THE FIRST LESSON Luke 13:1-9
THE SECOND LESSON Isaiah 55:1-9
SERMON "Need and Want"
Worship Notes
Welcome to worship at Westminster on this Third Sunday in Lent. Lent began on Ash Wednesday (February 17) and continues for 40 days and 40 nights, excluding Sundays. The liturgical color for this season of penitence and reflection is purple. During our Lenten journey, we have put our "Alleluias!" away as we follow the path of Christ through the "vallies," in part so that we may experience the "mountaintop" of Easter more fully and more completely. Lenten worship is characterized by the use of more purposeful silences, an increased focus on confession, and an opportunity to seek God through corporate and personal prayer.
In worship today, we focus on our human struggle to recognize that God provides sufficiently for all our needs. The particular challenge lies in trusting God and in understanding that, even in times of great difficulty, God still provides. Our Lenten prayer is filled with thanksgiving for the abundance found in the loving mercy of God, which supports and nourishes us both in times of great distress and great joy.
The music through which we worship today illumines the theme of thankfulness for God's loving care. The prelude is a setting of today's response hymn, "Jesus, Priceless Treasure," set by German composer Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748). As we prepare to gather around the Lord's table, the offertory anthem, set by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), reminds us of the blessings that come to those who trust in the Lord.
The music during communion is one of Polish pianist Fredric Chopin's most beautiful preludes, "The Raindrop." This prelude, filled with both turbulent storms and peaceful rainfalls, offers a musical interpretation of today's scripture text as it illustrates the constant presence of God in both times of trouble and times of peace. Around the world, musicians this week are celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Chopin.
