WORSHIP RESOURCES
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Youth Ministries Day
Luke 5:1-11
Into the Deep Water
Additional Scriptures
Isaiah 6:1-13; Psalm 138; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Doctrine and Covenants 153:9b
Preparation
Provide a cross on the altar, big enough to be seen upright, and heavy enough to tie strings or ribbons around it. Or cover a small table cross with chicken wire. Beside the cross place a large open bowl of water. The bowl should be large enough to hold one ribbon/string from each participant. Provide enough ribbon/string for each person to have three pieces. Each piece of ribbon/string should be long enough to be tied around the cross transept or on the chicken wire. For the community chain, use a stapler to connect the ribbons/strings.
Prelude
Welcoming Hymn
“Earth and All Stars” CCS 102
OR “Gather Your Children” CCS 77
Welcome, Joys, and Concerns
Call to Worship
Everyone is called according to the gifts God has given us. What is your gift? How will you respond to God’s call to put your life into divine mission?
Hymn
“Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” CCS 87
OR “Of All the Spirit’s Gifts to Me” CCS 45
Invocation
Response
Scripture Reading: Luke 5:1-3
Reflection
Reader 1: How can we believe something we can’t see? Before we experience God in our lives?
Reader 2: This is the task for everyone born after the resurrection of Jesus the Christ—believing it is the resurrected Jesus still present in our lives. It takes faith to follow the Way.
Leader: You all have pieces of string or ribbon. Choose one and reflect on your faith and why you believe. Then when you’re ready, come to the front and tie your string on the cross.
Prayer for Peace
Peace Hymn
“When Senseless Violence” CCS 205
OR “What Comfort Can Our Worship Bring” CCS 199
Light the peace candle.
Peace Prayer
God of Transformation,
We confess our weakness as humans. Like the shepherds, we are afraid to follow your star. Like the Magi, we are uncertain of our journey. Like Isaiah, we say, “I am doomed!” as we see the death, destruction, conflict, oppression, and unjust systems in the world around us. Forgive us our uncertainty and our doubt.
Likewise, may we also follow Isaiah’s example and say also, “Send me!” in response to your call. May we follow in the footsteps of the fearful yet courageous shepherds and Magi, who journeyed to the manger of your son, Jesus, and who were forever transformed as a result.
Your love is stronger than human oppression, your patience is more long-lasting than human stubbornness, and your forgiveness is more powerful than human hatred. May we be renewed by your love and forgiveness and eager to work for peace. Grant us the humility and openness to your will so that we may act in your name. Grant us the faith to speak your words in the face of oppression, knowing the power to change the world lies in your words.
In the name of Jesus, in whose footsteps we strive to follow. Amen.
—Tiffany and Caleb Brian
Ministry of Music or Congregational Hymn
“How Long, O Lord” CCS 201
OR “Lwe, lwe” CCS 218
If this song is unfamiliar, ask participants to sing along with the vocal recording made in Haiti found on the Community of Christ Sings Audio Recordings available from Herald House.
Scripture Reading: Luke 5:4-6
Reflection
Reader 1: How can we live? How do we know what is expected of us? How do we know what is right and what is wrong, what is helpful and what is harmful?
Reader 2: Listen to the still, small voice that is already within you. Take the time to discern responsible choices and the giftedness God has given you. Have faith that God’s love will guide you.
Leader: The bowl of water beside the cross represents the Living Water. Choose another ribbon and reflect on how you can respond to needs that surround you. Then when you’re ready, come to the front and place your ribbon on the surface of the water.
Scripture Reading: Luke 5:7-11
Sharing in the Spoken Word
Based on Luke 5:1-11
Disciples’ Generous Response
Generosity Hymn
“Though the Spirit’s Gifts Are Many” CCS 334
OR “According to the Gifts” CCS 591
Scripture Reading: Doctrine and Covenants 153:9b
Statement
God’s generous compassion is limitless. As we open our hearts to courageously and generously share by placing money in the offering plates or through eTithing, we join the movement of God’s compassion in the world. God shares abundantly, we share faithfully, others share generously, and God’s love and compassion grow endlessly.
