05. Year B - Fourth Sunday in Lent

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VERSION: 29 April 2002

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT, YEAR B

In 2003: 30 Mar

In 2006: 26 Mar

In 2009: 22 Mar

In 2012: 18 Mar

In 2015: 15 Mar

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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.

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. (Eph 2:8,9 NRSV)

OR

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.

(John 3:14 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

Almighty God, grant that we,

who justly suffer for our evil deeds,

may be relieved

by the comfort of your grace;

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

Almighty God,

we justly suffer for our evil deeds,

but we ask you to relieve us

by the comfort of your kindness.

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, alternative

(Let us pray for strength in our weakness. [silence])

Almighty and merciful God,

you love us and make all things new in Christ.

Transform the poverty of our nature

by the riches of your kindness,

and make known your heavenly glory

in the renewal of our lives.

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

(Let us pray for faith in Jesus our Saviour. [silence])

Loving Father,

when we were captive

in the darkness of sin and death,

your Son rescued us

and brought us back to you.

Teach us to trust in him

and to live as your people.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

FIRST READING

Numbers 21:4-9 The snake of bronze in the desert

(If reading from the NRSV or NIV, say 'the Israelites' instead of 'they' in verse 4)

PSALM

Psalm 107:1-3,17-22

Antiphon:

They cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress. (Ps107:19 NRSV)

SECOND READING

Ephesians 2:1-10 Saved by grace through faith

VERSE

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

(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.

(John 3:14,15 NRSV)

GOSPEL

John 3:14-21 Jesus brings life and light to the world

PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Thank you, Lord Jesus,

for dying on the cross so that we might live.

Help us to believe in you and live in your light.

Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER

Thank you, heavenly Father,

for giving your Son so that we can have eternal life.

Strengthen our faith in him.

Guide us to live in the light of Christ,

and to give ourselves in love to other people.

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Call to prayer

Jesus Christ was lifted up to be the light of the world. Let us pray that his light may shine into the darkness of our world today.

The regular response, OR:

Lord, in your mercy,

send out your light and your truth.

OR

Use the chorus from ATO 313 'Christ be our light' as a response to each prayer.

Suggested intercessions

Concluding prayer

We lift our eyes to you, Lord. Restore us and the world in which we live through the death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR

Call to prayer

In love God comes to us. Out of love he waits for us to talk with him. Out of love we respond to him.

The regular response, OR:

For coming to love us,

we praise you, Lord.

Prayer

Almighty God, you shine like a laser of brilliant light into the deepest depths of human beings. You could destroy all you see in one blinding flash and we would disappear like a puff of smoke forever. That is how we might act if we had your power, but you are different from us. Out of loving concern you send Jesus into the world like the spiritual surgeon to operate as with a laser beam, cutting out the cancer of sin in us and destroying its power, and shining with your healing love in the hearts and minds of people. Continue to shine in us through your healing word.

Bathe us in the healing light of Christ's presence and grace each day so that the new life of Jesus grows stronger in us and we become ready to burst into full bloom in the resurrection.

Assure people of your loving concern for them, despite their unworthiness, especially

Here in your world, guide us to do good works through Christ who is within us. Inspire us with faith to care about the people in our families, in our parish, in our workplaces and in our local communities. Bless the work of those who serve you through the responsible positions they hold, including

Give to us the healing medicine of your love.

Bless the healing work of organisations like

Concluding prayer

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, Lord, you offer us the rich medicine of your grace so that we can be rejuvenated to live for you and other people in the days ahead. We pray through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Amen.

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.

Almighty and merciful God,

you love us and make all things new in Christ.

Transform the poverty of our nature

by the riches of your kindness

which you have shown to us in this holy meal.

Make known your heavenly glory

in the renewal of our lives.

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.

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 live in the light of Christ.

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: Numbers 21:4-9

LHS

AT

-

TIS

Second reading: Ephesians 2:1-10

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel: John 3:14-21

LHS

AT

TIS

PSALM 107:1-3,17-22

For musical settings of Psalm 107:1-3,17-22, see Music Package 5.

