Fifth Sunday in Lent
A Time to Grow: Restoration
Good morning and welcome to the Mantua Center Christian Church! God’s grace and peace be with you as we join together on this fifth Sunday in the season of Lent. Our theme this year is “A Time to Grow” and we are reflecting together on what areas of our lives which need to grow, change, and transform. This Sunday we are reflecting on Restoration! What does it take to go through a process of restoration? What helps prepare us to be agents of restoration in the world? Thank you for being here today and welcome to worship!
Prelude “All Things Bright and Beautiful ” MCCC Center Ringers
Welcome to the Mantua Center Christian Church
Welcome to the Season of Lent. We are a community seeking to have open minds, open hearts, and open arms. We want to extend an invitation to all for this to be a Time to Grow in your faith and this Sunday to drink deeply from the Living Waters
- Thank you for joining us here in the house and online. Welcome to everyone!
- ANNOUNCEMENTS
- MCCC choir practice next week
Scripture Reading Ezekiel 36:26-28 Rev. Chad Delaney
26A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. 28Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Welcoming Song Morning Has Broken #53, v. 5
Ours is the God who grants second chances
And never ceases leading us through,
Praise for the grace that grants restoration,
Praise for the God who makes all things new!
(Words by Jon Secaur)
*Call to Worship - Frederic Vigne
ONE: We gather here as people who have faith in a story that stretches far before and beyond us.
ALL: It’s a story that tells us that what we know of life is only a tiny part of the picture; that here, who we are is still unfinished.
ONE: It’s a story of how God’s redemption and restoration rewrites what we know of ourselves,
ALL: editing our lives with words of grace and forgiveness
ONE: and creating an ending that speaks only of love.
ALL: We gather to worship God! Praise be to God!
~ written by Cheryl Lawrie
*Opening Hymn Love Divine, All Loves Excelling #517, vs. 1, 3-4
1 Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown;
Jesus, thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation, enter every trembling heart.
3 Come, almighty to deliver, let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return and never, nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing, serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray and praise thee without ceasing, glory in thy perfect love.
4 Finish then thy new creation, pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee;
changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Invitation to Generosity
Invitation - Frederic Vigne
Offertory
Music: “What a Friend we Have in Jesus” [by C. C. Converse] Sarah Park
*Response Accept, O God, The Gifts We Bring #379, 2 lines
Accept, O God, the gifts we bring of spirit and of clay,
transform them into blessings on those we serve today.
Offering Prayer - Frederic Vigne
Children’s Moment - Rev. Chad Delaney
- Redwood
- New Life Redwood
When you fall down, make mistakes, or have some trouble. Its ok. Get back up and keep going.
Special Music
“O Wondrous Food, O Cup That Heals ” [by Donald F. Callender] Jan Green
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer - Rev. Chad Delaney
One: God of Growth…
Response: Help us choose the path that leads to restoration.
Gracious and merciful God, we come before you humble and ready to hear your word and experience your presence. We thank you for being with us in this season of growth in our spiritual lives. We long to be closer to you and follow your way. Guide us, lead us, come near to us. God of Growth…Help us choose the path that leads to restoration.
God of New Life, in our world today, we are troubled by so much that we see and experience. We witness the suffering of those marginalized by society, the oppressed, and the downtrodden. Today, we lift up to you all who are hurting, all who know poverty, hunger, and the lack of basic necessities. Grant strength, resilience, and hope in the midst of these struggles. Inspire us to be agents of change, to work tirelessly for justice and equality in our communities and beyond. God of Growth…Help us choose the path that leads to restoration.
God of compassion, we confess our own shortcomings and failures. Forgive us for the times when we have contributed to the suffering of others through our words, actions, or inaction. Grant us the humility to seek forgiveness and the courage to repent and turn towards you. God of Growth…Help us choose the path that leads to restoration.
As we seek restoration in our own lives, we also pray for the restoration of relationships fractured by division and discord. Heal the wounds of bitterness and resentment, and sow seeds of reconciliation and forgiveness in our hearts. Help us to extend grace and mercy to one another, following the example of your Son, Jesus Christ. God of Growth…Help us choose the path that leads to restoration.
