The Fifth Sunday in Lent - Online Worship - March 26, 2023
Lord of Life LIVE - The Fifth Sunday in Lent
Upcoming Events
Sunday Worship - Palm Sunday/The Passion of Our Lord
”It Is Finished! It Has Now Begun!”
April 2, 2023, 9:30am
Join us in person or on YouTube for Lord of Life LIVE!
Faith Quest meets during worship!
All are welcome, encouraged to visit the Prayer Cross as moved to do so.
Litany Trusting God’s Grace In Jesus Christ
based on Psalm 51
Today as we share our Lenten journey, we take hold of the renewing power and grace in Jesus who quenches our every thirst, so we worship in the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit.
Amen. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy, forgive me. Quench my every thirst for you, renew me, wash me, cleanse me, I pray.
People of God: The Lord knows our transgressions; our sin is ever before him. We have sinned against God alone. Let us take a moment of silence to confess our sins and those times we have failed to quench God’s thirst for us to believe, for us to be faithful.
(silence for reflection)
Dear friends: The Lord has created in you a clean heart, renewed your thirst for Jesus, and put a new and right spirit in you. Today, surrender your worry and guilt; empty yourself of all that consumes you. Receive anew the steadfast love of the Lord in these words: Jesus is forever with us, here and now; Jesus saves; Jesus forgives you all your sins. Thirst anew for the One who forever thirsts to change your heart!
Song Renewed in Grace
Change My Heart, O God
Espinosa
Change my heart O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart O God
May I be like You
You are the Potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray
Change my heart O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart O God
May I be like You
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. Cast me not away from thy presence; take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, quench my thirst for you, fill me with your willing spirit, change my heart once again!
Friends in Christ: The Lord thirsts for you, making you whiter than snow. Grace endures, bringing God’s people together. God is thirsty for each of you; graciously thirsting to change our hearts!
Song Renewed in Grace
Change My Heart, O God
Espinosa
Change my heart O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart O God
May I be like You
You are the Potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray
Change my heart O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart O God
May I be like You
Almighty and loving God, through your faithfulness, you broke into our troubled world through the life, death and resurrection of your Son. In our weakness, we have failed to quench your thirst for our faithfulness, and to surrender to you. By your grace and Holy Spirit, create in us clean hearts, unbind us, move every stone that gets in our way, breathe life into us and our dry bones, renew us and fill us, change our hearts once again to thirst for you alone. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Old Testament Lesson
Ezekiel 37:1-14
The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.” So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.”
(New Revised Standard Version)
New Testament Lesson
Romans 8:6-11
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason, the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law – indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
(New Revised Standard Version)
Song of Thirst Anew
Jesus Messiah
Tomlin
vs. 1
He became sin
Who knew no sin
That we might become
His righteousness
He humbled Himself
And carried the cross
Love so amazing
Love so amazing
refrain:
Jesus Messiah
Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer
Emmanuel
The Rescue for sinners
The Ransom from heaven
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all
bridge:
All our hope is in You
All our hope is in You
All the glory to You God
The Light of the world
(refrain)
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all
The Lord of all
The Lord of all
Gospel
John 11:1-26, 41-45
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after hearing that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not on them.” After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” When Jesus arrived, he found Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” ... So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.
(New Revised Standard Version)
based on Psalm 116:1-11
I love the Lord because he has heard my voice
and my supplications.
Because he inclined his ear to me,
Therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
The snares of death encompassed me;
The pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I beseech thee, save my life!”
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple;
When I was brought low, he saved me.
Return, O my soul, to your rest;
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling;
I walk before the Lord in the land of the living. I kept my faith,
Even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted”;
Even when I said in fear, “No one can be trusted.” Amen.
Faith Quest meets following today’s Children’s Message!
A Thirst Quenched
1 SAMUEL 16:1-13; EPHESIANS 5:8-14; JOHN 9:1-17, 34-41
What quenches your thirst? Does it matter what you are thirsty for? Have you ever tried water, pop, something else, and nothing seems to quench that thirst? At times, many of us, find ourselves thirsting for health, purpose, support, drive, stability, certainty, assurance, endurance, connections, togetherness, hope, and more. What is your spirit thirsty for? As our Lenten journey continues through those seven simple, powerful, renewing last words of Jesus on the cross, we remember the fifth time Jesus speaks: “I thirst.” As we revisit in our Gospel the great story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, we see like Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, Jesus quenches our every thirst, our thirst for the breath of life, for freedom from doubt and want and worry, for relationships and compassion and salvation. Jesus was nearing the end of his time on the cross, and still he thirsted. Our Lenten journey is nearing its end for this year, may we stay thirsty, thirsty for Jesus, thirsty for the One who thirsts for us to believe him, to trust he quenches our every thirst!
