Third Sunday in Lent
Mar 23, 2025
Loving God and loving neighbor here in central Vermont
and to the ends of the earth—all to the glory of God
Prelude Music
Prepare your heart for worship.
Rebekah Barnes
Welcome and Announcements Listen for upcoming events and ways you can get involved.
Pastor Josh
Lighting the Candles Jesus is the light of the world.
Acolytes
Statement of Faith—Heidelberg Cat. Q&A 56 Confess what you believe about the Christian faith.
Pastor Josh and Congregation
L: Last week we recited one of Christ’s benefits of his death for those who believe. This morning, let us name another.
C: I believe that God, because of Christ’s atonement, will never hold against me any of my sins nor my sinful nature, which I need to struggle against all my life. Rather, in his grace God grants me the righteousness of Christ to free me forever from judgment.
Greeting Your Neighbors Greet your neighbors in the name of the Lord.
Congregation
Call to Worship—Based on Hebrews 12:2-3 Hear God call you to worship through his word.
Charlie Stabolepszy
L: God calls us to worship and we respond. This morning, we gather to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
C: Who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God. Let us consider him who endured such opposition from sinful people, so that we will not grow weary and lose heart.
Opening Prayer Invite God to work in you as you worship today.
Charlie Stabolepszy
Worship Songs Join with the congregation in praise to God.
Pastor Josh and Rebekah Barnes
#2—Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing (vv. 1-3)
Verse 1
Come, thou Fount of every blessing;
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above;
praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of God’s unchanging love!
Verse 2
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I’m come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.
Verse 3
O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart; O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.
All I Have is Christ
Verse 1
I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still
Verse 2
But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace
Chorus
Hallelujah all I have is Christ
Hallelujah Jesus is my life
Verse 3
Now Lord I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me
O Father use my ransomed life
In any way You choose
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You
Wonderful, Merciful Savior
Verse 1
Wonderful merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend
Who would have thought that a Lamb
Could rescue the souls of men
Oh You rescue the souls of men
Chorus
You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for
Oh our hearts always hunger for
Verse 2
Counselor Comforter Keeper
Spirit we long to embrace
You offer hope when our hearts
Have hopelessly lost the way
Oh we hopelessly lost the way
Verse 3
Almighty infinite Father
Faithfully loving Your own
Here in our weakness You find us
Falling before Your throne
Oh we’re falling before Your throne
Scripture Meditation—Psalm 6 (p. 530 in Pew Bible) Hear a reading from the Gospel that relates to the sermon text.
Rachel Puopolo
O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.
3 My soul also is greatly troubled.
But you, O Lord—how long?
4 Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;
save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who will give you praise?
6 I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eye wastes away because of grief;
it grows weak because of all my foes.
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.
Confession and Assurance—Based on Isaiah 55 and Matt 11
Pastor Josh
Pastor: Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
C: When we try and hide our sins from you, we waste away. But when we acknowledge our sins to you and do not cover them up, you are faithful to forgive and times of refreshing come.
Pastor: Come before the Lord now and confess your sins.
[Time of silent confession]
Pastor: Jesus said: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Christ has taken our burden of sin upon himself. All who stand in him today, are forgiven.
Congregational Prayer Lift your burdens and concerns to the Lord.
Charlie Stabolepszy
The Lord’s Prayer In closing, pray the words that Jesus taught us to pray.
Congregation
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Children Dismissed Children ages 4 to 11 are welcome to go have a tailored study downstairs.
Megan Moore
Scripture Reading—Leviticus 2:1-16 (p. 96 in Pew Bible) Read this portion of God’s word.
Charlie Stabolepszy
“When anyone brings a grain offering as an offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it 2 and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. And he shall take from it a handful of the fine flour and oil, with all of its frankincense, and the priest shall burn this as its memorial portion on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 3 But the rest of the grain offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the Lord’s food offerings.
4 “When you bring a grain offering baked in the oven as an offering, it shall be unleavened loaves of fine flour mixed with oil or unleavened wafers smeared with oil. 5 And if your offering is a grain offering baked on a griddle, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mixed with oil. 6 You shall break it in pieces and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. 7 And if your offering is a grain offering cooked in a pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. 8 And you shall bring the grain offering that is made of these things to the Lord, and when it is presented to the priest, he shall bring it to the altar. 9 And the priest shall take from the grain offering its memorial portion and burn this on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 10 But the rest of the grain offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the Lord’s food offerings.
11 “No grain offering that you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey as a food offering to the Lord.12 As an offering of firstfruits you may bring them to the Lord, but they shall not be offered on the altar for a pleasing aroma. 13 You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.
14 “If you offer a grain offering of firstfruits to the Lord, you shall offer for the grain offering of your firstfruits fresh ears, roasted with fire, crushed new grain. 15 And you shall put oil on it and lay frankincense on it; it is a grain offering. 16 And the priest shall burn as its memorial portion some of the crushed grain and some of the oil with all of its frankincense; it is a food offering to the Lord.
L: The grass withers and the flower fades.
C: But the word of our God will stand forever.
Sermon— Hear God’s word proclaimed and explained.
Pastor Josh
Sermon Notes
Introduction
Song of Response—#247 And Can It Be, That I Should Gain Respond to the preaching of the word with song.
Pastor Josh and Rebekah Barnes
Verse 1
And can it be that I should gain An int’rest in the Savior’s blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! how can it be That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Chorus
Amazing love! how can it be That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me!
Verse 2
‘Tis mystery all! Th’Immortal dies! Who can explore His strange design? In vain the firstborn seraph tries To sound the depths of love divine! ‘Tis mercy all! let earth adore, Let angel minds inquire no more.
Verse 3
He left His Father’s throne above, So free, so infinite His grace; Emptied Himself of all but love, And bled for Adam’s helpless race; ‘Tis mercy all, immense and free; For, O my God, it found out me.
Verse 4
Long my imprisoned spirit lay Fast bound in sin and nature’s night; Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth and followed Thee.
Verse 5
No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him is mine! Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach th’eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Extinguishing the Candles You are the light of the world.
Acolytes
Benediction Receive a parting blessing.
Pastor Josh
Postlude Music
Rebekah Barnes