Worship Notes for February through Lent 2021
Weekend of Sunday, February 14 Transfiguration of Our Lord 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 & Mark 9:2-9
Sermon Title: “Reflecting the Light of Christ”
The Sundays after Epiphany began with Jesus’ baptism and end with three disciples’ vision of his transfiguration. In Mark’s story of Jesus’ baptism, apparently only Jesus sees the Spirit descending and hears the words from heaven. But now Jesus’ three closest friends hear the same words naming him God’s Beloved. As believers, Paul writes, we are enabled to see the God-light in Jesus’ face, because the same God who created light in the first place has shone in our hearts to give us that vision. The light of God’s glory in Jesus has enlightened us through baptism and shines in us also for others to see.
Ash Wednesday, February 17
Sermon Title: "Perspective"
Weekend of Sunday, February 21 1st Sunday in Lent Genesis 9:8-17 & 1 Peter 3:18-22
Sermon Title: “Noahic Covenant”
On Ash Wednesday the church began its journey toward baptismal immersion in the death and resurrection of Christ. This year, the Sundays in Lent lead us to focus on five covenants God makes in the Hebrew Scriptures and to use them as lenses through which to view baptism. First Peter connects the way God saved Noah’s family in the flood with the way God saves us through the water of baptism. The baptismal covenant is made with us individually, but the new life we are given in baptism is for the sake of the whole world.
First Wednesday of Lent, February 24
Sermon Title: "Humility"
Weekend of Sunday, February 28 2nd Sunday in Lent Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 & Romans 4:13-25
Sermon Title: “Abrahamic Covenant”
The second covenant in this year’s Lenten readings is the one made with Abraham and Sarah: God’s promise to make them the ancestors of many, with whom God will remain in everlasting covenant. Paul says this promise comes to all who share Abraham’s faith in the God who brings life into being where there was no life. We receive this baptismal promise of resurrection life in faith. Sarah and Abraham receive new names as a sign of the covenant, and we too get new identities in baptism, as we put on Christ.
Second Wednesday of Lent, March 3
Sermon Title: "Humor"
Weekend of Sunday, March 7 3rd Sunday in Lent Exodus 20:1-17 & John 2:13-22
Sermon Title: “Mosaic Covenant”
The third covenant in this year’s Lenten readings is the central one of Israel’s history: the gift of the law to those God freed from slavery. The commandments begin with the statement that because God alone has freed us from the powers that oppressed us, we are to let nothing else claim first place in our lives. When Jesus throws the merchants out of the temple, he is defending the worship of God alone and rejecting the ways commerce and profit-making can become our gods. The Ten Commandments are essential to our baptismal call: centered first in God’s liberating love, we strive to live out justice and mercy in our communities and the world.
Third Wednesday of Lent, March 3
Sermon Title: "Gratitude"
Weekend of Sunday, March 14 4th Sunday in Lent 2 Samuel 7:11b-16, 27-29 & Luke 1:26-33
Sermon Title: “Davidic Covenant”
The Davidic covenant continues the trajectory of both the Mosaic and Abrahamic covenants. God’s plans for David and Israel are clearly intertwined. The Davidic covenant thus identifies more precisely the lineage of the “offspring” who will mediate international blessing: He will be a royal descendant of Abraham through David. This covenant therefore introduces a subtle but significant shift in focus. With the great nation promised to Abraham now firmly established, attention zooms in on his royal progeny. This royal line, already traced explicitly in Genesis culminates in an individual, conquering “offspring” who fulfills the promise of hope.
Fourth Wednesday of Lent, March 17
Sermon Title: "Compassion"
Weekend of Sunday, March 21 5th Sunday in Lent Jeremiah 31:31-34 & Luke 22:14-23
Sermon Title: “New Covenant”
According to the NT Gospels and letters, the new covenant was ratified through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. In the inaugural Lord’s Supper, Jesus alludes to both the forgiveness linked by Jeremiah to the new covenant and the blood associated with the establishment of the old (i.e., Mosaic) covenant. Accordingly, the NT emphasizes the forgiveness of sins, something only fully attainable under the new covenant, as the primary benefit of Jesus’ death.
Fifth Wednesday of Lent, March 24
Sermon Title: "Generosity"
Weekend of Sunday, March 28 Palm Sunday Mark 11:1-11
Sermon Title: “Let the Celebration Begin!”
Years ago, the tradition of the church was to truly celebrate Palm Sunday for its own impact. But as the years have gone by and devotion to the Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Vigil of Easter) has wained, the modern church now is encouraged to read the Passion on Palm Sunday. We will not do that. We will celebrate Palm Sunday and then expect to see you back for the rest of the Triduum.
