March 11 Third Sunday in Lent
Exodus 20:117
The Ten Commandments.
Psalm 19 (VU pp.
740741)
The heavens declare the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 1:1825
Gods foolishness is wiser than human wisdom.
John 2:1322
Jesus clears the temple.
Spark
Display items that portray a sense of balance or harmony, e.g., a balance scale, harmonious music, a bonsai tree, draped fabrics that go well together, items that represent the four colours/directions of Aboriginal traditions, a mini sand garden.
Theme Engagement Question
What balance does faith bring to your life?
With Children
Use a balance scale or the game Tip It to show how easily things can get out of balance. Talk about how the Ten Commandments fall into two groups: five commandments help us be better when part of a group, and five help us be better as individuals. The commandments show us that we need balance in our lives. To help people visualize this, place five objects on each pan of the scale, or distribute five black pieces and five red pieces on Tip It so they balance.
Sermon Starter
God calls us back into balance. The Ten Commandments include commandments that address our communal behaviour and those that address personal behaviour. Gods world is about both/and more than it is about either/or. Balance comes more often when we bring the various elements of our lives into harmony with one another, like voices in the choir or instruments in a symphony. With Jesus overturning the tables in the Temple, we are reminded through this powerful act that God wants society, people, individuals, and the world to rediscover harmony and balance. The sacrifices that were supposed to bring the people back into right relationship with God were being distorted by the corruption present in the money-changing, by the siding with empire rather than with ones community by many of the leaders, and by their going after worldly power and privilege rather than right relationships with God and Gods people.
Hymns
Hebrew Scripture
VU 248 When long before time
VU p. 877 The Ten Commandments
MV 10 Come and seek the ways of wisdom
MV 24 Breath of God, Breath of peace
Psalm
VU 388 Spirit dancing
VU 530 All beautiful the march of days
MV 143 We cannot own the sunlit sky
MV 165 There is a time
Epistle
VU 111 As the sun with longer journey
VU 499 O Christ, the Word incarnate
VU 624 Give to us laughter
Gospel
VU 691 Though ancient walls
MV 6 Holy Spirit, come into our lives
MV 173 Put peace into each others hands