Growing in Holiness
Week 2
Fasting is the practice of abstaining from food and drink (except water) for a time, bringing body and spirit into harmony as a unified hunger for God and His kingdom.
Learn more about practicing the liturgy.
Leader prays. Group Prays.
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Let us share in the joys and sorrows of one another's life.
What has been the highlight of your week?
What has been the low of your week? -
Let’s prepare our hearts in worship.
Come, let us enter into God’s presence.
Lord, we are here, waiting.
Let us hear Your voice; for we are poor and needy in spirit.
Be gracious to us, gladden the souls of Your servants, for to You we long for – to You, we lift our souls.
Teach us Your ways, Lord, that we may walk in Your truth.
Give us an undivided heart to worship Your name.
For great is Your steadfast love toward us. -
We will take a moment in quiet to reflect on our actions this past week. Then, together, we will confess and be reminded that we are the forgiven community.
Most merciful God,
We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart; We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent, for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name.
Amen. -
Let us hear the word of the Lord from the Psalms.
But you, Sovereign Lord, help me for your name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
I fade away like an evening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust. My knees give way from fasting; my body is thin and gaunt. I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.
Help me, Lord my God; save me according to your unfailing love.
Let them know that it is your hand, that you, Lord, have done it. While they curse, may you bless; may those who attack me be put to shame, but may your servant rejoice.
–Psalm 109:21-28 (NIV) -
Let us affirm our faith with the words of the Apostles’ Creed.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day, he rose again.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the global Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen. -
An introduction to fasting.
Fasting is the practice of going without food and drink (excluding water) for a period of time. In fasting, body & spirit come into harmony expressing a unified hunger for God, and God alone. This embodied practice engages the whole of our person (body & soul) in a unique way, deepening our hunger for answered prayers and our resolve to “seek first the kingdom of God.” Through fasting our disordered desires (called “the flesh” by Paul and the “world” by Jesus) are broken allowing us to be fed by the Spirit of God. Patterns of sin, destructive cravings, and the temptation of excess are exposed in our hunger pains and confronted in the power of the Spirit. In fasting our heart is trained to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world trapped in poverty and food insecurity. Our unity as the body of Christ is transformed from an abstract idea into an embodied experience.
This week, we will consider the role of fasting in helping disciples of Jesus grow in holiness and be set apart for God.
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Let us open the scriptures and learn the story of Christ.
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?
–Romans 7:15-24 (NIV) -
Let’s take a moment to talk through what we have heard, reflecting on what it is saying to us.What can we learn about this week's practice through this passage?
Where did you experience resistance in fasting?
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Let us consider how to follow Jesus in our everyday lives.
Fast for one day, focusing on growing in devotion to Christ.
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At this time, if you have a prayer request, we’ll hear those and conclude with the Lord’s prayer. What would you like to lift up in prayer?
As our Savior taught us, so we pray;
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours now and for ever.
Amen.
CONFESSION OF THE MYSTERY
Let us confess the Mystery of our Faith.
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
COMMISSIONING
May we go from this place prepared to reveal the Kingdom of Jesus, together.
Living God, draw us deeper into your love;
Jesus our Lord, send us to care and serve;
Holy Spirit, make us heralds of good news.
Stir us, strengthen us,
teach and inspire us to live your love
with generosity and joy, imagination and courage;
for the sake of your world and in the name of Jesus,
Amen.ANNOUNCEMENTS
We invite you to join us at the following events. -
Let us confess the Mystery of our Faith.
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again. -
May we go from this place prepared to reveal the Kingdom of Jesus, together.
Living God, draw us deeper into your love;
Jesus our Lord, send us to care and serve;
Holy Spirit, make us heralds of good news.
Stir us, strengthen us,
teach and inspire us to live your love
with generosity and joy, imagination and courage;
for the sake of your world and in the name of Jesus,
Amen. -
