The traditional Christian church calendar is comprised of seasons. We have reached the season of Lent. Lent is a forty-day period, not including Sundays, for contemplation, reflection, and making amends for past actions. We are given the freedom of choice and should consider why we make poor choices.
Brief Order For Confession and Forgiveness
Music to accompany this worship is on Spotify at:
Entrance Hymn
God the Father be Our Stay
Kyrie
Hymn of Praise
Prayer of the Day
Holy God, heavenly Father, in the waters of the flood you saved the chosen, and in the wilderness of temptation you protected your Son from sin. Renew us in the gift of baptism. May your holy angels be with us, that the wicked foe may have no power over us, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
The First Lesson
Genesis 9:8-17
8. Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him,
9. “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you,
10. and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark.
11. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
12. God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:
13. I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
14. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds,
15. I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
17. God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
Psalm
Psalm 25:1-10 (10)
1. [Of David.] To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
2. O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
3. Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4. Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.
5. Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
6. Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
7. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O LORD!
8. Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
10. All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The Second Lesson
1 Peter 3:18-22
18. For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,
19. in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison,
20. who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.
21. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you– not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22. who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.
The Gospel Acclamation
One does not live by | bread alone,*
but by every word that comes from the | mouth of God. (Matt. 4:4)
The Gospel
Mark 1:9-15
9. In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.
11. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
12. And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
13. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.
14. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God,
15. and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
The Sermon
Do you see things to fear or be thankful for?
The Hymn of the Day
Who Trusts in God, a Strong Abode
The Creed
The Peace
Bring Peace
The Prayers
The Offering
Communion
The Lord’s Prayer
Communion Hymns
A Mighty Fortress is Our God
Communal Blessing
Dismissal
The Bible readings are from the New Revised Standard Version. I wish to thank the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ELCA, and its predecessor bodies for all their teaching throughout the years. I’ve used the Lectionary published on the ELCA website at elca.org in preparation of this worship.