Prayers of Confession on the Gospel

Inspired by Psalm 130

Out of the depths, we cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear our voice. Let your ears be attentive to our cries for mercy. Living in frailty and weakness with adversity in our path, we too often buckle in despair. We doubt your goodness. We seek crutches of our own design aimed at comfort and relief, but which do nothing to heal or restore. In our pain, we deny the greater story that has been told and is being told by the resurrection of our Lord.  Though our bodies waste away, we will live power of the Spirit at work within us. Forgive us for our faltering faith in these momentary and fleeting troubles and forgetting the greater story of your resurrection life. Amen. 

Scott Bullock

Adapted from Acts 10:34-43

Pastor: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Submitted by Dustin Ray

I want you to know, beloved, that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ; and most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare to speak the word[d] with greater boldness and without fear. Some proclaim Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. These proclaim Christ out of love, knowing that I have been put here for the defense of the gospel; the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but intending to increase my suffering in my imprisonment. What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice.

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

Loving and faithful God, You save and sustain us. What marvelous good news You give us through Jesus!Yet we are oblivious to opportunities to share Your grace and love. We fail to see, as Your Word says, “The fields are ripe for harvesting.” Forgive us for our reluctance and our lack of vision. Open our eyes to Your reality: That our family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors here at home and around the world need Jesus. Then give us the courage and the opportunity to tell them about You and to trust You for the results. In Christ’s Name we pray. Amen.

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

We confess, Gracious God, that we are a forgiven people who still need forgiveness.  As Christians, it is easy to take this forgiveness for granted, and leave our lives unchanged. It is tempting to sin boldly in the false assurance that all is pardoned automatically. Remind us again of the good news that your son Jesus Christ took our sin seriously enough to die on the cross.  Forgive us for presuming upon your grace, and for committing all our sins, as we continue to confess in silence…

Please pause around 20 seconds and then complete the prayer by saying…

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Submitted by Chip Hardwick