Your March 10th, Sermon & Ministry Resources

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Lectionary Readings — Fourth Sunday in Lent — March 10, 2024

Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21

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Call to Worship (based on John 3:14-21)

Leader: Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

People: That whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Leader: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,

People: So that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

Leader: Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world,

People: But in order that the world might be saved through him.

Leader: Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already,

People: Because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Leader: And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world,

People: And people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.

Leader: For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light,

People: So that their deeds may not be exposed.

Leader: But those who do what is true come to the light,

People: So that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.

All: As we journey through this Lenten season, let us walk from darkness to light, embracing the truth of Christ's sacrifice and the boundless love of God, that we might live fully in the light of His grace and truth. Amen.

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Opening Prayer (based on Ephesians 2:1-10)

Let us pray together,

Gracious and Loving God, who is rich in mercy, we come before You with hearts both heavy and hopeful, acknowledging our own frailties and the profound grace You have bestowed upon us. In Your kindness, You have brought us from death to life, from being ensnared by our transgressions to walking freely in the immeasurable riches of Your grace.

Lord, we confess that at times we have walked according to the course of this world, following the desires of our flesh and mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just like everyone else. Yet, You, in Your abundant mercy and great love with which You loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. By grace, we have been saved, and this not from ourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

Today, we stand as Your workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which You prepared beforehand to be our way of life. Help us to walk in these good works, embracing the new life You have given us. Guide us to live out our faith with boldness and compassion, serving those around us in love and reflecting Your light in all we do.

We pray for those among us and around us who are struggling, facing trials and tribulations of many kinds. May they experience Your presence and peace in their lives, finding solace in the knowledge that they, too, are Your workmanship, created for a purpose. Open our eyes to see the opportunities You place before us to extend Your grace and love to others, to be instruments of Your peace and agents of reconciliation in a divided world.

As we gather here, renew our spirits and strengthen our resolve to live as citizens of Your kingdom, ambassadors of the good news of Jesus Christ. May our lives bear witness to the transformative power of Your grace, that in all things, You might be glorified.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, we pray, Amen.

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Sermon Outline: [NOTE to Paid subscribers — scroll down for the full manuscript sermon].

Title: Lifting Up, Loving Widely, and Living in Light — John 3:14-21

Introduction:

Lent beckons us into a time of deep introspection and transformative journeying, inviting us to engage with the profound mysteries of faith, hope, and love as revealed through Christ. In our examination of John 3:14-21 during this sacred season, we are called to reflect on the significance of Christ being lifted up, the expansiveness of God's love, and the invitation to live in the illuminating truth of this love.

I. Lifting Up for Life (John 3:14-15)

• Point: Jesus' reference to the bronze serpent lifted by Moses in the wilderness prefigures His own crucifixion, symbolizing a divine provision for healing and salvation for all who look to Him in faith.

• Scripture: "Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

• Application: Contemplate the significance of Jesus being lifted up on the cross for our salvation. How does this act of divine love call us to respond with faith and gratitude? Identify ways we can lift up Christ in our lives and communities, bearing witness to His saving grace.

II. Loving Widely with a Willing Heart (John 3:16-18)

• Point: God's love, demonstrated through the giving of His only Son, is both boundless and inclusive, inviting everyone into a relationship of eternal life and liberation from judgment.

• Scripture: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."

• Application: Reflect on the depth and breadth of God's love for us and all creation. How does this understanding of divine love challenge and inspire us to love more generously and inclusively? Commit to concrete actions that reflect God's love to those around us, especially the marginalized and forgotten.

III. Living in Light, Leaving the Shadows (John 3:19-21)

• Point: The coming of Jesus into the world sets up a contrast between light and darkness, inviting a decisive move towards truth and away from evil deeds shrouded in darkness.

• Scripture: "And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil."

• Application: Examine areas of our lives that remain in the shadows, where fear, shame, or sin keep us from fully embracing the light of Christ. How can we courageously step into the light, allowing God's truth to transform and liberate us? Consider practices of confession, transparency, and accountability that foster a life lived in the light.

Conclusion:

This Lent, let us embrace the journey towards Easter with hearts open to the transformative power of being lifted up with Christ, loving widely as God loves, and living fully in the light of His truth and grace.

Extend an invitation for personal reflection and communal engagement in practices that draw us closer to the heart of God—prayer, fasting, acts of kindness, and participation in community.

Close with a prayer for the courage and strength to follow Christ's way of love, to be bearers of His light in a world that longs for healing and hope, and to live out our faith in actions that speak of the boundless love and grace we have received.

Full Manuscript Sermon Below for Paid Subscribers