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November 29, 2020 Worship Services God’s long range plan of love  By Melody  Oltmann

11/29/2020

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SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
November 29, 2020
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
 Due to Covid Numbers on the rise we are currently closed until further notice  
Moment of Silence to Prepare Our Hearts for Worship   
Worship - We lift our praise to you, O Lord.

Wait for the Lord   (sing twice)    
Wait for the Lord, his day is near.
Wait for the Lord, be strong, take heart. 
 
Opening Prayer 
Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, your world awaits you. The persecuted wait, longing for your justice. The poor wait, longing for prosperity. The hungry wait, longing food. We all wait, longing for your love, your peace and your joy. O come, Lord, liberator of humanity. O come, O come, Immanuel. Amen.
 
Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus, verses 1&3    CCLI 11259100    

1 Come, Thou long-expected Jesus,
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us;
Let us find our rest in Thee.
 
3 Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

Lighting the Advent wreath
M: This year, we are looking at Advent as a journey; not exactly a trip to a different place.
K: Rather, we are on a spiritual journey; 
M: to be refreshed, restored and ready, for Christmas, for Emmanuel’s birth,
K: for Jesus, and for all that His birth, life, death and resurrection means. 
M: The Advent wreath is a circle with no beginning and no end. It is a symbol of God’s unending love and faithfulness.
K: Isaiah, the prophet calls us to prepare for the coming of Jesus, by making straight all that is crooked: 
M: Isaiah said, “The Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
K: We love because God first loved us. We see Jesus and we know the love of God. 
M: Help us to be ready to welcome you again, O God!
K: We rejoice because our hope is in Jesus, Prince of Peace, King of King, Lover of our souls.  
  
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 1         CCLI 11259100    
1 O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Confession & Pardon
P: God of love and kindness, you have promised to renew our lives.  We admit often we are unwilling to see that you have always been here. Forgive our blindness and our impatience. Hear us now as we confess our personal sins silently (time for silent prayer). . .  Have mercy on us.  Open our eyes and our hearts that we may be witnesses to your love; that we see your love and share your love. Help us to see you, wherever you are present in the world and whenever you are present in others. In Jesus’ name,  amen.
 
Confession Response: O Little Town of Bethlehem vs 4         CCLI 11259100    
4 O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel
 
ASSURANCE OF PARDON:                   
L: In God’s love and mercy, we are given each new day to love and serve.
In the name of Christ, you are forgiven.           P: Thanks be to God!
 
Glory to the Father                                        
Glory be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.  As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.  As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.  Amen. Amen.  Amen.  Amen.  Amen.  Amen.  Amen.
Let us pray: God of patience and peace, as John the Baptizer called the people to repentance, so you call us to new life in your Spirit. Help us wait for your promised coming, with faithful listening to your word. Amen.
 
Scripture: Luke 1, selected verses   The Message         
When Herod ruled Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah. His wife was Elizabeth. Zechariah and Elizabeth were both good people who pleased God. They did everything the Lord commanded, always following his instructions completely.  But they had no children. Elizabeth could not have a baby, and both of them were very old.  The priests always chose one priest to offer the incense, and Zechariah was the one chosen this time. So he went into the Temple of the Lord to offer the incense. On the right side of the incense table, an angel of the Lord came and stood before Zechariah. When he saw the angel, Zechariah was upset and very afraid.  But the angel said to him, “Zechariah, don’t be afraid. Your prayer has been heard by God. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to a baby boy; and you will name him John. Even before he is born, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. John will help many people of Israel return to the Lord their God.  John himself will go ahead of the Lord and make people ready for his coming.

O Come, All Ye Faithful, verse 2                  CCLI 11259100    
2 Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing!
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ, the Lord!
 
Scripture    The Gospel, according to Mark 1:1-8 
Here begins the wonderful story of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.
In the book written by the prophet Isaiah, God announced that he would send his Son to earth, and that a special messenger would arrive first to prepare the world for his coming.
 “This messenger will live out in the barren wilderness,” Isaiah said, “and will proclaim that everyone must straighten out his life to be ready for the Lord’s arrival.”*
 This messenger was John the Baptist. He lived in the wilderness and taught that all should be baptized as a public announcement of their decision to turn their backs on sin, so that God could forgive them.  People from Jerusalem and from all over Judea traveled out into the Judean wastelands to see and hear John, and when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. His clothes were woven from camel’s hair and he wore a leather belt; locusts and wild honey were his food.  Here is a sample of his preaching:
“Someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am, so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave.  I baptize you with water[e] but he will baptize you with God’s Holy Spirit!”*
 
Devotion          God’s  long range plan of love                              Kirk 
 
A preacher once played his clarinet right before his sermon was about to start. The piece was pretty involved and needed a lot of breath on the preacher’s side. When he was about to start the sermon, he said that he needed to catch his breath. The congregation smiled. Next, he started his sermon with the words: Advent is a time to catch your breath, isn’t it?

My family calls me the Elf, because there is no season more filled with hope and love than Christmas. But as I have gotten older, and I get more tired, every Christmas season is different for me. Some years I can’t wait to put up all the Christmas decorations. Some years I don’t really feel like Christmas till later.

Advent is a time of waiting and preparing for the big event that we will be celebrating in a few weeks. It is a darker time of the year when we light candles and decorate our houses with artificial lights to make the season bright. It could be a season of new beginnings when we follow the star that will lead us to Bethlehem.

Mark’s gospel starts with the words the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ. It reminds us that just as in the beginning the world was created by God. God also had a plan to change our lives for the better His long-range plan of Love..

Like the people in second Peter we might be worried whether all that waiting will be finally brought to a good end.

Jesus assures us that it will. If you don’t believe it, remember the story of John the Baptist in the wilderness. People came to him out of desperation and returned to their homes refreshed and renewed.

Jesus promises a greater gift yet. The Holy Spirit will come to us in the life and death of the Christ child.

Thinking of all the hustle and bustle of the season I think it is good for us to find some quiet place near the river where John the Baptist again can remind us of the great gift we have been given in Jesus Christ. Thinking of John the Baptist I think of a long pointed stick that teachers used to use before the age of computers to point something out on a map or a blackboard. John the Baptist is like that, he points away from himself to Christ. How do we live this advent? Do our actions point others to Christ?

How do we proclaim the Good News. One translation reads Good News - this is the victory of Jesus the Christ. It is not our victory but his. With John the Baptist we are invited to point to Christ’s victory. Those words can point someone who has lost hope into a new direction. We can make a difference by living our lives in a way that points people to Christ. We have been washed clean by the Holy Spirit in our own baptism. Stay with that image. Feel the refreshment and energy of the spirit.

Advent is an invitation for us to become like the people who were frozen by the power of evil, who felt powerless. To be touched anew by the mighty breath of God and to be transformed into people who care is what we have been called to do.

Sometimes we have a hard time describing how God has made a difference in our lives. And share an experience of grace with those around us. How the message to all from John the Baptist that a savior was coming, the Son of God was coming and he would in modern terms rock the world.  His name would be Jesus and he would be born from a virgin’s womb and he would spread a new way of life across the world a life of peace, compassion, hope and love and he would offer the gift of eternal life for anyone that believes in him. Anyone that takes him as their savior. Think of Jesus’ birth, the Son of God as the launch of God’s long-range plan of love.

Close your eyes and think about the love that God has poured out over his children, you and me over the centuries and centuries.  Think about Jesus life as a youth, entering the temple and praying and preaching the new word to all of the priests and those that were there.  Think about all of the miracles that he performed. From turning water into wine, giving sight to the blind, healing the sick and crippled, feeding the masses with only a few fish and loaves of bread, releasing the children from the devil, walking on the waters, and healing the severed ear of the guard in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Oh, what wonders he performed during his travels and ministry.  But the greatest gift of sacrifice and the greatest miracle, is that he would be tried, convicted, beaten, flogged crucified dead and buried, and why, why would he have to endure such humiliation and pain, why would he have to pay such a price, why, to wash away all of our sins, all of our sins. But on the third day a miracle of love would again be given to us, he would rise again from the dead to walk with his people and disciples for 40 days before he ascended into heaven to rule at his father’s side.  His Father, our Father, set in place a plan of love the day he announced the coming of his Son, Jesus and to use John the Baptist as the messenger of hope for all of us. 

Oh, there is no doubt in my mind that our Father loves us and he shows us every day with every drop of rain, every blade of grass, every blooming flower, every river, stream, mountain, prairie, ocean and desert. He shows us his love with every breath of wind that caresses our cheek, every snow flake that touches our tongue. He shows us his love with every child that is born and every man, woman and child that is healed in body, mind and spirit. He shows us his love with every lost child that is found in the wilderness, every magical note of a sonata, every word of his Bible and every angel that he sends to us in our time of need.  And let us never forget that those angels may be a friend or stranger that sees our need and reaches out to hug us and comfort us at our weakest moment. Oh, there is no doubt that our Father loves and cherishes each and every one of us.

So, during this time of Advent, the time that invites us into the story of light to share the light with those around us. The time to share God’s long-range plan of love with everyone around us.

Prepare the way of the Lord, our gospel reads today. When I came up to the church this morning, I was thinking about the smattering of snow this past Tuesday morning and how this time of year can give us large accumulations and how snow plows will plow away the snow to prepare the way for the cars, and people will clear the sidewalks so that we can safely walk into our church. As you all know the roads can get very dangerous this time of the year. It is easy to lose focus and slip off the road. God has prepared a safe road for us. He has taken everything away that might lead us into dangerous places. And he calls us to come to him and to be refreshed by the promise of our own baptism that goes far beyond the baptism of John in the desert. It not only refreshes us but it leads us into life eternal which starts here and will be brought to perfection in God’s eternal kingdom and his long-range plan of love for each of us if we but reach out and take his outstretched hand.

Take some time for peace and quiet. Share your experience of God’s love with someone you know or if you dare with someone you don’t know. Remember what it was, what it is that drew you to Jesus and find ways to share it with others. Share His Long-Range Plan of Love.
  
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing vs 2 & 3                 CCLI 11259100    

2 Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of the virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail the incarnate Deity,
Pleased in flesh with us to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"
3 Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that we no more may die.
Born to raise us from the earth,
Born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"
 
The Prayers of the People 
With joy we praise you, gracious God, for you have created heaven and earth, made us in your image, and kept covenant with us- even when we fell into sin.
We give you thanks for Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose coming opened to us the way of salvation and whose triumphant return we eagerly await Therefore we join our voices with all the saints and angels and the whose creation to proclaim the glory of your name. 
Guide and direct us to help those in need, with food for the hungry, homes for the homeless and hope for the downtrodden. Hear us now O God, as we pray for our friends and family Pray for these:  our members and friends in nursing homes, all veterans, service men & women & their families; all who have been sentenced to life without parole; all fire, law enforcement, & EMS personnel; June L; Pat and Jim Collins; Kaye Hale; Phyllis Dearing; Jessie Borgman; Sandy Miller; Tom Bloomingdale; Donna Luchman; Sue and Steve Rodgers; Jan and Kirk Barkdoll; Sally Hackett; Paul Glispie; Pryce Boeye; Ken Stinson; Betty Penry’s daughter, Amy; Wes and Joyce’s daughter, Anna; Marilyn’s son, Brad, her daughter, Candy; Jan’s and Kirk’s daughter, Amber; Chris and Colleen’s aunt, Joan Tabor; Debbie Smith’s brother, Tom; Kari Long; Randy Goslin; Pastor Melody’s friend, Myrna on the death of her husband, Chris; Duane’s uncle and aunt, Fay and Donna; Mission Starfish, Haiti. 
 
The Lord’s Prayer
 
Joy to the World  vs 1 & 4                          CCLI 11259100    

1 Joy to the world, the Lord is come:
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
 
4 He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Passing the Peace
Since God has forgiven us in Jesus Christ, let us forgive one another.  The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Let’s pass the peace to one another of Christ with a bow or wave.
 
