03. Year C - Second Sunday in Lent

Top Previous Next

VERSION: 29 April 2002

SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT, YEAR C

In 2004: 7 Mar

In 2007: 4 Mar

In 2010: 28 Feb

In 2013: 24 Feb

In 2016: 21 Feb

- - -

Note: For explanations and suggestions on the various resources provided, see the documents 'General notes and resources' and 'Lent season' in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

LITURGY

SENTENCE

See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder for suggestions on using a Sentence.

Our citizenship is in heaven,

and it is from there

that we are expecting a Saviour,

the Lord Jesus Christ. (Phil 3:20 NRSV)

OR, use one of the standard Lent Sentences in the document 'Lent season', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

OR, use one of the general Sentences in the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

PRAYER OF THE DAY (COLLECT)

Traditional

O God,

since you know that by ourselves

we have no strength:

Keep us both outwardly and inwardly,

that we may be defended from all adversities

that may happen to the body,

and from all evil thoughts

that may assault and hurt the soul;

through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, modernised traditional

Lord God,

you know that by ourselves we have no strength.

Defend us from all calamities

that may happen to the body,

and cleanse us from all evil thoughts

that may attack the soul.

We ask this through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, new (revised alternative)

(Let us pray that we deny ourselves and trust in Christ. [silence])

Merciful God,

we thank you for sending your Son

to suffer and give his life for all people.

Teach us, who have been born again,

to forget ourselves

and rely only on Christ our Saviour.

For he lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

FIRST READING

Genesis 15:1-12,17,18 God's covenant with Abram

(Begin: 'The word of the Lord' (NRSV/NIV) or 'Abram had a vision' (TEV))

PSALM

Psalm 27

Antiphon:

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?

(Ps 27:1a NRSV)

SECOND READING

Philippians 3:17 - 4:1 Be what you are: citizens of heaven

VERSE

Use either the Verse given in the order of service or the following verse.

(Jesus said:) 'Today, tomorrow and the next day I must be on my way,

and on the third day I finish my work.' (Luke 13:33a,32b NRSV)

GOSPEL

Luke 13:31-35 Jesus' sorrow over Jerusalem

(Begin: 'Some Pharisees . . .')

PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Thank you, Lord Jesus,

for facing death for our sakes.

Protect us under your wings.

Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER

Loving God,

you have made us your people.

Transform us,

so that we serve you and other people

with the gifts you have given us.

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Call to prayer

God called Abraham to follow him and promised him a son through whom blessing would come to all nations. Let us pray for the people of every nation, that God would bless them through Jesus Christ his Son.

The regular response, OR:

Save your people, and bless your inheritance.

Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Suggested intercessions

Concluding prayer

Father, you justified Abraham because he believed your promise. Grant that all may believe in your Son, Jesus Christ, so that they may not come into judgment, but receive life, forgiveness, and salvation, through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR

Use ATO 403 'God of Abraham' as a sung prayer.

SEASONAL PREFACE

It is indeed right and good,

Lord God, holy Father,

that we should at all times and in all places

give thanks to you,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

He has taken on himself our sin,

so that we might die to sin

and live to righteousness.

And so, with angels and archangels,

and with all the company of heaven,

we adore and praise your glorious name:

COMMUNION INVITATION

Every time we eat this bread and drink from this cup

we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

(Thanks be to God.)

Come, everything is ready.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

For a Lent post-communion prayer, see the document 'Lent season', under 'Prayer after communion', in the 'General and seasonal' folder. Alternatively, use the third prayer of the day (as listed above) at this point. It may be modified as follows.

Merciful God,

we thank you for sending your Son

to suffer and give his life for us

and to make us your people.

Teach us,

who have received his body and blood

in this holy meal,

to forget ourselves

and rely only on Christ our Saviour.

For he lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

SEASONAL BLESSING

This seasonal blessing is used together with (ie before) the usual blessing in the order of service.

(May) Christ our crucified Saviour draw you to himself,

so that you may find in him the assurance of sins forgiven

and the gift of eternal life; . . .

DISMISSAL

Go in peace and stand firm in the Lord.

Thanks be to God. OR In the name of Christ. Amen.

HYMNS AND SONGS

FOR THE READINGS

Please note:        * =        Modernised version available

      G3, G4 . . . =        Guitar chords available in the Music Package 3, 4 . . .

