SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
February 27, 2022
Transfiguration Sunday
Gathering
MUSICAL OFFERING
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.                   
·  Attendance was taken by Ushers as you entered.
·   masks are required by those not vaccinated  as well as social distancing
   bulletins are placed in the pews to help with social distancing
· Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
· Please write your prayer request on the Yellow cards.  An usher will pick them up during the 1st hymn.
· Please join us after service for fellowship will be continuing with beverages only, in Calvin Hall
 
PRAYER REQUESTS
Gary Iverson, Bob Bock, Joan Boyd, Wanda Hirl, Marilyn Neymeyer, Joan Pinkston, Maxine Wagner, Annette Conzett,  Jo Lefleur,  Dr Dyke, Harlan Marx ,Lois Seger, Jon Ryner,   Abagail Niles, Helanah Niles, Kay Werner, and Arlene Pawlik
 
PRELUDE 
*CALL TO WORSHIP from Psalm 99, CEV
Our Lord, you are King! You rule from your throne above the winged creatures,
    as people tremble and the earth shakes…
Only you are God! And your power alone, so great and fearsome, is worthy of praise.
You are our mighty King, a lover of fairness,
  who sees that justice is done everywhere in Israel.
Our Lord and our God, we praise you and kneel down to worship you,
  the God of holiness!...
We praise you, Lord God, and we worship you at your sacred mountain.
    Only you are God!
 
*GATHERING PRAYER
God of Glory, we gather to worship you as your people have since long ago. We come to sing your praise and offer our prayers. We come to hear your stories and ponder your greatness. We come to celebrate your work through Jesus your Son, and we come that our own lives might be changed to honor you ever more. Amen.
 
*HYMN                  Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise                                          #263 
 
*CONFESSION
Let us make our confession to our God.
God of compassion,
in Jesus Christ you reveal the light of your glory,
but we turn away, distracted by our own plans.
We confess that we speak when we should listen,
and act when we should wait.
Forgive our aimless enthusiasms.
Grant us wisdom to live in your light
and to follow in the way of your beloved Son,
    Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. (from Book of Common Worship)
 
*WORDS OF ASSURANCE 2 Corinthians 3:18, GW
18 As all of us reflect the Lord’s glory with faces that are not covered with veils, we are being changed into his image with ever-increasing glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Through Christ we are forgiven. Through the Spirit we are changed for glory.
Thanks be to God!
 
*SONG OF PRAISE Gloria Patri #579 
*Passing of the Peace( facing those across the aisle from you)
Left: May the peace of Christ be with you.
Right: And also with you. May the peace of Christ be with you.
Left: And also with you.
(You may be seated.)
 
Interlude
Word
 
Old Testament Exodus 34:29-35, NLT
29 When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the Lord. 30 So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him.  31 But Moses called out to them and asked Aaron and all the leaders of the community to come over, and he talked with them. 32 Then all the people of Israel approached him, and Moses gave them all the instructions the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses finished speaking with them, he covered his face with a veil. 34 But whenever he went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the Lord, he would remove the veil until he came out again. Then he would give the people whatever instructions the Lord had given him, 35 and the people of Israel would see the radiant glow of his face. So he would put the veil over his face until he returned to speak with the Lord.
 
Gospel     Luke 9:28-36, NLV
28 About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him and went up on a mountain to pray. 29 While he was praying, his face changed, and his clothes became shining white. 30 Suddenly Moses and Elijah were there speaking with him. 31 They appeared in heavenly glory and talked about all that Jesus' death in Jerusalem would mean. 32 Peter and the other two disciples had been sound asleep. All at once they woke up and saw how glorious Jesus was. They also saw the two men who were with him. 33 Moses and Elijah were about to leave, when Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But Peter did not know what he was talking about.34 While Peter was still speaking, a shadow from a cloud passed over them, and they were frightened as the cloud covered them. 35 From the cloud a voice spoke, “This is my chosen Son. Listen to what he says!”36 After the voice had spoken, Peter, John, and James saw only Jesus. For some time they kept quiet and did not say anything about what they had seen.
 
Sermon              Transfiguration: Let the Glory Shine!
 
I started to work on this message during the Olympics. It seems to me that is quite the scenario for glimpsing glory. I was thrilled with Lindsey Jacobellis’ win after being in so many Olympics. I loved Chloe Kim and Nathen Chen’s performances. I see others we will be watching in the future who had that taste of Olympic glory this time around, among them Yuma Kagiyama of Japan who earned the silver behind Nathan in men’s figure skating. There were former Olympians I recognized, whose taste of glory came long ago, now commenting on or coaching current athletes, like Brian Orser coaching skaters from three different nations. The next night in men’s snowboard halfpipe, Shaun White was the veteran ready to retire from his glorious three gold medal career coming fourth in these Olympics. Ayumu Hirano took the gold this year after silvers in the two previous Olympics. But my eyes were drawn to Valentino Guseli in fifth place. At age 15, his glory days are coming in the future.
 
Strangely enough that kind of mix feels a little like the scene that played out in today’s gospel lesson.  The transfiguration scene is Jesus’ shining moment displaying the glory that belongs to him as God’s Son. It wasn’t as obvious in the day-to-day aspects of his ministry. Those who gathered to hear him knew he was a great teacher as they gained better understanding of scriptures or found hope in the images he shared of God’s kingdom. Those who received or witnessed his healing saw in him a powerful healer or miracle worker. Those who felt judgement in his concern for justice or found simple truths as he defended the powerless thought he was dangerous to their status quo. But no one had witnessed his heavenly glory unless we go back to his birth stories.
 
What reminds me of the mix with past and future is the presence of disciples along with the appearance of Old Testament heroes. Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the prophets, but they are also associated with experiencing God’s glory in their lifetime. Moses was allowed to see God pass by when he went up on the mountain to receive the commandments. When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to converse with God, his face reflected God’s glory brightly enough to frighten others, so he had to wear a cloth over his face. Elijah knew a moment of God’s glory when he defeated the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel, then found God again in a whisper in a cave when he was in despair. Elijah’s own glory was seen by Elisha when Elijah was taken to God in a whirlwind and a chariot of fire. These two stood proudly by Jesus conversing with him there on the mountain, as if acknowledging and affirming Jesus’ true light and heavenly glory as the Son of God.
 
The three disciples: Peter, James, and John each had a role in carrying forward Jesus’ glory by their teaching and leadership and even miracles when it was their turn. Just as I imagine Jesus found encouragement in his conversation with Moses and Elijah to continue toward his death for our salvation, so I imagine  Peter, James, and John were encouraged by witnessing this experience for the difficult work that lay ahead of them.
 
Of course in the midst of the experience they could not fully understand what was happening, nor did they recognize the impetus it intended for forward momentum. Many times when something marvelous is happening around us we want to stay in that moment and hang on to it as long as possible. Someone who fully enjoyed High School or college might not want to move on from those times and friends. Someone who loves their job might find retirement difficult. Someone who had the perfect fairy tale engagement and wedding might be shocked to discover marriage means working hard together to overcome obstacles. Peter didn’t want to leave the mountain top experience of Jesus’ glory, and he certainly didn’t want to hear that Jesus was headed toward Jerusalem and death.
 
The mountain top experiences we might be privileged to have in our relationship with God are meant to move us forward into our mission and ministry as God’s people. Our time with God in Sunday worship is a refueling station for the week that lies ahead. Our morning prayers or devotions are spiritual nourishment for the rest of the day.
 