Benediction
May the light of the Advent wreath and the Good News of the Gospel go with you today and everyday, as you are out and about in the world. Now may the Love of God, the Peace of Christ and the Power of the Holy Spirit be yours. Amen.   
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November 22, 2020 Worship Services The Shepherd King  By Melody  Oltmann

11/21/2020

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SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
November 22, 2020
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
 Due to Covid Numbers on the rise we are currently closed until further notice  
 
       As Presbyterians and people of the Reformed Tradition, we believe that our salvation is solely by Christ. That is, we cannot earn our place in heaven; there is not enough work to do to earn eternal life. We believe that we are saved only by the life, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. And then, we read today’s scripture, Matthew 25. And we wonder if we are misunderstanding what Jesus says or what we have been taught.
          Today I am going to encourage us to look at this scripture from a different vantage point. Not, what does this say about us; but, what does the scripture say about Jesus? We know it is significant, because so much of the scripture is repetition. And, as Kirk said, repetition in the Bible means the words are being emphasized; Jesus is telling us to listen and to pay attention to these important points. And, Jesus is telling us that he is a different kind of king. We know that Jesus gave up his name, position, power to come to earth; to show us how to love. This specific scripture tells us even more about Jesus and the kind of king that He is. Jesus is not found in a castle or on a throne. He is not found in places where men and women of power live and work. Rather, Jesus is found among the least of people. Jesus says, “Blessed are you if you care for those who are in great need; BECAUSE when you care for those, you are caring for me! Jesus is with the hungry and the thirsty. We know we are to give; to share with those who have less, because they are our sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus. But, this scripture is saying more. Jesus says, if you feed the least of these, you are feeding me. Pow! Mind explosion! Certainly, we might be startled by what this means!  Jesus can be found with those who have very little; not with those who have a lot. In other words, Jesus is less likely to be with us – because we have much. This realization should make us take a deep breath and consider how we first take care of ourselves; and then, how we treat others. Not just how we treat the hungry and thirsty, but how we also treat the sick, those in prison, those who are strangers and those who have nothing or little to wear.
           I encourage each of you to sit for awhile with this idea: that when we are in a relationship with others; especially when we are coming from our place of comfort, wealth and power, we need to treat others with respect and dignity. We are not to just give our castaway torn clothes, expired canned goods, and worn appliances. Rather, we are to give good and decent donations. We might think those in need are a nameless and hopeless crowd. But this scripture tells us that Jesus is there, in that space, with those in need. No longer can we think the needy are a nameless group; now, we can be sure that we know one person in that group; we know Jesus; and , we now know that Jesus is there, with them. Whether we are going through our closets, to remove unneeded clothes, or we are at the grocery store, purchasing food for the hungry, we need to think about what people want and need; what they can really use, rather than what is best for our lives. I don’t need to tell you that no one has need for well-worn shoes, or for boots with holes. Jeans with broken zippers and slacks with torn seams don’t work for us; why would they work for the needy? We are taught to give God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit our best. Now, we find that Jesus is with the homeless, the naked, the hungry, the sick, the thirsty, those we do not know, and those in prison. This scripture calls us to give away our best. We aren’t to “scrape the bottom of the bucket” and give whatever is left. Rather, we are to treat all people like they deserve the best. Giving less than our best, is saying that they are only worthy of our leftovers. Giving less than our best is saying we are judging you and we find that you are not believable; that it’s your fault you are in need; and, that your lives are hopeless, worthless, so here is a just a little something for you, until you pull yourself up out of that place of neediness.
          Jesus says treat everyone with love, dignity and respect, because each person is worthy; each person is God’s beloved child. Jesus is that Shepherd we heard about in the Old Testament reading today. The Good Shepherd cares for all the sheep who are in need. The Good Shepherd pays particular attention to the underfed, the weak, the lost and the little ones. That Shepherd sets aside the big, powerful, pushy and greedy sheep; the sheep that pushed with muscle and might, to get more and more; and, to keep others from getting what they need. Last week, I said we are the body of Christ, called to go out into the world. This Sunday, I add to that. As the church, we know the love of God; but, unfortunately, sometimes, we act like we alone have the power of God. This scripture lesson tells us otherwise. Jesus says that He is with those in need; in other words, the needy have God in and among themselves. We can see and fully experience the love of God when we give generously, without judgement to those who are hungry, thirsty, strangers, in prison, homeless or naked. This, then, is when we know we are doing the right thing: that we see the presence of God, with us, as we are sent out. AND, we see the presence of God in those whom we serve. In James 2:14-26, we read that faith without works is dead. It isn’t that we are to have faith and then earn our way to eternal life. No! What Jesus and James are saying is that caring for others, good works, if you will, are the full expression of loving God. We can say we love God; we can claim to be Christ’s disciples, but, unless our actions match these words, we are dishonest. Following Christ’s example, we are to respond to others with love, mercy and sharing what we have. If we don’t care for others, then we are not loving, not faithful, not with God. Once again, actions speak louder and clearer than words. When we welcome strangers, when we feed and clothe those in need, when we visit the sick and those in prison, we are doing what Jesus did: We are demonstrating our love for God.
          The Good News about this is that there are times in our lives, when we are among those in need. Sure, we might never need a donation of food, drink, clothes or home. We might never be a stranger or in an actual prison. But, there will be times, when we are sick and alone; times when we feel like a prisoner in our own homes, times when we feel so alone, like an unwelcome stranger. At those times, God in Christ is with us, just as Jesus is with the needy, giving comfort, strength, love and resilience to make it through another day … and night. Jesus is giving us such Good News with this scripture. That Jesus is both with us as we go out and, there waiting for us, with those in need. And, Jesus is with us, when we are the ones in need.
            Most kings rule with fear, authority and power; telling others what to do, how to do it and when to do it. Most kings want honor, praise and glory. Most rulers have and continue to want the most and the best. Our king, King Jesus is not like most kings. He came to love, to serve and to empower us to be loving and merciful. As we look to Thanksgiving and Christmas, we might be discouraged because our holidays will not be the same, due to Covid-19. So, this holiday season, let’s make the holidays different for everyone. Let’s give our best: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing and homes, to those in need. Let’s reach out to the sick and those in prison, with letters and phone calls. And, then … let’s continue that in January and February, when the need at food pantries and elsewhere is especially big. Then we will receive the best gift – joy! In giving to others, we will see Jesus; and we will be joy-filled. Now and forevermore. Amen.

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November 01, 2020 Worship Services Children of the Resurrection Rev. Kristy Parker

11/1/2020

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October 25, 2020 Worship Services It's about what?  by Kristy Parker

10/25/2020

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​SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
October 25 , 2020
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
Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
The bulletins were placed specifically for social distancing, one household per pew. Please sit exactly where you found your bulletin.
Please keep your masks on and remain seated through the whole service.
There will be no singing, and no physical contact.
You may read along silently,
Schedule reminders:
   The office is reopened
   Church Service 9:30 am
   Joint Meeting with the sessions of both First United Presbyterian Church and 1st Congregational church at 12:00 pm on October 25th at the 1st Congregational church.
     Session Meeting on November 8th at 12:30 pm in the Calvin Hall
PRELUDE
 
WORDS OF WORSHIP:
O come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into God’s presence with thanksgiving, singing joyful songs of praise.
 
GATHERING PRAYER:
O God, light of the minds that know you, life of the souls that love you, strength of the thoughts that seek you: Help us so to know you that we may truly love you, so to love you that we may fully serve you, whose service is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
CONFESSION AND PARDON:
Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.
 
OFFERING PEACE:
The peace of Christ be with you.
 
INTERLUDE
 
Word
 
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:
O Lord our God, your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Give us grace to receive your truth in faith and love, that we may be obedient to your will and live always for your glory; through Jesus Christ our Savior.  Amen.
 
SCRIPTURE LESSONS:               
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
34Moses climbed Mount Nebo the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, from Jericho. The the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, Negev the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, far as Zoar .the to him, “This is the land I promised on oath Abraham, Isaac and Jacob I said, ‘I will give its your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not crossin to it.”
5Moses the servant of the died in Moab, as the said. buried him [a]Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, to this day no one knows where his grave is.   was a hundred and twenty years old he died, yet his eyes were not weak his strength gone. Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab days ,the time of weeping and mourning over. 9Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit[ b]wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. the Israelites listened to him and did what the commanded Moses.10then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses ,the face to face, did all those signs and wonders sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his official stow his whole land.no one has shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
 
Matthew 22:34-46
34that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, Pharisees got together. Of them, an expert in the law, him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ [a]is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ [b]the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
 
41the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”
“The son of David,” replied.
43said to them, “ How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,
44“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’[c] 45then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son? ”one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.
 
SERMON:                            It’s About the What
 
In his biography on Martin Luther King Jr., titled Bearing the Cross, David Garrow relays the events of the night that preceded King’s assassination. 
•        It was storming that April night in 1968. 
•        Rain pelted the windows of the Mason Temple in Memphis,
 
Tennessee where a crowd had gathered to hear King speak. 
•        King was exhausted and had grown increasingly depressed by opposition to the Poor Peoples’ Campaign that he was striving to promote. 
•        Even his own staff was apathetic, which was particularly demoralizing to him. 
•        His plane had been delayed earlier that morning due to a bomb.
•        King often dealt with a crushing fear for his life and the lives of his family.
 
He had chosen to stay at the Lorraine Hotel and rest that night. 
•        Ralph Abernathy had gone to the Mason Temple by himself. 
•        But he sensed that the crowd was disappointed to see him appear without King, and he phoned King at the Lorraine to ask him to come over. 
•        When King arrived, he stepped to the podium and assured the audience that the Memphis movement would go forward despite opposition.
 
Then he delivered what we now call his “mountaintop” speech saying:
 
“Well I don’t know what will happen now.  We’ve got some difficult days ahead.  But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop.  And I don’t mind.  Like anybody, I would like to live a long life.  Longevity has its place.  But I’m not concerned about that now.  I just want to do God’s will.  And he’s allowed me to go up to the mountain, and I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the promised land.  I might not get there with you.  But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people will get to the promised land.  And so, I’m happy tonight.  I’m not worried about anything.  I’m not fearing any man.  Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”
 
•        Then, with sweat streaming from his brow and his eyes watering heavily, King moved to his seat. 
•        Those who were with him said that though he was deeply moved, there was a calmness and a peace about him. 
•        Hours later, he lay dead at the hands of an assassin.
 
I have often thought that the verses that close Deuteronomy are among the most poignant in the whole Bible. 
•        In my mind’s eye, I can see Moses as he climbs to the top of Mt. Pisgah and looks out over the plush green valleys and the hillsides that rise from the Jordan River, the land promised to him by God. 
•        His eyes must have watered at the sight of it and he must have ached with longing knowing that he would never step foot on it. 
•        Moses had always been faithful to God, even when he didn’t feel adequate for the task God called him to do. 
•        When God revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush and commanded him to lead his people out of slavery in Egypt, Moses protested, “But I’m not a good speaker.” 
•        God basically said, “Go anyway Moses.  I’ll be with you.”
•        At God’s command, Moses persuaded his people to follow him out of Egypt. 
•        He was with them through the deliverance at the Red Sea. 
•        He led them from encampment to encampment as he listened to their complaints about his leadership. 
•        When they rebelled against God and worshiped idols, Moses interceded on their behalf, convincing God to withdraw his anger.
•        Even when they wanted to stone Moses and appoint a new leader, Moses still begged God’s pardon for the sake of Israel. 
•        But then, as they approached the banks of the Jordan to cross over to their final destination, God refused to let Moses enter.
 
It seemed unbelievable the first time I read it. 
•        Moses gave his whole life in obedience to God on behalf of these people, and he never got to taste the sweetness of the victory? 
•        He never got to take off his sandals and rest his weary, travel-worn feet on the other side of the river?  
•        I went flipping back through the pages of Numbers and Deuteronomy trying to find the supposed error that Moses made that robbed him of this moment.
 
Some verses suggest that God was angry with Moses on account of his peoples’ lack of faithfulness. 
•        Others point to Moses’ failure to interpret the giving of the waters at Meribah as a sign from the Lord, though the precise nature of his unbelief isn’t clear. 
•        In Chapter 34, he is simply denied entry into the promised land, with no reason given at all. 
•        It violates our basic sense of fairness. 
•        If anybody got to enter the promised land, it should have been Moses.
•        Finally, we have to accept that Moses’ time had come to die. 
 
Like we often do when someone dies, we ask “why?” 
•        We flip back through the pages of life and search for answers. 
•        We might find reasons that are meaningful to us, but in the end, they are still inadequate.
•        The answers aren’t finally clear. 
•        Even our best theology can’t fully explain the tragedies that come with being human.
 
It’s some consolation to know that Moses’ work was truly done. 
•        He had served faithfully and well. 
•        The people had the Word of the Lord that Moses taught them that would be their guide in the land God promised. 
•        Moses could move off the scene, and Israel would be led by the living Word of God, the promise and instruction of the Torah.
•        Joshua would take over as the human leader with the spirit of wisdom given in the laying on of hands by Moses.
 
The fact is, the “why” of Moses’ death really doesn’t matter in the end. 
•        At the end of the story, it is said, “Never since has there arisen such a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. 
•        He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform.” 
•        In the end, the “why” of his death meant nothing in comparison to the “what” of his life. 
•        What was Moses about?  What had his life stood for?  
•        When we flip back through the pages of his life, we see a fierce commitment to his Lord, a consuming love for his people and a passing on of the Word of God to the next generation.
•        Moses was a prophet so in tune with God’s will, so filled with God’s presence, that everything he said could be seen as coming from God.
 
“I just want to do God’s will,” Martin Luther King said,…mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” 
•        His last words, his final speech are a testimony that did little to comfort a nation in the “why” of his death. But the words ring in our ears to this day as a testimony to the “what” of his life. 
•        “I just want to do God’s will.”
 
As Christians, we often ask ourselves, “What is God’s will?” 
•        We face life’s choices and decisions and tragedies, and we wonder how to live according to that will. 
•        How do we determine the “what” of our lives? 
 
God spelled it out clearly for Moses in the ten commandments:
“You shall have no other Gods before me, you shall not make idols, you shall not take the name of the Lord in vain, observe the Sabbath and keep it holy, honor your father and mother, you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, and you shall not covet what belongs to your neighbor.” 
 
•        This is what God said to Moses face to face. 
•        This is what you must do to follow my will. 
•        This is the “what” of your lives together as Israel.
 
