Praying the Sermon on the Mount
Lent Five
March 23, 2023
Praying for "Fruitfulness"
Call to Worship
O Lord, we delight in your teaching.
We meditate on it all day long.
Let us be like trees growing and fruitful
Protect us from all that is harsh.
We will sing of the ways of the Lord
For the Lord watches over us.
Prelude
Invocation and Dialogue
Behold, now is the acceptable time;
Now is the day of salvation.
Turn us again, O God of our salvation.
That the light of your face may shine on us.
May your justice shine like the sun;
And may the poor be lifted up.
Prayer of the Day
O God, you give your people the gift of the Holy Spirit that we may bear fruit. Let all that we produce give glory to you and reflect your love. We pray this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ who is our Lord. Amen.
Hymn
There in God’s Garden
ELW 342 (vs. 1, 2)
There in God's garden
stands the Tree of Wisdom,
whose leaves hold forth
the healing of the nations:
Tree of all knowledge,
Tree of all compassion,
Tree of all beauty.
Its name is Jesus,
name that says, "Our Savior!"
There on its branches
see the scars of suff'ring;
see where the tendrils
of our human selfhood
feed on its lifeblood.
First Reading: Ezekiel 36:8-12
8But you, O mountains of Israel, shall shoot out your branches, and yield your fruit to my people Israel; for they shall soon come home. 9See now, I am for you; I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown; 10and I will multiply your population, the whole house of Israel, all of it; the towns shall be inhabited and the waste places rebuilt; 11and I will multiply human beings and animals upon you. They shall increase and be fruitful; and I will cause you to be inhabited as in your former times, and will do more good to you than ever before. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. 12I will lead people upon you — my people Israel — and they shall possess you, and you shall be their inheritance. No longer shall you bereave them of children.
Psalm 1
1Blessed are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2but their delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
3They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
4The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 7:15-20
15"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus you will know them by their fruits.
Reflection
Hymn
Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross
LW 335 (vs. 1 & 4)
Jesus, keep me near the cross,
there's a precious fountain;
free to all, a healing stream
flows from Calv'ry's mountain.
Refrain
In the cross, in the cross
be my glory ever;
till my ransomed soul shall find
rest beyond the river.
Near the cross I'll watch and wait,
hoping, trusting ever,
till I reach the golden strand
just beyond the river. Refrain
Prayers of the People
In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above, and for all salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the health of the creation, for abundant harvests that all may share, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For public servants, the government, and those who protect us; for those who work to bring peace, justice, healing, and protection in this and every place, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For those who travel, for those who are sick and suffering, and for those who are in captivity, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For deliverance in the time of affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For all servants of the church, for this assembly, and for all people who await from the Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Giving thanks for all who have gone before us and are at rest, rejoicing in the communion of all the saints, we commend ourselves, one another, and our whole life to you, through Christ our Lord.
To you, O Lord.
O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works: give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments; and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God forever.
Amen.
Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be revered as holy.
May your kingdom come.
May your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.
Amen.
Benediction
There in God’s Garden , Text: Király Imre von Pécselyi, c. 1590-c. 1641; tr. Erik Routley, 1917-1982, Text © 1976 Hinshaw Music, Inc.., Music: K. Lee Scott, b. 1950. Music © 1987 Birnamwood Publications, / MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc. Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved.
Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross, Text: Fanny J. Crosby, 1820-1915, Music: William Doane, 1832-1915. Public domain.