Life is like running a marathon. You need those moments along the way when you are handed a bottle of water to keep going or the shouts of encouragement from the sidelines. Our spiritual practices are like that. You might experience a moment of euphoria like when a marathoner gets a rush of adrenaline or finds their breathing regains its rhythm sometime later in the race. But not everyone will experience that, nor will one runner experience it every time, at least not from the way I have heard it described.
 
You may never have a spiritual high either, or if you do it might only be once in your life. That was true even for Mother Theresa. She had one such cherished experience of hearing God speak directly to her. But that joy and direction had to keep her moving to serve God for a lifetime, because it never came again. This mountain top witness of Jesus’ glory only came once for only three of the disciples, but perhaps it also helped sustain them in the difficult marathon ahead of them.
 
I wanted to look into other occurrences of glory in the scriptures. In the Old Testament there are references to the Lord’s glory appearing to the people especially at the Tent of Meeting, which we also call the Tabernacle. Most of these are in the book of Numbers. For example, “Korah gathered the entire community with them to the entrance of the meeting tent. Then the Lord’s glory appeared to the entire community.” (Numbers 16:19) I think it’s important to notice that God’s glory can be apparent to the whole community, not just Moses or just the priests. After the Temple was built in Solomon’s time replacing the Tabernacle, 1 King 8 refers to a cloud of God’s glory filling the Temple to the point that the priests could not carry out their duties. The same story is recorded in 2 Chronicles 5. Chapter 7, taking place as Solomon dedicated the Temple, also notes God’s glory filling the Temple. So in one sense God’s glory seems to indicate God’s presence. Psalms puts it this way, “I love the beauty of your house, Lord; I love the place where your glory resides.” (Psalm 26:8) That presence is closely related to where they expected to find God, at the Tabernacle or later the Temple. It was also associated with the Ark of the Covenant, the top of which was referred to as God’s mercy seat. When the Philistines captured the Ark, a woman declared that God’s glory had left Israel, giving her child a name with that meaning. In a broader image, psalms repeatedly pray that God’s glory fill the earth. For example, “Exalt yourself, God, higher than heaven! Let your glory be over all the earth!” (Psalm 57:5 & 11)
 
God’s glory as a visible impression of God’s presence is also recorded in the prophets. I like this verse from Ezekiel. “Just as a rainbow lights up a cloud on a rainy day, so its brightness shone all around. This was how the form of the Lord’s glory appeared. When I saw it, I fell on my face. I heard the sound of someone speaking.” (Ezekiel 1:28) I am reminded that a friend recently saw a rainbow on a difficult day and was reassured that God was with her. Ezekiel continued to experience God’s presence in a visible brightness. All of these associations of God’s glory with God’s presence made visible as some form of light contribute to making sense of what Peter, James, and John saw on the mountain top.
 
The Hebrew word for glory is Kabod (pronounced kavov or kavod) which means heavy or weighty. With reference to deity we mean to honor or respect God. God’s weight, if you will, is the majesty, the splendor, the magnificence of God that is beyond our imagination or comprehension and therefore demands our awe-filled respect. It was God’s splendor that filled the tabernacle, his magnificence that filled the Temple. What we find in the transfiguration story is that God’s majesty also filled Jesus. That right of God’s glory is proclaimed by God’s voice saying as it did at Jesus’ baptism, “This is my Son.” It was unexpected of Jesus in human form, but if we believe that Jesus was indeed God wrapped in human flesh for a time on earth, then it makes more sense to see God’s glory shine in and through him. Jesus put this in his own words to the disciples after the Last Supper. “Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I shared with you before the world was created.” (John 17:5)
 
Sometimes we get overly focused on the glory of the past, and sometimes we even remember it as brighter than it actually was. The past has its place in that it helped form who we have become and that we can always learn from it. But we can’t live there anymore.
 
While the future is still speculation, we do need to face forward into it. That is precisely what Jesus was doing on the mountain top as he conversed with Moses and Elijah. Jesus was preparing for his own future and facing the cross. Jesus was also preparing Peter, James, and John for what was to come and for the roles each of them would play beyond the cross. They each became key leaders for the church in their own way. God also uses moments along the way to prepare us for our futures and the tasks God has in mind that lie ahead for us. But we don’t live in the future yet.
 
Most of all we need to live in the present moment, whether it is one of rejoicing or one of hardship. In each moment it is helpful to recognize that God’s glory is present with us whether or not it is visible to our eyes. God doesn’t appear to shine in full radiance at every moment before us, but that doesn’t mean God isn’t right there beside us. The sun is still there shedding some light on a cloudy day, we just can’t see it in its full brilliance. Even in the dark of our night, the sun is still shining on another part of the world. My faith believes that God is still with me in every moment whether or not I see it. But I look for reminders of God’s presence in the world around me. In sunshine or rainbows, plants, and animals out my window, in the people I talk to, in signs of caring and sharing I hear in the news, in all of these I can find God still shedding light. God has many ways of making God’s presence known if we bother to notice.
 
You won’t have a mountain top experience every day. You couldn’t bear it if you did. You may only have one in a lifetime if even that. But God is just as present in your mundane day to day lives. I encourage you to look for where God’s glorious presence is trying to shine a bit of light in your life each and every day, but I also encourage you to reflect that light to others whenever and wherever God gives you the opportunity. You may be the only one who can help another person see God’s light in a particular time and place.
 
May God’s light shine on you and through you today! 
 
*HYMN                   Christ Whose Glory Fills the Skies                                            # 462
 
PASTORAL PRAYER AND LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
           as we forgive our debtors.
           And lead us not into temptation,
           but deliver us from evil:
           For thine is the kingdom,
           and the power, and the glory,
           forever."      -- Amen.
 
OFFERING OUR LIVES
Lord, we are told that Peter, James, and John glimpsed your full glory when they joined you on the mountain long ago, but we are called to live here and now on the plains. We offer ourselves to you in this life, asking you to transform us from within, so that through our daily lives, others may have a glimpse of your eternal love and even glory. Amen.
 
*DOXOLOGY Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow #592
  
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Apostle’s Creed (Ecumenical) p. 14
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,
He is seated on the right hand of the Father,
And he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
 
*HYMN                                                                            Shine, Jesus, Shine                         STF #2173
 
*CHARGE & BLESSING
 
*POSTLUDE
 
* Sections of the service preceded with * are times to stand if you are able to do so.
Bold text is to be read together aloud as a congregation.