Ten simple rules to follow, yet not so simple.             
•        So difficult, in fact that Moses apparently couldn’t keep them.
•        Despite his greatness, perfection eluded him. 
•        Certainly, Martin Luther King, as faithful a servant as he was, could not keep them. 
•        Garrow relates that King was painfully aware of his shortcomings as a human being and bore a heavy burden of guilt at his inability to fully do God’s will.
•        To be sure, we don’t keep the commandments perfectly, try as we might.
The New Testament combines the commandments into two. 
•        As we heard in our Gospel reading, as the Pharisees gathered, a lawyer asked Jesus, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 
•        Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
•        On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
 
At first blush, it seems like this should be easier to follow.
•        Just love God and other people.  What’s so hard about that?
•        It hardly seems like a commandment really does it? 
•        Can one command someone to love? 
•        Doesn’t love just rise naturally from our hearts? 
•        Doesn’t it just happen? 
 
Anyone who’s ever really tried to practice constant, ongoing love of neighbor knows that it’s extremely difficult, that it requires effort and sacrifice and a keen awareness of God’s presence. 
•        Anyone who’s ever tried it knows that it can never be done apart from God. 
•        Our modern-day understandings of love tend to distort it into something romantic and sentimental. 
•        It bears no resemblance to the cross-bearing, self-sacrificing love that Christ commanded when he talked about love.
 
The kind of love Jesus talked about was the kind of love that required a decision. 
•        It was a decision to bend to the will of God even if it meant he had to die. 
•        Jesus loved life.
•        He pled with God that the cup might pass from him and yet “not what I want, but what you want,” he said. 
•        It wasn’t fair, but it was the work to which Jesus was called 
•        For the sake of others, for the life of the world.
 
“What do you think of the Messiah? 
•        Whose son is he?” Jesus asked them.
•        “What kind of Messiah do you want? 
•        They had hoped for a hero who would conquer by the sword, not one who would go around talking about love, not one who would pour himself out as a servant, not one who would hang on a cross and die.
 
If you’re like me, you may be asking yourself at this point, “What can I do?” 
•        I’m not Moses, I’m not Martin Luther King, and I’m certainly not Jesus. 
•        When I ponder the greatness of such leaders, my life feels a little small in comparison.  
•        Some days it’s all I can do to get the simple tasks of my life done
•        How would I ever lead a nation of people through the desert or on a march for justice through the inner city. 
•        We ask ourselves, “What can we do to honor God, to be obedient to God’s will as we struggle in our daily lives just to keep the ball in the air.
 
I’ve always been comforted by the words of Mother Teresa, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” 
•        Small things with great love – the debt forgiven, the neighbor sheltered, the child encouraged, the tree planted, the stranger welcomed and fed, the prayer offered.
•        Our lives are full of opportunities each day to show God’s love. 
•        The small things we do can add up to make big changes.
•        They can lead us out of the valley and up to the mountaintop, where one day we’ll take an account of our lives and ask ourselves, “What has my life stood for?”
•        Have I lived in such a way as to foster kindness and compassion to myself and others?
•        Have I lifted up the lives of others in some way?
 
Our journeys to the mountaintop will take different paths.
•        Some of us will use our voices to speak up in our community and get involved in projects to bring fairness and equity to the lives of our people.
•        Some of us will bring God’s love into schools and hospitals and churches.
•        We all have the opportunity to teach our children to love God and love people, people of every color, gender, ability and kind.
•        We can speak up when someone makes a comment or a joke that demeans someone else.
•        And we all are called to vote, to speak up for the leaders we feel God is raising up to take us closer to the mountaintop.
 
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.       
•        When you stand on the mountaintop, what will your life have stood for? 
•        Moses gave his life for the liberation of Israel
•        Martin Luther King Jr. gave his life for the liberation of African American people and the reconciliation and peace of humankind
•        Jesus gave his life for all people, everywhere
•        Jesus liberated us to live forgiven, to live loved,
•        To love God, love ourselves, and love our neighbors
 
In the end, it won’t matter how long we live, what we’ve done in comparison to others, whether we’ve gotten to do everything we had hoped, or how we die
•        What will matter is what our lives have been about, that our lives have been lived to lift one another up in love.
•        When we stand on the mountaintop one day, what will matter is that we’ve tried to do God’s will, and to do what we can to lead the next generation a little closer to the Promised Land.
 October 25 2020 
AFFIRMATION   Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version:
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.
 
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION AND THANKSGIVING AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
 
Sending
 
CHARGE & BLESSING                 
 
POSTLUDE
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October 18, 2020 Worship Services When We’ve Run out of Gas. Bu Joyce Chamberlin

10/17/2020

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​ ​SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY 

October 18, 2020

Gathering

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.
Attendance was taken by ushers as you entered
Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
The bulletins were placed specifically for social distancing, one household per pew. Please sit exactly where you found your bulletin.
Please keep your masks on and remain seated through the whole service.
There will be no singing, and no physical contact.
You may read along silently,
Schedule reminders:
The office is reopened
Church Service 9:30 am
Joint Meeting with the Sessions of both ours and  1st Congregational church at 12:00 pm on October
     25th at the 1st Congregational church

 
PRELUDE
 
Call to Worship:
In a world dominated by people claiming their rights and demanding autonomy, we come as servants, held in the arms of our Lord, instructed and offered assurance and assistance.  We become the servants of our Living God, disciples of our Lord Jesus, Christ.  Come Holy Spirit.  Guide our worship and praise.  Allow us to don your glory and be a part of your goodness.  May we relinquish ourselves to you this day.
 
Prayer of Confession: 
Gracious Lord.  The world is a place where the loudest voice is very often the dominant one, where it’s easier to go along than to fight for your holy design.  Forgive us for the many times when we’ve thrown up our hands and gone along with the powers that be, even when we knew that people were being harmed and your good earth was being desecrated.  Forgive us for assuming that we had no ability to speak your love into hurtful situations.  Forgive us for our lack of courage and our unwillingness to risk ourselves or even to ask for your amazing power to lead us through the danger.  We can do better, Lord.  Help us and love us, we pray.
 
Assurance of Pardon: 
 The heart of God rejoices when a son or daughter opens to the gift of forgiveness.  We are God’s by grace.  We are washed clean in God’s love.  Let us rejoice in the new life given through Jesus Christ, our Savior.  Thanks be to God 
 
OFFERING PEACE:
Our Amazing God stand with us and calls us together to know the joy of Christian Community, 
 
INTERLUDE:  There is a Sweet Sweet Spirt
 
Prayer of Illumination: 
 We come before you Lord to hear your truth and love.  You call us by name and whisper into our hearts.  May we set aside the many distractions to listen well.  May we then be empowered to leave this place as your disciples, dancing with the joy of following you.  Amen.
 
Scripture: 
 Exodus 33: 12-23
12 Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” 14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” 18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”19 And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” 21 Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
​
 Matthew 22: 15-22
15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax[a] to Caesar or not?” 18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
 October 18 2020
Sermon Title:  When We’ve Run out of Gas.
                                        
“Who died and made you boss?”
 
“What gives you the right to challenge my decisions?”
 
“Why should we listen to you?”
 
Haven’t we all heard these questions?  They always seem to rise up when we’ve spoken in opposition to the dominant voice—to the way things are organized or what’s good for the most powerful. 

  • Maybe it’s the lowly manager who is questioning his or her Company’s Vice President about a process that seems unjust or unethical.
 
  • Maybe it’s an adult child who is chaffing at Mom’s unwillingness to let go of that parental authority to direct his life.
 
  • Maybe it’s one committee member who has finally worked up the courage to make sure her voice is heard by the domineering group leader.
 
  • We’ve just plain run out of gas.  We don’t have what it takes.
 
Sometimes we need to just go along.  At other times we have to stand up and speak our mind and push for what we know in our heart is right and good.  It’s never easy.  At least one part of the struggle is BELIEVING that we do have the right and the power to demand to be heard.  That might mean we need to do battle with our own insecurities, discouragement, and sense of powerlessness in order to keep moving forward on the path that we are being led.
 
You know what I’m talking about, right?  Haven’t we all felt discouraged and little broken by situations that seem so much bigger and more powerful that we can manage?  “What’s the use?  I’m just wasting my time and breath.  I just need to shut up and accept things the way they are because I have no power here.”
 
 
All of us have felt a bit of this in the midst of a pandemic…add on the Black Lives Matter unrest, the financial hardships where so many have lost their jobs or businesses, we’ve had to let go of our plans and our routines, many times even our ability to be with family.  More is needed from us at exactly the time when we have fewer resources to meet those needs.
 
Struggle.  Loss.  Fear.  Anger.  Disappointment.  Depression.  Loneliness.  Anxiety.  How do we be the faithful people of God in such a setting?
 
I actually think our scriptures for today give us some glimpses of the way forward.  Let’s begin with Moses.
 
It’s been quite a trip.  From the first time he stood on this mountain and God said, “I’m sending you to lead my people out of bondage.  I am who I am, and this will be a sign for you.  You will bring the people back to this mountain.”  So much had happened.  The plagues and still Pharaoh wouldn’t release them.  Then that really big plague in which the angel of death passed over the Hebrew cottages that had been painted with the blood of the lamb, and it landed smack dab in the bedrooms of the Egyptian people.  Then the people were running for their lives….. The Red Sea became an escape tunnel.  The people whining for food and water, and Moses was able to provide it by striking a rock and God sent down the manna.  God led them out, a pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire at night.
 
And indeed, they did come back to this mountain.  God gathered the people at the base of the mountain and with smoke and fire and trumpet’s blast he spoke to them in his own voice, giving to them the 10 rules for living as God’s people.  Then God instructed Moses to come up the mountain to receive the finer details of his law.  God wrote the 10 commandments on stone so the people would have it.
 
But the people….
 
They were afraid and unaccustomed to freedom.  They had accepted Moses leadership—but he’d been up there for a very long time.  What if he’d been eaten my a mountain lion?  If he had fallen off a cliff?  If he’d been struck by lightning or just got tired and run away?  They NEEDED a conduit to God.  They NEEDED something they could manage and control.  The Egyptians used images formed from gold.  Why not?
And so, they made that golden calf.  Aaron would later tell Moses that they threw their gold bracelets and necklaces into the fire and the calf jumped out.  Yeah, right!
Can you imagine Moses?  God’s mad.  God is now ordering them to go forward from this place of relative safety.  He’s called them a Stiff-Necked people and telling Moses that he won’t go with them because if he did, his anger would consume them.
It’s like everything he had worked so hard to accomplish is gone—just gone.  Moses doesn’t know what to do, so he pleads with God to go with them and finally he asks a personal favor— “Show me your glory.”  It’s like Moses is saying, “God if you want me to lead this people forward, I need you to come along AND I need the strength and the direction that only you can give.”  
I understand Moses completely!
 
Now to Jesus.
 
Our passage for this morning is one that is often quoted by people who want to keep our faith out of our political lives.  They would quote” Give to the Emperor the things that are the Emperors and to God the things that belong to God.”  But before we go there, let’s step into the story a bit more.
 
Jesus has arrived in Jerusalem.  He knows what’s ahead and has tried to warn his disciples, but they don’t get it.  They only see the power and the miracles that he brings.  So, they whip up the crowds to greet Jesus at the city gate.  That doesn’t win any points with the Pharisees who have also heard all the rumors.  Then Jesus goes to the temple and chases out the money changers and merchants of animals.  How insulted the Pharisees are!  Who does he think he is?  Not only did he NOT bring his word from God to them so they could help direct it, now he’s trying to destroy the tradition of the Temple AND in the process getting people all riled up with his “Kingdom of God” talk.  If riots break out, Rome will blame them, and the Jews ability to worship at the temple could be taken away.  It’s their job to keep the people in line.  Jesus is threatening all of that.  This Jesus has to go.
So, they begin by asking him, “By what authority do you do these things?” Maybe they hoped Jesus would take the hint and get back in line.  Instead Jesus tells a series of parables that make them look like the bad guys!  Talk about rubbing salt in a wound!
So, they devise a sure-fire trap.  Paying taxes.  The people hate to pay taxes which are cruel and exorbitant.  If Jesus says people must pay them, the people will turn their back on him.  On the other hand, if he says they should not pay, then Rome will arrest him.  Either way, they win.  This Jesus problem will be taken care of.
 
I fully believe that Jesus, like Moses was fully aware that there was a tidal wave coming.  He knew, and that human part of him stood in dread of those waves crashing ashore and destroying him.  Remember all those times when he went out on his own to pray?  It’s clear to me that a good part of those prayers was, “God give me strength and wisdom.  Give me courage and faith and give me the right words to pull this off.”  You, see, Jesus was also dealing with a Stiff-necked people.  He would need all the help he could get.
So, for Moses, God showed his servant his glory.  Jesus wouldn’t need that so much—He WAS God’s glory.  But he was also human and that part of him would need the right words to deal with whatever the Pharisees and officials would throw at him.
 
And God gave Jesus the perfect response.  Jesus asked for a coin and the Pharisees presented a Roman coin.  Here’s the thing.  There were also Jewish coins.  Jewish coins were what the people used in the temple to make their offerings.  What was the difference in these coins?  The Roman coin had the image of Caesar and the Jewish coin had no image.  Do you remember that second commandment that God gave the people at Mt. Sinai?  “You shall not make for yourself an idol.”  Another translation says, “You shall not make for yourself any graven image.” 
 
