Ride or Die Faith

June 7, 2026 Genesis 12:1-9 Ride or Die Faith 2nd Sunday After Pentecost Year A Prelude Greeting Call to Worship Like Abram and Sarai, God calls us to go into the unknown, trusting that God’s promises are true. Whether we are certain or full of doubts, God blesses us that we may be a blessing. God sends us into the world to journey by faith, believing that God’s blessings are greater than anything we can imagine. Whether the path is straight or winding, God blesses us that we may be a blessing. God gathers us today with trusted companions, those who also follow God’s call, even when it does not make sense to the world around us. Whether we journey with friends or feel all alone, God blesses us that we may be a blessing. As we gather to worship, may we remember that we are God’s people, blessed by God to be a blessing to our world that is hurting and desperately in need of good news. God, form us today as a family of faith, that your blessings might flow out of us and into our world, drawing all people into your promise of abundant life and flourishing. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, December 2025. Invocation Wonderful God, we delight in your presence. We find shelter in your abiding and enduring love. You humble us, Holy Love, by gathering us as a people. Thank you for being our Companion and Guide on this journey. Receive our songs, prayers, and openness. Nourish us from the fountain of your word and the hospitality of your table. May we find hope and inspiration, courage and direction, community and resolve as we worship you. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Song I Come with Joy UMH 617 A Sermon for all Ages There are 3 faithful people. The first likes sports and has athletic ability. The person joins several teams, eats foods that build a strong body, exercise regularly, watches sports events on tv, and reads about sport heros. The second person likes to draw and draws well. This persob belongs to the art club at school, takes painting lessons, spends birthday money on paints, pays more attention to the pictures that the words in books and reads about great artist. We can see that these two have god given gifts, have accepted those gifts and are enjoying and developing them. They are faithful to their gifts. A third person believes that god made him or her a part of a family that includes everyone in the world. So this person treats everyone with kindness, stands up for other kids, refuses to laugh at jokes about people’s color or nationality, and contributes Christmas money to build a house for a family living in a shack. This person is faithful to God’s gift and promise that we are all one family Responsive Reading Psalm 33:1-12 UMH 767 Scripture Genesis 12:1-9 Sermon Ride or Die Faith Another legend: Abraham as a boy saw the multitudes of flocks surrounding his father’s tents, and he asked his mother, "Who is the Lord of these?" She answered, "Your father, Terah." Then the boy asked, "And who is Lord of Terah?" She responded, "Nimrod, the King." Then the boy pushed the quest one step further: "And who is Lord of Nimrod?" His mother answered, "Don’t push questions too far." But the lad, Abraham, "was already reaching out to the God who is the God of all." No one really knows why Abraham walked away from a successful life in search of something more. Why he listened to the voice of a God that he didn’t even know in search of something different. But we can all be glad that he did. Abraham is considered the father of our faith. In his hometown Ur, they worshipped the sun and the moon. And judging from the names of his family members, his family who all have moon related names, their family was deeply religious. Their family was held in high regard and well established. His family had many animals and servants. His dad had concubines who had many children. We know that Abraham had 2 other brothers. More than likely he was the youngest. His older brother Haran dies. Haran’s son Lot adopted his uncle Abraham to be his father figure. To Abraham, his father Terah was everything. His world. It was the father, Terah who got the vision to break away from the family and to travel to a new land. To his dad, traveling to a new land meant traveling to the next town. When Terah left – he took his younger son, Abraham, his daughter (now married to Abraham, Sarah, and his grandson Lot. As they were living in his father’s house – Abraham heard a voice of a new god – telling him that there was something else out there. In Genesis 1-3. God calls Abraham to walk away from his country, his relatives, and his father’s house. In those days – you had no reason to leave your father’s house. Your livelihood was there, you would marry a spouse from there, your mother was there, everything. As a younger brother, however, he must have realized that his father’s house would never be his. And even though he was doing well, he had no kids beside his nephew who was determined to carry on his own father’s name. So in the prime of his life, aged 75 – he hears the call of Yahweh, the Hebrew name for God. He follows God’s voice wandering throught the desert, with no idea of what his future would be. One night as he is camping in the sand, he looks up at the countless stars and God makes a promise that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars. That