The 2nd Sunday of Lent – 17 Mar 2019 – Luke 13:22-35 ~ Always pressing on toward Jerusalem.

Second Sunday of Lent

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Opening Prayer

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
__________

“Be Thou My Vision” – Noel Richards

__________

Gospel Reading: Luke 13:22-35 (NLT)

The Narrow Door

Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”

He replied, “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’

“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God. And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.”

Jesus Grieves over Jerusalem

At that time some Pharisees said to him, “Get away from here if you want to live! Herod Antipas wants to kill you!”

Jesus replied, “Go tell that fox that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose. Yes, today, tomorrow, and the next day I must proceed on my way. For it wouldn’t do for a prophet of God to be killed except in Jerusalem!

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. And now, look, your house is abandoned. And you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
_________

Prayer: St Patrick (389-461)- in resolute discipleship, a call to stand.

I call all heaven to witness today that I have put on Christ, I choose no other Lord than the Maker of heaven and earth. This day I walk with Him and He will walk with me. Watch over, and protect me:

+ In life’s choices and circumstance….
+ In my coming and going, in light and darkness….
+ In hesitancy and fear, uncertainty and rebellion….
+ In testing and pain, in danger and doubt….
+ In bearing good news, in breaking new ground….
+ Alone or with others, be they friend or enemy….
+ In carrying your light, in combating darkness….
+ In healing and freedom and life-giving blessing….
+ In comfort or challenge, to rescue and save….
+ In all my beginnings, and at each ending….

Watch over, and protect me. In the name of the Protecting Father, in the name of the Conquering Son, and in the name of the Liberating Spirit, I arise today. Amen.
__________

“Christ Be All Around Me” – All Sons & Daughters

__________

Blessing – an Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Second Sunday of Lent, 21 February: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18; Psalm 27:1, 7-9, 13-14; Philippians 3:20-4:1; Luke 9:28-36 ~ I am a citizen of heaven

Second Sunday of Lent

Blessed be the Lord of glory, who leads me through the darkness of Lent to the light of Easter.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening Prayer:

God of the covenant, your presence fills me with awe, your word gives me unshakeable hope. Fix in my heart the image of your Son in glory that I may walk with him in newness of life as a citizen of heaven. Grant this through Christ, my deliverance and hope, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, holy and mighty God for ever and ever. Amen.
__________

Hymn: “Come People of the Risen King” – Stuart Townend, Lou Fellingham & Band

__________

A Reading from the Old Testament: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 (NLT)
[A covenant was made between God and Abram, who became Abraham, our father in faith.]

Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”

stars in desert sky

And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.

Then the Lord told him, “I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession.”

But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?”

The Lord told him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” So Abram presented all these to him and killed them. Then he cut each animal down the middle and laid the halves side by side; he did not, however, cut the birds in half. Some vultures swooped down to eat the carcasses, but Abram chased them away.

As the sun was going down, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a terrifying darkness came down over him.
_____

After the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses. So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants….”
__________

A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 27:1, 7-9, 13-14 (NLT)

The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
_____

Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me!

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”

Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my salvation!
_____

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.

Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

“Psalm 27” – James Block

__________

A Reading from the Letters: Philippians 3:20—4:1 (NLT)
[Paul encourages us to remain faithful, remembering that our true homeland is in heaven.]

But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.
__________

A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 9:28-36 (NLT)
[Jesus is transfigured in the presence of Peter, James and John – the three who were to be with him in Gethsemane.]

"The Saviour's Transfiguration" an early-15th century icon, attributed to en: Theophanes the Greek from the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow — “The Saviour’s Transfiguration”
an early-15th century icon, attributed to en: Theophanes the Greek from the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Jesus took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus. They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.

Peter and the others had fallen asleep. When they woke up, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him. As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter, not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, “Master, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But even as he was saying this, a cloud overshadowed them, and terror gripped them as the cloud covered them.

Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” When the voice finished, Jesus was there alone. They didn’t tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
__________

Hymn: “The Lord Is My Light” – by Christopher Walker

__________

Intercessions:

Lord God: you are my light and my help. Hear the cries of my heart.

+ That I may persevere on my Lenten journey…. Lord, hear me.
+ That I may cultivate and care for your creation…. Lord, hear me.
+ That adults preparing for baptism at Easter may grow in faith…. Lord, hear me.
+ That all believers may value our citizenship in heaven…. Lord, hear me.
+ That those for whom God is distant or irrelevant, may find Jesus…. Lord, hear me.
+ That anyone in need may find help and relief…. Lord, hear me.
+ That those who have died and gone before us may share the glory of Jesus…. Lord, hear me.

O God, in you I hope — you are my constant help, hear my prayers, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
__________

Hymn: “My Hope” – Hillsong

Benediction:

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Second Sunday of Lent: Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18; Ps 116:10, 15-19; Rom 8:31b-34; Mk 9:2-10 ~ beloved sacrifice

Second Sunday of Lent

The gospel of the transfiguration reminds us to hold firm to a vision of glory, on dark days.

+ In the name the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

Ever-faithful God, You were well pleased with Abraham’s obedience and You accepted the sacrifice of Your Son, who gave himself up for the sake of us all. Train us by Christ’s teaching and school us in His obedience, that, as we walk His way of sacrifice, we may come to share in Your glory. We ask this through Christ, our deliverance and hope, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, holy and mighty God for ever and ever.
__________

__________

A Reading from the Old testament:Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18 (NLT)

Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called.

“Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”

“Take your son, your only son — yes, Isaac, whom you love so much — and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
_____

Abraham and Isaac Rembrandt, 1634 Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg — Abraham and Isaac
Rembrandt, 1634
Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg

When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood.

And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”

“Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”

Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son.
_____

Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven. “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed — all because you have obeyed me.”
__________

A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 116:10, 15-19 (NLT)

I believed in you, so I said, “I am deeply troubled, Lord.”
_____

The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die. O Lord, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains. I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people — in the house of the Lord in the heart of Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
__________

__________

A Reading from the Letters: Rom 8:31b-34 (NLT)

If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one — for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one — for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
__________

A Reading from the Gospels: Mark 9:2-10 (NLT)

Transfiguration Raphael, 1518-1520 Pinacoteca Vaticana, Vatican City — Transfiguration
Raphael, 1518-1520
Pinacoteca Vaticana, Vatican City

Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.

Peter exclaimed, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials — one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He said this because he didn’t really know what else to say, for they were all terrified.

Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them.

As they went back down the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what he meant by “rising from the dead.”
__________

__________

Intercessions:

Merciful God: we call on Your Name with thanksgiving and trust…. Lord, hear us.

+ For Christians throughout the world, as we continue on our lenten journey — we pray…. Lord, hear us.
+ For Christians facing persecution in Iraq, Syria and Libya — we pray…. Lord, hear us.
+ For the Jewish people of every country, the sons and daughters of Abraham — we pray…. Lord, hear us.
+ For peace in the world, especially in Ukraine — we pray…. Lord, hear us.
+ For those who are starving in a world of plenty — we pray…. Lord, hear us.
+ For our communities and particularly for people who are lonely or fearful — we pray…. Lord, hear us.
+ For those who have gone before us in faith, especially those who have been martyred for their faith — we pray…. Lord, hear us.

Loving God, we are Your servants who trust in You, even in the midst of affliction: hear our prayers and help us to walk in Your presence all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
__________

__________

Benediction:

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Share this:

Share this: