Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
March 14, 2010
Worship 10:00 am
Sunday School 11:10am
Fourth Sunday of Lent
“From
now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point
of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human
point of view, we know him no longer in that way.”
(2 Corinthians 5:16)
Wonderful God, you are light and love and joy! Please, once more,
open our hearts and minds to the hospitality of your house. Set us
free from narrow vision and miserly love, that with the wonder of
those who are freed by your Spirit, we may worship you through all
facets of this hour of praise. Though Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen!
1
- Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to
listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling
and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So he told them this parable:
“There was a
man who had two children. The younger of them said to her
father,
2 - ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong
to me.’
1 - So he divided his property between them. A few days later
the younger daughter gathered all she had and traveled to a
distant country, and there she squandered his property in
dissolute living. When she had spent everything, a severe famine
took place throughout that country, and she began to be in need.
So she went and hired herself out to one of the citizens of that
country, who sent her to his fields to feed the pigs. She would
gladly have filled herself with the pods that the pigs were
eating; and no one gave her anything. But when she came to
himself she said,
2 - ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and
to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to
my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against
heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your
daughter; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’
1 - So she set off and went to her father. But while she was
still far off, her father saw her and was filled with
compassion; he ran and put his arms around her and kissed her.
Then the daughter said to him,
2 - ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am
no longer worthy to be called your daughter.’
1 - But the father said to his slaves,
3 - ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him;
put a ring on her finger and sandals on her feet. And get the
fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this
daughter of mine was dead and is alive again; she was lost and
is found!’
Patient God, we
cherish this scripture story, remembering that you are always
willing to accept us, even in our bleakest moment. You surround
us with the hushed silence of your love. Like a compassionate
parent, you wait to receive us in your embrace while we struggle
to place you first in our lives. Multiply these tithes and
offerings so that they open the ears of your lost children to
your message of unconditional love. In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.
1 - “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and
approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one
of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied,
2 - ‘Your sister has come, and your father has killed the fatted
calf, because he has got her back safe and sound.’
1 - Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came
out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father,
3 - ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a
slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you
have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate
with my friends. But when this daughter of yours came back, who
has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the
fatted calf for her!’
1 - Then the father said to him,
4 - ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this sister of
yours was dead and has come to life; she was lost and has been
found.’”
1 – (pause) In this
parable of Jesus, both children - not just one of them - were
far, far away from their loving father. Hymn #139 retells the
story from the perspective of the younger sibling. If only the
older child could have come to the same point. Of course, the
story as Jesus tells it remains unfinished, so you never know –
it could end with a surprising twist. We sing this hymn to
repeat and thus commit to memory this story of God’s grace. We
also lift up our voices and allow the words to speak our own
need and our own desire to “arise and go to Jesus,” for this is
our story and song as well.
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,
who has shown us such love,
and in his grace has given us
such unfailing encouragement
and so sure a hope,
still encourage and strengthen
you
in every good deed and word.
Hymnal #773
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17,
adapted from the Revised English Bible
(para traducir a español, presione la bandera de España)
Interested in Sunday School? Below is a growing list of possible sites to visit.
As you discover others, please let
us know.
International Lesson: Adult
Bible Studies
from The United Methodist Publishing House
(click "supplemental resources" and "current events supplement"
under both the "Student" and "Teacher" sections in the left hand column)