his house will be bigger than anything that his father ever dreamed of. With that promise and no guarantees he steps out in search of his destiny in an unknown land. Thousands of years later, another son will leave the realm of his father’s house. Jesus comes to earth to teach us to listen to the voice of God and to trust God’s plan for us. We are told to follow God on a journey, to form a new family, to love and care for one another, to build a world on earth just like the Father’s house in heaven. Jesus gives us a new promise – in my Father’s House there are many mansions – enough for all of us to live happily. When I think of Abraham’s story I also think of my stepfather. Who is not much older than Abraham when he embarked on a new journey. As he has to discern a new way of life and a move into an unknown future. Presently he is contemplating moving our of his house of 53 years and going into assisted living. He is not happy about leaving the life that he built for 53 years, the memories of family, the familiarity to enter into a new life. It is a very hard and painful decision. And just like for Abraham – there are no guarantees only faith and promises. It is not faith until it is all that we have to rely on In our scripture – God made 7 promises to Abraham The seven promises God made to Abraham are: 1. "I will make you a great nation": God promised to take a childless man and grow his descendants into a vast, distinct nation (Israel). Christ Over All +1 2. "I will bless you": God promised to provide Abraham with divine favor, protection, and provision throughout his life. GospelBells Radio 3. "I will make your name great": God promised Abraham an enduring legacy of honor across generations and cultures. Christ Over All +1 4. "You shall be a blessing": God chose Abraham not merely to receive blessings, but to actively be a channel of divine favor to others. Christ Over All +1 5. "I will bless those who bless you": God promised His favor to anyone who supported or aligned themselves with Abraham and his descendants. Christ Over All +1 6. "I will curse those who curse you": God promised to bring judgment upon anyone who opposed or oppressed Abraham and his family. Christ Over All +1 7. "In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed": The ultimate promise, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, declaring that the lineage of Abraham would eventually bring salvation to the whole world. Christ Over All +1 Abraham trusted those promises. But it didn’t become faith – until it was all that he had to rely on to step into the future. The truth is we all have those moments in life. When we have to move forward. We have no guarantees that things are going to turn out the way we expect. We have no guarantees that things are going to get better. All we have is Abrahams faith. We all have those moments in life, when we have to leave what we are comfortable with, and embrace our faith. Sometime it is a big step in our lives, but in reality no matter what stage of life we are in, moving forward everyday is a choice. Our Faith opens the door in the human spirit that allows an individual to step from one dimension of living into a higher dimension of living. Dr. Charles Allen tells of a desperate layman who called him one morning over the phone and urgently requested him to come to his office. The businessman continued, "Would you tell me what it means to be a Christian? I have got to know." We ministers are challenged by such a request, but how do we answer the question? It all begins with faith. Faith is a personal response to an inner glimpse of God. Faith is risking all of my life on what I believe about God. Once I was visiting in the home of a young adult couple. The husband asked: "When do I become a Christian when I believe or when I become perfect?" I had to answer, "Neither." You can believe and do nothing about it, and if you wait until you are perfect, you will never get there. You become a Christian when you launch out on a life pilgrimage committed to what you see of God in Jesus Christ. Faith is not being trapped in a static definition of life. It is a launching out in a new direction which you believe will unfold as you go. What do I believe in so much that I am willing to live by it? What is the basis of my decision-making? Whether it is true or false, good or bad, that is my faith. The scripture tells us they "journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb" (12:9). In that sense, we are always moving through some stage of life. Living is a continual journey. It is futile to think we can arrive at a certain place where everything will be safe and secure. We are on a pilgrimage from birth to death to eternity. We never get it all together. We never solve all the problems or remove all the dangers. Even if you arrive at a place called, "I got it made!" you soon discover it is not a permanent residence. It is only a rest stop on the road to whatever comes next. Even if we somehow attain a goal of making life safe and comfortable, it is an empty, meaningless victory. For life at its best is an on-going spiritual journey toward loving God. They say that the universe is constantly growing, that the number of stars continues to grow, may we take our place in the heavens among the stars- working to increase the children of Abraham through