This week's lessons: Matthew 21:1-11, Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29, Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 31:9-16, Philippians 2:5-11, Matthew 26:14-27:66 or Matthew 27:11-54

Emmanuel Community Church

Inter-generational Lectionary Study;

Sundays from 10:0 to 10:45 in the Board Room

Opening

Opening prayer by leader, or invite another participant to pray, or us:

Almighty God, who has caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning, open our ears and hearts today to learn from your word and from one another, we ask in Jesus' Name. Amen

Set the calendar-clock to the right date. Lent is our time of preparation for Easter: a time to examine our souls and consciences; a time to reform our lives; a time to prepare for the greatest feast of the year, that commemorates the greatest event of all creation. Over the weeks of Lent, the Gospel readings will take us with Christ along the road to redemption.

Today, the Gospel reviews for us Christ's temptation in the wilderness.



Review of Last Week

What was the sermon on? - Marriage: we build strong families through Christian mutual submission and Christian sumission to God.

What was the Gospel lesson? - the Transfiguration

Did anyone have any insights about...

1.We hear the words of Jesus, “Unbind him, and let him go.” What are the “strips of cloth” that bind you to your own spiritual deadness?

2.How are you “unbinding” and “letting go” your brothers and sisters?

3.What range of attitudes to members of our congregation show when someone among us is released from the bonds of death?

4.What are your church’s memories or present experiences of barren existence, and how are you open to the movement, the breath of the Spirit, to bring this new life again?

5.What hospitality, what justice, what witness is the still-speaking God calling you to embody, in your bones, your flesh, your sinews, today, in your own setting of the church?



Memory Passage

21Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
22But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
23Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
27She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
28And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
29As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

Bible Passage

Matthew 21:1-11

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Psalm 31:9-16

Philippians 2:5-11

Matthew 26:14-27:66

Matthew 27:11-54

Pew-work Hand-outs

“Pew-work” is like Home-work, except that it is done in the pews, instead of being done at home. Because it is focussed on the readings (as the sermon, presumably, also is) it can be done during the sermon to help the listener concentrate. Or, it can be done while waiting for everyone else to finish their communion. It isn't done during prayers, or hymns, or the readings, because

During the Readings, we listen

Adult Student's Pew-work

Middle-school Students' Pew-work

Elementary-School Students' Pew-work

Pre-Schooler's Pew-work