Third Sunday in Lent: We Worship the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Spirit

and Truth of His GospelExodus 17:1–7; John 4:5–30, 39–42; Romans

5:1-8; Psalm 95:1-9

Exegesis of the LectionaryStudying, expounding, and interpreting the Bible readings through the Church Year

THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT

 

Exodus 17:1–7

Romans 5:1–8

John 4:5–26 (27–30, 39–42)

or John 9:1-7, 13-17, 34-39

 

We Worship the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Spirit and Truth of His Gospel

 Though the Lord had brought them out of Egypt, “all the congregation of the people of Israel” grumbled against Him, because “there was no water for the people to drink” (Ex. 17:1). Despite their quarreling, the Lord graciously provided for them. He did not strike the people for their sins, but by the hand of Moses He struck the Rock instead and brought forth water for the people. In the same way living water flows from the pierced side of Christ “about the sixth hour” (John 4:6, 19:14), when He is lifted up on the Cross for the sins of the world. He is “the gift of God” (John 4:10), the Well from which the Holy Spirit is poured out and becomes in His people “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). By this grace in which we stand, being at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, we “worship the Father in spirit and truth” (John 4:23). “We rejoice in hope of the glory of God,” because “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom. 5:2, 5).

This week:

He Leads us Beside Still Waters

 

•How do you intend to seek soul restoration this week?

LSB 8231 May God bestow on us His grace,With blessings rich provide us;And may the brightness of His faceTo life eternal guide us,That we His saving health may know,His gracious will and pleasure,And also to the heathen showChrist's riches without measureAnd unto God convert them.

2 Thine over all shall be the praiseAnd thanks of ev'ry nation;And all the world with joy shall raiseThe voice of exultation.For Thou shalt judge the earth, O Lord,Nor suffer sin to flourish;Thy people's pasture is Thy WordTheir souls to feed and nourish,In rightous paths to keep them.

3 O let the people praise Thy worth,In all good works increasing;

The land shall plenteous fruit bring forth,Thy Word is rich in blessing.May God the Father, God the Son,And God the Spirit bless us!Let all the world praise Him alone;Let solemn awe possess us.Now let our hearts say "Amen!"

Use your prayer notes. Use a verse from the

bible to reflect on. Pray for rest. P raise

R epentanceA ppreciationY ouE veryoneR esolve

Prayer Activity

Let us pray to the Father who has given us the water of eternal life in His Son. Father of glory, only the gift of Your Spirit quenches the thirst of man. Look in mercy on all the ways Your Church seeks to bring the fountain of living water to the world, and prosper the preaching of repentance and forgiveness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. O holy One, You call us to worship You in spirit and in truth. Deliver Your people from drawing near to You with their lips, while their hearts are far from You. Renew our faltering worship and make our praise a sacrifice acceptable to You in Your Son’s forgiving love… 

Welcoming God, Your Son’s embrace of the outcast was limitless. Break down all the barriers that would keep us from sharing Your acceptance and love with others, and help us to treasure and value each person as one who is precious to You through Your Son’s sacrifice… Providing God, forgive us for all the times we grumble or are forgetful or doubtful of Your promised provision, and increase our faith that we might trust You more… Gentle One, Your Son does not quench the smoldering wick. Remember in mercy all those who struggle with fear and doubts, and strengthen them through Your Word and promises…

Use your prayer notes. Use a verse from the

bible to reflect on. Pray for rest. P raise

R epentanceA ppreciationY ouE veryoneR esolve

Prayer Activity

Ruler of all, You have commanded us to pray for those in authority. Look in kindness on our president, our public servants and all our armed forces. Move them to serve according to Your will, being a blessing to our nation and the nations of the world… Healing God, no sickness, sorrow or death is stronger than Your almighty love. Into Your hands, then, we commend all who have asked for our prayers [especially ___________]. Grant them restoration, peace and a share in Your unquenchable joy… Nourishing One, You provide us not only with the goods of this world, but with food from the age to come, the holy body and blood of Your Son, risen from the dead, seated at Your right hand. Grant

that all who partake of this feast today may be strengthened to set their hope fully on the grace to be revealed on the day of His coming… Faithful Keeper of every promise, Your Son has told us that whoever believes in Him shall never die. With joy we thank You for those who live in Him, though their bodies rest in the earth. Bring us to the unspeakable joys they know in Your nearer presence… All these things, O Lover of mankind, we ask in the name of Him who did not shun the cross, but embraced it to give us the life that never ends, even Jesus, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Meet w/teams3-5 min per box

What are the major points of your text? How does your topic fit the pericope

theme? How does it connect to the other texts?

