THE FIRST LESSON Luke 5:1-11
THE SECOND LESSON 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
SERMON "The Light of the Body of Christ: God's Gracefulness"
Worship Notes
Today is the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. Like Westminster, many reformed congregations observe a liturgical season of Epiphany until Transfiguration Sunday which is celebrated next week on the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday. The liturgical color for the season of Epiphany is white.
"Light" is the common liturgical symbol for the season of Epiphany. Just as the magi followed the light of the star to Bethlehem, so too, do we symbolically the light of the Christ candle into the sanctuary during the processional hymn, and out of the sanctuary into the world during the recessional hymn.
The central texts for today's worship are the story of Jesus call to the disciples along the lakeshore to become catchers of people and Paul's reflection on his calling in the church. At the heart of both texts is God's grace that abounds in all our lives. The first hymn reminds us of this grace in the beauty of the cosmos and the last hymn evokes the grace of God in our particular callings. The liturgy and music throughout the service serves to remind us that God's grace abounds.
Today we partake of communion and it is our practice at Westminster to extend an invitation to this table to all of God's children whether one is Presbyterian or not. It is our tradition as well to hold the bread until all can eat together symbolizing our unity in Christ and to partake of the wine as soon as it is served to symbolize our individuality in Christ.
