Fifth Sunday in Lent

April 3, 2022

Holy Communion at 8:30 and 11am

Livestream at 8:25am
Bulletin for the service

Prayer of the Day

Creator God, you prepare a new way in the wilderness, and your grace waters our desert. Open our hearts to be transformed by the new thing you are doing, that our lives may proclaim the extravagance of your love given to all through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.Amen.

Scripture

Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm 126
Philippians 3:4b-14
John 12:1-8

Read the lessons online

Sermon

“Evocative Memory, Extravagant Love”
Isaiah 43:16–22; Psalm 126; John 12:1–8

God keeps God’s promises. We will not be lost forever. The God of our ancestors is the one who acts in history to bring deliverance from exile and freedom from captivity. The exodus reverberates in the memory of the Israelites in Babylon, and they are reminded that God will lead them out of this wilderness too. God is about to do a new thing. The memory of the death of Lazarus, the stench of his body in the tomb, and Jesus calling him back to life is fresh in their minds. He is now seated at their table. Now the stench of perfume fills the air. Mary is anointing Jesus for the day of his own burial just days from now. Placed in a borrowed tomb the stench of death will be interrupted for good by his own resurrection. There, death has become life for all creation. Our foe defeated; we are now invited
to be at table with Jesus. Those who sow in tears will reap in shouts of joy.

Hymns

Christ, the Life of All the Living, LBW 97
Jesus, the Very Thought of You, LBW 316
My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less, LBW 294

LBW, Lutheran Book of Worship

In our prayers we remember the ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod.