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Bethany Lutheran Church (562) 421-4711

www.bethanylutheran.org 3rd SUNDAY IN LENT + + + MARCH 15, 2020

+ God Gathers Us In His Presence + OPENING HYMN: “Son of God, Eternal Savior” LSB 842

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CALL TO WORSHIP:

As Jesus and His disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. “Go into that village over there,” He told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here… The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside the front door. As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They replied as Jesus had instructed them, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.’” CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS:

Leader: Dear Lord, many times we have known what You have needed from us, yet we were unwilling to give.

People: We have acted as if Your blessings were our rightful possessions.

And We have often questioned You, Lord, “What are You doing?” “Why do You want?” “Why are You taking?” “Why have You not?” “Why, Lord, why?”

Leader: Like the crowd in Jerusalem, we too rejoice at Your arrival. People: Yet, we must confess,

that at times we have lived as if You were never to arrive. In our attitudes and our actions, in our desires and our deeds we have lived as if You were far off, uninvolved and unconcerned with our behavior.

Leader: Yet our unworthiness goes much deeper. People: We are by nature fallen, unholy and self absorbed.

Often finding ourselves using You to justify our will and our wants. We admit Lord that we deserve to have You come to us in judgment.

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Leader: Yet Almighty Lord, You come to us humble and gentle, You come to bear the burden of our sin and to bear the load of our guilt.

You come as blessed bestower of God’s bounty and generous giver of His goodness and grace.

People: Forgive us Lord for Your own sake, and make us more like You –

generous givers of our gifts and God’s, and blessed bestowers of His bounty and our own. Amen. Leader: Beloved child of God, through Jesus Christ, all God has, has become yours. Go in peace with sin forgiven. Go empowered to give as you have received, freely. Amen. People: Heavenly Father, may our caring bear the imprint of Your grace;

with the Son and Holy Spirit, Praise be yours in every place! (LSB 782) Leader: Lord, we pray that we, Your people who Your gifts unnumbered claim,

through the sharing of your blessings may bring glory to Your name. Amen. (LSB 782)

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HYMN OF PRAISE: “Chief of Sinners Though I Be” LSB 611

+ God Gives Us the Gift of His Word + FIRST SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 17:1-7

The whole community of Israelites left the desert of Sin and traveled from place to place as the LORD commanded them. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they complained to Moses by saying, “Give us water to drink!” Moses said to them, “Why are you complaining to me? Why are you testing the LORD?” But the people were thirsty for water there. They complained to Moses and asked, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Was it to make us, our children, and our livestock die of thirst?”

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So Moses cried out to the LORD, “What should I do with these people? They’re almost ready to stone me!” The LORD answered Moses, “Bring some of the leaders of Israel with you, and go to where the people can see you. Take the staff you used to strike the Nile River. I’ll be standing in front of you there by a rock at Mount Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” Moses did this while the leaders of Israel watched him. He named that place Massah [Testing] and Meribah [Complaining] because the Israelites complained and because they tested the LORD, asking, “Is the LORD with us or not?” – GW ® Lector: This is the Word of the Lord. People: Thanks Be to God. THE HOLY GOSPEL: John 4:5-15, 28-30, 39-42

He arrived at a city in Samaria called Sychar. Sychar was near the piece of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s Well was there. Jesus sat down by the well because He was tired from traveling. The time was about six o’clock in the evening. A Samaritan woman went to get some water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” (His disciples had gone into the city to buy some food.) The Samaritan woman asked Him, “How can a Jewish man like You ask a Samaritan woman like me for a drink of water?” (Jews, of course, don’t associate with Samaritans.) Jesus replied to her, “If you only knew what God’s gift is and Who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him for a drink. He would have given you living water.”

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The woman said to Him, “Sir, You don’t have anything to use to get water, and the well is deep. So where are You going to get this living water? You’re not more important than our ancestor Jacob, are You? He gave us this well. He and his sons and his animals drank water from it.” Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will become thirsty again. But those who drink the water that I will give them will never become thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give them will become in them a spring that gushes up to eternal life.” The woman told Jesus, “Sir, give me this water! Then I won’t get thirsty or have to come here to get water.”... Then the woman left her water jar and went back into the city. She told the people, “Come with me, and meet a man who told me everything I’ve ever done. Could He be the Messiah?” The people left the city and went to meet Jesus... Many Samaritans in that city believed in Jesus because of the woman who said, “He told me everything I’ve ever done.” So when the Samaritans went to Jesus, they asked Him to stay with them. He stayed in Samaria for two days. Many more Samaritans believed because of what Jesus said. They told the woman, “Our faith is no longer based on what you’ve said. We have heard Him ourselves, and we know that He really is the savior of the world.” – GW ®

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SERMON HYMN: “Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us” LSB 851, st.1-2

MESSAGE: “Giving Proportionately” Text: John 4:5-30

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HYMN OF THE DAY: “Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us” LSB 851, st. 3-4

NICENE CREED:

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(* catholic means the universal Christian Church)

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy *catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

+ We Give Thanks for God’s Word + OFFERING:

If you so desire, Text Giving is now available. Text GIVE to 562-210-0463. Thank you!

