March 24, 2024

Our Six Week Journey Towards Easter

Week 5

Prelude -  Lord, I Come (Wash My Feet)

Call to Worship

Most Gracious God, we come before You today seeking You that we may praise Your name in all the earth.  We honor You because we know You sent Your Son, Jesus, to cleanse us of all unrighteousness and place upon our hearts the desire to forgve as we have been forgiven.  Lord, receive us this day we pray.  Amen.

Hymn - Morning Has Broken

Invocation and Lord's Prayer

Lord, we thank You for calling us out of the world and into the light where we can be free to be Your people.  Forgive us when we look back toward the world instead of always toward Your Son, Jesus, who taught us to pray: 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.  Amen.

Scripture Reading - John 13:1-17

13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Joys and Concerns

We are Jesus’ disciples, following him even as he moves toward the cross.  Even as he wraps a towel around his waist.
Even as he kneels to wash the filth from the feet of his friends.  We are Jesus’ disciples, longing to be faithful even as the night grows dark.  Even as betrayers loom. Even as the powers that oppose the way of Christ press in around us.  We are Jesus’ disciples, struggling to love others even as Jesus loved us. We are Jesus’ disciples, gathered here to worship God:
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer.  Because we are Jesus' disciples we are blessed.  Amen.

Hymn - Jesus, Our Lord and King

Sermon - Washed by Jesus

Read and Listen | MDR Song Publishing

For Video version, click below.

Hymn - O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee

Benediction

Let us go now washed by our Lord, Savior, and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Postlude - You Are My All in All

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