16. Year C - Sixth Sunday after Epiphany (Proper 01)

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VERSION: 9 April 2002

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY (PROPER 1), YEAR C

In 2004: 15 Feb

In 2007: 11 Feb

In 2010: ---

In 2013: ---

In 2016: ---

- - -

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.

Christ has been raised from the dead:

the first fruits of those who have died. (1 Cor 15:20 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.

INTRODUCTION TO CONFESSION

The following introduction to the confession of sins, drawing on verses from the first reading from Jeremiah, may be used today.

Friends in Christ:

This is what the Lord says:

'The heart is devious above all else;

it is perverse -

who can understand it?

I, the Lord, test the mind and search the heart,

to give to all according to their ways,

according to the fruit of their doings.'

So let us draw near to God our Father

with a true heart to confess our sins,

and ask him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

to forgive us.

PRAYER OF THE DAY (COLLECT)

Traditional

O Lord,

favourably hear the prayers of your people,

that we, who are justly punished for our offences,

may be mercifully delivered by your goodness,

for the glory of your name;

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 kindness

listen to the prayers of your people.

Have mercy on us

who are justly punished for our sins,

and save us,

for the glory of your name.

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 a fuller trust in God. [silence])

Most loving Father,

it is your will

that we should leave all our worries with you.

Keep us from faithless fears

and worldly anxieties,

that no cloud may hide from us

the light of your love

in Jesus Christ our Lord.

For he lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, new

(Let us pray for true discipleship. [silence])

Just and merciful God,

you bring down the mighty from their thrones

and lift up the lowly,

and you fill the hungry with good things.

Teach us to rely on you alone

and to hunger for what is right.

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.

FIRST READING

Jeremiah 17:5-10 Blessed are those who trust in God

PSALM

Psalm 1

Antiphon:

The Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Ps 1:6 NRSV)

SECOND READING

1 Corinthians 15:12-20 The resurrection of the dead

ALLELUIA VERSE (Luke 6:23 NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia.

Rejoice and leap for joy,

for surely your reward is great in heaven.

Alleluia.

GOSPEL

Luke 6:17-26 Blessings and woes

(If using NRSV, begin: 'Jesus came down with his disciples . . . '; if using NIV, begin: 'Jesus went down with his disciples . . . ')

PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Lord Jesus, thank you for blessing the poor.

Lead us to know that we are poor in your sight,

and help us to trust in you.

Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER

Everliving God,

without you we are poor and helpless,

but when we trust in you we flourish.

Help us to grow in you and produce fruit.

Do not let us get caught up

in the passing concerns of our daily life,

but use us for the building up of your kingdom.

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Call to prayer

We share in the new life of Christ, so let us come in his name to our Father in heaven, and pray for all kinds of people in their particular needs.

The regular response, OR:

Lord, in your compassion,

hear our prayer.

Suggested intercessions

Concluding prayer

Lord, teach us to know our needs and to see the needs of others. Hear our prayer for all humankind, 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 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.

Most loving Father,

you have shown how much you care for us

by feeding us with the body and blood

of your dear Son, Jesus Christ.

Keep us from faithless fears

and worldly anxieties,

that no cloud may hide from us

the light of your love

in Jesus Christ our Lord.

For he lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

DISMISSAL

Go in peace, for Christ has been raised from the dead.

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: Jeremiah 17:5-10

LHS

AT

TIS

Second reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel: Luke 6:17-26

LHS

AT

TIS

PSALM 1

For musical settings of Psalm 1, see Music Packages 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9. For a hymn version, see TIS 1 Happy are they who walk in God's wise way.

The Iona collection Psalms of Patience, Protest and Praise contains a metrical version of Psalm 1 (p 4).

The following metrical paraphrase of Psalm 1 by David Sch¸tz may be sung to the tune Ellers (LH 514). If reproducing this version, please put 'Words (c) David Sch¸tz' at the beginning or the end of the psalm.

Happy are they whose love is in God's law,

those who do not walk in ungodly ways,

those who don't stand among the the sinful crowd,

those who refuse to sit with those who scoff.

They meditate on God's law day and night.

They are like trees that grow beside a stream;

they will bear fruit at every harvest time,

they will not die, but thrive in all they do.

But the ungodly - they are not like this!

They are like chaff that scatters in the wind.

They cannot stand before the Lord their judge

in the assembly of God's righteous ones.

All those will perish who walk in the path

of the ungodly, following their way.

But the Lord knows the way of all his saints,

who love his law and live in righteousness.

NOTES ON THE READINGS

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

JEREMIAH17:5-10: Israel had been given everything material and spiritual by a bountiful God, and yet obstinately set its heart to idols. Here Jeremiah highlights the differing results of a true and divergent faith. Those whose hearts have turned away from the Lord are like a shrivelled and stunted shrub in the wilderness. It receives no moisture or nourishment. A tree, however, which is properly situated and watered can always produce healthy fruit and survive threatening stresses. The all-knowing God will always search out and test both heart and life.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:12-20: Some of the Greeks at Corinth, while continuing to believe in the shadowy existence of the soul in the after-life, could not agree to a true bodily resurrection. Paul here points out that if Christ himself rose from the dead, and they could not argue with that, then it is illogical to say that no one else could rise. If Christ did not rise then the apostles were liars, their message of forgiveness is futile, all faith and hope in him is an empty sham. Christians then are pitiable. But Christ did rise. Therefore there will be harvest.

LUKE 6:17-26: After Jesus had called the twelve, he paused in a location where large crowds could surround him. People had come from all parts of Judea and as far away as Phoenicia. The extraordinary preaching and healing ministry was in demonstration of his messianic mission from the heavenly Father. His particular words to the disciples promised compensatory blessings for future poverty, hunger, sadness or rejection, but woes upon those who preferred the riches, surfeit, happiness and popularity of the world. True prophets of old experienced the former things, false prophets the latter.

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 and second readings could be illustrated by the picture of a green tree near a stream.

OR

The first reading could be illustrated with a picture like that in the TEV Bible for Jeremiah 17:6.

The second reading could be illustrated with a picture like that in the TEV for 1 Corinthians 15:20.

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 two readers: narrator (the pastor), Jesus.

CHILDREN

CHILDREN AND THE READINGS

The children could make and display pictures of green trees (near water) and colourful flowers, to illustrate the first reading and as symbols of resurrection for the second reading.

'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: 'Young Joseph (Genesis 37)' (to be found in both the original and RCL editions, 6 Epiphany, year C).