13. Year A - Third Sunday after Epiphany

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VERSION:9 APRIL 2002

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY, YEAR A

In 2002: 27 Jan

In 2005: 23 Jan

In 2008: 27 Jan

In 2011: 23 Jan

In 2014: 26 Jan

- - -

Note: For explanations and suggestions on the various resources provided, see the documents 'General notes and resources' and 'Epiphany season and time after' 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.

The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

(1 Cor 1:18 NRSV)

OR

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness - on them light has shined.  (Isa 9:2 NRSV)

OR, use the standard Epiphany Sentence in the document 'Epiphany season and time after', 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 and eternal God,

look mercifully on our weakness,

and stretch out your mighty hand

to help and defend us;

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 and eternal God,

look in mercy on our weakness,

and stretch out your mighty hand

to help and protect us.

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 the freedom of the new life God gives us. [silence])

Lord God, set us free

from the bondage of our sins,

and give us the full life

of your kingdom,

which you have made known to us

in our Saviour Jesus Christ.

For he lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, new

(Let us pray for Christ's light to shine on us. [silence])

Thank you, Jesus,

for coming as the light for the world.

Shine into our darkness,

so that we see God's love,

and follow in the way you show us.

For you live and reign

with the Father and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

FIRST READING

Isaiah 9:1-4 People who have lived in darkness have seen a great light

(If using TEV, begin with v 1b: 'The land of the tribes . . .')

PSALM

Psalm 27:1,4-9

Antiphon:

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

(Ps 27:1 NRSV)

SECOND READING

1 Corinthians 1:10-18 An appeal to avoid factions

ALLELUIA VERSE (Matt 4:23 NRSV alt)

Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus proclaimed the good news of the kingdom

and cured every disease and sickness among the people.

Alleluia.

GOSPEL

Matthew 4:12-23 Jesus begins his work - light has dawned

PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Lord Jesus, the light of the world,

thank you for calling us to be your disciples.

Help us to follow you faithfully.

Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER

Thank you, saving God,

for all the good things you have given us,

especially for your Son, the light for the world.

Teach us to live in his light,

remaining in harmony with one another

and reaching out in love to others.

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

EITHER

The song 'Christ, be our light', ATO 313, is well suited to be a sung form of intercession for this Sunday. A cantor could sing the verses, while the congregation uses the chorus as a response.

OR, the following

Call to prayer

Let us pray to our heavenly Father, through Christ the light, for the church, for the world, and for those in need.

The regular response, OR:

Christ, be our Light;

shine in the church, shine in the world.

Suggested intercessions

Concluding prayer

Father, you are the source of life and light. Grant the prayers of your faithful people, and fill the  world with your glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

PREFACE

For these non-festival Sundays after Epiphany, either no seasonal preface is used, as in the Service with Communion (LHS p 6), or the following Epiphany preface may be used.

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.

You have sent your only Son

to appear among us as a human being,

and through him

you have fully revealed

the light of your presence to us.

And so, with angels and archangels,

and with all the company of heaven,

we adore and praise your glorious name:

COMMUNION INVITATION

The following Epiphany invitation or one of the two general invitations below may be used.

Epiphany

Jesus says:

'The bread that God gives

is he who comes down from heaven

and gives life to the world.'

(Thanks be to God.)

Come, everything is ready.

General

1  Jesus says:

'I am the bread of life.

Whoever comes to me will never be hungry,

and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'

(Thanks be to God.)

Come, everything is ready.

2  Jesus says:

'My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.

Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood

remain in me, and I in them.'

(Thanks be to God.)

Come, everything is ready.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

If the third prayer listed above under 'Prayer of the day' has not already been used, it may be used in this modified form as a post-communion prayer:

Lord God, set us free

from the bondage of our sins,

and give us the full life

of your kingdom,

which you have made known to us

in this sacrament

of the body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

For he lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

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: Isaiah 9:1-4

LHS

AT

TIS

Second reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel: Matthew 4:12-23

LHS

AT

TIS

PSALM 27:1,4-9

For musical settings of Psalm 27:1,4-9, see Music Package 1. Music Package 8 also contains settings for the whole psalm. TIS 15, God is my strong salvation, is also a version of Psalm 27, and TIS 16, The Lord is my light and my help, is a version of verses 1, 4, 13-14. See also AT 209, Do Lord (Ps 27), and 214, The Lord is my light.

NOTES ON THE READINGS

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

ISAIAH 9:1-4: Here the prophet adds to a previous prophecy he delivered to King Ahaz that a feared attack from Syria and the northern kingdom against Judah would not eventuate. He outlines that a period of darkness in the regions of Zebelun and Naphtali (through distress brought about by defeat) will be followed by a wonderful period of light (through the lifting of defeat). The rejoicing of the people will be akin to that of victory. There will be prosperity through God's freeing them of the weight of their oppressor. Verses following this reading attribute this to the leadership of an occupant of the throne of King David.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-18: Paul, having left the congregation which he founded at Corinth, had learnt through concerned reports of divisions which violated the bond of fellowship in Christ. These divisions in the congregation occurred as a result of different groups of people giving their pre-eminent loyalty to one particular preacher over another on account of individual gifts and personality. This cannot be, for Christ and his gospel bring unity in faith and love, for Christ died to make all 'at one' with God through redemption. The gospel and its unimpeded proclamation must come above all other considerations because of its power to save.

MATTHEW 4:12-23: With the imprisonment of John the Baptist, the ministry of Jesus began. Making the city of Capernaum in Galilee his headquarters, Jesus thereby began his messianic ministry preaching, 'Repent, the kingdom of heaven has come near'. Matthew links this with the prophecy of the Messiah in today's readings, thereby indirectly acclaiming Jesus to be the messianic descendant of King David. The enlistment of four disciples is followed by Jesus' pattern of ministry in preaching, teaching and healing.

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 illustrated by a picture like the one in the TEV Bible for Isaiah 9:2.

A symbol or picture of the sun or some other source of light could be used for the day.

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 gospel could be read by three readers: narrator (the pastor), Isaiah, Jesus.

CHILDREN

CHILDREN AND THE READINGS

The children could make/display pictures of the sun/light.

TALKING WITH THE CHILDREN

Discuss what light means.

SONG

Sing a song about light.

'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: 'Jesus heals a paralysed man (Mark 2:1-12; Matt 9:1-8)' (to be found in both the original and RCL editions, 3 Epiphany, year A).