Can’t you just see Jesus rubbing the face of the coin with his thumb and asking them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?”  When they answer “The emperor’s,” it’s like they have passed judgement on themselves, and all the people who watched knew it.  Jesus can then respond with that phrase we all know, “Give, therefore, to the Emperor the things that are the Emperors, and to God the things that are Gods.”
 
What belongs to the Emperor?  This coin which a faithful Jew should not really even have.  But what belongs to God—EVERYTHING!  Absolutely everything.  Our natural world, our families, our abilities, our possessions, our lives, our political privileges—EVERYTHING. 
 
Jesus received what he needed.  The way out of the trap that the Pharisees set, and in the process taught us something about our allegiances and priorities. 
 
You and I.  Don’t we also need God’s power and reassurance.  We also need the right words at times and the courage and faith to persevere.  We also need to know that God stands with us giving us what we need in the moment.  We’re no different than these 2 in this crucial aspect—One a prophet of God and the other the Son of God.
 
There’s something very powerful about laying ourselves at God’s feet and saying, “I can’t do this on my own.  I can’t fight any longer because I’m tired and defeated.  I am without the power to go forward.”  We don’t like to think of ourselves in those terms, but don’t we all get there?  Claim it—just as Moses did, just as I suspect Jesus did.  We might not get the answer we need immediately.  We might not get the answer in the way we might prefer, but our prayer won’t go unanswered.  God will give us his glory and his power and his wisdom to meet the demands of our lives.
 
So maybe it’s OK to be a bit broken.  Maybe it’s OK to find ourselves up against a stiff-necked people.  Shoot, we ARE the stiff-necked people at times.  But we are loved by our Lord, and we are equipped by his Spirit to offer God’s love and grace into the world around us.
 
May God cozy us into the cleft of that rock.  May he hold his hand over us and pass by, giving us the assurance of his glory and power and love.  
 
People of God, It’s OK to run out of gas.  Then we need to hold ourselves to God and walk with our hand in the Lord’s.  May we always rest in his love. Always.
 
Amen.
 
AFFIRMATION:               Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version
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 at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
 
Charge and Blessing:  
May we feel God holding us close and know the Glory of God that empowers us to be a people of love.  Go forth God’s Beloved and know the goodness of our God who guides us in this life of faith.  Amen.
 
Postlude 
 ​
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October 11, 2020 Worship Services Keep on keeping on by Pastor Jim Camp

10/11/2020

0 Comments

 

​ ​SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY 

October 11, 2020

Gathering

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.
Attendance was taken by ushers as you entered
Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
The bulletins were placed specifically for social distancing, one household per pew. Please sit exactly where you found your bulletin.
Please keep your masks on and remain seated through the whole service.
There will be no singing, and no physical contact.
You may read along silently,
Schedule reminders:
The office is reopened
Church Service 9:30 am
Joint Meeting with 1st Congregational church at 12:00 pm on October
     25th at the 1st Congregational church

MUSICAL OFFERING
 
WORDS OF WORSHIP 
“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel the Lord Maker; 7for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” Psalm 96:6-7
 
GATHERING PRAYER 
We ask, o Lord, as we gather to worship You, we might put other things aside. We want to bring ourselves to You so we can be more what You want us to be. We want to put aside the things that distract us so easily and focus on You. Help us to do that. Amen.
 
CONFESSION AND PARDON.
Almighty Father; we enter your presence confessing the things we try to conceal from you and the things we try to conceal from others. We confess the heartbreak, worry, and sorrow we have caused, that make it difficult for others to forgive us, the times we have made it easy for others to do wrong, the harm we have done that makes it hard for us to forgive ourselves. Lord have mercy and forgive us through Christ. Amen.
 
ASSSURANCE OF PARDON 
Psalm 103:8-12 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
 
OFFERING PEACE 
In the name and power of Christ we have been forgiven and are children of God amen.
 
INTERLUDE
 
                                                                                           Word
 
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
 May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to You, o God, our Lord and King. amen
 
SCRIPTURE LESSONS 
Philippians 4:4-9
4in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!5your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. the peace of God, transcends all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. You have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. the God of peace be with you.
 
SERMON “Keep on keeping on”
 
The house church at Philippi and Paul have a very special relationship. Philippi was one of the very first Christian fellowships developed by Paul. We all know we feel something different about our first child. We love all our children, but there is something extra in the relationship with the first child. Philippi was one of Paul’s earliest children and so there was a special place in his heart for them. In addition, Paul had received many gifts from that particular church while he was on his many journeys. While Paul may not have thought of Philippi as his “favorite” church, but there was no question they were special to him.
 
The section we read today was written while he was in prison and there was a very real possibility he might be put to death because he was proclaiming Jesus as lord and the Romans did not look with favor upon any lord other than Caesar. Besides that, there was some unrest caused when Paul had established these house churches and the resulting tensions among families had no doubt come to the attention of the Romans. Despite all these factors, the message we hear in this section is one of hope and encouragement.
 
The opening words of today’s lesson seem particularly strange for a person who is in jail with the real possibility of death facing them. “rejoice in the lord always, again I say rejoice.” It is indeed strange if we focus on the word rejoice but if we, like Paul, focus on what the rejoicing is about, the words do not sound so strange. Paul is not suggesting we should rejoice blindly, like the words of the popular movie, The Lion King, those words go like this: “Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase. Hakuna Matata! Ain’t no passing craze. it means no worries for the rest of your days” 
 
This is not what Paul was advising. He was not the cock-eyed optimist from the musical “Oklahoma” his rejoicing was very clearly focused on one thing and one thing only: rejoice in the lord. Rejoice in the act of Christ’s sacrifice for us, rejoice in the fact that we now have access to eternal life. Rejoice in the fact that we now can be admitted to the kingdom of heaven. Paul’s rejoicing was very focused, it was rejoicing because of what all Christians have gained because of what God has done for us in the act of Christ’s death and resurrection.
 
He goes on to say, “do not worry about anything, but in prayer and supplication let your requests be known to God”. Again, we ask ourselves, how can a person in prison, with the possibility of death possibly say do not worry? We say to ourselves; how can we NOT worry about things around us? we can lift up a multitude of reasons for Paul to worry and we can easily see as many things for us to worry about. How can we not worry?
 
Again, we need to keep ourselves focused on the whole message, not just one part. He reminds us to “let our requests be known to God”. He says this with the assurance of one who is speaking of a loving parent. He does not say every request will be granted any more than a truly loving parent will grant every request of their children. If that were the case, every child who “really, really, really wants a pony” would have one. The loving parent will respond with the things that are beneficial and helpful for the child so they are well and safe.
 
Paul is one who knows very well that things do not always go the way you would like them to. He has often been rejected, particularly by his own people, the Jews he truly hoped would accept the message Christ has brought. He has been jailed several times, he has been beaten as a result of the message he delivered to the people, more than once, he has been run out of town by people who truly did not want to have anything to do with what he was saying. Yet, in the face of all that he could tell people to rejoice always. Clearly, either he was demented or he knew something worth knowing. We need to listen carefully to the things Paul says to the Philippians so we can see how it is possible to have this attitude especially in difficult times.
 
In the 8th verse he gives a litany of the things we should focus on. “finally, brothers, whatever is t rue, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things.” He has made a big shift, instead of the things we can find to worry about, he gives his listeners things which are uplifting, things which are positive and things which can give a person hope.  If, instead of worrying, a person can focus on these sorts of things, the world will, indeed, look brighter and you will feel better.
 
At the end of the reading he says, “keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.” Paul is doing a very dangerous thing, he is holding himself up as a role model, someone to look at and imitate. He is saying, you have seen me and heard me. You know the things I have taught and the things I stand for. Keep those things in your mind and work toward being like that.
 
When it is said in that way, we tend to shy away because it sounds very egotistical. It can sound as if Paul is telling people that if they are just like him, then all will be well. Everything will work out to the good. There are not many of us who would advise people to be just like us. we know our weaknesses and our shortcomings and would be reluctant to advise people to copy us. what, then, is Paul really saying?
 
The reason Paul can give this advice is based on the way he saw himself. In Romans, he calls himself a servant, other times, he refers to himself as an apostle. Neither of these words are words indicating a leader, but someone in a secondary position. A servant is under the orders of their master. The needs and considerations of the servant are not as important as the needs and consideration of the master. A servant is charged to carry out the wishes of the master fully and without question. The master, in their society, literally had the power of life and death over as servant. The word apostle is sometimes also translated as follower, or disciple. One who is dedicated themselves to the teaching of another person. The teacher has set the pathway and the task of the apostle is to follow.
 
Therefore, if the people of Philippi are doing the things Paul is doing, they are acting not as followers of Paul, but as followers, and servants, of the same Christ Paul is following. Paul, then, is not really saying they are to be like him, but rather they are to put themselves forward as servants, as followers of Christ, rather than being egotistical, Paul is telling the people to look past him and see the Christ he is following.
 
The hope and the joy Paul holds forth in this letter are not based on the things Paul can do. They are based on the things people have seen God do. These things rise from the stories of the OT where God rescued his people again and again even though they were often rebellious and totally disregarded the things God asked of them. It is a hope based on the things Jesus lifted up before them. It is the hope of salvation and the promise of the kingdom of God. It is a hope that can, indeed, rejoice always.
As I read the scripture lessons for this Sunday, this particular one seemed to speak to me about the things surrounding us in our world today. there were many reasons Paul could have rightfully been worried, there were many reasons Paul rightly could have been downhearted and yet he was able to hold forth this note of hope. He was in prison; he was far away from all his friends and supporters. He had no idea what the outcome of this time in prison might be. Communication from his friends was slow and undependable and would take a long time to reach him. Despite all this, he held forth this note of hope.
 
As I reflected on this, I began to see all the reasons we can easily be worried about things going on around us. we are in the midst of one of the worst health care situations all over the world since the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918. We are approaching ¼ million deaths in our country alone. Every time we begin to think things might be getting better, it seems they take another nosedive. We can easily give ourselves over to worry about the epidemic and its impact on our lives.
 
One of the side effects of the epidemic is its impact on our economy. Everywhere we look businesses are either shut down or operating on a very limited basis. The unemployment rate is at historic numbers. Many businesses we once looked upon as leaders are furloughing employees or flat shutting down parts of their operation. Along with these things we are in the midst of one of the most disruptive political seasons most of us can remember. Almost every political ad we see tells us how crooked the other person is. I have a really difficult time remembering the last time I have seen an ad telling me why I should vote for a particular candidate. It is far easier to recall the ads that tell me why I should NOT vote for a particular candidate. Conversations between friends can become very strained if one lifts up a particular candidate. To be in favor of the other candidate can easily be an invitation for some nasty remark rather than an invitation for healthy debate or discussion. It is really easy to find reasons to worry
.
Along comes Paul and tells me, “rejoice in the lord, always, again I say rejoice” and I want to scream “CAN’T YOU SEE WHAT’S GOING ON RIGHT AROUND US? HOW CAN YOU TELL ME TO REJOICE?”  when I catch my breath, I remember all that he said rather than just the word rejoice. His call was “Rejoice in the lord”. Then I can calm down a bit. Perhaps I can get my head straight and remember Paul is NOT telling me to rejoice in the things that are happening around me, but to rejoice in the good news of the gospel. He is calling me to rejoice in the blessings I have received because of the grace and love offered through Christ’s sacrifice. Then, indeed, there is reason to rejoice.
 
When I can see these things, it is easier to recall the words of the old hymn, “on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand” I can rejoice. Not because of the pandemic, not because of the shaky economy, not because of the hostile political situation, but because of the promises offered to those who call on the name of the lord. As long as I can keep this clear in my head then I can, indeed, echo Paul, “rejoice in the Lord”
 
Paul then tells me to present my requests before God. Not as some magic Genii who will grant three wishes because I possess the magic lamp, but as a loving parent who will respond in a loving way. Paul did not want to go to jail. He certainly did not want to be rejected by his fellow Jews. He did not want to be run out of town. He did not want to be beaten. None of those things were on his wish list. As these things happened, I have no doubt he prayed to God they might be changed. Instead, God took those things and used them as ways for Paul to be able to present the gospel message in many different ways. God used those times as ways for the churches he had founded to express their care and concern for him with letters and other gifts. The requests Paul made were not honored, instead, God used these situations for both Paul and his fledgling churches to grow in understanding what it really meant to be a servant.
 
When we present our requests before God, we may not get the answer we expect. Instead, we may get something that seems like a bad answer at the time but as things develop, we discover the answer we got was a great deal richer than what we had asked for. Some writer once said God has 3 answers to prayer: there is yes, there is no, and there is, I have a better idea. This is what Paul is telling us as he says to let our requests be known, Paul wants us to know God will answer as a loving parent, not always giving us what we ask for, but giving us that which is good for us.
 
The list of things on which Paul wants us to focus is there to help us when we get caught in the trap of worrying. Instead of the worry, lift up the things around you that are true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent and worthy of praise. If we can get ourselves to lift these sorts of things, then we are not worrying.
The evening news we watch usually ends with a short uplifting story. Someone who has done something to help another person, someone who took a bad situation and turned it to something good. It is an attempt to end the broadcast on a positive note rather than all the bad things we have just heard during the news.
 
