15. Year B - Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

Top Previous Next

VERSION: 9 April 2002

FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY, YEAR B

In 2003: 9 Feb

In 2006: 5 Feb

In 2009: 8 Feb

In 2012: 5 Feb

In 2015: 8 Feb

- - -

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.

Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth. (Isa 40:28 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

O Lord,

watch over your family

with your constant loving-kindness,

so that those who rely solely

on the hope of your heavenly grace

may always be defended by your protection;

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, in your constant goodness

watch over your family.

May we who rely solely

on your undeserved love for us

always be defended by your power.

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 faith in Christ. [silence])

Almighty and merciful God,

you sent your only Son as the word of life

for our eyes to see and our ears to hear.

Help us to believe with joy

what the Scriptures proclaim.

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 God's healing. [silence])

God our Saviour,

thank you that your Son healed the sick,

drove out demons,

and brought your good news of salvation.

Make us whole in body and spirit,

so that we are free to serve you.

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

Isaiah 40:21-31 The incomparable greatness of the Lord

PSALM

Psalm 147:1-11,20c

Antiphon:

He(/the Lord) heals the brokenhearted, (and binds up their wounds). (Ps 147:3 NRSV)

SECOND READING

1 Corinthians 9:16-23 Free to be all things to all people

ALLELUIA VERSE (Mark 1:39 NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus went throughout Galilee,

proclaiming the message and casting out demons.

Alleluia.

GOSPEL

Mark 1:29-39 Jesus heals many people

(If using NRSV or NIV, begin: 'As soon as Jesus and his disciples left . . .')

PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for healing people

and driving out demons.

Remain with us with your healing presence.

Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER

We thank you, Lord, for your greatness

and for your care for us.

You have set us free;

lead us to use our freedom and our gifts

to look beyond ourselves

and sympathise with other people and help them

wherever we can.

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Call to prayer

Our Lord Jesus continues his healing ministry through his church. Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their need.

The regular response, OR:

Lord, in your mercy,

bring your healing.

Suggested intercessions

Concluding prayer

Lord, you are abundant in power, and your understanding is beyond measure. Since you have lifted us up to share life with you, keep us in the faith of Jesus Christ, and hear the prayer we offer in his name, for he 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 p6), 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 it has not been used already, the third prayer under 'Prayer of the day' above may be modified as follows and used as a post-communion prayer.

Almighty and merciful God,

you sent your only Son as the word of life

for our eyes to see and our ears to hear.

Help us by your gifts of word and sacrament

to believe with joy what they proclaim.

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.

CLOSING SENTENCE (for use before or with the blessing)

The following sentence may be spoken entirely by the minister or responsively as indicated.

Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,

they shall mount up with wings like eagles,

they shall run and not be weary,

they shall walk and not faint. (Isa 40:31 NRSV)

DISMISSAL

Go in peace. Be all things to all people for the sake of the good news of 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 : Isaiah 40:21-31

LHS

AT

TIS

Second reading : 1 Corinthians 9:16-23

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

LHS

AT

TIS

PSALM 147:1-11,20c

For musical settings of Psalm 147:1-11,20c, see Music Package 4.  Versions of selected verses of Psalm 147 may also be found in TIS (nos 91 and 92). The second of these, by John Bell, is also in AT 325.

A paraphrased version of Psalm 147 from the Iona Community may be found in John L Bell, Psalms of patience, protest and praise on page 54.

NOTES ON THE READINGS

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

ISAIAH 40:21-31: All human beings, including their princes, have only a transitory nature and insignificant power compared to the Lord, who has ordered all things. The Lord himself is above comparison, being both the architect and creator of the universe.  God's people are therefore wrong to question his significant involvement and influence over events which affect their wellbeing. Those who will but trust him and turn to him are strengthened and sustained.

1 CORINTHIANS 9: 16-23: The gospel of salvation is the only means by which people may be saved from sin and have eternal peace with God.  Paul therefore waived his right at Corinth to be paid for proclaiming the gospel. His sincerity was emphasised by his self-denial. If the gospel is of God, then Paul was primarily under divine obligation to make it known, regardless of his own legitimate interests. He was also willing to make himself a slave to all, conforming to people’s cultural standards and outlook to win as many as possible to saving faith in Christ.

MARK 1: 29-39: Jesus' miracles of healing and power over demonic spirits demonstrated his rightful mission as the long-promised Messiah. However, he needed no 'manifestation' (epiphany) or demonstrated 'appearance' to the evil spirits. The demons already knew him and knew also of his divine mission. While the miracles in the reading precipitated pressure from the crowds of people who actively sought him out, Jesus' first priority was to proclaim the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins.

VISUAL

VISUALS FOR THE READINGS

Pictures or visual symbols could be displayed on banners or the overhead screen during the readings. For instance, the gospel could be accompanied by a picture like the TEV illustration for Mark 1:31; or use the symbol of God's hand of blessing reaching down from a cloud.

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.

CHILDREN

'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: 'God calls Moses' (to be found in the original edition in Lent 3 year C and in the RCL edition in 5 Epiphany year B).