​ 
SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
February 20, 2022
Gathering
MUSICAL OFFERING
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.                  
·  Attendance was taken by Ushers as you entered.
·   masks are required by those not vaccinated  Session, as well as social distancing
   bulletins are placed in the pews to help with social distancing
· Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
· Please write your prayer request on the Yellow cards.  An usher will pick them up during the 1st hymn.
· Please join us after service for fellowship will be continuing with beverages only, in Calvin Hall
 
PRAYER REQUESTS
Gary Iverson, Bob Bock, Joan Boyd, Wanda Hirl, Marilyn Neymeyer, Joan Pinkston, Maxine Wagner, Annette Conzett,  Jo Lefleur,  Dr Dyke,  , Harlan Marx ,Tom Kelly, Lois Seger, Jon Ryner,   Abagail Niles, Helanah Niles, Kay Werner, and Arlene Pawlik
 
PRELUDE
 
WORDS OF WORSHIP (Unison) “praise the Lord, all you nations! Extoll Him, all you peoples! For great is His steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!´
 
GATHERING PRAYER (Unison) We come before You, O God as Your loving children. We pray You would hear us and give us the strength to be more loving, more forgiving and more willing to be the children You call us to be. Amen.
.
*HYMN                  Christ, whose glory fills the skies                                              #462
 
*CONFESSION AND PARDON (UNISON) Merciful Lord, we confess with us there is an abundance of sin, but in you there is the fullness of righteousness and abundance of mercy. We are spiritually poor, but you are rich and in Jesus Christ came to be merciful to the poor. Strengthen our faith and trust in you. We are empty vessels that need to be filled; fill us. We are weak in faith; strengthen us. We are cold in love; warm us, and make our hearts fervent for you that our love may go out to one another and to our neighbors. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON (Pastor) Because God’s love and mercy are greater than all our sin, God loves and forgives us. because of that, we can say (All) we are forgiven people. Amen
 
Passing of the Peace
OFFERING PRAYER
Interlude
 
Word
 
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (Unison) Open to me the words You want me to hear and help me to follow them. amen
 
SCRIPTURE LESSON               Luke 6:27-38
27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. 37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
 
Sermon              “Give and it will be given to you”
 
The reading for today is a hard one for us to hear. The challenges Jesus lays down in these 9 verses really make us swallow hard if we read them seriously. They were delivered in the midst of a series of teachings Jesus delivered not only to his disciples but to all the crowd who were following Him from near and far. These teachings make it clear Jesus is setting a new standard of behavior for anyone who is attempting to be a follower of His. In this section he says, “but I say to you” making it clear it is not enough to be a follower of the way things have been but now, they are being charged to listen to what Jesus is saying. He was a faithful Jew and atte4nded services on a regular basis as we read many times. He knows what the common teachings are. He wants to make it very clear he is setting a new, much higher, standard of behavior. When we read these, we are tempted to say they are impossible. That they cannot be done in our world with things being the way they are. While what he says is challenging to all of us, it also serves to remind us of the way God responds to us when we fall away from what we are asked to do. As we work our way through these verses we will see they are not impossible but things we can work toward.
when we read these words, our first thought is, “we live in a dog-eat-dog world. A world where you need to beat others to the punch if you want to survive. A world in which might makes right and the sorts of things Jesus is putting forth here just plain will not work. We tell ourselves if we did the things Jesus is laying out, everyone would just plain walk right over us and we would have no pride at all and would soon cease to have nothing at all. By saying these things we try to excuse ourselves from taking the things Jesus says seriously. It is easier to say these things than to try to live the way Jesus puts forth in these verses.
When we read the words challenging us to “love your enemies” or the words about “turning the other cheek” or “pray for those who abuse you” we are left with our mouths hanging open. We cannot imagine doing those things and so we listen, nod our heads in agreement and go about our lives without seriously considering what the results would be it those words could, even on a limited basis, become true. What would happen if, somehow, we were able to make these words a real part of our lives? What would be the result if, instead of calling people names when they said or did things that I disagree with, when they said misleading things, what would happen if I seriously prayed for them? How would I change if I were to do that? What would happen if, instead of hearing demeaning words, people heard me speak about praying for others? is this something that is seriously out of my reach as I like to pretend it is or is it something each of us can strive to accomplish?
A bit of historical research can give us an interesting insight into his thinking when we understand what is really the result of the things he advocated here. “if anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other” for one example comes from the way a servant could be punished by their master. The accepted way was for the servant to stand in front of the master offering their right cheek. The master than, was supposed to strike the cheek with the back of their right hand. If, then, the servant offered their left cheek, the master would not be able to strike with their right hand and would be left with no way to follow through. the master is left with no viable options. There is no way the master can follow through and they must simply walk away.
The other thing Jesus holds up presents the same predicament. “From anyone who takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt.” Again, we have to reflect on the world in which this was said. The coat, or cloak in some translations was the outer garment that served as a windbreaker, protection against the weather and, a pillow to sleep on at night for persons in lowly financial conditions. If a person gave their coat as a pledge for a debt the Jewish law demanded it be given back at the end of the day so the person would not suffer the cold. In their world, roman soldiers have the right to demand a person’s coat and they did not have to obey the Jewish law and the person could suffer with no recourse. What Jesus was proposing was for them to remove their shirt as well. It was not a shirt in the sense we think of the word but it was a robe like garment with nothing underneath it. For a person then, to offer their shirt would leave them totally exposed which would cast shame of the soldier for making a person stand there totally exposed. The one who had the legal right to demand the cloak would now be exposed as being responsible for another person being totally naked. They would be forced to relent from what they had done.
Lets take a serious look at some instances where these words were taken seriously and acted on and see how that holds up. Last month, we celebrated MLK day. A day to remember the teachings of King concerning non-violent reaction to the wrongs of society. during the days of the civil-rights movement we saw crowds of peaceful citizens merely calling for the right to be treated equally being exposed to dog attacks, being knocked off their feet by high-power water hoses, being attacked by police and other sights that made us cringe as we watched them unfold before us on the 6:00 news. The more the rest of America saw this and saw Dr. King continue to advocate non-violence and to continue to ask his followers to pray for those who were abusing them, the more the attitude of our society began to change in the way people of color were being denied things the rest of us took for granted. Eventually, laws and usual practices were changed. while it is true we still have a long way to go to achieve total equality on every front, people were willing to act in a non-violent way forced us to see what praying for those who abuse you could achieve if people were willing to stand for what they believed.
We have seen other examples of people who have taken the words of these verses seriously as well and when we saw them the examples seriously challenged the way we try to not hear what Jesus tells us. we have seen how forgiveness can be extended in the face of terrible things that happen. One of the first was in October of 2006 when Robert Bound entered an Amish schoolhouse in rural Pennsylvania and shot 10 girls, killing 5 of them before killing himself. Within hours members of the Amish community began extending their forgiveness to the killer and visited with members of his family and his parents to offer them comfort and pardon  They even attended the killers funeral. A grandfather of one of the murdered girls cautioned the community not to hate the killer. He said, “we must not think evil of this man” while another father said, “He had a mother, and a wife and a soul and now he is standing before a just God” in December of 2012 6 year old Emille Parker and 25 other people were killed in Sandy Hook Pa. a few days later her father, Robbie Parker said to the press, “we’d like to offer our deepest condolences to all the families who are directly impacted by this shooting. It’s a horrific tragedy and we want everyone to know that our hearts and prayers go out to them. This includes the family of the shooter and I can’t imagine how hard this experience must be for you as well. As we  move on from what happened here, what happened to so many people, let it not turn into something that defines us, but something that inspires us to be better, to be more compassionate, and more humble people” maybe you remember, as I do, how hushed the voices of the TV reporters were as they relayed these stories. These kinds of things were clearly something they were having difficulty processing within themselves. These stories were stark examples that someone did not have to return evil for evil but were capable of returning good for evil. Stories that make us examine again, the excuses we give for not looking more closely at the things Jesus tells us in these verses.
As I listened to these stories and others like them, I wondered to myself if I had the strength of faith to offer that kind of forgiveness in the face of something that horrible. Then, and now, I pray to God I will never have to find out but the question continues to loom in my mind as I read these words from today’s lesson and think about the responses these individuals made in the face of something unbelievably horrible. We see these examples of people who had the strength of faith to take these words literally and act on them. When we reflect on them we say to ourselves, “these were common everyday people just like us. they were not great pillars of the church. They were the people who sat in pews just like I do, they were people who served on church committees, taught SS, sang in the choirs just like I do. What does it take for me to really hear the words Jesus spoke and truly listen to what they demand of me? what does it take for me to try to follow these words as they did?
First of all, these words did not come out of nowhere. These people did not just decide to forgive when their children were shot. Both the examples were people who were part of the Amish community. A community that had been willing to stand up for their beliefs in non-violence even during times of war which had brought them much derision and blame during times of war. Because this tradition is a long standing one, the people who spoke out have been raised from the time they were children that this is the way they should behave. It is something that had been part of their lives and their understanding as long as they can remember. We can look at that tradition and say, that is not something I can do. Yet, each of us know within ourselves that, if we sincerely want to change something within our lives we can, over time, make the change we want to make.
A few years ago, our daughter decided, for reasons we never understood, to run the Chicago marathon. Like everything else that generation does, she looked on line until she found a program that would prepare her. As she was following this program, she shared a bit of it with us. you do not start by running a marathon. You start with a short run, you do the short run for 2-3 days in a row and you take a day of rest where you do not run at all. Then, you extend the short run for a slightly longer run and do the same thing. The program continued that sort of cycle until you were prepared to run the 26.2 miles of the marathon without, as she said, “dying at the end” by not looking at the 26 miles but looking only at a short run, over time she was ready to run and finish the race.
Our daughter’s program took about 3 months to get her ready to endure the marathon and that seems to be the way to prepare to accept the challenge of Jesus here. We cannot expect these changes within ourselves overnight. We cannot expect them to be quick and easy. More than once, she confessed, the routine was difficult and that she wanted to give it up but, at the same time she had set a challenge before herself and she wanted to see it through till she achieved her goal. In the same way, these challenges to the way we think and the way we want to excuse ourselves will sometimes seem to overwhelm us. when we are tempted to think these words are beyond our strength or ability, we need to call into mind the people who have shown us it can indeed be done. part of the answer is not in depending on ourselves to accomplish these things but to call on the strength given to those who truly seek it.
Instead of looking at the whole list Jesus gives and saying, “it is too much, I cannot do that” I need to follow the example of the training program and focus on one small piece. The next time I hear someone give false information about the vaccine, instead of calling them a name, what if I seriously took time to pray for them? This person is, after all, a child of God just as I am and needs to be guided just as I do. Ask that they be guided, ask that they listen to the voices of science. Ask that they be open to change as I need to be open to change about some of the things within me. As we do that, over time we get stronger and stronger in our own character as the runner begins to make longer and longer runs as the program continues. We may be surprised what praying for others will do for us.
What Jesus holds before me is a reminder of God’s mercy toward me. How many times have I turned away from God by the way I treat others and been forgiven? How many times have I gone my own way rather than listen to the things God asks of me and been restored by His love? Each of the things Jesus lists here are things I have done against either God or my neighbor and God has restored me when I ask with a sincere heart. If I have experienced that in my own life, can I begin to practice it toward others? I do not believe Jesus asks us to do things that are impossible because I have seen people do those very things in the midst of terrible situations. I am asked to take one small step in that direction knowing He will be with me as I take it, encouraging and strengthening me as I take it.
The result of our daughter’s training program was the ability to finish the marathon. The result of following the words we hear are given in the last part of this lesson: “Forgive and you will be forgiven, give and it will be given to you, a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over will be put in your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back”
 
