It is indeed right and salutary
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to you,
oh God,
righteous King and Creator.
We are a sinful people; lost, corrupt and seekers of our own glory.
We have gone astray and sought after other gods.
We are deserving of Your wrath-filled judgment.
But You, oh God, are a merciful God.
You are holy and just
and so You sent Jesus to redeem our sin-filled selves.
He washed us clean with his blood;
taking our sins upon himself
and thus gave us entry into the Wedding Feast.
And so we worship You;
joining with Church on earth and the hosts of heaven
in singing Your unending praise.
Liturgy
Liturgy of Repentance ~ Fishing
The following is the Liturgy of Repentance for our final Lenten midweek worship tonight. The scripture focus is Matthew 4:18-22; Jesus calling Andrew, Peter, James and John. We are called to radical discipleship; to leave all and become a fisher of people. This is scary and impossible on our own, but Jesus has promised to show us the best fishing holes 🙂
Redeeming God,
through Jesus Christ You have called me to follow.
You have called me to submit.
You have called me to trust.
You have called me to obey.
Oh God, I am blown away.
I have no credentials that would make me worthy to speak for You.
I have often messed up.
I have fallen short of Your glory.
I have sinned.
And You have called me?
Me?
A sinner?
You have called me to radically follow you.?
And to be a fisher of people?
But I don’t know how to fish for people.
I don’t know the right spots or the right methods.
But there is someone who does know.
As Jesus showed his disciples where and when to cast their nets,
show me.
You know where the fishing is good.
You know the best methods.
You know the best timing.
Forgive me, oh God, for when I take these matters into my own hands.
Forgive me, for when I fail to trust You.
Forgive me for trying to be my own fishing guide.
Forgive me for doubting my call.
Forgive me.
Oh Lord, my God, hear my cry: I repent…
The Cornerstone
The following is the Great Thanksgiving preface that I wrote for the Holy Communion liturgy for today. I was inspired by the Gospel text from Luke 20:9-18; the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. A church not built on Jesus will surely fall…
It is indeed right and salutary
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to you,
oh God,
holy, mighty and awesome.
You built the Church on the foundation of Jesus,
Your anointed and only Son.
Through faith in him our sins have been forgiven
and thus we have been clothed in righteousness
and are justified in Your sight.
Oh God,
what an awesome thing to be at peace with You
and in You
for all eternity.
And so we shout out Alleluias each and every day
as we recall your amazing grace.
And so we join with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven in singing Your unending praise…
Liturgy of Repentance ~ Use Me
The following is the Liturgy of Repentance for Lenten worship tonight. The text is Acts 9:1-19; the call and conversion of Saul/Paul. May God use you to bring glory to His most holy name…
Father, You are holy, and thus Your Church is holy.
It is precious to You, for Jesus, Your Son, is the bridegroom.
So precious is his bride, Jesus died for her salvation.
As the Church, we are forever connected to You through Jesus.
We are one with him.
But Your precious Church is under persecution.
Attacked by Satan.
Denounced by the world.
Threatened by governments.
Assaulted by those who hate You.
And even ambushed…by those from within?
Yes! Within!
Oh God, how can this be?
How can members from within be culpable?
Is it I, Lord?
Holy Father, as You shine Your light on me, it is clear.
It IS I.
I have sinned.
Granted, I haven’t dragged people to jail because of the Name,
but I haven’t always spoken well of my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Show me my faults.
Convict me.
Forgive me.
Transform me.
Save me.
Use me to bring glory to Your holy name, but first…
Oh Lord, my God, hear my cry: I repent…
Found
It is indeed right and salutary
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to you,
oh God,
Father almighty.
You sent Jesus Christ to seek and save the lost.
He stopped at nothing to reach lost sinners.
He defied the authorities.
He defied the world.
He defied death.
We were lost, but now we are found.
We were without hope but now we celebrate.
We were without meaning, but now we are in Your family; defined by You. We were dead, but now we are alive.
