Worship Notes for March
Lent 2020 ~ “Journey with Jesus through John”
This Lent the weekend worship services will feature Gospel Readings from John and contain a theme of knowledge. What do we know for sure? What can we know for sure? Does God revealed in Jesus Christ want to be known? And how is it that he seems to know us so well? And what is our reaction to being known by him so well? Many questions but the Gospel of John gives us the answers.
Weekend of Sunday, March 1 1st Sunday in Lent John 2:13-25
Sermon Title: “Cleansing Our Tables”
Jesus attacks the commercialization of religion by driving merchants out of the temple. When challenged, he responds mysteriously, with the first prediction of his own death and resurrection. In the midst of a seemingly stable religious center, Jesus suggests that the center itself has changed.
Weekend of Sunday, March 8 2nd Sunday in Lent John 3:1-17
Sermon Title: “Making Room for Heavenly Things”
During Lent we journey with all those around the world who will be baptized at the Easter Vigil. In today’s gospel Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born of water and Spirit. At the font we are a given a new birth as children of God. As God made a covenant with Abraham, in baptism God promises to raise us up with Christ to new life. From worship we are sent forth to proclaim God’s love for all the world.
Weekend of Sunday, March 15 3rd Sunday in Lent John 4:5-42
Sermon Title: “Drinking In Jesus”
In today’s gospel the Samaritan woman asks Jesus for water, an image of our thirst for God. Jesus offers living water, a sign of God’s grace flowing from the waters of baptism. The early church used this gospel and those of the next two Sundays to deepen baptismal reflection during the final days of preparation before baptism at Easter. As we journey to the resurrection feast, Christ comes among us in word, bath, and meal—offering us the life-giving water of God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Weekend of Sunday, March 22 4th Sunday in Lent John 9:1-41
Sermon Title: “What We Think We Know/What We Want to Know””
Baptism is sometimes called enlightenment. The gospel for this Sunday is the story of the man born blind healed by Christ. “I was blind, now I see,” declares the man. In baptism God opens our eyes to see the truth of who we are: God’s beloved children. As David was anointed king of Israel, in baptism God anoints our head with oil, and calls us to bear witness to the light of Christ in our daily lives.
Weekend of Sunday, March 29 5th Sunday in Lent John 11:1-45
Sermon Title: “Moving from Knowing to Believing”
In today’s gospel Jesus reveals his power over death by raising Lazarus from the dead. The prophet Ezekiel prophesies God breathing new life into dry bones. To those in exile or living in the shadows of death, these stories proclaim God’s promise of resurrection. In baptism we die with Christ that we might also be raised with him to new life. At the Easter Vigil we will welcome the newly baptized as we remember God’s unfailing promise in our baptism.
This Lent the weekend worship services will feature Gospel Readings from John and contain a theme of knowledge. What do we know for sure? What can we know for sure? Does God revealed in Jesus Christ want to be known? And how is it that he seems to know us so well? And what is our reaction to being known by him so well? Many questions but the Gospel of John gives us the answers.
Weekend of Sunday, March 1 1st Sunday in Lent John 2:13-25
Sermon Title: “Cleansing Our Tables”
Jesus attacks the commercialization of religion by driving merchants out of the temple. When challenged, he responds mysteriously, with the first prediction of his own death and resurrection. In the midst of a seemingly stable religious center, Jesus suggests that the center itself has changed.
Weekend of Sunday, March 8 2nd Sunday in Lent John 3:1-17
Sermon Title: “Making Room for Heavenly Things”
During Lent we journey with all those around the world who will be baptized at the Easter Vigil. In today’s gospel Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born of water and Spirit. At the font we are a given a new birth as children of God. As God made a covenant with Abraham, in baptism God promises to raise us up with Christ to new life. From worship we are sent forth to proclaim God’s love for all the world.
Weekend of Sunday, March 15 3rd Sunday in Lent John 4:5-42
Sermon Title: “Drinking In Jesus”
In today’s gospel the Samaritan woman asks Jesus for water, an image of our thirst for God. Jesus offers living water, a sign of God’s grace flowing from the waters of baptism. The early church used this gospel and those of the next two Sundays to deepen baptismal reflection during the final days of preparation before baptism at Easter. As we journey to the resurrection feast, Christ comes among us in word, bath, and meal—offering us the life-giving water of God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Weekend of Sunday, March 22 4th Sunday in Lent John 9:1-41
Sermon Title: “What We Think We Know/What We Want to Know””
Baptism is sometimes called enlightenment. The gospel for this Sunday is the story of the man born blind healed by Christ. “I was blind, now I see,” declares the man. In baptism God opens our eyes to see the truth of who we are: God’s beloved children. As David was anointed king of Israel, in baptism God anoints our head with oil, and calls us to bear witness to the light of Christ in our daily lives.
Weekend of Sunday, March 29 5th Sunday in Lent John 11:1-45
Sermon Title: “Moving from Knowing to Believing”
In today’s gospel Jesus reveals his power over death by raising Lazarus from the dead. The prophet Ezekiel prophesies God breathing new life into dry bones. To those in exile or living in the shadows of death, these stories proclaim God’s promise of resurrection. In baptism we die with Christ that we might also be raised with him to new life. At the Easter Vigil we will welcome the newly baptized as we remember God’s unfailing promise in our baptism.
