26 March 2023 is the Fifth Sunday in Lent. The main scripture today is Psalm 130.
We follow Psalm 23 last Sunday with this darker Psalm, but we must remember that both psalms share a common belief in a God who is so interested and committed to the individual’s existence that he is able to offer real help.
As Rev. Geoff McKee mentions in his sermon, at the beginning of 2023, following the sudden, unexpected death of a much-loved traditional musician in Ireland, called Séamus Begley, a close friend of his sang an old Irish ‘keening’ song and uploaded the clip to her Twitter account. This was a very fine example of a lament – a crying out for comfort and succour in the midst of loss. The clip of the keening song can be accessed via this link.
Main Bible Reading for this week
Psalm 130 (from The Message Bible Translation)
130 1-2 Help, God—I’ve hit rock bottom!
Master, hear my cry for help!
Listen hard! Open your ears!
Listen to my cries for mercy.
3-4 If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings,
who would stand a chance?
As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit,
and that’s why you’re worshipped.
5-6 I pray to God—my life a prayer—
and wait for what he’ll say and do.
My life’s on the line before God, my Lord,
waiting and watching till morning,
waiting and watching till morning.
7-8 O Israel, wait and watch for God—
with God’s arrival comes love,
with God’s arrival comes generous redemption.
No doubt about it—he’ll redeem Israel,
buy back Israel from captivity to sin.
Today’s Order of Service
Welcome and Intimations
Call to Worship
Praise: MP708 To God be the glory!
Prayers of Adoration and Confession
Children’s Address
Praise: KP265 Oh, it’s so good to know
KP208 Jesus’ love is very wonderful
Readings: Ezekiel 37:1-14 & Psalm 130
Praise: MP473 My hope is built on nothing less
Readings: Romans 8:6-11 & John 11:1-45
Sermon
Praise: MP966 Wonderful grace
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Praise: MP746 What a friend we have in Jesus
Benediction & Threefold Amen
Video recording of today’s service from St. James’
The tendency in such a place is to retreat into self-absorption, to wallow in the pain and to grumble … But we note that the psalmist doesn’t do that. Instead there is a cry out to God in lament. And lamenting and grumbling are not the same thing.
REV. GEOFF MCKEE
