Call to Worship

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Our help is in the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians 13:14
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Amen.

Song

Prayer of Adoration

God of grace and glory,
how we marvel at your ways:

For the Son of David, Son of Mary, Son of God,
who came to dwell among us,
full of grace and truth.

For the gift of your Spirit,
who comes to dwell within us,
your presence, your glory, your power,
holy fire, cleansing and healing,
making us your temple.

May the ancient prayer be fulfilled in us:
“Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your faithful shout for joy.”

By the power of your Spirit:
may we, your royal priesthood, be clothed with righteousness;
may we, your royal priesthood, shout for joy;
may we, your royal priesthood, be still,
for the presence of the Lord is here.

In the name of Jesus, our High Priest, we pray. Amen.

Psalm 50:1-6

The mighty one, God the Lord,
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
    God shines forth.

Our God comes and does not keep silence,
    before him is a devouring fire,
    and a mighty tempest all around him.
He calls to the heavens above
    and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
“Gather to me my faithful ones,
    who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
The heavens declare his righteousness,
    for God himself is judge.

Service of Confession & Assurance

Call to Holy Living

As God’s beloved and forgiven children, here is the call God has placed on our life:

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Let the word of Christ
dwell in us richly
as we teach and admonish
one another with all wisdom,
and as we sing psalms, hymns,
and spiritual songs
with gratitude in our hearts to God. 

Song

Prayer of Illumination

Gracious God,
we do not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from your mouth.
Cast away now every spirit of distraction
and every spirit of rebellion
that would keep us from hearing your Word.
Make us hungry for your Word,
that it may nourish us today
in the ways of eternal life.
Through Jesus Christ, the bread of heaven. Amen.

Scripture Reading

Mark 5:1-20

5 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. 3 He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; 4 for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; 7 and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; 12 and the unclean spirits begged him, “Send us into the swine; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.

14 The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. 17 Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 But Jesus refused, and said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Sermon

Demonology and the Gospel

Song

Prayers of the People

Typically, our prayers of the people are corporate, led by someone from up front. This week, however, you are invited to pray on your own or with those in your home.

Think over the past five weeks, and all the stories we have heard of people who have come to Jesus and been healed. Allow the questions below to guide your prayers, and as you do, focus on people and places in your own sphere of relationship and influence:

• Where do you see the forces of death at work? 

• Who is stuck in patterns of sin and needs the freedom that comes with repentance and forgiveness?

• Who feels as if they have been deemed “impure,” and deals with the debilitating isolation and loneliness that comes with that?

• Who needs freedom from captivity to Satan, and the word of Jesus to release them?

Over all of the above people, places, and situations, pray the power of Jesus’s name, and ask Jesus to bring healing and to plunder Satan’s house. For this one week, may our prayers be multiplied to cover all those in our own spheres who need the prayers of God’s people. After you have spent some time in personal prayer, close with the Lord’s Prayer, which will be our corporate prayer whether worshiping online or in-person.

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation 
But deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.  
Amen.

Offering

In addition to our various funds (General, Building, Mission, Benevolence, Christian Education), online giving is also now available for today’s special offerings (Brothers House 1 & Lakeshore Little Peoples Place) through the Give button below.

Blessing

The Lord bless you and keep you; Numbers 6:24-26
the Lord make his face to shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you
and give you peace.
Amen.

Song

O God beyond all praising, we worship you today
and sing the love amazing that songs cannot repay;
for we can only wonder at every gift you send,
at blessings without number and mercies without end.
We lift our hearts before you and wait upon your Word,
we honor and adore you, our great and mighty Lord.

The flower of earthly splendor in time must surely die,
its fragile bloom surrender to you, the Lord most high;
but hidden from all nature the eternal seed is sown—
though small in mortal stature, to heaven’s garden grown:
for Christ, your gift from heaven, from death has set us free,
and we through him are given the final victory.

Then hear, O gracious Savior, accept the love we bring,
that we who know your favor may serve you as our King;
and whether our tomorrows be filled with good or ill,
we’ll triumph through our sorrows and rise to bless you still:
to marvel at your beauty and glory in your ways,
and make a joyful duty our sacrifice of praise.

Words: Michael Perry (1942-1996) © 1982, 1987 The Jubilate Group, admin. Hope Publishing Company
Music: (THAXTED 7.6.7.6 triple): Gustav Holst (1874-1934), 1921, P.D.

Introduction to Lent at 14th Street

Click the video below for an introduction to what the Faith Formation Team has planned for us during Lent this year. This video and a letter summarizing it will also be shared early in the week to our congregational email list.