Oh God,
You settled for nothing short of finding lost sinners.
And so we worship You;
joining with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven in singing Your unending praise…
Undone
The following is the liturgy of repentance for tonight’s Lenten worship service. The scripture focus is Isaiah 6:1-8 — The Call of Isaiah. God is holy and we are not. In God;s presence; when compared to His moral perfection and purity, we have no standing. In the words of Isaiah, we are undone.
Holy, holy, holy, are You, oh God.
The whole world; all of creation, is filled with Your glory.
YOU are holy and…
I am not. I am but a worm. I am a sinner.
Unworthy
Unclean
In the words of the Prophet Isaiah, Woe is me! For I am lost.
I am undone.
I am undone.
Woe is me, oh Lord, for I have unclean lips.
Woe is me, oh Lord, for I live among those who are unclean.
Woe is me, oh Lord, for I am ruined.
I am undone.
Woe is me.
I am the epitome of uncleanliness.
I have no standing in Your presence, for…
YOU are holy, holy, holy.
But You have made me clean through Jesus.
You have made me worthy.
You have completed me.
You have forgiven me? WOW!
Oh God, I rejoice. Send me. Send…ME.
But first,
Oh Lord, my God, hear my cry: I repent…
Sounding the Alarm
The following is something I wrote as part of the Great Thanksgiving for our Holy Communion liturgy. Themes from the Luke 13:1-9 and Ezekiel 33:7-20 can be found here.
REPENT, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand!
It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, oh God, King of the universe. You sent Jesus to die and rise for our sins and thus You have promised us eternal life through faith in him. May we speak boldly; sounding the alarm; the Good News, that Your Kingdom is at hand. You have called us to repent; to turn from our sinful ways, that Your holy name would be glorified. Oh God, Creator and Redeemer, You are worthy of all praise and worship. May we not hide behind our righteousness, but live in and through that righteousness that others would run to You. And so, because You are awesome and glorious, we join with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven in signing Your unending praise…
Known by God
The following is tonight’s Liturgy of Repentance for our midweek Lenten worship service. The theme is the call of Jeremiah from Jeremiah 1:4-19. The very thought that God knew me before I knew myself is humbling and thus who am I to say, “God, You must have the wrong guy.” I am known.
I am known by You, for You formed me.
I am known by You, for You knit me together.
I am known by You, for You choose me before I knew myself.
I am known.
I am known by You, for You breathed life into my being.
I am known by You, for You appointed little ole me to serve You.
I am known by You…yet Jesus died for me, a sinner.
I am known.
And knowing me, You still have sent me, but yet I search for excuses.
I can’t speak.
I’m too young.
I’m too old.
I don’t know enough.
Are You sure You have the right person?
But YOU know me. You. God Almighty. Creator. Know…ME.
And You send me anyway.
You and You alone qualify me.
Oh God, I confess my faithlessness to You.
Oh God, I confess my fear to You.
Forgive me.
Oh Lord, my God, hear my cry: I repent…
Your Wings
The follow is something I wrote for the Great Thanksgiving in our Holy Communion liturgy based loosely on the preaching text from Luke 13:31-35…
It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, oh God. For through Jesus Christ You spread Your wings over Your children to provde shelter and refuge. You have saved us from the forces of evil and have redeemed our lives from the pit. You give us hope in a hopeless world. You give us peace in a world filled with hate and death. You are our life and salvation. And so with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven we join in singing Your unending praise…
Amen and Amen!
The Pastor -|—
You Reign
It is indeed right and salutary
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to you,
oh God,
Sovereign King over all creation.
Your authority and reign stretches as far as the east is from the west.
Your power is without limit.
Your grace is without end.
You grant us what we need to withstand the attacks of the evil one.
You raise us up when we fall.
You dust us off as we prepare for another round.
And in the end,
You are victorious.
And so with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven
we join in singing Your unending praise…
The Pastor -|—
The Heart of a Pastor 