1. In the grace of Jesus, a thirst is quenched for life, real life.
Ezekiel 37:3-9,14; Romans 8:6-11; John 11:25-26
A. What was dead is alive, what is dead has been buried, what is alive is given new life.
B. To quench the thirst for life, you need to be able to breathe.
C. God is forever giving life and breath to our dry bones and spirit. In Jesus’ last breaths, he gives breath, he breathes in life, he breathes in The Spirit; Jesus breathes life into us; Jesus breathes The Spirit into us!
2. In the grace of Jesus, a thirst is quenched for freedom.
A. Jesus quenches our thirst for faith and assurance, to be free from doubt, want and worry.
John 11:21
B. Jesus quenches our thirst, to free us from every stone that gets in our way, including stones of: fear, uncertainty, loneliness, emptiness, depression, worry, insecurity, and more. Whatever stones you are facing these days, trust anew they have no chance of holding you back! If Jesus would not allow a stone to hold back his beloved friend, Lazarus, from calling him forth, and being raised to new life, trust anew, every stone you face will be moved away, too!
John 11:39
C. Jesus quenches our thirst for faith and light, to free us from doubt and darkness.
John 11:40
D. Jesus quenches our thirst to hear Jesus’ call, to free us from searching through all the voices.
John 11:43
E. Jesus quenches our thirst to be free from all that has a hold on us, keeping us bound.
John 11:44
3. In the grace of Jesus, a thirst is quenched to matter, to belong, to be saved.
A. Jesus quenches our thirst for relationships. Together, we hold fast to being spiritually connected. People came to support Martha and Mary. We are God’s people, too!
John 11:18
B. Jesus quenches our thirst for compassion. Jesus wept.
John 11:35-38
C. Jesus quenches our thirst for life, for salvation, hope. The One who is faithful, raises up and calls forth faith anew in one and all!
John 11:5-7,15-17,25-27
4. Jesus on the cross announces his thirst. Sour wine did not quench his thirst. His is still thirsty. What for? For you! For you to trust him, to surrender to him, to step towards him, to answer him, to call on him, to believe in him, to worship him, to thirst for him! Trust anew the One who is present now and always, thirsts for you to know you are not alone. Believe anew, there is still time this day, as our Lenten journey continues this year, for Jesus to have his thirst quenched, his thirst for you!
John 11:25-26, 40, 45; John 19:28
Offering is available for our indoor services. Find a Lord of Life with a volunteer bucket to deposit offering in person as you leave worship today. If you find yourself wanting to offer your gifts to Lord of Life, you can do so online using the link below. You can also drop offering at anytime in our secure mailbox at Lord of Life located in the parking lot.
Song Anew in Thirst for Grace
All Who Are Thirsty
Brown/Roberts
All who are thirsty
All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life
Let the pain and the sorrow
Be wash’d away
In the waves of His mercy
As deep cries out to deep
We sing
Come Lord Jesus come
Come Lord Jesus come
Come Lord Jesus come
Come Lord Jesus come
(repeat entire song)
Prayers, sung response “Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying” - Medema
As God’s people, gifted to trust and to call on God’s simple, renewing, power and grace, let us pray for the needs of all God’s people. . .
... as we pray to you, Jesus,
Lord listen to your children praying
Lord send your Spirit in this place
Lord listen to your children praying
Send us love
Send us power
Send us grace
All these things and whatever else you see we need, grant to us we pray, for into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Holy Communion will take place during our service. If you are not worshipping with us in person but would like to receive Communion, we will be offering Drive Through Communion at our building at 16200 Dodd Lane, Lakeville, Minnesota, following our indoor service. Drive Through Communion will be available between 10:15am & 10:30am.
For those worshiping with us in person, we receive communion through intinction; that is, you will receive the bread, the host, then dip into the glass of choice, either a red wine in the chalice closest to the host, or in a light colored non-alcoholic grape juice. All are welcome.
We also offer gluten free and pre-packaged options. Please take these options before arriving at the host to receive a blessing.
The Words of Institution
In the night in which he was betrayed our Lord Jesus took bread and gave thanks; broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat, this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
Forever and ever. Amen.