This is not what Paul is advising. He does not want us to take 5 minutes at the end of the day to lift up these things. He wants us to develop the habit of keeping ourselves focused on those attributes all during the day. The more we can get ourselves to focus on these uplifting things, the less time we will have to worry. It is really difficult to focus intently on more than one thing at a time. And so, Paul wants us to lift up the things which contribute to our peace, our sense of well being and those things which will benefit those around us as well.
 
At the end of our reading he tells the Philippians, and us, “keep on doing the things you have learned and received and heard and seen.” In other words, keep on keeping on. That doesn’t sound very exciting. We get very tired of the same old same old. We want to go on to something new and exciting. Paul’s advice to stay with that which has been beneficial in the past is sound advice.
 
Whether it is an exercise program, a diet or something else, we gain more from them when we continue to do them over a period of time. None of these sorts of things will be any real benefit to us if we only do them for a week or two. For the benefits to really begin to show up, we need to establish them as a regular part of our life.
 
In the same way, as we go through this time of pandemic, as we go through this time of political tension, as we go through this time of uncertain economy, we need to keep on doing the things we have been doing before. As individuals, we need to keep our time of prayer and bible study. We need to participate in worship, either in person or by means of the video sermons that are available. As a congregation, we need to continue finding ways we can minister to those around us. the congregation where I attend has reached out to the local school to ask how the teachers and students can be helped. Other churches have found ways to be involved in food pantries and other things which will help people during this time.
 
 Other churches have asked their deacons to make phone calls to those who live alone, just to check in on them, see if they need anything and express the love and concern of the congregation. While the events do bring us to do things in different ways, there are still many ways we can continue to show the love of Christ to our neighbors. We need to find ways to keep on doing the things we have always done.
 
There is no question that doing these things makes us feel good. We are happy when we have found ways to feed those who are hungry, to lift up those who are lonely, to do something for people we will probably never meet. At the same time, we know we are fulfilling the mandate we have about caring for those around us. we may not be able to do the acts of mission in person, but when we find ways to do the things we have always done, we are strengthened as a congregation.
 
When we have been part of the Christian fellowship for a while, we have seen people lift up their needs as well as celebrate answers to prayer. we have rejoiced with those who rejoice and mourned with those who mourn. In these days, when everything is different, we need to find ways to do the things we have learned. We can’t visit in person, but we can call. We are called to do the things we have done so the fellowship is maintained between us and so each of us can find ways to express our care for one another.
 
We are called to rejoice always, not because everything around us is light and clear skies, but because we know the love and power of God. We are called to bring our requests to God because we know God cares for His children and will respond in ways that are good for us. we are called to focus on the good around us because we are the people of the good news of the gospel, finally, we are called to keep on doing the things we have learned and seen and heard because we have seen over time the benefits of these things and we want others to understand their power. Indeed, we are called to keep on keeping on.
 
 
AFFIRMATION                Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version
 
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 at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
 
                                                                Sending
 
CHARGE & BLESSING
 we are charged to continue the acts of love we are now doing and to constantly search for ways to minister. Now, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the holy spirit be with you all, Amen                                           
 
POSTLUDE
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October 04, 2020 Worship Services A Hands-On God Rev. Kristy Parker

10/3/2020

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SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY 
October 04, 2020

Schedule reminders:October 04 2020
The office is reopened
Church Service 9:30 am
PRELUDE 
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
Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
The bulletins were placed specifically for social distancing, one  household per pew. Please sit exactly where you found your bulletin.
Please keep your masks on and remain seated through the whole service.
There will be no singing, and no physical contact.
You may read along silently,
Schedule reminders:
The office is reopened
Church Service 9:30 am, This is World Communion & Peace & Global Witness  you should have gotten an envelope about this and a percentage of the offering stays here in Clinton and is going to the Vinson Jetter Youth Center 
 
WORDS OF WORSHIP
O praise the Lord with me,
Let us exalt God’s name together.
 
GATHERING PRAYER
Almighty God, in Jesus Christ you have ordered us to live as loving neighbors. Though we are scattered in different places, speak different words, or descend from different races, give us common concern, so that we may be one people, who share the governing of the world under your guiding purpose. We pray that all people might enter your community of love promised in Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
 
CONFESSION AND PARDON
Gracious Lord, creator of this universe, in your generosity you have given us a world of abundance and diversity, yet we live guided by greed and selfishness. We confess that we have defaced your creation and poisoned our environment through our consumerist behavior and for personal gain. In Christ, you made us brothers and sisters and intended for us to be united, and yet we have built walls to separate us from those who are different from us. You gave us wisdom and creativity and we have used those to develop of destruction and death. You gave us laws to order our lives and we have abused them to take revenge and punish our enemies. We love war rather than strive for peace. We ignore the poor and the weak and honor the rich and powerful. In all this we have not lived according to your will. Forgive us, Lord, for daring to boast in our human achievements and for failing to recognize that you alone are worthy of praise. In your mercy, forgive us our sins.
Hear the good news: God’s love is everlasting. He doesn’t judge us according to our sins or repay us according to our iniquities. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is God’s love for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west so far does he remove our sins from us. In Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven.
 
OFFERING PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you.
 
INTERLUDE
 
                                                    Word
 
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that as the Scriptures are read and your Word is proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today. Amen.
 
SCRIPTURE LESSONS               
 Psalm 19
9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. 11 By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.12 But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. 14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
 
                                                       Exodus 20: 1-4,
20 1And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
 
 
Exodus 20: 7-9, 
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 
 
Exodus 20:12-20
12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning
 
SERMON                                        “A Hands-On God”

I was watching TV the one day, and a commercial came on about the unfortunate way our children today are addicted to video games. 
 
  • A little boy is sitting on the floor in front of the TV holding the control. 
  • As the camera zooms in on him, he has a crazed look on his face. 
  • He is totally absorbed in the TV screen, and oblivious to everything else around him. 
  • The rest of the family is ready to eat dinner, and his mother is calling him to the table, but he’s so wrapped up in his game that he doesn’t even hear or, or chooses to ignore her.
 
I thought it was going to be one of those service messages encouraging parents to take back their authority and set boundaries for their children. 
 
  • I expected the mother or father to go over and turn the game off, take the child by the hand and lead him to the table. 
  • I was shocked and amazed when instead, a device called the “Power Cop” flashed onto the screen. 
  • It was a small electronic box that one could plug into the video game or computer game and it would shut the game off after a certain time.
  • It seemed ridiculous to me that a family would need to invest $29.99 in the “Power Cop” when the mother and father were both right there in the room, and could just go over and turn the game off themselves.
  • But more than seeming ridiculous and unnecessary, it seemed sad – sad that parents would give the privilege and responsibility of guiding their children over to a box. 
  • Sad that parents would miss out on the chance to nurture a relationship with their child in which he would come to know that they set boundaries for him because they love him, and have his health and happiness in mind. 
  • Sad for a child to miss out on the firm, yet loving voice and touch of a parent’s leading. 
  • It seems that setting boundaries and nurturing relationships is just too much for us, anymore. 
  • It’s just a lot easier to go to “remote control.”
 
I wonder what would have happened to Israel if God would have purchased a “Power Cop” and decided to deal with them by “remote control.” 
 
  • What would have happened if God had looked down upon his children and despaired at them and decided it was just too much for him?
  • Imagine it – God looks down upon his children and sees that they are so absorbed in their games that they have time for little else. 
  • His children have crazed looks on their faces and they’re so riveted to the games that they can’t even come to the table when he calls them.
  • Nahor is worshiping idols today, and Milcah is swearing at him using God’s name. 
  • Zibeon is working 24/7 with no time off. 
  • Abdeel is defying his parents. 
  • Eliphaz is into adultery and his wife is furious enough to kill him.
  • Timna is stealing and Abimelech is spreading rumors around town.
  • Eshban and Ithran are just trying to keep up with the neighbors, who always seem to have more.
 
God observes the games they’re playing and heaves a sigh. 
 
  • “I must invest in a Power Cop,” he says to himself. 
  • “The children are too unruly, and they have ignored my voice for too long. 
  • I’ve had it.
  • I think I’ll just plug them and their games into a box and forget about them. 
  • It sure would be a load off of my mind.
  • So Nahor and Milcah, Zibeon and Abdeel, Eliphaz and Timna, Abimelech, Eshban and Ithran have thirty minutes more to play before the Power Cop will shut them off by remote control. 
  • Then they’ll sit there like robots waiting for the next time they get to play.
 
Fortunately for Israel, God chose not to let a box parent his children. 
 
  • He was the parent and he would take active part in their discipline. 
  • It was he who had made them and given them life. 
  • It was he who had freed them from the bonds of slavery in Egypt. 
  • All that they had, all that they were, had come from him, and he alone had the right to speak and to command. 
  • He would not give up his authority to a box. 
  • He would not operate by remote control.
  • He would take them by the hand and lead them to the table. 
  • He would be a “hands-on” God.
 
After God had delivered the Israelites and they were camped in the wilderness of Sinai, he called to Moses from the mountain and said, “Say to Israel, ‘I am the one who saved you. 
 
  • You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 
  • Now if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. 
  • The whole earth is mine, but you are special to me. 
  • You are a holy nation. 
  • I’m lifting you up to be a light to all people.
 
Now this is what is necessary that you do if you are to live out the purpose I’ve created you for:
 
  • ‘You must be loyal only to me. 
  • No carved gods of any size, shape or form. 
  • Don’t bow down to them, and don’t serve them, because I am a jealous God, punishing the children for any sins their parents pass onto them, but I’m unswervingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments. 
  • There are other “gods” out there that will compete for your attention.
  • Choose me and only me. 
  • Don’t curse in my name or invoke my power for things that aren’t about me or for my purpose,
  • honor your parents because it is they who will pass the faith to you.
  • You have six days to get everything done.
  • Keep one day holy just for me. 
  • Don’t keep working to exhaustion just for more money and more power. 
  • Have respect for life. 
  • Don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t sleep with other people’s spouses, and don’t envy what other people have. 
  • This is what you need to do to be healthy and happy, to be in loving relationship with me and with one another. 
  • God wrote the commandments on two stone tablets.
 
Even as God was speaking to Moses, giving him the law, the people were down at the foot of the mountain absorbed their games. 
 
  • They had gotten tired of waiting for Moses to return and they’d taken all of their earrings off and molded them into a golden calf to worship.
  • As Moses came down from the mountain, he saw them with crazed looks on their faces eating and drinking, and rising up to dance around the calf. 
  • When Moses came near the camp and saw them running wild, he was furious and he threw the tablets from his hands and broke them. 
  • He took the calf that they had made and burned it in the fire and ground it into fine powder. 
  • And then he stood in the gate at the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord’s side?  Come to me.”
 
Then making intercession for the people, Moses went the next day on their behalf to ask God for forgiveness. 
  • And God was good.
  • “You are a stiff-necked people,” he said. 
  • “I want you to take your people and leave this place. 
  • My presence will go with you. 
  • Cut two new tablets of stone and I will write on them the same words that were on the old ones.” 
  • And Moses bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. 
  • He said, “Oh Lord, I pray, go with us. 
  • Although this is a stiff-necked people, pardon our sin, and take us for your own.”
  • And the Lord made a covenant to perform marvels, to do an awesome thing among his people.
 
A hands-on God. 
 
  • He refused to give his authority over to a box, to leave them to their games, to let them sit there with crazed looks on their faces, gazing at the calf. 
  • Instead he took them by the hand and led them out again. 
  • He was the parent, and he wouldn’t let his children be lost to their games.
  • I wonder what would have happened if God had decided to purchase a “Power Cop” and deal with Israel by remote control.
  • If he had decided it was just too much. 
  • It would have brought God pain and sorrow to miss out on nurturing a relationship with his children where they would come to know and understand that he set boundaries for them because he loves them. 
  • It would have been sad for his children to miss out on the firm, yet loving voice and touch of a parent’s leading.
 
We live in a permissive society today where it’s not too popular to follow God’s law. 
  • We don’t want any rules or conventions intruding on our personal freedom. 
  • We don’t have to look far to see that God’s children are playing games. 
  • The golden calf is alive and well and we’re running wild, playing at lying, stealing and adultery.
  • We’re killing and swearing, working 24/7 to try and keep up with the neighbors. 
  • God is calling us to the table, and we don’t even hear him, or we choose to ignore him.
  • It’s a real pain in the neck to quit what we’re doing to follow a bunch of rules. 
  • If he wanted to, God could buy a “Power Cop.” 
  • He could shut us down anytime he wanted and let us sit there unchanged and addicted to our habits, waiting for the next time we get to play.
 
But the truth is, he loves us too much for that.
  • God has made us, and he’s taken us by the hand and led us out of Egypt. 
  • He has liberated us from slavery, and now he refuses to let us be held captive by our sins, refuses to let us stay in the bondage of our games.
  • He takes us by the hand and he teaches us what we need to do to be healthy and happy, how we must be, in relationship with him and with one another. 
  • His law isn’t a harsh means of restricting us from freedom and fun. 
  • It is pure grace. 
  • It is relationship with a God who loves us enough to give us boundaries, who loves us enough to forgive us when we screw up,
  • and to continue to walk with us, to never take his presence from us.
  • It is a gift of love from a hands-on God. 
It is the God who loved us so much that when he saw we couldn’t keep the law, came to Earth to be physically present with us, to show us by his own example what he meant by love and fidelity and honor and rest and loyalty to God and God alone. 
 