love and kindness. Song Rescue the Perishing UMH 591 Prayer for the Day Long before the change of name, before the first signs of new life showed the beginnings of promises fulfilled, You asked Abram to make his home among foreigners, and share the blessing that was to come. And now, O God, you ask the same faith of us: The faith to count ourselves among the least, to find our place alongside the poor and broken; The faith to trust in your mercy and your promises, and to share what we have received; The faith to wait expectantly for your reign of justice and equity, together with those who most need its gifts. Teach us to be children of Abram, sharers of the blessings we enjoy: The blessing of plenty shared with those who have need, The blessing of healing shared with those who are sick and wounded, The blessing of joy shared with those who celebrate and of tears shared with those who grieve, The blessing of friendship shared with those who are excluded, and of solidarity with those who fight injustice, The blessing of peace shared with those in conflict, and of confrontation shared with those who bring harm; And in some small way, may our faith and our sharing, help to bring your promises into being in our world. Amen. Written by John van de Laar on his Sacredise blog. Reposted at the Pilgrim WR Uniting Church website at https://pilgrimwr.unitingchurch.org.au/?p=11174. Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment The Gospels tell us story after story of Jesus as “healer.” The Matthew 9 text today tells of healing the daughter of a leader, and a woman who had bled for 12 years. He healed with a word, a touch, his own spit and dirt of the earth. In many cities around the world, we see hospitals, nursing homes, churches, and therapy offices where followers of Jesus use their gifts to bring healing today. Here, week by week, we invite you to share your gifts to help heal the hurts of the world through the work of this congregation and the work of the wider church. Time, talent, and treasure all are needed. Will you share your gifts this morning? You can do that by… [Describe several ways giving can happen – the offering plates, a note to offer help for a specific need, speaking to a leader.] We are one part of the body of Christ, still in the healing business! Prayer of Thanksgiving Blessed are you, Lord God, for the ways you inspire and encourage each of us to follow Jesus. We offer these gifts to you, grateful for the varied ways each and all are contributors to the health and well-being of the world you continue to love. Help us utilize each gift to the max, enabling Good News to be embodied here and now. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith ad Giving) Communion Invitation to Communion Do not Print just title Matthew reports (Mt. 9:10) that Jesus shared dinner one evening in a house where he sat with his disciples, tax collectors, and sinners. I wonder what a reporter might describe about us? That is, if someone could identify the activities of each and all of us, what might show up? How marvelous to have Jesus’ response: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” ALL of us are welcome to share in this meal. Our identities, both those visible and those that are invisible, do not demand that we should be excluded. Rather, we are each welcome and invited to share in bread and juice, remembering Jesus and gaining strength To see thee more clearly, Love thee more dearly, Follow thee more nearly, day by day. (lyrics from “Day by Day,” 1971 Godspell) The table is prepared and there is a place for you. (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Sending Prayer for YouTube Like Sarah and Mary, Abraham ad Aaron, we take those steps of faith offered by our God. With Jesus, as well as foolish and fallible followers, we dare go into those unknown places where hope is absent, where grace is empty. With Paul, with Phoebe, with people we know, we are willing to follow the Spirit on adventures into justice and compassion. (Lectionary Liturgies, Thom M. Shuman) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Go now as the people of God, a family. (United Methodist Board of Discipleship) Additional Illustrations One never knows what's beginning and what's ending. Looking back we may, or we may not, be able to recall the insignificant little events -- a passing comment, a glance across a room, words on the page of a book, a thought as we stared out a window -- minor events which were the beginnings of something which shaped a significant aspect of our lives. What loving gesture, repentant prayer, word spoken or purposely not spoken, what discipline exercised, might indicate a new beginning in your spiritual life this week? Once, an elderly couple, hearts quickened by the promises of a living and gracious God, packed their belongings and set out with their family for a promised future. God works wanders! CSS Publishing, Caught In The Acts, by Gerald Whetstone It has been reported that there are some 33,000 promises in the Bible that God has made to his people. Would we not be wise to find the ones that apply to our present needs and situation and claim them for ourselves in the name of our Faithful Promiser? While it is unclear exactly what prompted Terah's initial move from Ur to Haran, there is absolutely no ambiguity about what inspired