Prayers of Confession on Communion
Inspired by John 6:56-69
Father God, you have provided us with bread from heaven through your incarnate Son; He is all that we need for spiritual revival and restoration. We, though, have taken offense at his invitation to abide in him through his body and blood offered on our behalf. It is too primitive, too bloody, too gory, too bodily for us to accept. Many of us have walked away from the cross because it is contrary to our understanding of justice, mercy, and grace. We would rather have a cleaned up and crowned up version of redemption that does not require us to trust in the messiness and humiliation of a crucifixion and the communal offering of a Savior broken for our sake. Forgive us for our temptation to walk away from the sacrificial offering of your Son on our behalf. Amen.
Submitted by Gabe Fung
Prayer of Confession based on the Parable of the Sower
As we gather on your good earth,
before the bounty of your Word and Table,
and the majesty of your holy presence,
We remember and repent
Forgive us, Abiding One,
We keep you at a distance
We defy your bidding
We make it harder for people to know you
Forgive us, Saving One,
We deny our weakness
We wallow in our weakness
We take advantage of the weakness of others
Forgive us, Holy One,
We refuse your counsel
We waste your gifts
We withhold your compassion from others
Break through
Break through our hardened views,
lest the evil one win the day
Break through our gravelly hearts
lest we have no root and wither to nothing
Break through our thorny ways
lest our agendas and fears
choke the promise of your word
and smother a harvest worthy of your Name
Silent Confession
Prayer of Confession based on the parable of the sower © 2016 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
Lord Jesus Christ, on the cross you let your body be broken and your blood be shed. So often when we celebrate this act in communion, we fail to respond to your love in ways that glorify you. Sometimes we simply go through the motions with the bread and cup. Other times we think your gift comes only to us, rather than to Christians, everywhere. We might think we can’t come to the table because we don’t deserve your love, or pretend we are such good people we don’t need that love. Today on World Communion Sunday, forgive us for these and all our sins, as we continue to pray in silence…
Silent Prayer
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Submitted by Chip Hardwick
Creator God, you created us in your image. You are three in one. From before time began, you existed in perfect communion. Yet day by day, we choose not to live into your image. We choose division, pointing out others’ wrongs, and arguing. Please remind us of our need for one another as we silently confess our sins to you now…
Submitted by Austin D. Hill
Good Father, we thank you for inviting us to your table. You invite us to your heavenly feast, but we don’t show up to the party. Rather, we ignore your invitation, we get distracted by other work we think needs doing, we busy ourselves ensuring the right people have come, and we miss you. Please help us to see you in our midst as we offer our sins to you in silent confession…
Submitted by Austin D. Hill
Gracious and loving God, you invite us to the table, yet we resist your grace. It is sometimes easier to float around outside of the Christian community than it is to invest fully in it. You invite others to the table as well—sometimes people whom we do not see as worthy, and sometimes people who make us feel unworthy ourselves. We put up barriers in places where you long to create circles of love and faith. We repent from these sins, and ask you to forgive us for these and all of our trespasses. We continue now to confess in silence…
Silent Prayer
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Submitted by Chip Hardwick