  • He is the God who opened his hands to feed us and laid hands on us to heal us. 
  • He is the God who turned off our games, took us by the hand and led us to the table and said, “This is my body given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.” 
  • He’s the God who carried his cross up the hill, who took the nails in his hands, who rose again and appeared to his people alive, who lifted his hands and said, “I am with you always.”
 
A Hands-On God. 
 
  • A God who cares about us so much that he refuses to deal with us by remote control. 
  • Who loves us enough to give us boundaries for our own health and happiness. 
  • “Be loyal to me,” he says. 
  • “Don’t curse in my name. 
  • Honor your parents, take time for rest.
  • Don’t lie, don’t gossip, don’t steal, don’t sleep with other peoples’ spouses, don’t envy what other people have. 
  • I love you. 
  • Here – take my hand. 
  • It’s time to turn off the game and come to the table.
 
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.      
 
 
AFFIRMATION   Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version
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.
 
COMMUNION WITH PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION AND THANKSGIVING AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

Holy Communion Liturgy

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S SUPPER

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks & praise.
O Holy God. . . we lift our hearts in joyful praise 
We praise you. . . together, we proclaim the mystery of our faith.
Gracious God,...all glory and honor are yours, Almighty God, now and forever.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. 
 
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
 
CHARGE & BLESSING   


POSTLUDE             
 

 
 




 
 

 
 
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September 27, 2020 Worship Services Walking on Water Rev. Kristy Parker

9/26/2020

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SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY 
September 27, 2020

Schedule reminders:
The office is reopened
Church Service 9:30 am
PRELUDE 

WORDS OF WORSHIP
 
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it!                       
 
GATHERING PRAYER
 
Oh God, we praise you, we worship you, we adore you.
You hold the heavens in your hand, all stars rejoice in your glory.
You come in the sunrise and the song of the morn
and bless the splendor of the noonday. 
The stars in their courses magnify you,
day and night tell of your glory.
Your peace blows over the earth
and the breath of your mouth fills all space.
Your voice comes in the thunder of the storm
and the song of the wind whispers of your majesty.
You satisfy all things living with your abundance
and our hearts bow at your presence.
Accept us, your children, Eternal God,
and hearken to our prayer.
Bend over us, Eternal Love, and bless us. Amen.
 
CONFESSION AND PARDON
 
Merciful God, in your gracious presence, we confess our sin and the sin of this world. Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves as we cling to the values of a broken world. The profit and pleasures we pursue lay waste to the land and pollute the seas. The fears and jealousies we harbor set neighbor against neighbor and nation against nation. We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom, of intellect and reason, and have turned them into bonds of oppression. Lord, have mercy upon us; heal and forgive us. Set us free to serve you in the world as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ.
 
OFFERING PEACE
 
The peace of Christ be with you.
 
INTERLUDE
 
                                                    Word
 
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
 
Guide us, O God, by your Word and Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find freedom, and in your will discover your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
 
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
 
Psalm 46: 1-11
 
1 God is our refuge strength, an ever-present trouble. 2we will not fear, the earth give way and the mountains fall the heart of the sea,3its waters roar foam and the mountains quake their surging.[ c]  4is a river streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High. 5God is within her, will not fall; will help at break of day.  6in uproar,; he lifts his voice, earth melts. 7with us; the God of Jacob our fortress.  8 Come and see what the done, the desolations has brought on the earth.  9makes wars to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; burns the shields[ d]fire. 10He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; will be exalted among the nations,  I will be exalted in the earth.”  11Lordis with us ;God of Jacob our fortress. 
 
Matthew 14:22-33
 
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.  27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
 
SERMON                                        “Walking on Water”
 
        My husband Tom and I just returned from a trip to the Boundary Waters.
  • It’s a beautiful wilderness area near the Canadian Border. 
  • The Boundary Waters experience is a mixed bag
  • There’s the wonder and awe at the magnificent beauty and incredible stillness of nature,
  • And then there’s the backbreaking work of paddling your canoe through headwinds and carrying your worldly belongings on your back over long portages.
  • It’s camping on an island and being bitten by mosquitoes on the long muddy trail to the hole in the ground that serves as your restroom in the middle of the night.
  • It’s a trip we’ve taken with various configurations of our family over the years.
 
   You get to know your traveling companions really well. 

  • Tom had the great fortune to share a canoe with my sister and me on one of our trips.
  •  He was in the stern steering.
  •  I was in the bow – apparently that’s supposed to be the “powerhouse” of the canoe – poor Tom. 
  • And my sister was in the middle seat. 
  • For some reason, we were far behind everyone else in our group. 
  • We were on a tight schedule, because the women in the group were planning to spend just part of the time on the water, and then go to a condo in Grand Marais. 
  • As we paddled, we sang, “Oh happy day, oh happy day, when the ladies go to Grand Marais. 
 
We were out on big water, and heading into a strong wind. 

  • The water was choppy, and the going was slow.
  •  My arms were aching. 
  • Those two-pound weights I’d lifted for a few weeks before the trip hadn’t done the job.
  •  I started to get sort of a desperate feeling. 
  • There was water all around, and I was holding the paddle. 
  • Who else would get us to shore? 
  • There was nothing to do but keep going. 
  • Something compelled me to start singing, and I sang that old hymn, “Stand by Me.”
  • Elvis Presley does a wonderful soulful version of it: 
                  When the storms of life are raging, stand by me;
                  When the storms of life are raging, stand by me;
                  When the world is tossing me like a ship out on the sea,
                  Thou who rules wind and water, stand by me.
 
When I finished, Tom said, “I guess there’s only one Elvis Presley.”

  • Strangely enough, though, the paddling became easier.
  • Maybe the extra breath required for singing helped push us forward
  • kind of like those tennis players who grunt while they’re hitting the ball. 
  • Or maybe it just got our mind off the pain.
  • Still - and I know this is true – there was a presence. 
  • As I sent out the words – “Thou who rules' wind and water, stand by me,” I knew that God was.
 
I said to my sister, “I remember going out on a lake by myself in a rowboat when I was about 14 or so, and getting stuck in a headwind. 

  • I thought I’d never make it back across the lake to the place we were camping.  
  • I fought the wind for what seemed like hours, and as I finally rowed into the shore, I saw my Dad standing there.
  •  He’d been there watching me the whole time.  
Jesus was standing there watching his disciples the whole time. 
​
  • He was supposed to be on “vacation,” or if not vacation, at least a “retreat”
  • He’d tried a couple of times to get away for a while
  • It wasn’t just that the work had been strenuous, though it was
  • Jesus’ time was always in demand
  • Jesus was also grieving the loss of his friend John the Baptist
  • He’d gone off by himself to pray
  • But when the people in the surrounding villages heard that he was in the area, they followed him there.
  •  Having compassion for them, Jesus healed them and then fed them – 5000 of them- with the loaves and fishes
  •  It had been a hectic, demanding time, as feeding a large group of people usually is​
  • Jesus wanted to try for some solitude again
  • So, he put his disciples into a boat and sent them on ahead of him across the lake, and he went up to the mountain by himself to pray
 
When Jesus opened his eyes and looked across the lake, he could see that they were in trouble.

  • the boat was already a long way out, and it was being whipped and tossed by the wind. 
  • In ancient times, the nights were divided into four segments. 
  • The “fourth watch,” which it was called, would have been from 3 AM to 6AM, so it was at this hour in the middle of the night that Jesus, concerned for his disciples’ safety, went walking toward them across the water.
  • The disciples were terrified. 
  • For one thing, to be caught in a storm in the middle of a lake was a fisherman’s worst nightmare. 
  • For another thing, in those times, people perceived the sea as a place of monsters and devils. 
  • They thought Jesus was a ghost. 
  • Desperate from battling the waves, and spooked by the sight of a figure walking on top of the water toward them in the dark, they cried out in fear. 
  • But Jesus was quick to calm them, to tell them not to be afraid; it was only him.
 
Peter wasn’t really sure it was him. 

  • Hovering in the boat, he asked for proof, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come out on the water to you.” 
  • And Jesus said, “Come.”
  • Peter must have had faith it was the Lord, because he did it. 
  • He stepped out of the boat and started to walk, to walk toward Jesus like a toddler trying out his legs for the first time as his parent waits.
  • He was doing well, walking on water, but then the wind whipped across his face and distracted him, and he began to focus on that instead of on Jesus, and as he did, he started to sink. 
  • But he must have walked on water just long enough to know that it truly was Jesus out there, because he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
 
And immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. 

  • And looking at Peter, shaking his head a bit, he asked him, “Why did you doubt?” 
  • Walking together then, they stepped into the boat, and as they did, the wind died down. 
  • Jesus was back in the boat, back with his disciples, and they were safe.
  • It was so good to have the Lord back on board. 
  • They worshiped him together, praising him and affirming who he was – the ruler of wind and water – the son of God.     
 
How are things in your boat today?

  • How are you weathering this storm our world is in?
  • The turbulence is unreal – hurricane, fire, violence, pandemic, not to mention the political climate
  • We have personal struggles too –
  • Friends have gotten sick and some have died
  • We can’t reach out or grieve the way we want to
  • People we love are sick, or we struggle with illness ourselves. 
  • Some of us have pain, or disease to deal with 
  • Some have brokenness in our families. 
  • Some of us are worried about children and grandchildren
 
I could go on and on with a whole litany of issues

  • But to do that would depress us even more
  • And dwelling on our problems is not what our text this morning would encourage us to do
  • True, we have to look at our problems so we can see what we’re dealing with
  • we can’t just close our eyes and pretend everything’s fine
  • that’s not what the text advises either
  • what our text this morning does tell us to do is acknowledge that there’s a dreadful storm going on around us, yes
  • but also, to look up, away from the waves and see that Jesus is walking on water towards us
  • If we look up, away from our problems for even a second, we might be able to see him there in the darkness, extending his hand. 
  • We might realize he’s been keeping an eye on us from the shore
  • He sees we’re in trouble, and now he’s reaching out for us, motioning for us to come to him, to step out of the boat, to trust him.
 
We’re not sure. 

  • Maybe it’s not even him. 
  • The boat is familiar; it’s tangible; it’s what we know. 
  • We can feel the gunnels under our hands and it gives us something to hold onto. 
  • We have a tendency to want to fight the storms of our lives ourselves.
  • We want to paddle ourselves silly. 
  • We want to tackle the headwinds ourselves, so we watch the sky; we watch the waves. 
  • We’re afraid that if we take our eyes off of them, we might capsize.   
          
It’s natural for us as human beings to focus on our problems. 

  • If we’re thinking about them and worrying about them, we feel like we’re in control. 
  • But actually, the opposite is true. 
  • The more we dwell on things, and try to figure things out ourselves, the more serious our situation seems, the more convoluted our thinking becomes. 
  • We begin to lose perspective when we take our eyes off Jesus. 
  • Our lives become rockier, and our problems become more complicated when we try to solve them without his help. 
  • Pretty soon, we’re sinking.
 
Jesus is walking on water, and he wants us to let go of the sides of the boat, to let go of the defense mechanisms and ways we have found to cope with things ourselves, to step out, and walk toward him.  
  • He wants us to trust him. 
  • When we keep our eyes on Jesus, we see perfect love, perfect forgiveness, perfect peace. 
  • He embodies everything we need for our lives, whatever we’re going through. 
  • When we keep looking at him instead of looking at our circumstances, our lives begin to change. 
  • We begin to embody the same thing he does – love, forgiveness, and peace.
 
The same is true for the church. 

  • In Matthew’s gospel, many scholars believe that the boat is a metaphor for the church. 
  • It was a community of new believers in the process of growing in faith. 
  • It was easy for them to take their eyes off of Jesus, to fail to trust him.
  • If we see the boat as being symbolic of the church, the point is obvious. 
  • The church that takes its eyes off of Jesus and focuses on the storm around it is in serious danger of sinking.
  • Or when a church focuses on its own internal problems and tries to solve them apart from Jesus it also gets into trouble. 
  • When we operate apart from Jesus we’re no longer the church, but simply another group of people battling it out our own way, under our own power.
  
There’s another possibility in this text too. 

  • Matthew says that Jesus “made the disciples get into the boat, and he sent them ahead across the lake.” 
  • The place they were headed to was an area associated with the Gentiles. 
  • Jesus seemed to be stressing the necessity of extending the mission beyond Israel. 
  • The storm on the lake is symbolic of the opposition that the early church encountered when they tried to take their mission to others.
  • It’s the same opposition we encounter today. 
  • Offering Jesus to others, extending the mission is difficult.
  • But we’re called to keep stepping out of the boat, reaching out to others, offering to others the strength and peace that’s been offered to us
 Our calling, in our personal lives, and in our lives as a church, is to keep our eyes on Jesus. 
  • He’s walking on water toward us, holding out his hand, ready to catch us. 
  • How much easier and more satisfying life is when we look at him instead of focusing on our problems
  • It takes a constant effort to keep our eyes on Jesus. 
  • The enemy wants to sink us by making us look at all the disasters around us. 
We need to seek help from the Scriptures continually, spend time with Jesus, pray to him, and ask him for his help.
 
