Feasting on the Word Lenten Companion

A Thematic Resource for Preaching and Worship

David L. Bartlett, Barbara Brown Taylor, Kimberly Bracken Long

• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9780664259655
• eBook ISBN: 9781611645590
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Ministry

This new volume in the Feasting on the Word series will serve as an all-in-one pastor's companion for Lent and Holy Week, providing worship materials and sermon preparation tools for both lectionary and nonlectionary preachers. In keeping with other Feasting on the Word resources, four essays provide theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical perspectives on an Old Testament and a Gospel text for each Sunday. A complete order of service is provided for each of the Sundays in Lent, plus Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. Hymn suggestions, midweek services, and children's sermon suggestions make this an invaluable resource for the season of Lent.

First Sunday of Lent

Numbers 21:4–9

⁴From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. ⁵The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” ⁶Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. ⁷The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. ⁸And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” ⁹So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

John 3:1–21

¹Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. ²He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” ³Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” ⁴Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” ⁵Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. ⁶What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ ⁸The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” ⁹Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” ¹⁰Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

¹¹“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. ¹²If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ¹³No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ¹⁴And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

¹⁶“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

¹⁷“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. ²¹But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”

ORDER OF WORSHIP

OPENING WORDS / CALL TO WORSHIP

John 3:1–2, 14–15

Come to the Lord with openness,

seeking God’s presence whatever it brings.

Bring doubt, bring belief.

Seek the Lord and live.

HYMN, SPIRITUAL, OR PSALM

CALL TO CONFESSION

We cannot earn God’s grace or favor.

It comes to us, not as something owed,

but as a gift freely given.

Confident in God’s love for us,

even when we are ungodly,

we confess our sins in faith.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Gracious God, we come before you

in need of forgiveness and grace.

You call us to trust in you completely,

but we do not.

We are timid and fearful as we follow your lead.

We justify our actions and words,

though we know they are not what you require.

We struggle to understand the new life Christ offers,

preferring old habits to risky change.

Forgive us, we pray.

John 3:3

Help us to be born again into the life of Christ,

trusting that you have included us by grace

in the family of faith.

In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS

John 3:16–17

Friends, God is for us and not against us!

For that very reason,

God sent the Son into the world

not to condemn the world,

but that the world might be saved through him.

Believe the good news,

in Jesus Christ we are forgiven!

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Num. 21:4–5; John 3:2

God of wilderness and nighttime,

as we devote these forty days to you,

shape us by your Holy Spirit

into the image of Christ our Lord,

so that we may be ready, by your grace,

to confront the power of death

with the promise of eternal life. Amen.

HYMN, SPIRITUAL, OR PSALM

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

John 3:1–15

God of signs and wonders,

we come to your word again and again,

seeking understanding

and the new life it offers.

By the power of your Holy Spirit,

illumine our hearts and minds

so that we may believe this testimony

and have eternal life.

In the name of Jesus Christ,

our teacher and Savior, we pray. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READINGS

SERMON

HYMN, SPIRITUAL, OR PSALM

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

God our Helper,

we thank you for keeping our lives

always in your care and protection

and pray for any and all who are in harm’s way.

For those walking in the midst of danger . . .

for those who are treading a slippery path . . .

for those exhausted and seeking relief . . .

for those who face a mountain of worry or debt

or any other obstacles. . . .

Be Guardian and Guide, we pray,

setting all our feet on your paths of righteousness and peace.

We pray for those who are struggling

with a new challenge or call . . .

with a major transition in life or livelihood . . .

with their faith and understanding . . .

with grief, ancient or new . . .

Keep in your tender care and mercy, O God,

those who are sick in mind, body, or spirit . . .

those weighed down by depression or pain . . .

those recuperating from surgery or accident. . . .

Protect not only us and those we love,

but also the whole wide world you so love.

In places of war, bring peace . . .

in places beset by natural disaster, bring calm and restoration . . .

where there is unrest and injustice, make justice our aim.

Where hope has grown tired and thin, lift our sights,

so that we may see hope beyond hope,

life beyond death,

and you, lifted up before us.

In the name of Christ,

who gave himself for our sake, we pray. Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING

Num. 21:5

In plenty or in want, all that we have is a gift from God.

In faith and gratitude,

we return now a portion

of what we have so abundantly received,

as grateful heirs of the promises of God.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING/DEDICATION

Gracious God,

we dedicate to you not only these gifts,

but also ourselves, in deep gratitude—

for your call on our lives,

your guidance in the baptismal journey,

and for blessing us

that we may be a blessing to others.

Accept what we bring

for your own good purposes.

