Lukan Lessons and Carols for Lent: Fifth Sunday in Lent (April 3, 2022)

 

(This is the sixth liturgy in a series of Lukan Lessons and Carols for Lent. The Ash Wednesday Liturgy and a more detailed explanation of the series can be found here; Lent 1, 2, 3, & 4 can be found here, here, here, and here. I am excluding parts of the worship that were not directly connected to the series as well as parts that I give extemporaneously.)

I will post the liturgies for ensuing weeks as I write them. I'm happy for anyone to use any part(s) of this series in their own worship contexts with proper attribution, but I would request that you let me know in the comments that you're doing so.

 

(I created these worksheets as bulletin inserts to help with notetaking)

Liturgy by Rev. Katey Schwind Williams

*Call to Worship (based on Luke 13:29-30, 14:21-23)
Leader: God sends us down city roads and country lanes to find guests for God’s feast.
People: People will come from east and west, north and south, to sit at God’s table.
Leader: The Master invites the least and the lowly to fill God’s house.
People: Those who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last.
Leader: The Lord be with you!
People: And also with you!
Leader: Let us worship the Lord.

Call to Confession (based on Luke 14:11)
Leader: Jesus tells us that all who lift themselves up will be brought low, and all who make themselves low will be lifted up. Let us humble ourselves before God by confessing our sin so that we might be lifted up with Christ according to God’s mercy.

Confession of Sin (based on Luke 15:11-32)
People: Compassionate Father, we are the prodigal son. We demand from you that which we have not earned and do not deserve. We use our inheritance wastefully, squandering your gifts in ways that do not honor you. Forgive us. We are the older son. We resent your love for those that we consider below us. We expect praise for our obedience. Forgive us. Do not hold our spiritual immaturity against us, but help us to grow in righteousness and love. In your mercy, hear our prayer… [Silent prayers of personal forgiveness]

Declaration of Forgiveness (based on Luke 15:3-7)
Leader: Wouldn’t a shepherd, having lost one sheep, leave 99 others in the pasture to search for the lost one? Wouldn’t she place it on her shoulders in celebration when it is found? Such is the joy in heaven over one sinner who changes their heart and life. Beloved, we have been lost in sin, but now we are found in Christ Jesus! Hear the Good News: we are forgiven! Thanks be to God!

In Other Words…*  

Lessons & Carols**
Two Masters:                                                 Luke 16:1-15
The Law Remains:                                        Luke 16:16-31
Hymn GTG #61:                             “Your Law, O Lord, Is Perfect”

Increase Our Faith:                                       Luke 17:1-10
The Ten Lepers:                                            Luke 17:11-19
Hymn GTG #176:                                 “If You Only Had Faith”

When & Where is the Kingdom?:           Luke 17:20-37
Hymn GTG #347:                     “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” [vv. 1 & 3]

Persistent Prayer:                                           Luke 18:1-8
Humility:                                                          Luke 18:9-17
Hymn GTG #474:                  “As a Child Rests in its Mother’s Arms”

Give Up Everything:                                    Luke 18:18-34
Healing a Blind Man:                                   Luke 18:35-43

Leader: This is the Word of the Lord!

People: Thanks be to God!

*Hymn GTG #462, “I Love to Tell the Story” [v. 2]
I love to tell the story; ‘tis pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet!
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.
I love to tell the story; ‘twill be my theme in glory 

To tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love!

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*I use this time to review last week's story and give the kids an opportunity to tell me what they remember.

**I'm reading primarily from the International Children's Bible (see my explanation for this on my Ash Wednesday Post). I'm also preparing "scripts" ahead of time with the dialogues highlighted and asking members of the congregation to "play" those characters. We're not involving any costumes or acting beyond enthusiastic reading, but you could do a lot with these sections to keep them interesting.