Take some time, every day, to close your eyes, to picture Jesus walking toward you across the water. 
  • It can be early in the morning; it can be before you go to bed; it can be anytime. 
  • Any time you feel yourself sinking, go to Jesus. 
  • Don’t try to battle the headwinds yourself. 
  • Don’t hold so tightly onto the side of the boat. 
  • Step out, trust him. 
  • He is perfect love, perfect forgiveness, perfect peace. 
  • That’s what he wants us to be too. 
  • And we can be, if we keep our eyes on him.
 
So what lake are you paddling on today?  What’s in your boat?  What do you need to step out of your boat to do with Jesus’ help?

  • Whatever it is, one thing is sure ~ Jesus is there
  • Jesus is always watching over us
  • Jesus is always ready to help us walk on water
  • Always ready to reach out and catch us, to keep us from falling
  • Jesus is always willing to step into our boat, to still the wind and waves, even in the most serious of headwinds
 
The amazing thing is that when we let go and take the risk to trust him, we find the courage for whatever we’re facing.

  • Out on those great, pristine waters, in that incredible stillness, we remember who’s in control
  • Thou who rules wind and water, stand by me.
 
Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer
 
O God, maker of the sun and the moon, the earth and the sky, ruler of wind and water, our maker, we know that you hear our prayer and we trust you with our lives.
 
Walk with us in the hour of our grief – for we have lost much – people we love, former ways of living and being.  Hold us close and comfort us.
 
Walk with us in our pain, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.  Lay hands on us and heal us from the diseases we battle, from conditions that affect our sight, our hearing, our movement, our breath.
 
Walk with our families and friends and give us joy in the presence of one another.  Release us from our worries and fears and help us to surrender our loved ones into your care.  Bring reconciliation where there is discord and help us to honor you in the way we honor others.
 
Walk with your church in these challenging times and keep us focused on your love.  Keep us reaching outward instead of looking inward. Make us a beacon of light to show the way, an extended hand to a hungry crowd or a faltering neighbor or stranger.
 
Walk with our country in these turbulent times.  Still the flood waters and restore your divine order to your creation.  Tame the words of hatred that come from careless speech and heartless acts.
 
Walk with our world, tossed in the sea of chaos.  Shine down your love that we might receive your brilliance.  You tell us you have overcome the world and so we place it and everything in it in your hands.
 
Walk with us Lord, in greater trust, in greater service, in greater love for Christ, who taught us to pray, “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on 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                Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version
 
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.
 
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION AND THANKSGIVING AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
 
                                                                Sending
 
CHARGE & BLESSING                                                                                                    
 
POSTLUDE
 


 
 

 
 
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September 20, 2020 Worship Services Are you jealous because I am generous? James Camp

9/20/2020

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​SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
September 20, 2020

Schedule reminders:
The office and the rest of the building remain closed, but you can contact Karla during her office hours.
PRELUDE
 
WORDS OF WORSHIP- “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the lord’” (Psalm 122:1)
 
GATHERING PRAYER-We come before You, O God, because You have loved us and invited us to part of Your kingdom. Still our restlessness, calm our anxieties, open our ears and our hearts that we may hear what You have to say to us and for us. In Jesus’ name we ask, Amen
 
CONFESSION AND PARDON –We come before you Lord, knowing full well we have not always been faithful servants. We have failed to do many things we should have done; we have done many things we should not have done and there is no health in us. We confess we have sinned against You and harmed our neighbors and loved ones with our actions and our words. Because of Your great mercy and love You offer us forgiveness. We beg You for that forgiveness in Jesus name, Amen
 
PARDON- “God proves His love for us in that, while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8) in the name and power of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven people.
 
                                                Word
 
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION-May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to You, our Lord and Savior, Amen.
 
SCRIPTURE LESSON Matthew 20:1-15
 
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
 
20“For the kingdom of heaven is like landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. Agreed to pay them a denarius [a]the day and sent them into his vineyard. 3“About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. Told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right. ‘they went. “He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. Five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’7“‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’ 8“When evening came, owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’  9“The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. When those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. They received it; they began to grumble the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat the day.’ 13“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. But you agree to work for a denarius? Your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
 
SERMON- “Are you jealous because I am generous?”
 
         There is one thing we need to be really clear about as we were to way through this parable: it is NOT advice on how to run a business.   Jesus did not intend this parable to be used as instructions on how employers should treat their workers. There is no business that could survive a month if they followed the example of this parable. When we work with this parable, we have to keep in mind the 1st few words we read today: “The kingdom of God is like”- what we are looking at is Jesus showing his followers and us something about God, not something about business.
     Now let’s put this parable into everyday content but to do that, I need your help for a minute. How many of you have children raised your hands?   Now, how many of you NEVER heard a child yell out THAT” S NOT FAIR? Raise your hands. When you boil this parable down, that is the complaint of the workers. Somehow or the other they had to, they had a definite feeling they got the short end of the stick, and they are raising an objection.   In this parable, Jesus is showing us the difference between our sense of what is fair and God’s sense of what is right.
 Suppose for a minute you are the guy who was hired early in the day.   You were down at the town square before daylight, hoping someone would need help harvesting their crop. The usual workday is Sunup to Sundown, but the pay was enough to feed your family for a couple of days with a bit of money left over. The landowner offers you a usual day’s wage for a day’s work. You agree, and you go to the field and begin working.
    About 9, you see the landowner coming with the more workers; you ask one what his agreement was, and the worker says the landowner promised to pay what is right. Again, at noon at 3 and at 5 you see more workers come in. You think to yourself the fellow hired at 5 might make enough to buy his family supper, but what should he get since he only worked an hour or so. 
     When the Sun goes down, the manager lined up the workers up with the last at the front of the line. You are at the end of the line because you were the first one hired. Suddenly a buzz starts through the line “the workers who were hired last that a full day’s pay”. Immediately you begin to wonder how much you will get since you worked all day. Surely, they will be extra since I bore the heat of the day. As the line moves, you notice, each group of workers receive a full day’s pay. There does not seem to be any consideration for those who have worked longer. Still, you hold the expectation that because you worked I full day, you will receive more. 
Then it was your turn.
    You walked to the table, eagerly anticipating a bonus of some sort.  When you received the usual day wage, the same everyone else had received, your immediate response was “THAT’S NOT FAIR”. Surely, it was worth something extra to have to work through the blistering heat of the day. Surely, there should be some difference between those who have worked all day and those who only work for an hour. Your cries of unfairness fill the evening air.
    Because your complaint is so loud, the landowner hears and comes to you. He asked what is your complaint? You paid those workers who worked only an hour of full day’s wage we have worked, and we have worked the full day. That is not fair that we should get the same as them.
The landowner asks, “What did you agree and this morning?” you are forced to answer, “You said the usual pay for a day’s work”. The landowner replies, “You received what you agreed to. If I choose to be generous to someone else, you do not lose anything you are promised, take what you a promise, and go home.”
     As I worked on this, it occurred to me; there is another parable where the point is the different idea of fair and God’s idea of what is right. It usually is called the prodigal son. We all know the story. The oldest demanded his share of the inheritance, took the money, went to a strange land spent everything. He was so destitute he took a job feeding pigs, an animal that the Jews considered unclean; he was so hungry, sometimes he caught in self looking at the pig's food and wondering what it might taste like. Finally, he decided rather than to starve; he would go home, throw himself at the father’s mercy, and take a job as a slave there Instead, the father threw a robe on, and him put on a signet ring and threw a party for everyone.
 When the younger said son heard the party, he was furious. When the father came to ask what was wrong, the son replied, “this son of yours took the family fortune spent it doing God knows what, and when he is about to starve to death, he comes home, and you throw him a party with prime rib for everyone, I work my rear off on this farm never taken is much is the lamb for myself. “ITS NOT FAIR”
    As I thought about these two stories, I wondered about the idea of fairness. I went to one of my Bible search programs and looked up the word fair learn and learn something very interesting,  In the King  James Bible and in the New Revised Standard Bible, God is never described as being fair in his treatment of people. God is often called loving, compassionate, just, and other similar terms, but there is never a place where either in scripture where God is described as fair. This it was something I had never really thought about before. I am still working my way through understanding what that means in terms of these two parables, so this sermon is a part of that process of understanding.
     What I see so far in these two parables may be a way of Illustrating  Isaiah 55: 8- 9 this is God speaking to Isaiah,” For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways higher than your ways,  and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” In both of these parables we see this pointed out clearly. Our human nature tends to agree with the younger son and the worker in the field.
    What has happened is clearly NOT fair. What we need to remind ourselves is these stories are not about the workers; they are not about the two sons; they are about the kingdom of heaven and the way God extends mercy.
    If we go back to the story, the landowner never promised to pay the worker what was fair. If you read the parable closely, the word fair is never in the story. He promised he would pay them” whatever is right” from God’s point of view about what is right and not from our point of what is fair. Again, we have to refer to ourselves to Isaiah’s words about the difference between our ways and the ways of God.
    It is our sense of what is fair that cause the problem in both parables: both the worker in the field and the youngest son had the same idea: I have worked the longest therefore, I should get most for what has done.
That is the way OUR world works. If you work hard, you will get rewarded accordingly, and, when that doesn’t happen, we cried foul. We have to keep reminding ourselves, these stories are not about our world: Jesus was attempting to help us understand something about God’s Kingdom. 
 One of the principal attendant tenants of the protestant faith is that we are not saved by works, but rather we are saved by grace. That is truly the point of both parables. Neither the late worker nor the son earned what they received. They received it because of the mercy of someone else.  In one sense, we know this, and yet there is a bothersome and voice that says, if we have worked hard, we should receive something for it. We have been church members, we have been taught Sunday school, and we have been officers. We had been Pastors. Surely there ought to be something “extra” for us because of what we have done. That would be fair.
    Suppose for a moment that God Was fair. Suppose at the end of our lives; we stand before the throne of judgment, we got what we deserved based on everything we did,  the things we failed to do, and the things we said and the things we failed to say.
    Every false statement we made, every time we spoke cruelly to or about another person, every time we tried to justify some selfish decision we made, every time we judged another person because they did not meet our standards of behavior or dress would be paraded before us and then Gods judgment would be made. Is that really what we want for end our lives?
 I can’t answer that question for you, but for me, the answer is no. I do not want God to judge me on the basis of the things I have done and the things that have left undone. When I stand in the judgment, I do not want what is fair; I do not want what I deserve based and words or acts of my life, I want grace. I want mercy.  To paraphrase and another author, we do not sing a hymn called amazing fairness. We sing a hymn called amazing grace, and that’s the point of these parables are making for us to consider. God ways ARE NOT our ways.
    There are many places where we can see this truth spelled out for us.   John 3:16 is verse we can quote by memory but think about what it REALLY says in the light of this parable. “For God so loved the world he gave his only son, so that whoever believes in Him may not perish, but have everlasting life.” I want to focus on the “whoever” in that verse.
     When Jesus was crucified, there were thieves on each side of him.  One of the thieves turned in pleaded with Jesus to remember him when Jesus came into his Kingdom. Jesus response was, “today, you will be with me in paradise.” A man condemned by Rome at the last-minute pleading with Jesus to be remembered, a truly death row conversion, and wished his granted. The verse says “whoever” and Christ bears witness to that act. Gods grants what is right, not what we might say was fair.
    We sometimes read of a person being convicted of some sort a serious crime, and, when they have been in prison for a while, they suddenly become very religious. Sometimes we look at this with our eyes squinted a bit, suspecting what they have done is put on a show of some sort board the hopes of a later settings or improve conditions. Again, the verse says “whoever,” and we have to considers God sense of what’s right over our sense of what is fair. 
    Looking at Romans 5:8, we see another view: “God proves his love for us while we are still sinners, Christ died for us’” long before any of us were born,  long before our great great grandparents were born, the act of salvation was given on the cross. None of us have done ANYTHING to deserve that. Even if we had worked hard at being in model Christian all of our lives, there is there enough places where we had not lived up to our own expectations, let alone to the things God asks us. There are enough places where we had failed that it would we would be fair of God to condemn us, but the verse does not that say God proves his fairness; it says God proves his love.
 In both of these parables, we see that the cry out to us THAT’S NOT FAIR, but in both stories, we see God is acting in ways that are right. Again, that is the point of the stories Jesus want as to struggle with the concept of the way God sees things sometimes, it makes us considered possibilities we rather not think about. Jesus want us to be clear about the kingdom of God is not given according to what our sense of what is fair. It is given according to God sense of what is right.
    When we balk for one reason or another as the workers or son did, we need to stop and examine what exactly we feel we have lost our why it was unfair. Most of the time, it is because we have been shortchanged in one way or another. As Billy Waterson, a Christian comedian, says, “I know the world is unfair, but why is it never unfair in my direction?’
    Both these parable point to our past concept of what is fair towards the idea of God’s grace, something totally unexpected, totally undeserved, and yet totally wonderful. We all heard something stories about someone drive-in where the customer not only pays for their own meal but for the person behind them as well. Pretty soon, the line has gone as gone forward with each person paying for the one behind them. Because they have received something unexpected, they are doing the same for someone else. There is not a sense of obligation but a sense of sharing a gift that they had received.
  The parables we have worked on today put up a caution sign for us if we think about judging the faith of another person. They teach us it is not our place to judge another based on when or how they came to their faith.
 
