Pemberville
United Methodist Church
Lent 2019
40 Days of Temptation
Luke 4:1-13
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’ ”
The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
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Heavenly Father,
look upon us and hear our prayer during this holy Season of Lent.
By the good works You inspire, help us to discipline our body
and to be renewed in spirit. Without You we can do nothing.
By Your Spirit help us to know what is right and to be eager in doing Your will.
Teach us to find new life through penance.
Keep us from sin, and help us live by Your commandment of love.
God of love, bring us back to You.
Send Your Spirit to make us strong in faith and active in good works.
May our acts of penance bring us Your forgiveness, open our hearts to Your love,
and prepare us for the coming feast of the Resurrection of Jesus.
Lord, during this Lenten Season, nourish us with Your Word of life
and make us one with You in love and prayer.
Fill our hearts with Your love and keep us faithful to the Gospel of Christ.
Give us the grace to rise above our human weakness.
Give us new life by Your Sacraments.
Father, our source of life, We reach out with joy to grasp Your hand;
let us walk more readily in Your ways.
Guide us in Your gentle mercy, for left to ourselves we cannot do Your Will.
Father of love, source of all blessings, help us to pass from our old life of sin
to the new life of grace. Prepare us for the glory of Your Kingdom.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever.
AMEN
The Mountain Top of Glory
Luke 9:28-36
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
His Call of Action
Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
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Heavenly Father,
Thank you Father for your Love, and for your Grace.
Thank you for the many mercies of your love that freely flow
to your Children, through our Lord Jesus.
We pray Father that you will deliver us from the world’s deception and depravity,
And from the trap of a self-serving heart.
As we journey through this time of Lent, may it be a time of reflection.
Reflection that will lead to our repentance.
By your power restore us to live our lives holy,
so that we may present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice,
acceptable to you God.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.
Ecumenical Service
Jesus is Lord
Romans 10:9-13
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for,
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Heavenly Father,
We lift up our hearts to you in praise and adoration.
Thank you for your Love, for your grace, and for the
hope you have given us through your gift of Jesus,
and the salvation that He alone can give us.
Father, we confess with our mouths, Jesus is Lord
We believe in our hearts, Jesus is the Messiah,
By your power restore us, and lead us in paths of righteousness
Because we trust your plan of salvation,
we have faith in your promises Lord, and we will obey your commands.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.
God's Grace
More Than Forgiveness
Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
NIV
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Amazing grace that you give us in our weakness,
while we are held captive to our sin.
Pour out your Spirit upon us gathered here today.
Empower us to be receptive to the Holy Spirits guiding,
willing to receive and follow your teaching.
Please open our eyes and heart to recognize your grace working in our lives.
By your power Lord, lead us towards a deeper understanding
of your life-giving grace.
Through your mercy Lord, open our eyes, open our ears, and open our life
to the deeper grace you have in store for us.
O’ God! Teach us a new way to live. Teach us YOUR way to live.
May all that we do give you all the praise, all the honor, and all the glory.
In Jesus name,
AMEN
Paralyzed By Grace
Hebrews 10:1-3
Matthew 11:28-30
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming — not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, 4 because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Heavenly Father,
We bless you, praise you, and we love you, with all of our minds, hearts, and soul.
Thank you for your merciful gift of grace that flows abundantly into our lives.
Father, help us to be aware of those areas in our life that requires change.
By the presence of your Holy Spirit, empower us to change at the very core,
becoming transformed more and more into your likeness Jesus.
Let us be the complete representation and reflection of your love.
We are eternally grateful Jesus, that you have paid the price for our sin,
and given us your resurrection empowerment,
your full work of Grace that can change us from the inside out.
By your mercy Father, help us to fully accept Jesus into our hearts and lives,
as our Master teacher, so that you will receive all the glory.
In Jesus name we pray
AMEN.
Humility Brings Grace
Philippians 2:6-11
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Mercy, for your Love, and for your Grace.
Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice on the cross, for bringing salvation to the lost, to US.
We pray that you will help us to live humbly,
as you have revealed to us by your example.
In our weakness Lord, pour out your grace upon us, to mold us into your image.
Give us the strength to remove pride from our minds and hearts,
so that it will not block your grace.
Help us to think less of ourselves, and more of you Lord.
Give us the strength to persevere in life’s challenges,
to do what is right, and to live in humility,
so that we will give you all the glory Father.
In Jesus name we pray
AMEN.
Spreading Grace Peace and Truth
John 1:14-18
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for sending your Son and paving the way for our lives to be set free through Jesus' death on the cross.
Thank you for what this day stands for - the beginning of Holy Week, the start of the journey towards the power of the cross, the victory of the Resurrection, and the rich truth that Jesus truly is our King of Kings.
"Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord..."
We give you praise and honor for your ways are righteous and true.
We give you worship for you are holy and just. We will declare that your love stands firm forever. For your lovingkindness endures forever.
Thank you that your ways are far greater than our ways, your thoughts far deeper than our thoughts.
Thank you that you had a plan to redeem. Thank you that you make all things new. Thank you that your face is towards the righteous, and you hear our prayers, and know our hearts.
Help us to stay strong and true to you. Help us not to follow after the voice of the crowds, but to press in close to you, to hear your whispers, and seek after you alone.
We praise you, we bless you Lord! Thank you that you reign supreme and we are more than conquerors through the gift of Christ!
In the Mighty Name of Jesus,
In Jesus name we pray
AMEN.
Easter Worship Service
Love That Forgives Our Sin
John 20:1-10;19-23
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to their homes, …
19-23
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
Heavenly Father,
We lift up our hearts to worship your holy name,
Thank you for your perfect plan of salvation, through your Son Jesus.
Forgive us for falling short of what you made us to be;
We have failed in our love for you and in our love for others.
In your mercy and love you came for us,
you died and raised up for us, victory over death and evil is yours Jesus.
When we find ourselves stuck, at a dead-end,
crossing a line we shouldn’t have crossed, ashamed to admit we need your help,
We know we cant do it on our own, we need your resurrection life.
We hear your calling and say yes, we want to give your our life,
We want to love you fully and follow you closely.
Just as you breathed on your disciples with the Holy Spirit, breathe on us.
We receive your Holy Spirit, we welcome your saving rule in our lives,
as we receive your forgiveness and you.
In Jesus Name, Amen.