Created, saved and gifted by God, we seek, serve and share Jesus Christ.
Fourth Sunday in Lent
March 14, 2021
10:30 A.M.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
901 East Stroop Road
Kettering, OH 45429-4688
(937) 298-0136
Introduction
The fourth of the Old Testament promises providing a baptismal lens this Lent is the promise God makes to Moses: those who look on the bronze serpent will live. In today’s gospel Jesus says he will be lifted up on the cross like the serpent, so that those who look to him in faith will live. When we receive the sign of the cross in baptism, that cross becomes the sign we can look to in faith, for healing, for restored relationship to God, for hope when we are dying.
Look and Live
The cure for the ancient Israelites, following Moses, is to look directly at what is killing them, rather than avoid or hide from it. Healing occurs in the confrontation.
In today’s gospel, Jesus likens his crucifixion to Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness so the Israelites might be saved from the venom of desert snakes. In doing so, Jesus communi- cates that he came so we might look at what is killing us. He came to shine a light on that which poisons our lives so we might live.
In today’s gospel, we catch Jesus in the middle of a conversation with a Pharisee named Ni- codemus, who is slinking around in the night to get a word in with Jesus, presumably so he is not seen. In this conversation Jesus gives a judgment that shines a light on Nicodemus: you, Nicodemus, seem to prefer the darkness because there is something you are doing that you want to hide, thus making it easier for you to live in the dark. This sounds an awful lot like the experience of shame. Jesus is naming the way shame has dictated Nicodemus’s life, relegating him to shadows where he will not be seen for what he really is. Notice the lack of condemnation. Jesus is simply a light, showing Nicodemus to himself.
Jesus is also a light to us, showing us to ourselves. Looking at Jesus lifted up on the cross, we see the poison that is killing us: power used to protect the status quo; our instinct to blame one in order to save the rest. We see the fruit of our defenses against what the light reveals: the death of an innocent man at the hands of those in power.
Christ has come so that we will see what is poisoning us and that, in seeing, we might turn and live.
GATHERING
The Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God.
CENTERING SONG – “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me” (ELW 325)
I want Jesus to walk with me;
I want Jesus to walk with me:
all along my pilgrim journey,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.
In my trials, Lord, walk with me;
in my trials, Lord, walk with me;
when my heart is almost breaking,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.
When I’m in trouble, Lord, walk with me;
when I’m in trouble, Lord, walk with me;
when my head is bowed in sorrow,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.
WELCOME
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS
All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
GATHERING SONG – Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross
Jesus, keep me near the cross, there’s a precious fountain;
free to all, a healing stream flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.
In the cross, in the cross be my glory ever;
till my ransomed soul shall find rest beyond the river.
Near the cross, a trembling soul, love and mercy found me;
there the bright and morning star sheds its beams around me.
In the cross, in the cross be my glory ever;
till my ransomed soul shall find rest beyond the river.
Near the cross! O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me;
help me walk from day to day with its shadow o’er me.
In the cross, in the cross be my glory ever;
till my ransomed soul shall find rest beyond the river.
Near the cross I’ll watch and wait, hoping, trusting ever,
till I reach the golden strand just beyond the river.
In the cross, in the cross be my glory ever;
till my ransomed soul shall find rest beyond the river.
GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
KYRIE
In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above,
and for our salvation,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world,
for the well-being of the Church of God,
and for the unity of all,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house,
and for all who offer here their worship and praise,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Amen.
CANTICLE OF PRAISE
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you,
we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people on earth.
Lord Jesus Christ,
only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people on earth.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people on earth.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray.
O God, rich in mercy,
by the humiliation of your Son you lifted up this fallen world and rescued us from the hopelessness of death. Lead us into your light, that all our deeds may reflect your love, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
WORD
God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song.
FIRST READING – Numbers 21:4-9
Though God provides food and water for the Israelites in the wilderness, they whine and grum- ble. They forget about the salvation they experienced in the exodus. God punishes them for their sin, but when they repent God also provides a means of healing: a bronze serpent lifted up on a pole.
A reading from the book of Numbers.
From Mount Hor [the Israelites] set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” Then the LORD sent poi- sonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
SECOND READING – Ephesians 2:1-10
While we were dead in our sinfulness, God acted to make us alive as a gift of grace in Christ Jesus. We are saved not by what we do but by grace through faith. Thus our good works are really a reflection of God’s grace at work in our lives.
A reading from the book of Ephesians.
You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Let your steadfast love come to us, O Lord.
Save us as you promised; we will trust your word.
Save us as you promised; we will trust your word.
GOSPEL READING – John 3:14-21
To explain the salvation of God to the religious leader, Nicodemus, Jesus refers to the scripture passage quoted in today’s first reading. Just as those who looked upon the bronze serpent were healed, so people will be saved when they behold Christ lifted up on the cross.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
[Jesus said:] “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
MESSAGE – Pastor Jamie vannoy
HYMN OF THE DAY – God Loved the World
God loved the world so that he gave his only Son the lost to save,
that all who wouldin him believe should everlasting life receive.
