Lent Day 3
Theme – The Fall
Gather
Christ goes on before us, during these days of Lent, telling us to deny ourselves…
…and we take up our cross and follow.
Song – Forty Days
Prayers of the People
God who knows our every weakness, we pray this day for those along our journey who need comfort from affliction and release from bondage. You are the great and ultimate healer. May we be not mere observers and recipients of your overwhelming love, but also Spirit-led instruments that live out your redemptive story to all people.
Lord, in your mercy…
…Hear our prayer.
Confession
Source of life and all that is good…
…we confess to you how far we have journeyed astray, more often acting as if this world is home, rather than as aliens in a foreign land. We have chosen pleasure rather than justice, pride rather than mercy, and platitudes rather than sacrifice. Forgive us, O Lord.
Presentation of the Nails and Song – Sojourn
Alms Giving
Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. Matthew 6:2
Lord of all…
…Take these gifts, bless and multiply them, that you may be glorified. Amen.
Reading – Genesis 3:1-13
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Song – Dust
Benediction
Holy Father, in the story of our fall, we see the first consequence of sin which is shame, and the second consequence, which is the self-deceit that another is responsible for our sin; it is not in our nature to confess, but with confession we are once again able to dwell in the reality of your garden of grace. May we not shy away from hearing the sound of your footsteps during this time of Lent, but may we reach out to take your offered hand, for though we are sinful people, and our sin is laid naked before you, yet you still desire relationship with us.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Amen.
Next: Lent Day 4