If you have participants joining the worship online, remind them that they can give through www.CofChrist.org/give or through eTithing at www.eTithing.org (consider displaying these URLs).
Blessing of Mission Tithes
God, help us step into the Deep Water and share according to our gifts and circumstances. May we provide for the welfare of others. Bless our giving this day. Amen.
Receiving of Local and Worldwide Mission Tithes
Reflection
Play soft music in the background, as it may take some time to form the chain.
Reader 1: Where do we belong? To whom do we belong?
Reader 2: We have forgotten who we are and must return to the source. We belong to God and we also belong to one another. We can’t do it alone.
Leader: Choose another ribbon and reflect on where you belong. When ready, take your ribbon and connect it with other people’s ribbons (with stapler) to form a large community chain.
—Based on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Place the completed chain near the cross and bowl to complete the worship setting.
Closing Hymn
“How Firm a Foundation” CCS 250
OR “I, the Lord of Sea and Sky” CCS 640
Benediction
Postlude
SERMON AND CLASS HELPS
Year C—Letters
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany (Ordinary Time)
Luke 5:1–11
Exploring the Scripture
This story of Jesus calling his disciples appears later in Luke’s Gospel than the other Gospels. The setting is the Sea of Galilee which Luke calls the lake of Gennesaret. It parallels two stories in Mark: Mark 1:16–20, the story of Jesus calling his disciples; and Mark 4:1–2, the story of Jesus beginning his teaching ministry.
The passage is divided into three parts. In the first part of the text, Luke introduces the setting. Jesus is being pressed by the crowds. He asks a fisherman to lend his boat as a rostrum from which Jesus can address and teach the crowd. Then Luke describes a miracle. The fishermen obey Jesus’ command to caste their nets into the water even though they had been unable to catch any fish that day. The nets become full of fish. They call their friends in other boats to share in the bounty. Finally we see a relationship develop between Jesus and the fishermen. The fishermen drop their nets and follow Jesus with his encouraging words that they will similarly catch people. They are “caught” by Jesus and given a new vocation in this wonderful metaphor.
As we reflect on this text, we can compare Peter’s calling to the other main character in Luke’s second account (Acts), Paul. Both Peter and Paul were called out of their normal lives and occupations by what can only be described as a miracle. This was so intense that following Jesus was a natural response, even by these men who did not feel worthy to be called. Features of both calls can be found in testimonies of many to this day.
Thinking of this text as proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah, a central theme in Luke, we see Jesus anointed by the Spirit, performing acts similar to Moses (manna), Elijah (meat and oil), and Elisha (loaves) in miraculous ways. Luke was saying the work of kingdom was accompanied by acts of abundant grace and generosity. It was a promise of more blessings to come to those who followed Christ in his mission of compassion, invitation, and justice and mercy.
Central Ideas
- The fishermen did nothing to warrant or merit Jesus’ call to follow him.
- The call to follow comes amid daily life and work.
- Jesus commissions or “co-missions” us to invite others to follow him.
- Jesus calls us to reorder our priorities and give of ourselves to our true capacity. We are obedient to that call as we engage in Christ’s mission.
Questions for the Speaker
- How have you experienced the call to follow Jesus?
- What stories of transformation can you share with the congregation?
- With whom does your congregation share the hope of the kingdom? How do you uphold a relationship of love with them?
- Become familiar with the church’s latest words of counsel on grace and generosity. How are you being called to give according to your true capacity and what does that look like?
SACRED SPACE: A RESOURCE FOR SMALL-GROUP MINISTRY
Year C—Letters
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany (Ordinary Time)
1 Corinthians 15:1–11 NRSVue
Gathering
Welcome
The season after Epiphany includes the weeks between Epiphany and Transfiguration Sunday.
Prayer for Peace
Ring a bell or chime three times slowly.
Light the peace candle.
God of transformation, we confess our weakness as humans. Like the shepherds, we are afraid to follow your star. Like the magi, we are uncertain of our journey. Like Isaiah, we say, “I am doomed!” as we see the death, destruction, conflict, oppression, and unjust systems in the world. Forgive us our uncertainty and our doubt.