Abram's move. The Lord's directive to Abram is straightforward, both in its demand and in its promises. Genesis 12:1 does not try to sugarcoat or soft-pedal the things Abram is asked to give up. In fact, the text itemizes them. God commands Abram to leave his country, kindred and father's house - everything, in fact, that gave Abram his personal identity. In the tight-knit family/clan-oriented culture of this people, leaving family meant leaving not just personal or sentimental attachments. Abandoning the clan meant leaving one's only source of law, morality, safety, security and identity. For Abram to leave the enclave of his family was to put his future survival - both psychological and personal - very much at risk. This call from the Lord is unique in grammatical structure as well as in content. The phrase invoked by the Divine in 12:1 is lech lecha - literally an emphatic "Go, you!" There are only two instances in the entire Bible where God addresses anyone with direct personal command. The second occurrence of lech lecha, "Go, you!" is also spoken to Abraham - this time in Genesis 22:2. Although English translation almost invariably fails to reflect this parallelism, both God's initial call to Abram in Genesis 12:1 and God's shocking command to Abraham that he offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice are phrased with this lech lecha, "Go, you!" directive. This parallelism is significant. In both cases, Abram/Abraham is being asked to give up his own identity as a symbol of his commitment to the Lord Yahweh. In Genesis 12:1, Abram is asked to give up his entire past - his family, his land, all that has shaped him into his own self. In the case of Genesis 22, Abraham is asked to give up his future - the new identity he has carved out for himself but which is intimately tied to his beloved "miracle" son Isaac. God's command, "Go, you!" severs Abram/Abraham from everything human he would cling to for security and identity. In both cases the lech lecha order leaves Abram/Abraham solely with God - no past, no future, no family, no land, no people. Just God. This is not to suggest that Abram was emotionally detached from old family ties the moment he responded to God's covenant-command. The very aged Abraham orders his servant to find Isaac a wife among his own people - his old clan - not from among the Canaanites (Genesis 24:4). But after his call from God, the old loyalties, the old ways, the controlling definitions of family and culture failed to dictate Abram's life any longer. The covenant relationship God established with Abram began the process of creating a world of free but ethical behavior between God and all creation. Unlike the capricious or whimsical behavior of the gods in other ancient Near Eastern religions, the constancy of Yahweh's pledged word gave Abram and his followers a standard of security and a basis for living with enduring faith and ethical commitment. ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., Collected Works, by Leonard Sweet Abraham and his nephew Lot had prospered in the land of Canaan. They had many flocks and herds and their herdsmen had begun to quarrel among themselves, and the two owners were in danger of becoming involved also. But Abraham said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between us for we are kinsmen." Then very generously he told Lot to make his own choice of the land where he would like to go and find pasture for his cattle and sheep. How greatly is the spirit of peacefulness needed in our world today. Quarreling, fighting, and killing seem to be the order of the day. Within the past two weeks the radio reported three such horrible events right within the families where there should be peace and harmony. "Be ye kind to one another, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:31, 32; 5:1) Young Ben's family was quite active in a church that emphasizes a personal commitment to Christ. Even though he was quite young, Ben had heard more than one sermon about the importance of surrendering one's life to Christ. And so, one morning as the family sat around the kitchen table eating Cheerios, little Ben announced that he, too, was ready to give his life to Christ. He then got up from the table and went upstairs. His mother and father looked at each other and then decided to follow Ben. They thought they might find him on his knees in prayer. They didn't. Instead, they found him folding his Star Wars pajamas into his Sesame Street suitcase. They asked, "Ben, what are you doing?" He answered, "Packing." "Why?" they asked. "To go to heaven," he said. In Ben's young mind, giving one's life to Christ was no small step. It meant the willingness to leave his family and travel immediately to be with Christ. (1) As I read this story told by Ben's mom I thought of that old Testament figure, Abraham. The picture we get of Abraham is of a man with the same kind of complete and unreserved faith in God that little Ben had. Booker T. Washington was a dreamer who backed up his dreams with action. Abraham must have been a man like that as well. We don't know how God spoke to Abramfor that was his name before he accomplished his dream. Could it have been an audible voice? Perhaps. A still small voice within the heart? Maybe. Somehow Abram knew that God was telling him to leave his homeland and to move to land