁷ “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. ⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. ¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. ¹³ “You shall not murder. ¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery. ¹⁵ “You shall not steal. ¹⁶ “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. ¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”