Empower us, O Lord, to be beacons of your light and agents of your love in a world that often feels dark and divided. May our words and deeds reflect your compassion and kindness, and may we work tirelessly for the restoration of all that is broken and wounded. God of Growth…Help us choose the path that leads to restoration.
In your mercy, hear our silent prayers of celebration and sorrow…
Join us together now in your spirit as we pray the prayer Jesus taught us saying…
Communion
Meditation - Nora Brant
Communion Hymn “You Satisfy a Hungry Heart” #429, vs. 1-2 & 4
[Refrain]
You satisfy a hungry heart with gift of finest wheat;
Come give to us, O saving Lord, the bread of life to eat.
With joyful lips we sing to you our praise and gratitude, that you should count us worthy, Lord, to share this heavenly food. [Refrain]
Is not the cup we bless and share the blood of Christ outpoured?
Do not one cup, one loaf, declare our oneness in the Lord? [Refrain]
You give yourself to us, O Lord; then selfless let us be,
to serve each other in your name and truth and charity [Refrain]
Prayer - Steve Hurd
Words of Institution - Steve Hurd
Music: “ Go Carry Thy Burden to Jesus” [by W. J. Kirkpatrick] Sarah Park
Scripture - John 11:17-44
God of New Beginnings,
We come to this reading looking for light in darkness,
We come eager for something new
In humility, help us to listen, to learn, to grow.
Let your word move us and disturb our slumber
Let your questions awake us from slumber
Let your Call be heard in our lives to give us strength for unbinding and restoring. In Christ’s Name we pray, Amen.
17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, 19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. 20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. 21Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ 23Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ 24Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ 25Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ 27She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’
28 When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, ‘The Teacher is here and is calling for you.’ 29And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ 33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ 35Jesus began to weep. 36So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ 37But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’
38 Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.’ 40Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ 41So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42I 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.’ 43When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ 44The 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.’
Sermon - A Time to Grow: Restoration - Rev. Chad Delaney
Here we are in the 5th week in the season of Lent knowing what is soon approaching. Jesus’ life and ministry is all leading up to his Passion. The healings, the parables, the serving, the teaching, all building with a crescendo to events of both extraordinary sorrow and joy.
In the story of Lazarus, Jesus wants to give his disciples a preview of what is to come. His friend is ill and instead of going straight away, Jesus waits for a few days. In the meantime, Lazarus dies and Jesus finally decides to head back to town. The Disciples see this as a risk, because not too long ago people were looking for a reason to kill him there…but despite the danger, Jesus needs to go see his friends who are hurting in the face of death.
Up to his point in the Gospel, Jesus has offered a ministry of new life and resurrection-- New Life for the man born blind. New life for the woman caught in adultery. New Life for the hungry 5000. New Life for the Woman at the Well and the Official’s son. Now his friend is dead and it is time to demonstrate God’s power even more dramatically.
All sorts of things happen here that lead up to this story. A story which demonstrates God’s power to bring new life and redemption even in the direst circumstances. And we know from our lives and from the story, that redemption most often isn’t a straight and easy path…it's actually a bit messy.
Have you ever talked to someone who has built a new ministry?
Have you ever talked to someone who went through a divorce that was hard but needed?
Have you ever talked to someone who has fought through an addiction?
Have you ever talked to someone that battled through depression or anxiety?
Restoration isn’t very often a straight and easy path, but filled with adversity and a fierce determination to keep going. It's not always abundantly clear in the moment what God is up to…yet we still walk forward in faith.
We see in the passage that the Disciples and the reader are confused as to why Jesus waits instead of just going straight away. Wouldn’t it have been the easiest and best thing to just go right away and heal the guy…he is your friend. Jesus says it's for the Glory of God, but when it is your loved one and life is at stake…it is hard to understand. Also, we see Mary and Martha get in on this both confront Jesus with a hard question saying, “if you would have been here this wouldn’t have happened” -- how many people of faith over the centuries have uttered such a phrase to God in the midst of tragedy?
In this story of resurrection there is confusion and questions. We see extraordinary grief and weeping. There are promises shared and expressions of deep hope. There are stones to remove and stenches to prepare for. A lot goes into a restoration project. New life isn’t always easy.
We see it even in Jesus. To be the agent of New Life. To be the One through whom Resurrection occurs. To be God’s hands and feet in the world. Something happens to him too.