Songs During Holy Communion
Down to the River to Pray
Allan
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who should wear the starry crown
Good Lord show me the way
O sisters let’s go down
Let’s go down come on down
O sisters let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who should wear the robe & crown
Good Lord show me the way
O brothers let’s go down
Let’s go down come on down
O brothers let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who should wear the starry crown
Good Lord show me the way
O fathers let’s go down
Let’s go down come on down
O fathers let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who should wear the robe & crown
Good Lord show me the way
O mothers let’s go down
Let’s go down come on down
O mothers let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who should wear the starry crown
Good Lord show me the way
O sinners let’s go down
Let’s go down come on down
O sinners let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who should wear the robe & crown
Good Lord show me the way
The body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, strengthen you and keep you in his grace this day, and on into life everlasting.
Amen.
Let us pray.
Almighty God, you gave your Son both as a sacrifice for sin and a model of the godly life. Enable us to receive him always with thanksgiving, and to conform our hearts, and our lives to his, through Jesus Christ, the Lord of life. Amen.
Friends, return to The Lord your God with all your heart; take hold of the simple power of God’s saving Word and grace! The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. In the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Going Anew in Grace & Hope
One Thing Remains (Your Love Never Fails)
Johnson
vs 1
Higher than the mountains
That I face
Stronger than the power
Of the grave
Constant in the trial
And the change
One thing remains
One thing remains
refrain:
Your love never fails
It never gives up
Never runs out on me
Your love never fails
It never gives up
Never runs out on me
Your love never fails
It never gives up
Never runs out on me
Your love
vs. 2
On and on and on
And on it goes
It overwhelms
And satisfies my soul
And I never ever
Have to be afraid
One thing remains
One thing remains
(refrain)
bridge:
In death in life
I’m confident and covered by
The pow’r
Of Your great love
My debt is paid
There’s nothing that can separate
My heart
From Your great love
(repeat then refrain)
Liking posts like this one helps get the word out about Lord of Life! Consider sharing posts like this with friends who may be missing their faith-based communities. Leave a comment and let us know what you liked or what moved you this week!
Follow us on facebook to watch our services live on Lord of Life LIVE now on YouTube! Watch with us live at 9:30am on Sundays, or rewatch at your own convenience!
Today, Sunday, March 26, 9:30 a.m., we share The Fifth Sunday In Lent, “A Thirst Quenched!” Faith Quest Sunday School meets today!
Join us next Sunday, April 2, 9:30 a.m., as we share Palm Sunday/The Passion Of Our Lord,
“It Is Finished! It Has Now Begun!” Faith Quest Sunday School meets next Sunday!
As we share our worship, we give thanks for every volunteer as you bless our ministry, greeting, ushering, nursery, serving communion, live streaming, AV ministry, set up, clean up, fellowship, worship leaders, and more! You can access details and ways to sign up on our website and Facebook page! Thank you!
Friends, today as always, all who proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, are welcome to God’s table of grace as we share Holy Communion. For those sharing their generosity today, we thank you for your faithful giving! Offering is collected in baskets by the ushers as you exit the sanctuary.
For those who are not able to join us for worship, you are invited to receive drive-through communion, available Sundays, 10:15-10:30 a.m. at the front curb near the church entrance.
We hope our worship will touch you, comfort you, reassure you, and grace you in some way! If you believe others you know would be blessed to receive this bulletin, the sermon notes, or our live stream links, please forward these to them.
From everyone on every level of leadership and service, we continue to pray for you and to give thanks to God for each of you! Please contact Pastor Jamie if he can serve you in any way: jamie.thompson@lordoflifemn.org
We pray The Holy Spirit breathes anew on us to be God’s people and to be God’s Church, as together we make known and we trust anew God’s gifts of hope, peace, justice, clarity, calm, and comfort forever break forth in new way for you and your loved ones, today, and as we share every gift of God’s light, love and grace!
Acknowledgments for today’s service include:
Acknowledgments for today’s service include: Litany Trusting God’s Grace In Jesus Christ, written based on Psalm 51. “Prayer of The Day,” “Lord’s Prayer,” “Post-Communion Blessing, Prayer, & Benediction,” “All Who Are Thirsty,” “Lord, Listen To Your Children Praying,” based on the LBW. © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW) and With One Voice Hymnal Supplement © 1995 Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis & Board of Publication, Lutheran Church In America, Philadelphia; and Evangelical Lutheran Worship © 2006 Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, MN. Used with permission. “Change My Heart, O God” © 1982 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing CCLI #1565 “Jesus Messiah” © 2008 sixsteps Music CCLI #5183443 “All Who Are Thirsty” © 1998 Vineyard Songs CCLI #2489542 “Down to the River to Pray” © 2007 Musicnotes, Inc. CCLI #4746245 “One Thing Remains (Your Love Never Fails)” © 2010 Bethel Music CCLI #5508444 All rights reserved. All songs used with permission. CCLI License #1380826 & OneLicense #A-724016.