We have to come to our faith by a wide variety paths based on the circumstances of our lives. Your path is different from the person beside you for a variety of reasons but you each have come to accept the truth of the message we share. Each of us, regardless of how we came to the truth, is promised the same results, residents in the kingdom of heaven .There are no qualifiers.
    Some Christian scholars said a long time back the ground around the cross was level, by that they meant while we come to the cross from many different directions with our with many different backgrounds still when we get there, the question remains the same: do you accept Jesus Christ as YOUR Lord and savior. When we can accept the truth of that statement, then we can accept the idea that the latecomer is admitted into the kingdom just as fully as the person who is believed all their lives. When we truly understand the full power of amazing grace, God offers all of us; then, we can answers God’s question: are you jealous because I am generous?
 
AFFIRMATION Apostle’s creed Ecumenical version
 
                                                Prayers
 
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION-Lord, we pray for those who have lost homes, for those who have lost crops, for those who have been devastated in any way by the storms. As we edge closer to the time of election, we pray for our leaders, that they may see more than what is important to them and understand the needs of others around them. We pray as we make our choices we, too, may see more than what is important to us and look toward the good of our country. We pray for those who are ill in body, mind or spirit, that You may be with them to lift them up and grant them healing. We pray you would be with each of us, that we may be servants of your will in all we do, we ask all this in Jesus’ name, Amen
 
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING-We thank You for power line workers from all across the country who have been here helping to restore services. We thank You for Doctors and Nurses who labor during this time of pandemic. We thank You for the many gifts we have received from Your love day after day. We thank You for those who have been healed in any way. We thank you for the many people who volunteered in helping with the cleanup and pick up after the storms. Above all, O God, we thank You for Your saving grace freely extended to us. Amen

THE LORD’S PRAYER
 
Sending
 
CHARGE & BLESSING-I charge you to go out into the world as witnesses to God’s love. To render no person evil for evil, but to witness to all the healing and forgiving grace of God. Now, may the Lord bless and keep us all every day from this day forward, Amen
 
POSTLUDE
 ​
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September 06, 2020 Worship Services Putting On Christ By Kristy Parker

9/5/2020

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​SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
September 06, 2020

Schedule reminders:
The office and the rest of the building remain closed, but you can contact Karla during her office hours.
On September 13th we are invited to worship with First Congregational Church 700 North Bluff Clinton Iowa 52732
 
PRELUDE


WORDS OF WORSHIP
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it!         
 
GATHERING PRAYER 
Bless us, O God, 
with a reverent sense of your presence,
that we may be at peace
and may worship you with all our mind and spirit;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.
 
CONFESSION AND PARDON 
Holy and merciful God, in your presence we confess our sinfulness, our shortcomings, and our offenses against you. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from your ways, in wasting your gifts, in forgetting your love. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Forgive our sins, and help us to live in your light, and walk in your ways, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior.
 
In Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven. Know this and be at peace. Amen.
 
OFFERING PEACE
 
The peace of Christ be with you.
 
INTERLUDE
                                                    Word
 
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
 
Guide us, O God, by your Word and Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find freedom, and in your will discover your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
 
SCRIPTURE LESSONS                 Psalm 119: 33-40
 
33 Teach me,, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. [a] 34 me understanding,that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. 35 me the path of your commands, for there I find delight. 36 my heart your statutes and not toward selfish gain. 37 my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my lifeto your word. [b]  38 your promise your servant, so that you may be feared. 39 away the disgraced read, for your laws are good. 40 How I long your precepts! your righteousness preserve my life. 
 
                                                       Romans 13: 8-14
 
Love Fulfills the Law
 
8 no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” [a]whatever other command there may be, are summed up this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [b]does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
 
The Day Is Near
 
11 do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come you to wake up from your slumber,our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.night is nearly over; the day is almost here.let us put aside the deeds of darkness put on the armor light.us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness,in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy., clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. [c]
 
 
SERMON                                        “Putting on Christ”
 
Well, this is the time of year when our thoughts tend to turn to clothing. 
  • Fall is just around the corner, and even though it’s been pretty warm, we know it won’t be long before we’ll be getting out our jackets.
  • Maybe some of us need to update our fall wardrobes
  • I’m not much of a fashionista.
  • Give me an old pair of jeans and I’m happy
  • Still sometimes, I come to the realization that something I’ve been wearing for years has started to look a little shabby and may need to be replaced.
  • I’ve become so used to it, so comfortable in it that its unsightliness has crept up on me.
 
In our scripture passage from Ephesians this morning, Paul talks about clothes 
  • Not the kind we’ve been talking about
  • Paul is talking about “spiritual clothing,” about putting off our sinful nature once we become believers.  
  • He tells the church that when they accepted Christ, they were taught to put away their former way of life, their old self that was corrupt and deceitful
  • Then they were to clothe themselves with the new self, created in the likeness of God
 
Most scholars think that Ephesians is a letter Paul wrote while he was in prison in Rome.  
  • It was a “circular letter,” or a letter that circulated among the churches of Asia, and as we study it, we find that it’s just as relevant for us as individuals and as a church today.
  • The key thought of Ephesians is the gathering together of all things and people in Jesus Christ. 
  • In nature as it is, without Christ, there is nothing but disunity and disharmony.
  •  Human beings in their natural state are divided from one another, class from class,  nation from nation, Gentile from Jew.
  •  Human beings in their natural state are divided within themselves, torn between the desire to do good and the desire for evil; we hate and love our sins at the same time.
  • We who are meant to be in fellowship with God are estranged from him. 
  • This can be made right only through our relationship with Christ.
  • When we receive the gift of our salvation in Jesus Christ, we begin to strip ourselves of our old nature, and take on his nature, the way we would take off an old coat and put a new one on. 
Paul says, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”  
  • When we truly accept the gift of salvation that Jesus gave to us when he died on the cross for our sins, we’re so filled with gratitude and with love for him that we respond by trying everyday to be more and more like him. 
  • The goal of our Christian lives is for people to look at us and see less and less of us, and more and more of Christ.
  • Our Christian faith should make our lives look and feel different. 
  • The change begins with our attitude, and it affects every part of our lives from the way we speak, to what we eat and drink, to how we behave in our relationships with one another, to the way we handle our money. 
  • The reading today tells us to take a look at our “clothing” and see if it might have gotten a little shabby
  • Maybe we’ve been so comfortable in our old “clothes” for so long that we don’t realize we might be wearing something unsightly, or unbecoming to us
  • We might need to do a little update of our wardrobe – make a change in our attitudes and speech and actions to be a good representation of the Christ that we love and serve.
  • So, we look to Christ himself – the way he spoke, the way he lived and loved, and we become imitators of him. 
Our verses today specifically address the way we get along with each other. 
  • First Paul talks about the importance of truth-telling. 
  • He says, “Putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another.”
  • Can you imagine Jesus saying to his disciples, “Truly I tell you,” while he was crossing his fingers behind his back?
  • Can you imagine him keeping things from some of the disciples who might get upset or over-react, or not be up-front with them about who he was and what following him would mean? 
  • Jesus knew that the disciples had to be a tight-knit group in order to carry his ministry forward. 
  • There couldn’t be any pretending or game playing.  He was always honest, straightforward, and to the point.
  • Like Jesus, we need to be honest with others in our families and our churches if we’re to be a unified group with a common purpose. 
  • We need to be able to trust each other
Paul goes on to say, “In your anger, don’t sin.”  
  • “Be angry,” he says, “but don’t stay angry.  Don’t let the sun go down while you’re still angry.”
  • As we all know, Jesus did get angry.
  •  His anger was a righteous anger. 
  • When he went into the temple in Jerusalem, he saw the money changers there exploiting people, taking advantage of them. 
  • He saw them using God’s house for a money-making venture, and he was furious.
  • He turned over the tables and drove them out. 
  • It was right that he should have been angry. 
  • But can you imagine Jesus stomping off in a rage, and turning over in his bed all night long with resentments about the money changers, thinking up things to say to them the next time he saw them? 
  • Or can you imagine him sitting on the temple steps in a pout, giving the money changers the silent treatment?
  • Jesus got angry, and then it was over.
  •  He got angry over important things.
  •  He spoke up, he took action to correct the situation, and then he got on with his life.
  •  When we imitate him in our families, in our churches, in our workplaces, and in our communities, this is how we handle our anger. 
  • Being angry over petty things is a sure way to tear down a family or a church. 
  • Paul says this makes a “foothold for the devil.” 
  • When we stay angry, it consumes us, and we’re unable to do what God is asking us to do for the kingdom.
 
Paul goes on to say, “Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy.”
 
  • In the ancient world, stealing was rampant, as it is today.  
  • We can think of many contemporary Christians who have been caught embezzling or stealing. 
  • This does serious damage to the faith.
  •  But Paul gives an even deeper reason for being an honest worker.
  •  He doesn’t say, “Become an honest worker so you can support yourself.” 
  • He says, “Become an honest worker so that you may have something to give away to those who are poorer than yourself.” 
  • The goal of our Christian work is to give to others.”
  • Picture Jesus in a crowd of 5000. 
  • The disciples approach him and say, “Lord, its suppertime, and we have nothing to feed these people.”
  •  Can you imagine Jesus responding by saying, “Well that’s the way it goes.  God helps those who help themselves.” 
  • Can you imagine Jesus and his disciples sitting down to eat in front of others who had no food?
  • Jesus’ whole ministry was one of giving of himself for the other.
  •  He was never concerned about his popularity as a leader or the state of things inside the temple.
  •  He was always working to feed and clothe and heal the outsider.
 
Paul says, “Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.” 
 
  • Can you imagine Jesus taking his disciple Andrew aside and  saying, “I’ve really had it with Peter lately.  He’s so impulsive.
  •  James and John are driving me nuts too; they’re so full of themselves.  Can you believe how they were arguing over who gets to sit beside me?” 
  • Can you imagine Jesus walking around Jerusalem saying to people, “Did you hear about Zaccheaus?  He’s ripping people off.
  •  And we’ve got a real problem on our hands with that adulterous woman.”
  • If someone was having a problem, Jesus never used them as an example to others.
  •  He sat down to eat with them, he forgave them, and he re-directed them to better    behavior.
  •  Every word and encounter were to build others up, to include others in his life. 
  • Unwholesome talk, maybe more than anything else can intrude into the spirit of a family, a church, a workplace, or a community and spread like a poison. 
  • As Christians, the Spirit of God lives in us. 
  • “Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit by letting that poison into the body,” Paul says.
 
Paul says as Christians, we’re “sealed with the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption.” He’s talking about baptism here.
  •  We know that when Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit came down and filled him. 
  • When we become Christians, we too are baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit.
  •   The water is a sign of our cleansing. 
  • As we’re taken down into the water, we die to our old way of life, and as we’re brought back up out of the water, we rise into new life with Christ. 
  • We leave the old life behind and take on the new life of becoming more like Jesus everyday.
There’s a song by Kyle Matthews that tells the story of a boy’s baptism, and to me, captures the Spirit of Baptism.  It goes like this:
 
Preacher pulled the boy up from the water
Alleluias rose from the banks
There was a new suit of clothes from his Father
And a prayer of thanks
The boy walked barefooted all the way home for dinner
And when they laughed at his muddy feet...

He said I've been through the water and I've come out clean
Got new clothes to cover me
And you don't wear your old shoes on your brand new feet
When you've been through the water

Preacher turned them around at the altar
Pronounced the boy and his girl "man and wife"
In two years they were Mother and Father
And they built them a life
And his old girlfriend saw a moment of weakness
And she said "If you're lonely come see me sometime..."

He said I've been through the water and I've come out clean
Got new clothes to cover me
And you don't wear your old shoes on your brand new feet
When you've been through the water

He baits a hook with his grandson of seven
And says "Soon, I'll be free from these pains."
The boy asked if he's ever been to heaven
He says "No... but I think I know the way...

“Cause I've been through the water and I've come out clean
Got new clothes to cover me
And you don't wear your old shoes on your brand new feet
When you've been through the water

https://youtu.be/JJVLc7h-lJ0

Our baptism is the beginning of our Christian walk.
 
  • It’s a visible sign of God’s grace, of his unconditional love that can never be taken away.
  • Having received God’s deep love for us, we spend the rest of our lives living out our baptisms, trying to be more and more like Jesus everyday.
  • Paul says, “Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you.  Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children and live in love, as Christ loved us.”
 
Does this mean that once we’ve been baptized, once we’ve become Christian we’ll never sin again?  No.
 
  • Our failures and mistakes and inadequacies are all part of being human
  • We remember our Old Testament reading from this morning
  • The Psalmist says, “If you, O LORD should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?”
  • We all fall short
  • Sometimes the old clothes are tempting
  • They’re comfortable and familiar, and easy to slip back into 
  • But having been washed in the waters of baptism, having been loved by Christ, it’s not long before they start to feel kind of tacky
  • They’re dirty, and thin and not very substantial, and they don’t fit the way they used to.
  •  So we take them back off and remind ourselves that we have new clothes now
  • The Psalmist continues, “But there is forgiveness with you that you may be revered…my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning…
  • Baptized in Christ, we have the opportunity to put on a set of fresh, clean clothes every morning, and start our lives all over again.
  • Another chance to speak truth, to reconcile with others, to give generously, and to be kind
  • Another chance to put on Christ. September 06 2020
AFFIRMATION                Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version
 
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.
 
                                                                Sending
 
CHARGE & BLESSING
 
POSTLUDE
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