A Lent Progression

Great friend and worship leader Nathan Rousu and his community (Harvest Vineyard) in Alberta are very intentionally walking through the Lent season together.

With his permission, I’m posting their approach as a tool for your use. They are a contemporary Church, seeking to recover more timeless yearly patterns in engaging their community in the fullness of the Human Story.

February 6 – Ash Wednesday
Send out communication reminding everyone of the start of Lent.

February 10
The Temptation of Jesus
Texts: Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Hebrews 4:14ff

February 17
Jesus declaration in the Temple and the subsequent rejection
Text: Luke 4:16-30

February 24
By whose power? – The Beelzebub accusation
Text: Matt 12:22-32

March 2
The feeding of the 5000, the bread of life, and subsequent rejection
Text: John 6

March 9
Gethsemane – Stay awake!
Text: Matthew 26:36ff

March 16
Palm Sunday – Be prepared (with oil), for you don’t know when the Son will appear
Text: Matthew 25:1-13

March 21
Good Friday service (noon – 3pm ??)

March 23
Easter Sunday Celebration

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Ash Wednesday
Psalm 51:1-13
Joel 2:12-19
2 Corinthians 5:20b – 6:2
Mathew 6:1-6, 16-21

First Sunday in Lent–> This Or this Or this
Psalm lesson: Psalm 130 Psalm 6 Psalm 91
OT lesson: Genesis 2:7-9, 15-17, 3:1-7 Genesis 22:1-18 Deut 26:5-10
Epistle lesson: Romans 5:12, (13-16) 17-19 Romans 8:31-39 Romans 10:8b-13
Gospel lesson: Matthew 4:1-11 Mark 1:12-15 Luke 4:1-13

Second Sunday in Lent
Psalm lesson: Psalm 105:4-11 Psalm 115:1, 9-18 Psalm 42:1-7, 11-15
OT lesson: Genesis 12:1-8 Gen 28:10-17 (18-22) Jeremiah 26:8-15
Epistle lesson: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 Romans 5:1-11 Philippians 3:17-4:1
Gospel lesson: John 4:5-26 (27-30, 39-42) Mark 8:31-38 Luke 13:31-35

Third Sunday in Lent
Psalm lesson: Psalm 142 Psalm 19:7-14 Psalm 126
OT lesson: Isaiah 42:14-21 Exodus 20:1-17 Exodus 3:1-8b, 10-15
Epistle lesson: Ephesians 5:8-14 I Corinthians 1:22-25 I Corinthians 10:1-13
Gospel lesson: John 9:1-41 John 2:13-22 Luke 13:1-9
OR John 9:13-17, 34-39

Fourth Sunday in Lent
Psalm lesson: Psalm 43 Psalm 27:1-9 (10-18) Psalm 32
OT lesson: Hosea 5:15-6:2 Numbers 21:4-9 Isaiah 12:1-6
Epistle lesson: Romans 8:1-10 Ephesians 2:4-10 1 Cor 1:18-31 OR 1:18, 22-25
Gospel lesson: Matthew 20:17-28 John 3:14-21 Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Fifth Sunday in Lent
Psalm lesson: Psalm 116:1-8 Psalm 51:11-16 Psalm 28:1-3, 7-11
OT lesson: Ezekiel 37:1-3 (4-10) 11-14 Jeremiah 31:31-34 Isaiah 43:16-21
Epistle lesson: Romans 8:11-19 Hebrews 5:7-9 Philippians 3:8-14
Gospel lesson: John 11:1-53 John 12:20-33 Luke 20:9-19
OR John 11:47-53

Palm Sunday
Psalm lesson: Psalm 31:1-5, 9-16 Psalm 31:1-5, 9-16 Psalm 31:1-5, 9-16
OT lesson: Isaiah 50:4-9a Zechariah 9:9-10 Deut 32:36-39
Epistle lesson: Philippians 2:5-11 Philippians 2:5-11 Philippians 2:5-11
Gospel lesson: Matthew 26:1-27:66 Mark 14:1-15:47 Luke 22:1-23:56
OR Matthew 27:11-54 OR Mark 15:1-39 OR Luke 23:1-49

AVAILABLE NOW

Sheltering Mercy and Endless Grace help us rediscover the rich treasures of the Psalms—through free-verse prayer renderings of their poems and hymns—as a guide to personal devotion and meditation. Sheltering Mercy helps the reader pray Psalms 1-75; Endless Grace leads in prayer through Psalms 76-150.

The church has always used the Psalms as part of its prayer life, and they have inspired countless other prayers. Each book contains 75 prayers drawn from the Book of Psalms, providing lyrical sketches of what authors Ryan Smith and Dan Wilt have seen, heard, and felt while sojourning there. Each prayer is a response to the Psalms written in harmony with Scripture. These prayers help us quiet our hearts before God and welcome us into a safe place amid the storms of life.

These artful, poetic, and classic devotional books are a perfect gift, and feature compelling stunning illustrations and hardcover binding, offering a fresh way to reflect on and pray the Psalms. Co-written with Ryan Whitaker Smith, Brazos Publishing.

Pre-Order below, and join my email list, to get author notes and updates about the book and events around it. 

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