Confession and Assurance—Self Control Psalm 16:5–11

The following originally appeared as part of "Grounded and Growing—Bearing Fruit Week 8: Self-Control."

Call to Confession

Many plants require some kind of trellis or frame to keep them stabilized and upright, to help them grow tall, towards the sun, where they can bear fruit in abundance. Followers of God, called to bear good fruit, are no different. We need a trellis to support us—practices that support our faith, that give structure to our lives so we stay oriented towards the Son. Prayer, scripture study, fellowship with fellow believers, silence, worship—all these practices and more provide us with this support.

Confession is one such practice—a way in which we re-orient ourselves towards God and ask that God might prune that which is dead or diseased in our lives and fill us instead with the lifegiving power of his mercy and grace. 

So let us turn towards God now in prayer.

Prayer of Confession

Holy God,
You have shown us, in your Word, what is good.
You have marked out the way we should go,
set boundary lines for us in pleasant places,
and commanded us to walk in the way that brings freedom and flourishing.

But we think we know better. 
We think freedom means getting to do whatever feels right to us at the time.
We chafe against boundaries
and find structures and guidelines to be constricting. 

We don’t trust that you have given us these things for our good, O God.
Forgive us our lack of trust.
Forgive us when we are careless with our lives, 
when our actions and words are thoughtless and hurtful.
Forgive us when our carelessness causes others 

to doubt the good news we preach. 
Help us to order our lives around your word and your truth, 
to structure our lives in such a way 
that the Spirit can bear much good fruit through us. 

Help us to build our lives on you.
Through Christ, our Lord, we pray.
Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon & Response of Praise

In Jeremiah 33, God says of the people Israel: 

“I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me,
and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me.”
—Jeremiah 33:8 ^NRSVUE

Beloved of God, 
God forgives your rebellion, 
and cleanses you of all guilt. 
Return to him in gratitude, 
trusting in his goodness and mercy. 

Let us say together:

Revised Common Lectionary

Year A: Easter—Second Sunday of Easter
Year B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 28 (33)
Year C: Season after Pentecost—Proper 8 (13)