      GS =        Guitar chords in the Supplement to LH

First reading: Genesis 15:1-12,17,18

LHS

AT

TIS

Second reading: Philippians 3:17 - 4:1

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel (a) Luke 13:31-35

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel (b) Luke 9:28-36

LHS

AT

-

TIS

PSALM 27

For musical settings of Psalm 27, see Music Package 8.

TIS 15, God is my strong salvation, and 16, Do not be afraid, I am with you, are based on verses of Psalm 27; 'Do Lord' ATE 209 is a paraphrase of the psalm; and the Taize chant 'The Lord is my light', ATE 214, is based on the first verse of the psalm.

IONA SONG

The Iona song 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem', from Enemy of Apathy, Wild Goose Songs Vol. 2, is suitable for this day.

Note: The Iona Community is willing to allow a church or worship assembly to reproduce the words only of a song from this publication on a service sheet or overhead projector transparency that is to be used once only on a non-commercial basis . . . provided that the title of the song and name of the copyright owner are clearly shown.

NOTES ON THE READINGS

See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Notes on the readings', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

GENESIS 15:1-12,17,18: This vision given to Abraham repeats and affirms the promises made to him previously when God called him to leave Haran. Abram asked, 'What will you give me?' because as yet there was no natural heir to give credence to a future land occupied by his descendants. Abram had followed common Mesopotamian custom in naming Eliezer (his slave) as heir in the absence of a natural heir. The answer to the matter of descendants lay in counting the stars. Abram's 'belief' of God's promise expresses the response God always looks for and honours with his fulfilment of promises. The answer to the question of land is given in the establishment of a covenant. The cutting in two of the sacrifices expressed the curses which might fall upon whichever party should break the covenant agreement. The passing of fire and smoke demonstrated the Lord's own presence and his assumption of the curses to himself personally. Thus God took full responsibility for the fulfilment of the promise. The huge territory promised, from Egypt to the Euphrates, only came about in King David's time.

PHILLIPAINS 3:17 - 4:1: There are always those in the church who agree to the teaching of salvation by the cross of Christ, yet wish to live for the pleasures of earthly appetites. Paul tells the Philippians not to follow this way of destruction to which those people are inevitably heading. The sure hopeful expectation of heaven, deeply imbedded in Christian faith, cannot help but move the believer to a life of willing obedience to Christ. This foreshadows the future eternal joy. Christians therefore, unswayed by worldly example, remain single-mindedly firm in the Lord.

LUKE 13:31-35: Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, knowing that he would suffer and die. The messengers from Herod were probably trying to head Jesus off from Jerusalem. However, Jesus' determination to continue in accordance with his own plans recognises that his time to die was not in Herod's hands, but his Father's. It had to be that he should die in Jerusalem because of its hardness against God's messengers. His piteous concern for the inhabitants still recognises their inability to repent. Hence they would only greet him one day in judgment.

VISUAL

VISUALS FOR THE READINGS

Pictures or visual symbols could be displayed on banners or the overhead screen during the readings. For instance, the first reading could be accompanied by a picture of ancient Jerusalem or the temple; and the gospel could be illustrated by a picture of a hen with chickens.

DRAMA

'MEGA DRAMA'

See a drama for the day in Mega Drama resources (Openbook Publishers), originally included in these worship resources when they were released on disks.

DRAMATISING THE READINGS

The readings can be read by more than one person to make the dramatic meaning of the text clearer. For instance, the first reading could be read by three readers: narrator, the Lord, Abram; and the gospel by three readers: narrator (the pastor), Pharisee, Jesus.

CHILDREN

TALKING WITH THE CHILDREN

In connection with the second reading, the children could be told that they are citizens of heaven through baptism. A birth certificate (or passport) and baptism certificate could be used to illustrate this.

In connection with the gospel, it may be possible to bring in a newborn chicken (otherwise a picture of a hen with chickens underneath her could be shown). The children could be told that they are Jesus' chickens, and what this means.

COME AND SEE JESUS

The Come and See Jesus curriculum published by Openbook Publishers has a wealth of material and ideas that may be adapted for use in worship. Please note that a new edition of this material is now available for the Revised Common Lectionary.

The story for the Second Sunday in Lent is: 'Jesus' sorrow for Jerusalem (Luke 13:31-35)' (to be found in both the original edition and in the RCL edition in Series C, semester 1 for Lent 2).