VOLUNTARY

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PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING: Leader: We give Thee but Thine own, whate’er the gift may be; all that we have is Thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from Thee. (LSB 781) People: May we Thy bounties thus as stewards true receive and gladly, as Thou blessest us, to Thee our first fruits give! (LSB 781) PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH LORD’S PRAYER:

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

+ God Sends Us Forth for Lives of Love and Service +

THE BLESSING

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CLOSING HYMN: “Take My Life and Let It Be” LSB 783

5 Take my will and make it Thine, It shall be no longer mine; Take my heart, it is Thine own, It shall be Thy royal throne.

6 Take my love, my Lord, I pour At Thy feet its treasure store; Take myself, and I will be Ever, only, all for Thee.

+ + + + + +

Members of the Bethany Family, As communities and public health officials respond and closely monitor the outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Bethany Lutheran Church and Christians around the world stand ready to respond with love and grace to the infected, their families and the health workers diagnosing and treating patients. Diseases, pestilence and epidemics are nothing new to the human experience. Just a few years ago we celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Just a short ten years after Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church doors in Wittenberg and shook the world, the black-plague returned to Luther’s home town and rattled his world anew.

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Luther responded by writing a letter to the fearful region which ponders the question Whether One May Flee from a Deadly Plague. Much of his message is instructive for us in our day of pandemic concerns. Luther addresses two basic truths: we are to care for and embrace the sanctity of our life, and we are to care for and embrace the sanctity of the lives of those in need. Luther writes, “Each of us has the responsibility of warding off this poison to the best of our ability because God has commanded us to care for the body.” Simultaneously he writes, “If my neighbor needs me, however, I will not avoid persons nor place.” Luther calls on his readers to seek medical aid when necessary and available as well as to observe and obey public health policy. Thus, with a foot planted firmly in both truths, Luther declares, “I shall pray God mercifully protect us; then I will fumigate, help purify the air, and go to the sick and administer medicine…” The Reformer calls for compassion and calm over fear and fret and at the same time entreats people to avoid exposing themselves recklessly to danger and ignoring governmental decrees intended to keep the public safe.

Therefore, we will not fear nor fret; we will remain calm and compassionate! Our certainty of God’s goodness, our assurance of His care and compassion and our conviction that He is with us is not dependent upon world events or circumstances. In fact, the Psalm that undergirds the Reformation (Psalm 46) declares that “though the earth gives way, though the mountains fall into the heart of the sea…though nations rage and kingdoms totter…The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress and therefore we shall not fear.” These church doors will remain open and will minister to, visit and care for those in need; yet will heed and obey directives of our elected leaders and public health officials. Our school will continue to provide quality Christian education, whether on campus or online.

Our members will not needlessly nor recklessly expose ourselves nor others to danger. We will stay home if we’re not feeling well. Remember our sermons are available via podcast on our website or the Bethany app. The Lutheran Hour can be found on Sirius-XM channel 131 at 7:00 AM or locally on KBRT 740 AM at 8:00 AM or via podcasts by going to lhm.org.

We will wash our hands frequently even if we are feeling well. We will allow fist bumps to suffice as a greeting, honor those who simply prefer to wave, and not pass judgment on those we see shaking hands.

Sickness may spread, but through the power of the Holy Spirit we will trust God in all circumstances. We will remain generous in our giving, even while the stock market is dropping. And, in the words of Luther, “having done what the Lord expects of us”, we shall give God all the glory.

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COPYRIGHT PERMISSIONS

Liturgy (or the appropriate portion thereof) from Lutheran Service Book ©2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. License #000012696 “Son of God, Eternal Savior” LSB 842 Text: Somerset T.C. Lowry, 1855-1932, alt. Tune: Oude en Nieuwe Hollantse . . . Contradanseu, Amsterdam, c. 1710; Setting: Henry V. Gerike, b. 1948. Text and tune: Public domain. Setting: ©2006 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Reprinted under ONELICENSE #A-706149. “Gracious God, You Send Great Blessings” LSB 782 Text: Stz. 4; Gregory J. Wismar, b. 1946. Tune: Columbian Harmony, Cincinnati, 1825 Text: © 2004 Gregory J. Wismar; Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Reprinted under ONELICENSE #A-706149. “Chief of Sinners Though I Be” LSB 611 Text: William McComb, 1793-1873, alt. Tune: Richard Redhead, 1820-1901; setting: The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941. Text and music: Public domain. “Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us LSB 851 Text: Eliza C. Alderson, 1818-89, alt. Tune: Rowland H. Prichard, 1811-87. Text and tune: Public domain. “We Give Thee But Thine Own” LSB 781 Text: William W. How; Stzs. 1-2. Public domain “God Loved the World So That He Gave” LSB 571 Text: Heiliges Lippen- und Hertzens-Opffer, Stettin, c. 1778; tr. August Crull, 1845-1923, alt. Tune: George J. Elvey, 1816-93; setting: The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941. Text and music: Public domain. “Take My Life and Let It Be” LSB 783 Text: Frances R. Havergal, 1836-79. Music: William H. Havergal, 1793-1870. Text and music: Public domain.