 
 
HYMN                   “Come, Christians, join to sing”                                             # 150
 
*PASTORAL PRAYERS
 
*The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever."      -- Amen.
 
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Apostle’s Creed (Ecumenical) p. 14
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,He is seated on the right hand of the Father,
And he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
 
*Hymn                           Lead on o King Eternal                                                  # 447
 
 
Sending
 
*CHARGE & BLESSING
(Pastor) May the Lord bless and keep us. may the Lord strengthen us for His service. May the Lord make His face to shine upon us and give us peace, now and forever more. Amen
 
Postlude
 
 
* Sections of the service preceded with * are times to stand if you are able to do so.
Bold text is to be read together aloud as a congregation.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

​SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
January 23, 2022
Gathering
MUSICAL OFFERING
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.                  
·  Attendance was taken by Ushers as you entered.
·   masks are required by Session, as well as social distancing
   bulletins are placed in the pews to help with social distancing
· Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
· Please write your prayer request on the Yellow cards.  An usher will pick them up during the 1st hymn.
· Please join us after service for fellowship will be continuing with beverages only, in Calvin Hall
 
PRAYER REQUESTS
Gary Iverson, Bob Bock, Joan Boyd, Wanda Hirl, Marilyn Neymeyer, Joan Pinkston, Maxine Wagner, Annette Conzett,  Jo Lefleur,  Dr Dyke,  Bonnie and Jon Pillers,  Mike Niles, Harlan Marx ,Tom Kelly, Lois Seger,  Jon Ryner,  Lucy Melvin. Bob Emmert, Abagail Niles, Helanah Niles, Rich Lewis, Kay Werner, Amanda Walston and Arlene Pawlik
 
PRELUDE
 
*WORDS OF WORSHIP (Unison) “Praise the Lord, all you nations! Extoll Him, all you peoples! For great is His steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 117)
 
*GATHERING PRAYER  (Unison) I will bless the lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together. Amen (Psalm 34:1-3)
 
*HYMN                  Joyful, Joyful, we adore thee”                                                                         #464
 
CONFESSION AND PARDON ((Unison) Creator of the universe, we stand amazed at Your power and glory. Honestly, we prefer You to be far above us, at a distance and not too close. We are glad to worship You and offer our praise, but we are reluctant to answer when we hear You speaking to us. We sing songs of praise and love in worship, but we shy away from listening for fear of what You may ask us to do. Forgive us. Forgive us when we keep You at arm’s length, safely boxed up in our definition of You. Forgive us when we forget Your claim on us, and Your promise to be with us always. O God, renew us with the power of Your ever-present love, and strengthen us to proclaim Your love throughout the world. Amen.
 
ASSURANCE OF PARDON ((Pastor) As far as the east is from the west, so far has God removed our sins from us. Because of God’s love and mercy we can confidently say, (People) we are forgiven people. Thanks be to God, Amen.
 