The following paraphrase of Psalm 107:1-3,17-22 by David Sch¸tz is sung to Dominus regit me (LH 391, TIS 145). If reproducing this version, please put 'Words (c) David Sch¸tz' at the beginning or the end of the psalm.

O thank the Lord for he is good,

his love endures forever.

Let this be said by those the Lord

redeemed from all their trouble.

Let those he gathered from the ends

of earth where they were scattered,

from north and south and east and west,

give thanks to him with praises.

When some were sick because of sin,

and suffered for their evil,

they could not bear to touch their food

and soon were near to dying.

They cried to God in their distress,

he saved them from their trouble.

He sent his healing word to them,

and saved them from destruction.

So let them thank the Lord for all

the steadfast love he showed them.

And for the kindness he has shown

to humankind, now praise him.

And let us sacrifice to God

an offering of thanksgiving,

and tell of all the things he's done,

with singing and rejoicing.

NOTES ON THE READINGS

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

NUMBERS 21:4-9: Surely evidence such as God's powerful deliverance of the Hebrews from helpless slavery in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the destruction of Pharaoh's army should have convinced them of their safety under his care. Yet repeated rebellion and continue carping criticism met his gracious providence. The punishment in today's readings brought death through snake bite. A similar bronze figure raised on a pole called for the obedience of simple faith to overcome the consequence of sin and to bring healing.

EPHESIANS 2:1-10: St Paul never had any doubts about the effective presence of a personal power of evil. Satan is active in that disobedience and sinful indulgence which brings about human separation from God. Be gratefully mindful therefore that God has by his own gracious miracle made us alive 'in Christ' when we were spiritually dead. We have been saved through our faith in Jesus; remember our own works have not saved us, but his eternally planned new creation has fitted us for a new life of holiness in his Son. That is part of his purpose.

JOHN 3:14-21: You would think that if salvation is free simply through looking up to Jesus who was 'lifted up' for our sin that many more would be saved. Sadly that is not the case. John tells us that the last thing the Father wants is to condemn the world. Otherwise he would not have sent his Son. However, the personal love of sin and darkness, together with pride in not wanting it to be exposed, prevents all too many from receiving his light for their salvation. It then tragically becomes judgment instead. Our prime aim then is to bring our sin into the light of the Father to permit his salvation through his Son (which has removed our condemnation) to transform our deeds also into light.

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 like the illustration in the TEV Bible for Numbers 21:8.

SNAKE AND CROSS

Consider making a picture or banner of a snake on a cross, constructed so that the snake can be taken off and replaced by a figure of Christ. Then display the picture with the snake for the first reading, and replace it with the figure of Christ for the second reading and the gospel.

PROCESSIONAL CROSS/CRUCIFIX

If you do not have a processional crucifix, today would be a good day to introduce one. The reading from Numbers speaks of the way in which a serpent was lifted up on a pole, and the gospel says that in just the same way, Jesus would be lifted up. We lift high the cross at the front of our processions to show the worshipping congregation our hope of salvation.

A processional cross/crucifix assures us that Christ marches ahead of us wherever we go: it can be used to lead the baptism candidates to the font, to lead wedding couples to the altar, and to go ahead of coffins to the grave.

A processional cross can be easily and cheaply made, so there is no need to outlay great expense. A simple cross on a pole will suffice. The corpus (figure of Christ) from a commercially produced crucifix can be fixed onto the cross. A heavy block of wood with a hole in it for the pole can form a base so that the processional crucifix can be placed in a highly visible postion in the sanctuary.

If your church has a free-standing altar, and the pastor leads the liturgy from behind the altar (facing the people), a cross or crucifix on the altar itself can be visually awkward (and in the way). A processional crucifix can solve this problem, if it is placed in close association with the altar. In fact, you could make the altar cross into the processional cross.

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, one of the people, the Lord.

CHILDREN

CROSS

The children could be involved in making and/or displaying a snake on a cross (see under 'Snake and cross' above).

Show children the processional cross/crucifix, and explain the first reading and the gospel in connection with it. Show the children how to carry the cross, and perhaps invite them to carry it around the church while the congregation sings a hymn.

'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.

This week's story is 'The bronze snake'. Material for this story may be found in Series B, 4 Lent, in both the original edition and the revised RCL edition.