Year A - Proper 18 (04 Aug - 10 Sep)

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VERSION: 8 May 2002

SUNDAY BETWEEN 4 AND 10 SEP (PROPER 18), YEAR A

In 2002: 16th Sunday after Pentecost, 8 Sep

In 2005: 16th Sunday after Pentecost, 4 Sep

In 2008: 17th Sunday after Pentecost, 7 Sep

In 2011: 12th Sunday after Pentecost, 4 Sep

In 2014: 13th Sunday after Pentecost, 7 Sep

- - -

Note: For explanations and suggestions on the various resources provided, see the documents 'General notes and resources' and 'Time after Pentecost' 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.

Owe no one anything, except to love one another,

for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

(Rom 13:8 NRSV)

OR

Jesus said: 'Where two or three are gathered in my name,

I am there among them.' (Matt 18:20 NRSV)

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 OF SINS

One of the following may be used.

Friends in Christ,

Jesus said: 'Truly I tell you,

whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.'

Let us confess our sins to God our Father

and ask him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive us.

OR, if using the alternative first reading (1b):

Friends in Christ: The Lord says:

As I live, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked,

but that the wicked turn from their ways and live;

turn back, turn back from your evil ways;

for why will you die, O house of Israel?

Let us confess our sins to God our Father

and ask him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive us.

PRAYER OF THE DAY (COLLECT)

Traditional

O Lord, let your continual pity

cleanse and defend your church;

and because it cannot continue in safety without you,

preserve it forever by your help and goodness;

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 mercy

cleanse and defend your church.

Guide it forever by your goodness

because it cannot remain safe without you.

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 guidance. [silence])

Guide and rule your church forever, Lord,

so that we may walk warily in times of quiet

and boldly in times of trouble.

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 harmony in the church. [silence])

Thank you, heavenly Father,

that through your Son

you have reconciled us to yourself

and to one another.

Teach us to follow his example

by living at peace with each other.

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 AND PSALM

Note: There are two sets of first readings (with accompanying Psalms) given for the Sundays after Pentecost: (a) a new semi-continuous set, and (b) a set related thematically to the gospels (as in the earlier form of the lectionary). It is intended that either one of these two sets be used throughout and that they not be mixed.

1a

Exodus 12:1-14 The Lord institutes the Passover

Psalm 149

Antiphon:

The Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. (Ps 149:4 NIV)

OR, 1b

Ezekiel 33:7-11 God appoints Ezekiel as a watchman

(Begin: 'The word of the Lord came to me:')

Psalm 119:33-40

Antiphon:

Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.

(Ps 119:35 NRSV)

SECOND READING

Romans 13:8-14 The debt of love

ALLELUIA VERSE (2 Cor 5:19 NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia.

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,

and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.

Alleluia.

GOSPEL

Matthew 18:15-20 Steps towards reconciliation

(Begin: 'Jesus said to his disciples:')

PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Thank you, Lord Jesus,

that we can come to the Father in your name.

Help us to be in harmony among ourselves.

Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER

Thank you, Lord, for having mercy on us

and accepting us as your people.

Help us to be more and more like you,

and work harmoniously with one another.

Teach us to show love to each other,

and to all people as they have needs.

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Call to prayer

Our Lord has promised us, 'Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them'. Since our Lord Jesus Christ is present with us, let us pray to our Father with confidence.

The regular response, OR:

Gracious Father,

hear our prayer.

Suggested intercessions

Concluding prayer

Heavenly Father, even in the divisions of this world you make your church unified in Christ. Keep us bound together in love, and hear the prayer we have offered in Jesus' name.

Amen.

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.

(On this day)*

he overcame death by his resurrection

and opened up for us

the way to eternal life with you.

And so, with angels and archangels,

and with all the company of heaven,

we adore and praise your glorious name:

* The words 'on this day' are used only on Sundays.

COMMUNION INVITATION

For a choice of communion invitations, see the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Communion invitation', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

See the service order for a standard post-communion prayer. Alternatively, use the third prayer of the day (as listed above) at this point. It may be modified as follows.