PASSING OF THE PEACE
 
OFFERING PRAYER
 
Interlude
                                                    Word
 
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (Pastor) May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight O God my strength and redeemer. Amen
 
SCRIPTURE LESSON                Luke 4:14-21
14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. 15 He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. 16 When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”  20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”
 
 
 
Sermon Title                   this scripture has been fulfilled
 
Our reading for today is really the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry in Luke. In the verses just before this, Jesus was alone in the wilderness being tempted by the Devil. After he had resisted all the temptations, he set his face toward Galilee and was ready to announce to the world what it was he was going to do among the people as he proclaimed the gospel to all the people.
After he left the wilderness, Luke says, “a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone” we don’t know where he went, we have no records of what he said and we do not know if he performed any miracles during this time. What we do know is, he was becoming well known. When he entered a new town, he would present himself to the local synagogue and was accepted as a visiting preacher. Because he was beginning to be well known he was usually invited to read the lesson of the day and comment on it. We have to keep in mind that, in that time, there were no pastors as we understand the term. The synagogues were run by a group of men but they did not serve as a session, they were respected by the synagogue and chosen to be the leaders of the synagogue. in many churches today, someone might read the scripture before the sermon, here  when it was time for worship this group would ask someone to read the lesson of the day and make some comments on it.
When Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue as was his custom. It is simple sounding thing but, there is more to this than it may appear. After I had been ordained, whenever I went back home to see my mother, somehow word would get to the church that I was going to be in the area and, someone from the church would call me and ask if I would be willing to preach since I was going to be there. I had been preaching for a while and my stage nerves were pretty much under control but preaching at the “home church” would always bring them back in full force. These were the people who knew me when I was a “smart-alec” kid. These were the people who knew some of the antics I had gotten into years ago. It is not an easy thing to preach to the people who knew you before you became a pastor and I am sure Jesus felt some of the same feelings.
When the synagogue leaders saw Jesus, they had already heard about his mounting fame. People from all over the area had been spreading word about how he had spoken and the impact some of the things he said had affected people. They immediately asked him to be the worship leader that day. Again, we need to remember there were no pastors as such in that time. Any man from the congregation could be asked to read the lesson of the day and then speak upon what that passage meant to them. Jesus was handed the scroll from Isaiah and it was up to him to select the lesson he wanted to read and then make any comments he wanted to make about the verses he had just read.
The selection he read was where Isaiah was proclaiming what had happened to him as he was beginning to fulfill the role of prophet. He was proclaiming what he, as a prophet had been called to do. When Jesus began to read these words, the people immediately recognized them as being familiar. They settled in and awaited to hear what Jesus was going to say about these things.
Because the Torah was a sacred book, the person who read from it stood as a sign of respect and reverence. When Jesus read from the scroll, he stood honoring that tradition. When he finished the reading, he handed the scroll to the attendant and sat. that was what teachers did. They proclaimed themselves not to be above their listeners but sat among them. The audience waited in anticipation and Jesus said, “today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing”. The scripture you have heard so many times, the scripture you revere, is no longer a word from the past, it is no longer a prediction, what you have heard so many times is now a reality. This is the role I am called to fulfill among you. It is a reality from this minute forward.
What Jesus is really doing is proclaiming to the people what sort of messiah he was going to be. He was giving them the vision he was going to follow as he went about them. It was not what they expected. The common understanding among the Jews was that when the Messiah came, he was going to restore Israel to its former greatness. The vision the people had was the golden time of King David when Israel was a nation to contend with rather than the captured kingdom it now was. The peace, wealth and respect the nations had for Israel was going to be restored. This was the common image among the people of what the mssiah was going to be. What Jesus was saying was something quite different and was hard for the people to hear.
When a politician begins to run for office, they develop a platform, a series of things they will accomplish if the people elect them to office. It is their contract with the people and the thing by which they ask the people to judge them while they are serving. Here, in this statement from Isaiah Jesus is telling the people the things he holds important while he is performing his ministry. He is, in effect, telling the people what his platform will be. He is, at the same time, telling the people the things they will be challenged to do if they follow him. If they choose to be his disciples these are the things they will need to incorporate into their lives. We are going to look at these claims and see the ways Jesus plays them out and, at the same time, see the ways we are fulfilling those same claims.
He begins by stating, “the spirit of the lord is upon me”. All the prophets of old acknowledged they were set aside in a special way. They were marked by God as special people. The things they said and the things they did were not of their own making. They were established by the power of God to proclaim the things God wanted said to His people. The prophets were saying that something larger than themselves was in charge of their lives and they were merely following what God had laid out for them. When Jesus said the spirit of the lord was upon him, he was saying the same thing. He was not a mere man, he was one who had been marked by god in a special way. His words and his actions were not merely his, they were guided by the spirit which had been laid upon him.
When we become truly aware of what it means to be part of the church, we begin to understand we are not our own masters. We understand we are the children of God and, because of that, we are set aside as special people. We are called to act differently than others, we are called to speak differently. We are now called to be guided by the things God has given us to do as we try to be faithful to that call. We ask the spirit of God to be upon us so we can work to fulfill the things God has told his people to do. We may not have said those words, but we have asked the spirit of God to be upon us so we can be the light to the world.
Jesus continued, “he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor”. As Jesus performed his ministry he seems to pay special attention to the poor, a part of the population that easily gets overlooked. Again and again, he stresses how difficult it is not to let the possessions we have get in the way of the things that are truly important. Again and again he makes it clear the judgements of God do not depend on the wealth or position in society one has but God’s judgement is based on the way a person attempts to adhere to the things God has declared are important. By doing this Jesus if urging his followers to see the people we all tend to overlook. Again and again, he reminds people God sees and loves those who are on the edge of society.
In every age and in every country where there is a Christian presence, there are many expressions of concern for the poor. From homeless shelters, to food pantries, to medical concerns to schools where fees may make it difficult for parents to send their children to school the church has managed to find ways to minister to
those who are deprived of these things because of the lack of money. In Morrison, the churches have bonded together to form a food pantry. Each congregation donates based on their membership to provide the funds to keep the pantry functioning and each church takes a turn in stocking the shelves and helping distribute the food. Here, in Clinton, there is the victory center, a faith-based group that provides both shelter and food to those who are in need. It too is supported by some of the congregations in the area so those who have needs can be served. Concern for the poor is acted out in many different ways but it is something most congregations share in doing in one way or another.
Next, Jesus proclaimed, “Recovery of sight to the blind.” Jesus restored the sight of at least two blind men in his ministry. This brought special attention to him because, of all the great miracles the prophets of the Old Testament performed, none of them restored sight to a blind person. When Jesus did this, therefore, people noticed immediately. Clearly, he was in a different category than those of the past. If Jesus was able to do something no other prophet had done, he must be special in some way. They probably began to pay more attention to the things he said and did. Not only did he give sight to the blind some of the things he said about God, about forgiveness, about the way you are called to treat those who are different also gave people a new vision about themselves and some of the things they had always thought were true.
There are many Christian organizations that sponsor mobile cataract surgery clinics that are sent to many places around the world where this sort of service is not easily available. These teams will go for 2-3 weeks performing as many as 30 surgeries each day and also giving the patients the follow up they need. This is a literal way in which many churches give sight to the blind. In addition to that, there are other types of blindness the church deals with as well. When you look at the leadership of the civil rights movements of the ‘60s, you will see many church leaders you will find name after name that comes from the church. As these leaders withstood the blast of fire hoses, the beatings of police and the attack of dogs, our society watched on the evening news and slowly began to see the injustices this movement was protesting against. More recently the “black lives matter” movements have forced us as a society to see that, while we have made some progress, society began to see there were things that needed to be done. more recently, the “black lives there are still things that need to be done. as we see the disparity among people of color and the impact of the covid spread, we again have to train our eyes to see that things are not where they should be in a country that is supposed to stress equality for all people. Because some are, as the late John Lewis said, “Making trouble, making good trouble, makig necessary trouble” we are seeing more and more clearly the places where we need to make stronger and stronger efforts to achieve that equality.
Next on his agenda, Jesus said, “he has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives. Now, to be honest, Jesus never freed anyone from captivity in slavery nor did he free anyone from captivity in prison. Nevertheless, the things he said and did freed many people. The captives of which he speaks are of a different category. Jesus cast out deamons which freed people from a captivity of one sort. Jesus healed lepers freeing them from the isolation they were forced to endure because of the disease they had. Jesus pronounced many people free from the captivity of sin by which they were with people who were captive to a wide variety of issues and every time he encountered one person like that, he set about to bring them freedom.
There are countless churches across our country that sponsor homeless shelters for abused women so they are no longer captive to abuse. There are countless churches who sponsor AA groups or NA groups where people can come together and deal with the forces that hold them captive. These groups exist because the church wants to fulfill the demand to release the captives. Many of the famous hospitals across our country owe their existence to some church. When the hospital was formed, it was because some church saw the need to help free people from the bondage of illness. The hospital may have long ago dropped the name of the group that started it, but when you look into the history, you will find the beginning because of some church or denomination that saw a need. Each of these groups is continuing to work to free people from a bondage of some sort because some church or group of churches wanted to bring freedom to people who were being held captive.
In conclusion Jesus said, “today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” No more were these words only a part of history, from that moment on, they were a reality. No more were they the words of an ancient prophet, from that moment on they were the things Jesus was going to be demonstrating as he went across the countryside. No more was the emphasis going to be on restoring the greatness of the land of Israel, from that moment on, the emphasis was going to be on the poor, the outcast, the captive, the blind. What Jesus was proclaiming was a change in the way people looked at one another. To change our focus from the rich and powerful and look, instead, on those who were in need, those who were sometimes overlooked.
Whether we sponsor a food pantry or we give to support a food pantry, we are dealing with those who are hungry. The action we take will not put an end to hunger, we all know that but by doing what we can to feed those within our reach we are helping to fulfill the call of Jesus to care for those who are hungry. When we support an AA group or a NA group, we are ministering to those who are captive. We know when we do this, we will not end the problem. Nevertheless, because we are ministering to those who have needs, we are helping to fulfill the challenge to release the captives. We will not end the problem, but by playing a part in the work that needs to be done we are helping to fulfill the challenge Jesus left us.
 
