Lent 3: The Wisdom of God
Summary: Today’s Gospel reading tells of what is referred to as “The cleansing of the temple”. From Jesus’ perspective, the temple represented God in the presence of God’s people, and should invoke religious awe. The commercial activity n the temple caused Jesus to drive them out in righteous anger. The message is is that God’s love is not attracted to the shiny, wealthy or new things that we as human’s crave. Rather, God’s love seeks out those in need of divine grace and love, such as the weak, helpless, hopeless, and others in need of redemption. This is why Jesus came to us. We are like lost children. We seek reunion with our heavenly parent to find joy, meaning, forgiveness, hope, and strength. Our worldly power and wealth cannot replace our need to find God. God knows where we are on our spiritual journey and will seek us out and bless us with faith, hope, and love.
The 3rd Sunday in Lent – March 7th, 2021
Order of Worship
Prelude: “Adagio”, by Roger Nyquist
Greeting
Opening Hymn: “In the Cross of Christ I Glory”
Prayer of the Day
First Lesson: 1 Corinthians 1: 18-25
Children’s Message
Gospel Lesson: John 2: 13-22
Anthem: “There in God’s Garden”
Sermon
Sermon Hymn: “Canticle of the Turning”
Prayers & The Lord’s Prayer
Benediction
Sending Hymn: “Lift High the Cross”
Dismissal
Postlude: “Lift High the Cross”, Charles Callahan
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The Lent serivce today, March 7, was on the wisdom of God. It was, as always, very powerful. To me the most powerful message was listeningt how Jesus spent his life in service to God. He cared so deeply for the people whom most others turned away from. He lived the message that God’s divine love was all everyone needs, rich or poor, and that every single one of us needs grace. And faith in Jesus Christ will give us that grace from God, no matter who we are, where we are, or what we are doing.