Lord, through this holy meal of Jesus' body and blood,

strengthen your church,

so that we may walk warily in times of quiet

and boldly in times of trouble.

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.

DISMISSAL

Go in peace to live in harmony with one another.

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 (a): Exodus 12:1-14

LHS

AT

TIS

-

First reading (b): Ezekiel 33:7-11

LHS

AT

TIS

Second reading: Romans 13:8-14

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20

LHS

AT

TIS

PSALM 149

For musical settings of Psalm 149, see Music Packages 3 and 9. TIS 95, Sing a new song to the Lord, is a version of Psalm 149:1-5.

The following paraphrase of Psalm 149 by David Sch¸tz may be sung to the tune Alles ist an Gottes Segen (LH 283, TIS 556). If reproducing this version, please put 'Words (c) David Sch¸tz' at the beginning or the end of the psalm.

Alleluia! Sing a new song

to the Lord, our King and Maker,

with his people gathered here!

Let the children of Jerus'lem

praise his name with dance and music,

and with tambourine and lyre.

God takes pleasure in his people,

and the Lord adorns the humble

with the crown of victory.

Let the faithful rise in triumph,

sing for joy at night and always

praise our God continually.

So, with swords of prayer and praises,

bring God's justice to the nations,

bring his judgment on the world!

To bind kings in chains of iron,

and bring prisoners into freedom,

is our glory! Praise the Lord!

PSALM 119:33-40

For musical settings of Psalm 119:33-40, see Music Packages 6 and 10.

NOTES ON THE READINGS

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

EXODUS 12:1-14: The Passover was an annual festival for family observance to remember the deliverance God brought about for his people enslaved in Egypt. The blood of the lamb sprinkled on door lintels saved the readied and believing people from death visited upon every Egyptian family. The angel of death 'passed over' these homes. The punishment of God upon the Egyptians enabled the Hebrews at last to leave. The strict observance of detail in preparation and partaking signified God's complete commitment and the peoples' reception of life and liberty solely from his hands in sincere repentance. The Passover continued annually to remind Jewish families of their need for deliverance from sin through the substitutionary blood of the lamb.

EZEKIEL 33:7-11: God's prophets held an awesome responsibility. How could the people of Israel know that their sin had separated them from God if they were not told? Hence Ezekiel's answerability to God's command, with his own life in God's kingdom at stake, if he didn't tell the unpopular truth. If the people rejected the call to repentance after Ezekiel's faithful preaching, though, they would be cut off from the kingdom by their own fault. The passage vividly shows God's grief over the loss of souls and his prime wish to save. An eternity cut off from God tragically thwarts his central wish.

ROMANS 13:8-14: 'Don't let us get too religious', is a commonly heard cry. Why? We might put people off! God sees his own commandments as an expression of perfect love. We are called to live the commandments in every moment of our lives. Live them perfectly and you will love perfectly. The works of darkness shut us off from God's light. Self-gratification chokes spiritual life. Therefore put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

MATTHEW 18:15-20: The church is a saved band of believers who support and help each other also to reach eternal life. Therefore sin in a fellow believer becomes a deep concern within the body. Our Lord puts forward the strategy we are to use to build each other up when sin threatens an individual. Christ says to speak with your brother/sister alone in order to gain him/her. If that fails, others are to help. If that in turn fails, the congregation is to act. The three steps described are meant to promote, express and achieve the unity of the body of believers. Forgiveness declared by the church or by a believer is the power of opening heaven's door (vv 18,19). Rejection of such spiritual approach and care closes it.

VISUAL

VISUALS FOR THE READINGS

Pictures or visual symbols could be displayed on banners or the overhead screen during the readings.

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 currently available for the Revised Common Lectionary.

This week's story is 'David's sin, God's forgiveness (2 Sam 11:1 - 24:14)'. Material for this story may be found in

Original Edition, Year C, Semester 2, 20 Pentecost

OR

Revised RCL Edition, Year A, Semester 2, Proper 18