In Christ we pray. Amen.

HYMN, SPIRITUAL, OR PSALM

CHARGE

Go out in faith,

trusting in God’s sense of direction.

John 3:16

Remember how much God loves this world

and so love the world in the name of Christ,

John 3:11–12

that your testimony becomes the good news

someone else has been waiting to receive.

BLESSING

You are free from condemnation, free to question
and seek,

knowing God’s love surrounds you in both the
dark of night and light of day. Amen.

SONG SUGGESTIONS

Included are songbook numbers for the Chalice Hymnal (CH), the Episcopal Church’s Hymnal 1982 (EH), Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW), the Gather Comprehensive, Second Edition (GC), Glory to God (GTG), The New Century Hymnal (TNCH), and the United Methodist Hymnal (UMH).

“Ah Lord, How Shall I Meet Thee?” (ELW 241, GTG 104, TNCH 102)

“As Moses Raised the Serpent Up” (TNCH 605)

“Come and Seek the Ways of Wisdom” (GTG 174)

“God Loved the World” (ELW 323, TNCH 208)

“I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say” (EH 692, ELW 332 and 611, GC 622, GTG 182, TNCH 489)

“Lord of the Dance” (GC 689, GTG 157, UMH 261)

“Lord, Who throughout These Forty Days” (CH 180, EH 142, ELW 319, GC 416, GTG 166, TNCH 211, UMH 269)

“What Wondrous Love Is This” (EH 439, ELW 666, GC 614, GTG 215, TNCH 223, UMH 292)

CHILDREN’S SERMON

Based on John 3:1–17

One night a visitor came looking for Jesus. This visitor was a man named Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Jewish leader, a Pharisee. He knew a lot about God’s law. When he found Jesus, Nicodemus asked, “Teacher, it is clear that you are a teacher sent by God because you have done many things that no one can do unless God is with that one.” Nicodemus did not say what things Jesus had done, but apparently many Jewish people were talking about the wonderful things Jesus had done.

“Nicodemus, I assure you,” said Jesus, “unless a person has been born a new person, it is not possible to see God’s kingdom.”

Nicodemus was puzzled. “What are you saying, Jesus? Once you are born as a baby, how can you be born again? That is impossible, isn’t it?”

Jesus’ answer sounded almost as if he did not hear Nicodemus’s question.

“I tell you, Nicodemus, unless a person is born of water and the Spirit of God, that person cannot be a part of God’s kingdom. This is a different birth. Do not be confused that I said you must be born a new person. God’s Spirit blows wherever it wants to blow. You may hear its sound, but you do not know what direction it comes from or in what direction it goes.”

If it had not been night and too dark to see Nicodemus’s face, Jesus would have seen how confused Nicodemus looked.

“How can any of what you say be? Is this really possible?”

Gently, Jesus answered, “Nicodemus, you are a teacher of Israel. Do you not know these things? If I tell you about things on earth and you do not understand, how can you ever understand what I tell you about things of God not on earth? Yet God loved the world so much that God sent a son to the world, so everyone who believes in this son will be with God forever.”

On his way home, Nicodemus surely thought about Jesus’ words and what they meant for him.

SERMON HELPS

Numbers 21:4–9

THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

When Christian interpreters read this passage in Numbers, it is almost impossible not to jump immediately to the Gospel of John and Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus (John 3:1–21). In response to the Pharisee leader’s questions about participation in the “kingdom of God,” Jesus was remembered as saying, finally, “No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:13–15). For the writer of the Gospel this extended conversation with Jesus pointed forward to Jesus being “lifted up” on the cross, from the grave, and into the heavenly realm of God. Moses’s experience in the wilderness was understood as a type pointing to a spiritual event in the future, namely, the redemptive work of Jesus.

The account in Numbers, however, has theological significance quite apart from Jesus. First, this story stands at the end of a series of “murmuring stories” that provide narrative structure for the wilderness traditions. From the beginning the people grumbled and complained about their condition in the desert (Exod. 16:2–3). Their complaints are noted at several different points along the way (e.g., Num. 11, 14, 16, 20) but come to a climax in Numbers 21. The failure to trust God (and God’s intermediary, Moses) is the basic issue.

In the Bible, the concept of “faith” is regularly understood as “trust” rather than “belief.” Moses did not challenge the people to “believe” in some doctrine about God. The aim of Moses was for the people to move forward trusting that God would keep the divine commitment to lead the people to a new land. In the immediately preceding...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Halftitle
• Series
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Overview of Lent
• Complete Services
• Midweek Services
• Triduum
• Acknowledgments
• Scripture Index