Christ Jesus is the ground of faith, who was made flesh and suffered death;
all who confide in Christ alone are built on this chief cornerstone.
If you are ill, if death draws near, this truth your troubled heart can cheer:
Christ Jesus rescues us from death; that is the firmest ground of faith.
Be of good cheer, for God’s own Son forgives all sins that you have done,
and justified by Jesus’ blood,your baptism grants the highest good.
All glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Three in One!
To you, O blessed Trinity, be praise now and eternally!
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ,
God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Relying on the promises of God, we pray boldly for the church, the world, and all in need.
A brief silence.
Each intercession concludes:
Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We entrust ourselves and all our prayers to you, O faithful God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
MEAL
God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ.
THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, you have brought us this far along the way. In times of bitterness you did not abandon us, but guided us into the path of love and light. In every age you sent prophets to make known your loving will for all humanity. The cry of the poor has become your own cry; our hunger and thirst for justice is your own desire.
In the fullness of time, you sent your chosen servant to preach good news to the afflicted, to break bread with the outcast and despised, and to ransom those in bondage to prejudice and sin.
In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
Remembering, therefore, his death and resurrection, we await the day when Jesus shall return to free all the earth from the bonds of slavery and death. Come, Lord Jesus! And let the church say, Amen.
Amen.
Send your Holy Spirit, our advocate, to fill the hearts of all who share this bread and cup with courage and wisdom to pursue love and justice in all the world. Come, Spirit of freedom! And let the church say, Amen.
Amen.
Join our prayers and praise with your prophets and martyrs of every age, that, rejoicing in the hope of the resurrection, we might live in the freedom and hope of your Son. Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, now and forever.
Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into tempta- tion, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Amen.
COMMUNION
SONG AFTER COMMUNION
Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace:
your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared
in the sight of ev’ry people:
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Let us pray.
Compassionate God, you have fed us with the bread of heaven. Sustain us in our Lenten pil- grimage: may our fasting be hunger for justice; our alms, a making of peace; and our prayer, the song of grateful hearts, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
SENDING
God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world.
BLESSING
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord’s face shine on you with grace and mercy.
The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
Amen.
SENDING SONG – Only a God Like You
For the praises of man
I will never ever stand;
For the kingdoms of this world
I’ll never give my heart away
Or shout my praise.
My allegiance and devotion,
My heart’s desire and all emotion
Go to serve the Man
Who died upon that tree.
Only a God like you
Could be worthy of my praise
And all my hope and faith;
To only a King of all kings
Do I bow my knee and sing,
Give my ev’rything.
Only a God like you
Could be worthy of my praise
And all my hope and faith;
To only a King of all kings
Do I bow my knee and sing,
Give my ev’rything.
To only my Maker, my Father,
my Savior, Redeemer, Restorer, Rebuilder, Rewarder
To only a God like you
Do I give my praise.
For the praises of man
I will never ever stand;
For the kingdoms of this world
I’ll never give my heart away
Or shout my praise.
My allegiance and devotion,
My heart’s desire and all emotion Go to serve the Man
Who died upon that tree.
Only a God like you
Could be worthy of my praise
And all my hope and faith;
To only a King of all kings
Do I bow my knee and sing,
Give my ev’rything.
Only a God like you
Could be worthy of my praise
And all my hope and faith;
To only a King of all kings
Do I bow my knee and sing,
Give my ev’rything.
To only my Maker, my Father,
my Savior, Redeemer, Restorer, Rebuilder, Rewarder
To only a God like you
Do I give my praise.
Only the God
who left his throne above,
He came to live with us,
Came to be one of us;
To only the One
Who stopped to heal
that blind man,
Took the time to save
that one lost lamb;
To only the King
who wore that crown of thorns
So I could wear the crown of life;
And to only the One
who conquered sin and death
So we could be set free,
So we could stand here and sing.
Only a God like you,
Only a God like you,
Only a God like you.
Only a God like you,
Only a God like you,
Only a God like you.
Only a God like you,
Only a God like you,
Only a God like you.
Only a God like you,
Only a God like you,
Only a God like you.
To only my Maker, my Father,
my Savior, Redeemer, Restorer, Rebuilder, Rewarder
To only a God like you
Do I give my praise.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Created, saved and gifted by God; we seek, serve and share Jesus Christ.
Thanks be to God.
W + 2” = Worship Plus Two
Make a commitment to not only worship each week but also try to find a way
to serve in the congregation and seek out a way to serve our community.
YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE MISSION FIELD
UPCOMING COMMEMORATIONS
Patrick, bishop, missionary to Ireland, died 461
Wednesday, March 17, 2021
A native of Britain, Patrick was kidnapped by pirates at age sixteen and sold into slavery in Ireland. After a few years, he escaped, returned home, and entered the ministry. Returning to Ireland, he successfully served as a bishop and missionary there.
Joseph, Guardian of Jesus
Friday, March 19, 2021
Though the Bible tells us little about the husband of Jesus’ mother Mary, we know that he was a carpenter or builder by trade. He is also shown as being devoted both to God and to Mary and Jesus. It is assumed that he died before Jesus became an adult.
From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2014 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #22920.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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