which God would show him. There he would found a new nationa great nationa nation that would be a blessing to the world. What a dream! What a vocation! I don't know about you but most of my dreams seem inadequate and pathetic compared to Abram's dream. I believe in airplanes, but if I do not ever fly, it is probable that I have no faith in airplanes. Only when I fly do I have faith in planes. My life is defined by my faith. The one certain controlling thing at the center of my consciousness is my faith. I live by what I believe in. The questions are: What is truth? What is reality? What is the true purpose of life? What is God really like? What is God calling me to be? All of these questions have to do with faith. Others had asked questions: but Abraham acted on his questions. This is when faith becomes real. He put his life on the line. He dedicated his life to finding this God whom he had glimpsed. "And he went out, not knowing whither he went ... for he looked for a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." (Hebrews 11:8,10 King James) This God revealed himself to Abraham throughout the journey. And the Judeo-Christian faith was launched and became the most creative stream of life that has flowed through human history. What was there about the promise of this God, Yahweh, that attracted them? What would motivate a 75-year-old man whose family had lived in the area for generations to pack everything and move to an unknown place called Canaan? We must conclude something significant was missing in their lives. Old Testament scholar, Walter Brueggemann, suggests the family of Abraham must have felt as though they had no viable future in Mesopotamia.2 Their barrenness was more than childlessness. Their lives were empty. They were cut off from real meaning and joy. They had no foreseeable future, and cut off from God, they were without potential. They may have felt safe and comfortable in the Tigris-Euphrates River valley, but their lives were barren. To pump meaning into an empty existence they had no alternative but to step out in faith and go to Canaan. They had to leave security behind. They had to abandon the familiar. They had to trust God and step into the unknown. If they wanted a future, that was the only possibility. It was frightening and it was risky, but faith is always a scary, risky business. The story of Abraham and Sarah is also our story. If you want to get out of this life all it has to offer, you need to risk leaving what seems safe, secure and comfortable in order to trust God and step out in faith. loving people and serving the needs of others. To live any other way is to come up short. Robert Bly in his poem, "Snowbanks North Of The House,"3 uses the image of the "great sweeps of snow that stop suddenly six feet from the house." Unless we risk and keep striving on this journey, we become like the boy who never reads another book after high school graduation or like the child who loses contact with the family and quits calling home. We are cut off from the past and have no tools to open a future. For others, some event shatters the comfortable cocoon. The children are grown. They want nothing more than to settle back and enjoy life. Then one of their children dies. She was 33, but still their child. No pain surpasses that of burying one's child, no matter the age. They move through their grief in different ways and at different paces. They lose touch with one another. Before they emerge from the pain, they have lost their marriage as well as their child. For others, it can happen differently. One night at a party, the wife sees her husband across the room and realizes she loves him no more. There was no problem, no crisis. The caring simply left. They took their marriage for granted and the warm glow of love drowned in neglect. We are fellow travelers on this pilgrimage that goes from birth to death to eternity. We always move from place to place and stage to stage. It can be a frightening journey. Certainly it always involves risk. The alternative, however, is not promising. To fail to take a risk can make us like the woman who puts down her rolling pin and bakes no more. We know people like that. For reasons not fully clear, they run out of enthusiasm in mid-life. By the age of 40 he has no other work-related goal than retirement. She no longer even dreams of an exciting vacation in a faraway place or even relishes a simple task like cooking a meal. Life comes up short. They failed to grasp that life is a spiritual journey requiring risk to move from stage to stage, step to step. What a terrible thing when people give up on life. What a shock it can be to think you have it together only to discover there is always one more hill to climb, one more problem to face, one more crisis to endure. What a terrible thing to exist even for 70 or 80 or 90 years, but not to know the abundance of life. To live to the fullest means accepting that we are on a spiritual pilgrimage. We don't have the option of comfort and security. God always calls us out of the present moment to risk moving into the future. Like Abraham, we always go by stages toward the Negeb. We don't know what comes next. We only know that our security is in our relationship to this God who will not abandon us. This is the God who is in Christ Jesus calling us over the tumult of life's wild