Weekly Scripture and Questions
First Sunday of Lent
Second Sunday of Lent
Third Sunday of Lent
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Palm/Passion Sunday
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FIRST Sunday of Lent
i SEE dEEPER iNTO mY wILDERNESS WHEN I CHOOSE TO LOSE MY LEAVES
Prayer + Call To Worship:
Today, we follow Jesus into a wilderness full of isolation, fatigue, hunger, thirst, and temptation.
We follow, trusting in God’s mercy.
We witness Jesus resist the siren calls of sensationalism, notoriety, and misuse of power for selfish gain.
We recognize God’s mercy at work in the face of temptation.
We notice the angels who tend Jesus, messengers of care in a harsh and lonely place.
We pay attention to God’s merciful presence that did not abandon Jesus and does not abandon us now.
We come to the wilderness together, clinging to the truth that we are not alone—God is with us.
We gather to worship God, whose unfailing mercy journeys with us into the wildernesses of our lives.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
Scripture: MATTHEW 4: 1-11
1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. 2He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished. 3The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written,
‘One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, 9and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
‘Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.’ ”
11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
Reflection Questions:
- Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Share an experience of a wilderness time in your life.
- Jesus and the devil both quote scripture. What are the differences? What are the implications for us?
- What does temptation look like in your life and what helps you resist temptation? What does this story of Jesus show us regarding our hope in the midst of our temptation?
Second Sunday of Lent
Guided by spirit
Prayer + Call To Worship:
God of mercy, as we journey in the wilderness of lent remind us again that our salvation is your free gift. Help us to lay down the burden of gaining your love. You meet us in the dark of night when we struggle with questions and our doubts keep us from walking in new life. Guide us today by your promise that has been fulfilled by Christ. So in loving response we walk Christ’s path of life. Amen
Scripture: John 3: 1-17
1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with that person.”
3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”
4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.
6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’
8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
11 “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen, yet you do not receive our testimony.
12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Reflection Questions:
- Nicodemus came at night to Jesus with his wilderness questions about who and what God is up to. What are some of your hard wilderness questions for Jesus?
- Jesus talks about being born of water and Spirit, and those born of the Spirit are like the wind. Share how you have experienced the Holy Spirit leading you or witnessed the Spirit leading someone else.
- Nicodemus was struggling with letting go of his old understandings and welcoming this new teaching that included the Son of Man being lifted up and God giving his only Son in order that the world might be saved through him. What are old understandings of God and salvation that you have had to let go of, or struggling to let go of right now?
third Sunday of Lent
COMPANION FOR THE JOURNEY
Prayer + Call To Worship:
Gracious God, at the right time, while we were unable to do this on our own, you showed love for us, made us righteous, and made peace with us through Jesus our Christ. We come today with our problems, afflictions, and struggles because we know that your love has been poured out and our hope will not turn to shame. Amen.
Scripture: ROMANS 5: 1-11
1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9Much more surely, therefore, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Reflection Questions:
- Share an experience of suffering from your own life, and how has that experience shaped you?
- Describe how you experienced God’s presence in the midst of suffering?
- How does embracing the reality of God’s grace revealed in this passage change how you relate to others or see yourself?
Fourth Sunday of Lent
JOURNEYING IN GRACE
Prayer + Call To Worship:
Gracious God of light, we once walked in darkness, but now in your mercy we walk as children of light. Guided by your grace we come to worship you, as we hear your invitation of resurrection: “Wake up, sleeper! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you!” Amen.
Scripture: EPHESIANS 5: 8-14
for once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Walk as children of light, 9for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. 10Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness; rather, expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly, 13but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Sleeper, awake!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Reflection Questions:
- In what areas of your life has Christ’s light shined?
- The fruit of the light is found in all that is good, right, and true. How have you experienced the fruit of the light in your life, or where have you shared it?
- How do we help each other walk in the light?
FIfth Sunday of Lent
Redemption road
Prayer + Call To Worship:
We come to worship you with our whole selves. We bring to you our minds and attitudes even when they are set on things less than life and peace. We come trusting in your mercy that meets our wholeselves that we may be filled with the Holy Spirit and the power that raised Jesus from the dead. Amen
Scripture: ROMANS 8: 6-11
6To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7For 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, 8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 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. 10But if Christ is in you, then the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Reflection Questions:
- Where do you need to actively set your mind on the Spirit of life and peace?
- The promise is that the Spirit of him who raised Jesus dwells in you. How does this change how you understand your life?
- How are you experiencing resurrection in your life? (or where in your life do you need to experience a life of resurrection?)
PALM/PASSION Sunday
WHO IS THIS?
Prayer + Call To Worship:
Lord, as we remember how Christ our King entered Jerusalem to the sounds of joyful shouts, we enter into your presence offering our praise. You came in, not on a war horse, but a humble donkey revealing a new way of peace. You are worthy of our praise today as we celebrate that your kingdom comes through life, death, and resurrection. Amen.
Scripture: MATTHEW 21: 1-11
1When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” 4This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:
5 “Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
6The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7they brought the donkey and the colt and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
10When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” 11The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Reflection Questions:
- When Jesus entered Jerusalem they asked “Who is this?” How would you answer this question? And Why?
- How does answering “who is Jesus?” shape how you live?
- Having shared this season of Lent together, how have you grown as a disciple of Jesus?