We see it twice in the passage…something John clearly wants us to hear. “Jesus was greatly disturbed and deeply moved.” It happens both in verse 33 and 38. The Greek words here are tarasso and embrimaomai (em-brim-ah'-om-ahee). Tarasso means “to stir up or trouble, “to cause inner perplexity.” Embrimaomai means to snort with displeasure or indignation, to be deeply moved to act and admonish. These powerful emotions emerge in Jesus as he confronts the death of his friend. As he confronts the death and darkness in the world, in peoples’ lives. He weeps. He is greatly disturbed. He is deeply moved. He wants to CHANGE THINGS! And all this leads to a shout in the darkness, “‘Lazarus, come out!’ Restoration. Renewal. New Life.
Early in the season of Lent, on Ash Wednesday, we likened the season of Lent to a liturgical rototiller. After winter the soil becomes a bit compacted. It needs some turning so that the soil gets aerated and there’s deeper pathways for the water and fertilizer. We need to greatly disturb, move, and disrupt the soil to get it ready for something new. Ultimately, a little bit of disturbance, movement, and turning prepares the ground for new things to flourish and grow. We see this, too, in the story of the Gospel-- in Jesus’ Life and Ministry…and ultimately in his Passion.
Family of God, as we, together, think about this season as a Time to Grow. As we consider what it means to be God’s agents of restoration and resurrection in the world…to live and love like Jesus…what stirs within us? What greatly Disturbs us? What deeply moves us? What do we weep over? Within us…within our church? Poverty, Injustice, Loneliness. Is it those who are hungry? People who need a listening ear or a helping hand? Is it a call to ministry, to music, to study the scriptures?
What is God stirring within you?
What hard questions need to be asked?
What grief needs to be expressed?
What stones need to be removed?
For all of these types of questions are little precursors for what God is up to in our lives and in our church. Perhaps these nudgings are God’s stirring up something new in our hearts and spirits. Little signs of what God wants to do in and through us. Small or big…whatever it is, may we--like Jesus--be Greatly Disturbed.
Also, if you are in the middle of your own restoration project…don't give up. If you know someone going through their own, don't give up on them… for God never does.
May we be deeply moved by the Holy Spirit and the Grace of God to be people of New Life and Restoration in our families, our community, and our world. May it be so…Amen.
*Closing Hymn - Restless Weaver #658, vs. 1-4
1 Restless Weaver, ever spinning threads of justice and shalom;
Dreaming patterns of creation where all creatures find a home;
Gathering up life’s varied fibers – every texture, every hue:
Grant us your creative vision, with us weave your world anew.
2 Where earth’s fragile web is raveling, help us mend each broken strand.
Bless our urgent, bold endeavors cleansing water, air, and land.
Through the Spirit’s inspiration – offering health where once was pain –
Strengthen us to be the stewards of your world knit whole again.
3 When our violent lust for power ends in lives abused and torn,
From compassion’s sturdy fabric fashion hope and trust reborn.
Where injustice rules as tyrant, give us courage, God, to dare
Live our dreams of transformation. Make our lives incarnate prayer.
4 Restless Weaver, still conceiving new life – now and yet to be –
Binding all your vast creation in one living tapestry:
You have called us to be weavers. Let your love guide all we do.
With your Reign of Peace our pattern, we will weave your world anew.
Benediction - Rev. Chad Delaney
- God is good
- Blessed with music from Jan green and the MCCC Ringers
- Stay for fellowship and Sunday Chat
- Wednesday Dwelling and Time to Grow Study
- Next week begins our holy week observance as a congregation
**CELEBRATE FREDERIC
“Come out” by Rev. Elizabeth Dilley
Come out! Jesus commands,
Calling us from the tombs of our existence
into the brightness of a new day.
Come out! Jesus cries,
Unbinding us from the chains of our past.
Come out! Jesus calls,
Enticing us into a world filled with grace and possibility.
So then People of God…
Go out! Into a world that needs our life, our breath, our spirit!
Go out! Into a world that needs the Spirit of God, carried on our lips and in our loving arms.
Go out! In Peace and in the Grace of God. Amen.
Postlude - “I am Thine, O Lord” [by W. H. Doane] Sarah Park