 
*Hymn                               “Be thou my vision ”                                                            #339
 
​*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH          Apostle’s Creed (Ecumenical)     p. 14
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,
He is seated on the right hand of the Father,
And he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
 
*The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever."      -- Amen.
 
*Hymn                                      Lord, dismiss us with Thy blessing                            # 538
 
 
Sending
 
*CHARGE & BLESSING
(Pastor) Go into the world in peace, render to no person evil for evil but render good for evil. Seek Justice, love mercy and walk humbly before God. Receive the blessings of God the father, God the son, and God the Holy spirit now and always. Amen,
 
 
Postlude
 

​SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
January 16, 2022
Gathering
MUSICAL OFFERING
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.                   
·  Attendance was taken by Ushers as you entered.
·   masks are required by Session, as well as social distancing
   bulletins are placed in the pews to help with social distancing
· Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
· Please write your prayer request on the Yellow cards.  An usher will pick them up during the 1st hymn.
· Please join us after service for fellowship will be continuing with beverages only, in Calvin Hall
 
PRAYER REQUESTS
Gary Iverson, Bob Bock, Joan Boyd, Wanda Hirl, Marilyn Neymeyer, Joan Pinkston, Maxine Wagner, Annette Conzett,  Jo Lefleur,  Dr Dyke,  Bonnie and Jon Pillers,  Mike Niles, Harlan Marx ,Tom Kelly, Lois Seger,  Jon Ryner,  Lucy Melvin. Bob Emmert, Abagail Niles, Helanah Niles, Rich Lewis, Kay Werner, Amanda Walston and Arlene Pawlik
 
PRELUDE
 
*WORDS OF WORSHIP (Unison) “I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord, let the humble hear and be glad, O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name forever” (Psalm 34:1-3)
 
*GATHERING PRAYER  (Unison) Lord God, we rejoice You have called us Your children. As we come before You today, help us open our ears, our hearts and our minds to hear what You have for us. amen.
 
 
HYMN                  When morning guilds the skies                                                   #487
 
CONFESSION AND PARDON (Unison) O Holy One, we call to you and name you as eternal, ever-present, and boundless in love. Yet there are times, O God, when we fail to recognize you in the dailyness of our lives. Sometimes shame clenches tightly around our hearts, and we hide our true feelings. Sometimes fear makes us small, and we miss the chance to speak from our strength. Sometimes doubt invades our hopefulness, and we degrade our own wisdom.Holy God, in the daily round from sunrise to sunset, remind us again of your holy presence hovering near us and in us. Help us to see and follow that presence now and always. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
 
ASSURANCE OF PARDON (Pastor) The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. Because of God’s mercy and love we can say together (Unison) we are forgiven people, thanks be to God, Amen
 
PASSING OF THE PEACE
 
OFFERING PRAYER
 
Interlude
                                                    Word
 
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to You O God. Amen
 
SCRIPTURE LESSONS                John 2:1-11
 
2 Now on the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine left.”4 Jesus replied, “Woman, why are you saying this to me?  My time has not yet come.” 5 His mother told the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.”  6 Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washing, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the water jars with water.” So they filled them up to the very top. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the head steward,” and they did. 9 When the head steward tasted the water that had been turned to wine, not knowing where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), he called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the cheaper wine when the guests are drunk. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
 
 
Sermon Title “And His disciples believed in Him”
 