Holy Thursday, April 1
Sermon Title: "Forgiveness"
Good Friday, April 2
Sermon Title: "Acceptance"
Sermon Title: “Reflecting the Light of Christ”
The Sundays after Epiphany began with Jesus’ baptism and end with three disciples’ vision of his transfiguration. In Mark’s story of Jesus’ baptism, apparently only Jesus sees the Spirit descending and hears the words from heaven. But now Jesus’ three closest friends hear the same words naming him God’s Beloved. As believers, Paul writes, we are enabled to see the God-light in Jesus’ face, because the same God who created light in the first place has shone in our hearts to give us that vision. The light of God’s glory in Jesus has enlightened us through baptism and shines in us also for others to see.
Ash Wednesday, February 17
Sermon Title: "Perspective"
Weekend of Sunday, February 21 1st Sunday in Lent Genesis 9:8-17 & 1 Peter 3:18-22
Sermon Title: “Noahic Covenant”
On Ash Wednesday the church began its journey toward baptismal immersion in the death and resurrection of Christ. This year, the Sundays in Lent lead us to focus on five covenants God makes in the Hebrew Scriptures and to use them as lenses through which to view baptism. First Peter connects the way God saved Noah’s family in the flood with the way God saves us through the water of baptism. The baptismal covenant is made with us individually, but the new life we are given in baptism is for the sake of the whole world.
First Wednesday of Lent, February 24
Sermon Title: "Humility"
Weekend of Sunday, February 28 2nd Sunday in Lent Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 & Romans 4:13-25
Sermon Title: “Abrahamic Covenant”
The second covenant in this year’s Lenten readings is the one made with Abraham and Sarah: God’s promise to make them the ancestors of many, with whom God will remain in everlasting covenant. Paul says this promise comes to all who share Abraham’s faith in the God who brings life into being where there was no life. We receive this baptismal promise of resurrection life in faith. Sarah and Abraham receive new names as a sign of the covenant, and we too get new identities in baptism, as we put on Christ.
Second Wednesday of Lent, March 3
Sermon Title: "Humor"
Weekend of Sunday, March 7 3rd Sunday in Lent Exodus 20:1-17 & John 2:13-22
Sermon Title: “Mosaic Covenant”
The third covenant in this year’s Lenten readings is the central one of Israel’s history: the gift of the law to those God freed from slavery. The commandments begin with the statement that because God alone has freed us from the powers that oppressed us, we are to let nothing else claim first place in our lives. When Jesus throws the merchants out of the temple, he is defending the worship of God alone and rejecting the ways commerce and profit-making can become our gods. The Ten Commandments are essential to our baptismal call: centered first in God’s liberating love, we strive to live out justice and mercy in our communities and the world.
Third Wednesday of Lent, March 3
Sermon Title: "Gratitude"
Weekend of Sunday, March 14 4th Sunday in Lent 2 Samuel 7:11b-16, 27-29 & Luke 1:26-33
Sermon Title: “Davidic Covenant”
The Davidic covenant continues the trajectory of both the Mosaic and Abrahamic covenants. God’s plans for David and Israel are clearly intertwined. The Davidic covenant thus identifies more precisely the lineage of the “offspring” who will mediate international blessing: He will be a royal descendant of Abraham through David. This covenant therefore introduces a subtle but significant shift in focus. With the great nation promised to Abraham now firmly established, attention zooms in on his royal progeny. This royal line, already traced explicitly in Genesis culminates in an individual, conquering “offspring” who fulfills the promise of hope.
Fourth Wednesday of Lent, March 17
Sermon Title: "Compassion"
Weekend of Sunday, March 21 5th Sunday in Lent Jeremiah 31:31-34 & Luke 22:14-23
Sermon Title: “New Covenant”
According to the NT Gospels and letters, the new covenant was ratified through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. In the inaugural Lord’s Supper, Jesus alludes to both the forgiveness linked by Jeremiah to the new covenant and the blood associated with the establishment of the old (i.e., Mosaic) covenant. Accordingly, the NT emphasizes the forgiveness of sins, something only fully attainable under the new covenant, as the primary benefit of Jesus’ death.
Fifth Wednesday of Lent, March 24
Sermon Title: "Generosity"
Weekend of Sunday, March 28 Palm Sunday Mark 11:1-11
Sermon Title: “Let the Celebration Begin!”
Years ago, the tradition of the church was to truly celebrate Palm Sunday for its own impact. But as the years have gone by and devotion to the Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Vigil of Easter) has wained, the modern church now is encouraged to read the Passion on Palm Sunday. We will not do that. We will celebrate Palm Sunday and then expect to see you back for the rest of the Triduum.
Holy Thursday, April 1
Sermon Title: "Forgiveness"
Good Friday, April 2
Sermon Title: "Acceptance"