How is it unique?

Group Time We Worship the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Spirit and Truth of His Gospel

Exodus 17:1-7

Water from the Rock

17 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4 So Moses cried to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 And the LORD said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And

he called the name of the placeMassah[a

] and Meribah,[b] because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the LORD by saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”

Romans 5:1-8

Peace with God Through Faith

5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith[b] into this grace in which we stand, and we[c] rejoice[d

] in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but werejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—8 but God shows his love for us in thatwhile we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 4:5-305 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. [a] 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 butwhoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.[b]The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you

area prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped onthis mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her,“Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.22 You worship what you do not know;we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know thatMessiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.

John 4:39-4239 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Psalm 95:1-9

Let Us Sing Songs of Praise

95 Oh come, let us sing to the LORD;    let us make a joyful noise tothe rock of our salvation!2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!3 For the LORD is a great God,    and a great King above all gods.4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;    the heights of the mountains are his also.5 The sea is his, for he made it,    and his hands formed the dry

land.6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;    let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!7 For he is our God,    and we are the people of hispasture,    and the sheep of his hand.Today, if you hear his voice,8     do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,    as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,9 when your fathers put me to thetest    and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT

By His Word of the Gospel, Jesus Calls Us Out of the Darkness into His Marvelous LightIsaiah 42:14–21 Israel’s Failure

to Hear and SeeEphesians 5:8–14 Walk in

LoveJohn 9:1–41 Jesus Heals a

Man Born BlindPsalm 142 You Are My Refuge

Next Week…

Isaiah 42:14–21; Ephesians 5:8–14; John 9:1–41; John 9:1–7, 13–17, 34–39; Psalm 142

Isaiah 42:14-2114 For a long time I have held my peace;    I have kept still and restrained myself;now I will cry out like a woman in labor;    I will gasp and pant.15 I will lay waste mountains and hills,    and dry up all their vegetation;I will turn the rivers into islands,[a]

    and dry up the pools.16 And I will lead the blind    in a way that they do not know,in paths that they have not known    I will guide them.I will turn the darkness before them into light,    the rough places into level ground.These are the things I do,    and I do not forsake them.17 They are turned back and utterly put to shame,    who trust in carved idols,who say to metal images,    “You are our gods.”Israel's Failure to Hear and See18 Hear, you deaf,    and look, you blind, that you may see!19 Who is blind but my servant,    or deaf as my messenger whom I send?Who is blind as my dedicated one,[b]

    or blind as the servant of the LORD?20 He sees many things, but does not observe them;    his ears are open, but he does not hear.21 The LORD was pleased, for his righteousness' sake,    to magnify his law and make it glorious.

Ephesians 5:8-148 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in theunfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,“Awake, O sleeper,    and arise from the dead,and Christ will shine on you.”

John 9:1-41Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

9 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”18 The Jews[a] did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus[b] to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know thatthis man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him,

saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this isan amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”[c] 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt;[d] but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

Psalm 142You Are My RefugeA Maskil[a] of David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.142 With my voice I cry out to the LORD;    with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.2 I pour out my complaint before him;    I tell my trouble before him.3 When my spirit faints within me,    you know my way!In the path where I walk    they have hidden a trap for me.4 Look to the right and see:    there is none who takes notice of me;no refuge remains to me;    no one cares for my soul.5 I cry to you, O LORD;    I say, “You are my refuge,    my portion in the land of the living.”6 Attend to my cry,    for I am brought very low!Deliver me from my persecutors,    for they are too strong for me!7 Bring me out of prison,    that I may give thanks to your name!The righteous will surround me,    for you will deal bountifully with me.