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Woship Resources 2008-2009 — Year B: Be a Sanctuary of Christ's Peace
Return to Year B: 2008-2009
Resource Index
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Life in the Desert
World Hunger Emphasis
First Sunday in Lent
Scriptures: Genesis 9:8–17/9:15–25 IV; Psalm 25:1–10; I
Peter 3:18–22;
Mark 1:9–15/1:7–13 IV; Mosiah 2:28–32; Doctrine and Covenants
157:16b–17
Prelude
Welcome
Hymn of Praise: “O Lord, Grace Our Communion” HS 1
OR “God of All” R-5
Prayer for Peace
Invitation to Worship: Psalm 25:4–5
As we enter the season of Lent, a gentle time of preparation and
confession, let us remember the sacred story and invite God to take us to
the desert, cleanse us, renew our souls, and prepare us for new life.
Call to the Table
Sound the chime three times slowly.
In the desert, it might be the running
of thirsty camels to an oasis.
And so we would gather to drink.
On the farm, it might be the ring of a triangle
followed by, “Come and get it.”
And so we would gather to be fed.
Here, in our sanctuary,
we respond to spiritual hunger
and thirst, longing to see Christ
at the table where he is remembered and
longing to lay our sins at his feet.
And so we gather in grace.
*Hymn: “Come Ye Apart” HS 79
OR “Rain Down” R-8
*Invocation
*Response
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:9–11
Ask one person to be the reader for all three scriptures.
Testimony
Ask a child or youth to share about their baptismal experience.
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:12–13
Testimony
Ask someone to share about a desert experience, a time of separation from
God, or a temptation.
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:14–15
Testimony
Ask someone to share how they’ve experienced “the kingdom of God coming
near” in their life. Testimonies should be a brief three to four minutes.
Lenten Confession: Based on I Peter 3:18–22, 4:1–2 adapted
Leader: For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for
the unrighteous—
People: In order to bring us to God.
Leader: He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit—
People: In order to bring us to God.
Leader: And baptism now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body,
but as an appeal to God for a good conscience—
People: In order to bring us to God.
Leader: Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into
heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and
powers made subject to him—
People: In order to bring us to God.
Leader: Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also
with the same intention, so as to live for the rest of your earthly life no
longer by human desires but by the will of God.
People: Forgive us, God, and bring us to you.
Communion Message
Based on Mark 1:9–15
Vocal Solo or Hymn of Preparation: “Hosea” NS 15
OR “You Satisfy the Hungry Heart” HS 345
Prepare the emblems during the vocal solo or congregational hymn.
Blessing and Serving of the Bread
Blessing and Serving of the Wine
Disciples’ Generous Response (World Hunger Offering)
Each Sunday, as part of the Disciples’ Generous Response, we ask you to
integrate the message of “share equally” between Local and World Ministries
Mission Tithes. Generosity stories are provided to keep the church in touch
with how contributions to Mission Tithes spread the peace of Jesus Christ.
Please use the stories, testimonies, and up-to-date contribution information
as part of your offertory ministry. Visit
www.CofChrist.org/generositystories to print a copy, or contact your
pastor, congregational financial officer, or worship coordinator for a copy.
Scripture: Mosiah 2:28–32
Blessing and Receiving of Mission Tithes and World Hunger Offerings
*Closing Hymn: “Go, My Children” SP 44
OR “Make Us, O God, a Church That Shares” HS 484
*Sending Forth: Read Doctrine and Covenants 157:16b–17 (Begin with “I am
aware…”)
chime once
As the chime called us to the table,
let it send us out—a renewed people.
People who have been forgiven,
who have felt divine grace
and are ready to serve the physically
and spiritually hungry world.
Amen.
*Postlude
Sermon Helps
Scriptures: Genesis 9:8–17/9:15–25 IV;
Psalm 25:1–10; I Peter 3:18–22;
Mark 1:9–15/1:7–13 IV
Exploring the Scriptures
With today’s text the worshiping community begins its journey through Lent.
Turning to Mark’s Gospel, the preacher and those who are to hear the
proclamation of the word are invited to join Jesus on his journey and follow
him. In this selection Mark relates a remarkable account of Jesus’ early
ministry. Mark’s account is terse, concise, and deceptively straightforward.
This faithful narrative of the first written Gospel reports Jesus’ baptism by
John in the Jordan River. Mark reports that Jesus has come from Nazareth of
Galilee to join those who were receiving the baptism of John in response to
John’s call to repentance. That call was being symbolized in baptism (immersion)
in water. This baptismal action symbolized, for those responding to the
preaching of the Baptist, a recognition and confession of sin together with an
acceptance of God’s judgment and forgiveness.
No dialogue between Jesus and John is recorded in this account of Jesus’
baptism. Such elaboration is to be found only in Matthew and Luke. In Mark,
Jesus’ baptism is followed by the descent of the Spirit in the form of a dove,
declaring Jesus as the Beloved Son. This had been predicted by John: “but he
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:8).
The scene shifts. The text declares that immediately Jesus is driven into the
desert where he experiences an extended time of trial and temptation. Here Jesus
encounters the powers and principalities of this world in the temptations of
Satan. But here in the desert he finds life totally given to God’s purposes.
Again the scene shifts, and Mark reports John’s arrest. Jesus now begins his
ministry where John left off, proclaiming the in-breaking reign of God, what
Mark calls “the good news of God” (Mark 1:14). This proclamation of Jesus
announces the nearness of the kingdom and invites the reader to repent, that is,
to turn around (metenoia in Greek). The good news is an invitation into the
hospitality of God as proclaimed by Jesus of Nazareth.
This first Sunday in Lent conveniently falls on a Communion Sunday. To begin
this important season of preparation and anticipation it offers opportunity for
reflection and repentance.
Central Ideas
- The season of Lent invites the worshiping community to journey with the
One sent of God. The speaker may want to invite the congregation to
“overhear” Jesus’ journey as one they are invited to follow.
- Jesus announces the nearness of God’s reign and invites the community to
follow him in the world as witnesses of “the good news of God.”
Questions for the Speaker
- How is the faithfulness of Jesus in submitting to baptism and the
temptations also a call to the worshiping community to follow Jesus?
- The congregation will need to be encouraged to consider how the gospel
encounters them in their culture—the principalities and powers that exert
themselves in their experience. How is Jesus’ time in the desert instructive
today?
- Invite the congregation into the hospitality of God symbolized in the
Lord’s Supper. How might the Lenten season be an opportunity for reordering
the priorities and the direction of one’s life?
Return to Year B: 2008-2009
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