Prayer of Confession, P+11A

Call to Confession 

The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. (Romans 7:10) Let us confess the places where we fall short of God's lifegiving love:

Prayer of Confession 

God, forgive us.
We expect others who carry your banner
to live according to every Mosaic code
while we excuse ourselves 
from the two commandments Jesus called the greatest:
to love you with every fiber of our being
and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
These failures to live according to Jesus' example
are what people see in us.
These make up the message we proclaim with our lives
instead of the words we say.
It's no wonder we drive people to say, 
"I like your Christ.
I do not like your Christians.
Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." 
Hear our prayers for mercy, Lord!
Transform our hearts that we might call on your name
and live out your Word
with humility and love.


Assurance of God's Grace

This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:50-51) Hear the Good News: In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God!

Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us also forgive one another.
The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Please extend the peace of Christ to all whom you encounter this week.