Our covenant relationship to God through Jesus.

Collect: Fifth Sunday in Lent

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Jeremiah 31:31-34. . . The prophet Jeremiah tells us that God looks forward to a new relationship with God’s people—a relationship of intimacy, forgiveness and faithfulness.

Psalm 51:1-13. . .  A prayer from a broken Spirit

or

Psalm 119:9-16 . . .  Song of a  Pilgrim

Hebrews 5:5-10 . . . The author of Hebrews describes the action of God that makes this relationship possible: through his suffering and submission, Jesus becomes the source of our salvation

John 12:20-33 . . .  the final chapter in Jesus’ suffering and submission begins as Jesus faces his crucifixion.

Sermon by   Dr. Amy K. Butler, Senior Minister of the Riverside Church in New York City, preaches a sermon from John 12:22-30 called, “Celebrity Sighting.” She says, “Once I had dinner in the very same restaurant where Bruce Springsteen was having dinner with his family. My friends asked the maitre d’ if we could sneak a peek, but alas–no luck. We didn’t have an ‘in’ like the Greeks did, who told Philip (a Greek name) that they wished to see Jesus.”