Today’s reading begins with the words, “on the third day” and we are left wondering, the third day after what? If we go back a few verses, we discover Jesus had just called Phillip and Nathaniel to be followers. Just before that, John the Baptist had described Jesus as “the lamb of God”. In John’s gospel this is the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. He was beginning to lay out the framework of what His version of the messiah was to be.
Also, there is some hidden meaning in mentioning that it was the third day. The number 3 carried some weight in Jewish thinking. It carried a meaning of permanence  or completeness in their thinking. To say something three times meant it was really important and needed to be heard in that way. Later in the gospels, Lazarus will be raised after three days, Jesus resurrection will be on the third day and Jesus will ask Peter three times if Peter loves him. That was a question of deep significance. Do you love me no matter what? Do you love me even though it when imay mean you give your life for me? It was more than a mere question, it was a dividing question and peter understood it that way when he heard it. So, by saying this was the third day, the gospel was saying that what happened here had some importance and needed to be heard as more than a reporting of the events themselves but that it carried some importance and needed to be heard in that way.
The story takes place during a wedding. We need to remember a wedding at that time of history was a different thing that what we experience. Because travel was much slower a wedding then was often a several day affair. Friends and relatives came from some distance and time needed to be allotted for people to make the journey. Planning for a wedding, then, involved the need to allow for the people to arrive and express their good wishes to the couple and the family involved. Instead of thinking only of the day itself, the family needed to plan for 2-3 days for all the people to be taken care of.
When it comes to the people you invite to a wedding, who is usually on the list? Family members, close friends, people hwo are special in some way or another to the family or the couple. We try to think of those who will in some way or another add to the joy of the event. Some conservative voices of the past had tried to downplay this story because they could not accept the idea Jesus might actually drink wine or in some way enjoy being at a celebration but this is not the image we see in the gospels. The gospels, as a whole, do not have this picture of Jesus. Many times we see Jesus in the midst of small children and the children seem to be comfortable with his presence. Little children and animals seem to have a special radar that helps them judge adults. As a whole, children would rather be around people who are easy to be with rather than people who are bristly in some way. They have an ability to separate themselves from those who are doom and gloom types and would rather be around cheerful upbeat people. Jesus was invited to the wedding because, in the eyes of the family, he was one who would not be a wet blanket at the festivities.
Because a wedding was well known to be a several day event, one of the responsibilities of the host was to plan accordingly. It was a mark against a person’s reputation if anything was not well planned. To give a wedding and run out of any of the necessary things was something that would be the gossip of the town. “you know at the levi’s wedding, they actually ran out of wine” would spread like wildfire through the town. When Mary came to Jesus with the report they had run out of wine, she was in effect asking Jesus to do something that would help protect the host family. She seems to assume Jesus can, and would do something though she does not seem to know what he would do because she tells the servants, “ do whatever he tells you” and then seems to leave the matter to Jesus. When Jesus speaks to the servants, he sends them to get the Jars set aside for the rite of purification. They had the wine jars that had been empty. It would be the normal thing to use them if there was a need for wine. The jars set aside for the rite of purification were much larger, John says they held 20-30 gallons of water each. The Jewish ritual of purification involves the need to symbolically cleanse oneself whenever you had contaminated yourself in some way. It may have been contact with some dead thing, it may have been a woman’s monthly cycle, it may have been something else but there was a need to make oneself clean so they could participate in the rites of worship again. A person was required to cleanse whatever part of the body had been contaminated and to wash thoroughly. When they had done this, they were ready to rejoin the worshipping community again. By using these jars, Jesus was acting out a parable which may not have been seen at the time. He was saying the people who received this water were, in fact, being cleansed in a way they may not have understood. What they received was a cleansing preparing them for the events which were to come.
As we are thinking about the water, did you really hear how big they were? John says they were 20-30 gallons each. If the jars were the little ones of 20 gallons, six jars would mean there was 120 gallons of water which was transformed and brought to the master of the feast. That would supply a pretty good-sized party with adequate wine. When this was brought to the master of the feast, he declared it was the best wine that had been served so far.
At this point of the story, I always have to think about the servants and what was going on in their minds. They had gone to the same well they went to all the time. They had filled their jars with that water to supply the needs of the house every day. That was the water they brought to the master of the feast and then, suddenly, he declared it was the best wine of the day. What do you suppose they thought or felt? What was going on in their heads? What if you went into your kitchen, ran a glass of water for a friend and they declared it was the best wine they had ever had? Clearly, something very much out of the ordinary had happened here but no one seems to know what it was.
The last thing the gospel says about the incident is: “and his disciples believed in him”. Again, remember they had only been with him three days. They were going about their everyday business when Jesus came before them calling them to be followers. There was something about him, the way he approached them that urged them to leave their homes, their friends, any occupation they may have had and go after this man. Something urged them to hear more about what this man was saying. They may have decided to “check this out” and see what it was about but there was nothing they had seen as of yet. Now, they had something. They had seen this work and clearly, there was something more there than ordinary. There was something behind this Jesus that was out of the ordinary. We have to remember that they had not yet understood he was the messiah, that comes later on in the story but for now, what they had just witnessed made it clear he was something out of the ordinary and they believed he was worth following.
We are going to look at three parts of the story today: the water Jesus used, how much water was used and the end result of the miracle. Each of those seem to carry a message that is informative about the way God deals with we humans. Each of these seem to carry a message that has something to say to us as we struggle in our own attempts to be part of the gospel story. the word itself can be translated good news or or completeness in their thinking. To say something three times meant it was really important and needed to be heard in that way. Later in the gospels, Lazarus will be raised after three days, Jesus resurrection will be on the third day and Jesus will ask Peter three times if Peter loves him. That was a question of deep significance. Do you love me no matter what? Do you love me even though it when imay mean you give your life for me? It was more than a mere question, it was a dividing question and peter understood it that way when he heard it. So, by saying this was the third day, the gospel was saying that what happened here had some importance and needed to be heard as more than a reporting of the events themselves but that it carried some importance and needed to be heard in that way.
The story takes place during a wedding. We need to remember a wedding at that time of history was a different thing that what we experience. Because travel was much slower a wedding then was often a several day affair. Friends and relatives came from some distance and time needed to be allotted for people to make the journey. Planning for a wedding, then, involved the need to allow for the people to arrive and express their good wishes to the couple and the family involved. Instead of thinking only of the day itself, the family needed to plan for 2-3 days for all the people to be taken care of.
When it comes to the people you invite to a wedding, who is usually on the list? Family members, close friends, people hwo are special in some way or another to the family or the couple. We try to think of those who will in some way or another add to the joy of the event. Some conservative voices of the past had tried to downplay this story because they could not accept the idea Jesus might actually drink wine or in some way enjoy being at a celebration but this is not the image we see in the gospels. The gospels, as a whole, do not have this picture of Jesus. Many times we see Jesus in the midst of small children and the children seem to be comfortable with his presence. Little children and animals seem to have a special radar that helps them judge adults. As a whole, children would rather be around people who are easy to be with rather than people who are bristly in some way. They have an ability to separate themselves from those who are doom and gloom types and would rather be around cheerful upbeat people. Jesus was invited to the wedding because, in the eyes of the family, he was one who would not be a wet blanket at the festivities.
Because a wedding was well known to be a several day event, one of the responsibilities of the host was to plan accordingly. It was a mark against a person’s reputation if anything was not well planned. To give a wedding and run out of any of the necessary things was something that would be the gossip of the town. “you know at the levi’s wedding, they actually ran out of wine” would spread like wildfire through the town. When Mary came to Jesus with the report they had run out of wine, she was in effect asking Jesus to do something that would help protect the host family. She seems to assume Jesus can, and would do something though she does not seem to know what he would do because she tells the servants, “ do whatever he tells you” and then seems to leave the matter to Jesus.  When Jesus speaks to the servants, he sends them to get the Jars set aside for the rite of purification. They had the wine jars that had been empty. It would be the normal thing to use them if there was a need for wine. The jars set aside for the rite of purification were much larger, John says they held 20-30 gallons of water each. The Jewish ritual of purification involves the need to symbolically cleanse oneself whenever you had contaminated yourself in some way. It may have been contact with some dead thing, it may have been a woman’s monthly cycle, it may have been something else but there was a need to make oneself clean so they could participate in the rites of worship again. A person was required to cleanse whatever part of the body had been contaminated and to wash thoroughly. When they had done this, they were ready to rejoin the worshipping community again. By using these jars, Jesus was acting out a parable which may not have been seen at the time. He was saying the people who received this water were, in fact, being cleansed in a way they may not have understood. What they received was a cleansing preparing them for the events which were to come.