Likewise, may we follow Isaiah’s example and say also, “Send me!” in response to your call. May we follow in the footsteps of the fearful-yet-courageous shepherds and magi, who journeyed to the manger of your Son, Jesus, and who were transformed forever as a result.
Your love is stronger than human oppression; your patience lasts longer than human stubbornness; Your forgiveness is more powerful than human hatred. May we be renewed by your love and forgiveness, eager to work for peace. Grant us the humility and openness to your will that we may act in your name. Grant us the faith to speak your words in the face of oppression, knowing the power to change the world lies in your words.
In the name of Jesus, in whose footsteps we strive to follow. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Dwelling in the Word
I will read a scripture aloud. As you hear it, think of its meaning in context to when it was written. After a moment of silence, I will read the scripture a second time. As you hear the scripture again, think how you could rewrite it today to have similar meaning but in a different context.
Read Luke 5:1–11 NRSVue:
Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to burst. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’s knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
Pause. Read the scripture again. Invite group members to respond to these questions:
- What images and thoughts came to your mind while listening to this scripture?
- Rewrite the scripture, considering something significant to you today. Share your rewritten scripture with the group.
Sharing around the Table
1 Corinthians 15:1–11 NRSVue
Now I want you to understand, brothers and sisters, the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you believed.
The people in Corinth had a lot going on, and Paul was busy trying to preserve the community of the church. In this letter alone, he dealt with spiritual elitism, sexual relationships, misunderstandings about marriage, divisive worship practices, and so forth. The issues involving the members in Corinth were causing division among the people and in their relationship with Paul. Paul was attempting to set things straight, reminding the people of the love of God for them and each other.
Going back to basics is essential during uncertainty and conflict. In today’s passage, Paul calls the people back to the fundamental elements of their belief, which for Paul was the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul wanted to remind them that everything they believe comes back to this essential truth: Jesus lives!
Paul reminds them that he is unfit to be an apostle because he persecuted the church, and still he was saved by the grace of God! This gift from God allowed him to make a difference in the life of the church. Lewis Galloway states that Paul believes:
[R]eceiving the gospel is not a matter of accruing one more good thing to a life that is already full of good things. Receiving the gospel is discovering in Christ a new center of existence, a new power for living, and a new perspective from which to view all things.
Paul is calling people to believe in and experience the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ first and then live accordingly. In so doing, the community experiences a deep sense of belonging to Christ and one another.
Questions
- What does it mean for you to “get back to the basics?”
- How have you felt “unfit” for ministry?
- Who do you know that walked away from a faith community due to bickering over “issues?”
Sending
Generosity Statement
Faithful disciples respond to an increasing awareness of the abundant generosity of God by sharing according to the desires of their hearts; not by commandment or constraint.
—Doctrine and Covenants 163:9
The offering basket is available if you would like to support ongoing, small-group ministries as part of your generous response. You also may give at CofChrist.org/give.
The offering prayer for Epiphany is adapted from A Disciple’s Generous Response.
Revealing God, may we always be generous. You have gifted each of us with boundless grace and unending love. May our response to that love and grace be humble service to others, and may generosity be part of our nature. Amen.
Invitation to Next Meeting
Closing Hymn
Community of Christ Sings 598, “You Walk along Our Shoreline”
Closing Prayer
Optional Additions Depending on Group
- Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
- Thoughts for Children
Thoughts for Children
Say: Paul was part of Christ’s mission. Paul was called to share the good news of Jesus with all the world. He traveled all over, talking about Jesus and helping people learn more about God’s community.
We also are called to work in God’s mission on Earth. That mission is:
- to invite others to be in relationship with Jesus.
- to care for the poor and help those who are suffering.
- to work for peace in our neighborhoods and the world.
Like Paul, we are called, and we have the opportunity to respond. Turn to your neighbor and say, “I am part of God’s mission, and so are you!”
After everyone has been included in God’s mission, thank everyone for participating.
Adapted from Community of Christ Worship Helps Focus Moments