As we are thinking about the water, did you really hear how big they were? John says they were 20-30 gallons each. If the jars were the little ones of 20 gallons, six jars would mean there was 120 gallons of water which was transformed and brought to the master of the feast. That would supply a pretty good-sized party with adequate wine. When this was brought to the master of the feast, he declared it was the best wine that had been served so far.
At this point of the story, I always have to think about the servants and what was going on in their minds. They had gone to the same well they went to all the time. They had filled their jars with that water to supply the needs of the house every day. That was the water they brought to the master of the feast and then, suddenly, he declared it was the best wine of the day. What do you suppose they thought or felt? What was going on in their heads? What if you went into your kitchen, ran a glass of water for a friend and they declared it was the best wine they had ever had? Clearly, something very much out of the ordinary had happened here but no one seems to know what it was.
The last thing the gospel says about the incident is: “and his disciples believed in him”. Again, remember they had only been with him three days. They were going about their everyday business when Jesus came before them calling them to be followers. There was something about him, the way he approached them that urged them to leave their homes, their friends, any occupation they may have had and go after this man. Something urged them to hear more about what this man was saying. They may have decided to “check this out” and see what it was about but there was nothing they had seen as of yet. Now, they had something. They had seen this work and clearly, there was something more there than ordinary. There was something behind this Jesus that was out of the ordinary. We have to remember that they had not yet understood he was the messiah, that comes later on in the story but for now, what they had just witnessed made it clear he was something out of the ordinary and they believed he was worth following.
We are going to look at three parts of the story today: the water Jesus used, how much water was used and the end result of the miracle. Each of those seem to carry a message that is informative about the way God deals with we humans. Each of these seem to carry a message that has something to say to us as we struggle in our own attempts to be part of the gospel story. the word itself can be translated good news or  good story and we are part of that good story as we attempt to live out the things we understand God has called us to do.
When Jesus told the servants to fetch the water, he did not use anything special. He pointed them to the same well they used everyday. The water the house used to cook, care for any livestock, bathe and do all the ordinary things the household needed water to do. There was nothing special about this water that was used. When I used to do baptisms as an active pastor, I would often call the children forward but instead of sitting on the first row for a children;s sermon, I would call them up to the baptism font. I would take the lid off and ask them to tell me what was in the font. After a few seconds, one would say, water. Then I would ask them if there was anything different about the water and they would study a second or two and say no. I would ask them to touch it and see if it felt different and they would say no. then I would tell them God often uses plain ordinary things to do great work and the water itself was not what made baptism special but it was, indeed, an act of God that made it special and that God used ordinary water to make it clear how available the gift was.
Time and time again, Jesus told parables, stories that helped people understand something about God. One thing you notice as you read the parables is almost all of them use common everyday things. The birds of the air, the lilies of the field, a child that abandons their family. Almost always they were things everyone had seen in some way or another and Jesus took those things and wove them into a story that helped us see something about God. He used the common things first because they were common, people knew these things but secondly, he opened a doorway. He put great mysteries about God before them in such a way they could see how these things fit into their lives.
Look at Jesus disciples, fishermen, tax collectors and other second-class people of the day’s society. there were no great officials, none of the movers and shakers of the society of their time. Just plain everyday people with nothing to have any claim to fame. Yet, this group of plain, ordinary people became responsible for the gospel to get into every known country of the world. If Jesus had picked the movers and shakers, if he had taken the leaders and used them as his disciples we would not be surprised at what had been accomplished, after all, look what he had to work with. by using the common, the ordinary, it becomes obvious it is not the group itself that was responsible for what was accomplished but it becomes clear it is the power of God working that leads to the results.
There is nothing exceptional about this church. You are not the largest church in the presbytery, you are probably not the oldest, there are not any senators, congress members, governors or famous sports people who attend here to draw attention to you. There is not much here that seems all that noticeable. Just a few people who gather together on Sunday to worship and sometimes we feel unsignificant. Yet, because this group meets, prays and acts together great things happen. We support some local missions, a food bank, a homeless shelter, some worker across the world because ot the offering we put in the plate. We, and countless others participate in the work and ministry no only of our church, but of the church around the world. Each thing we do can be multiplied because of the each of the denomination of which we are part.
Then there were the jars themselves. Remember, John said they held between 20-30 gallons. To make things simple, I am going to assume they were the small ones, the ones holding only 20 gallons. If there were 6 jars that means there was 120 gallons of water brought to the master of the feast. That means there was enough wine for 1920 eight-ounce glasses of wine now for the wedding party. The host;s problem was over. There was no longer any danger of running out of wine. What had looked, a minute ago, like an embarrassing problem had now been solved more than sufficiently. Not only was there more than enough wine, but the steward had pronounced this was the best wine that had been served.
There are several stories in the Bible where God supplied things that were needed. The great prophet Elijah was in the land of Zarapeth, a gentile country during a time of great famine. He came upon a widow who was preparing the last of her flour to feed herself and her son and then prepare themselves to die of hunger. Elijah asked her for food and she replied she was fixing the last bit she had. Despite that, she gave Elijah what she had and, the flour and oil she used was multiplied to the point we read, “she, her household and elijah had sufficient for many days.” We read in the gospels of a crowd in the wilderness that was listening to Jesus and it was time to eat but there was no food. A small boy’s lunch was brought but even the disciple who brought it said it was of no use in the face of such a crowd. Jesus took the lunch, blessed it and when the crowd was fed there were 12 baskets of food left over. There are many stories in which, when God provides it is never just enough. It is abundant. Full and running over. Like the bandana that comes out of the circus clown’s sleeve, it seems to have no end.
The point of all these stories is God’s care for people is never just sufficient, it is not just enough to meet the situation. It is filled to the brim, it is overflowing, it is excessive. God does not promise he will provide for us, he promises us more than we can imagine. We worry about our daily bread but God promises us eternal bread. God is never stingy in what he provides but in Luke 6:38 we are promised that when we give “It will be given to you, a good measure, shaken down, running over”
Last, we read that when the disciples had seen all this, “they believed in Him” after all was said and done, after the party was over, after everyone had left they knew they had seen something out of the ordinary. They knew they needed to know more about what Jesus was saying. They had followed because when he spoke to them earlier they felt a pull they could not resist. He had found them at their home and spoken to them in such a way they had to see more. Something in that voice made them come after him. Now, they had seen this great work and they knew there was something more than they had originally thought. Now, they believed he was something even greater than they had thought and they wanted to be part of what he was doing.
In the same way, we followed without really knowing what we were getting into. As a youth, we may have taken our confirmation because everyone else was. We went to class, we answered the questions, but we really did not know what we were saying. As an adult, we may have joined the church because it was the thing to do. We were starting our family, we were becoming responsible adults and it was the thing to do but we did not yet understand what we were doing of saying. Not really.
We know from first-hand experience God can take a tax-collector, a fisherman, a farmer, a housewife, a clerk in a store and use them in ways that stagger the imagination. People who can manage a food bank for their community, people who can supply a well for a country they may  not even be able to find on a map. Because we have seen these things again and again, we begin to believe with a different understanding. We have seen  and read of great thigs and we have had our own experiences of the ways we have been changed in our own understanding of how God has worked right in front of our face to do things we did not think would happen.
We have seen plain ordinary people doing things that were far outside their comfort zones because they were people challenged by the words they read in the Sunday school lesson or read in the newsletter. We have seen times when we thought we were out of the energy, imagination and love it takes to do the work we are challenged to do and suddenly, there was an energy, an enthusiasm that was more than enough to meet the challenge. We cannot explain this any more than the servants could explain what happened to the water they brought to the master of the feast but we know because of what we have seen that we believe and follow.
 
 
*Hymn “My faith looks up to Thee”                                                                                                                        #383
 
 
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Apostle’s Creed (Ecumenical) p. 14
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,
He is seated on the right hand of the Father,
And he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
 
 
 
*The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever."      -- Amen.
 
Sending
 
*CHARGE & BLESSING
Loving God, we thank you for hearing our prayers, feeding us with your word, and encouraging us in our worship together. Take us and use us to love and serve you, and all people, in the power of your Spirit and in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
 
 
*Hymn                                      Love divine, all loves excelling                             # 376
 
Postlude
 
 
* Sections of the service preceded with * are times to stand if you are able to do so.
Bold text is to be read together aloud as a congregation.