restless sea saying, "Christian, follow me." ________________________________________ 1. Gibson, Volume 2, p. 6.2. Brueggemann, p. 116.3. From The Man In The Black Coat Turns, (New York: Doubleday, 1981). CSS Publishing, Tenders of the Sacred Fire, by R. Robert Cueni It happened a couple of months ago. I was struggling with personal direction issues, but had also begun to think of the assignment of preaching on this occasion. The words of a young man named Nicholas in The Magus, a novel by John Fowles, popped into my mind. I went back into my files and retrieved it. “It poured rain the day I left. But I was filled with excitement, a strange sense of taking wing. I didn’t know where I was going, but I knew what I needed. I needed a new land, a new race, a new language; and although I couldn’t have put it into words then, I needed a new mystery.” (John Fowles, The Magus, (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 965, pg. 150) The Promises of God Are True Tom Long says that while he was at Princeton, he went to a nearby Presbyterian church that prides itself on being an academic, intellectual church. Early on, he said, he went to a family night supper and sat down next to a man, introduced himself, told him he was new, and said, "Have you been here long?" "Oh yes," the man said. "In fact I was here before this became such a scholarly church. Why I’m probably the only non-intellectual left. I haven't understood a sermon in over 25 years." "Then why do you keep coming," Tom asked? "Because every Monday night a group of us get in the church van and drive over to the youth correctional center. Sometimes we play basketball, or play games. Usually we share a Bible story. But mostly we just get to know these kids and listen to them. "I started going because Christians are supposed to do those kind of things. But now I could never stop. Sharing the love of God at that youth center has changed my life." And then he said this profound statement. "You cannot prove the promises of God in advance, but if you live them, they’re true, every one." During this Lenten season how are you living the promises of God? Where is it that God is calling you to go? Our ancestors came from a very long way for us to get where we are – but we still have a long way to go – especially in our hearts and souls. The seven promises God made to Abraham are: 1. "I will make you a great nation": God promised to take a childless man and grow his descendants into a vast, distinct nation (Israel). Christ Over All +1 2. "I will bless you": God promised to provide Abraham with divine favor, protection, and provision throughout his life. GospelBells Radio 3. "I will make your name great": God promised Abraham an enduring legacy of honor across generations and cultures. Christ Over All +1 4. "You shall be a blessing": God chose Abraham not merely to receive blessings, but to actively be a channel of divine favor to others. Christ Over All +1 5. "I will bless those who bless you": God promised His favor to anyone who supported or aligned themselves with Abraham and his descendants. Christ Over All +1 6. "I will curse those who curse you": God promised to bring judgment upon anyone who opposed or oppressed Abraham and his family. Christ Over All +1 7. "In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed": The ultimate promise, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, declaring that the lineage of Abraham would eventually bring salvation to the whole world. Christ Over All +1

7 Days of Creation

Trinity Sunday May 31, 2026 Genesis 1:1-2:4 7 Days of Creation Year A Prelude Greeting Call to Worship Our gracious God has created us and called us his own. Let us worship the triune God. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has redeemed our lives. Let us worship the triune God. The Holy Spirit sustains and guides us all the days of our lives. In gratitude and joy, let us worship the triune God(Presbyterian Outlook) Opening Prayer Out of our ordinary, everyday lives, you have gathered us here, Holy God, to this time of worship, to this time of praise. We join with angels and archangels and all the company of the saints to bless you, to listen for your Word, to immerse ourselves in your grace, in your love. Open our hearts And our minds to your presence with us. Take the chaos of the world that has found its way into our hearts — speak your Word and give order and form and new creation. Take the failures and defeats, the guilt and the shame that bind our spirits — speak your Word and set us free. Take our longings for your goodness to shape our lives, this community, the hurting world — speak your Word and infuse us with your courage and your hope and your love. Then, awaken us to your Holy Spirit who is making all things new, even us. We ask in Jesus’ name, who sends us out to speak love and mercy and grace to those who are waiting, longing, hoping, for a sign that they are not alone, that you are a God of love, that you are a Saviour who knows their name, that the Holy Spirit is leading them home. Amen. Adapted from Christine Jerrett, https://christinejerrett.wordpress.com/. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2019/06/prayer-matthew-28-16-20.html. Song Morning has Broken UMH 145? A Sermon for all Ages Here's a children's sermon you can use for Trinity Sunday: Children's Sermon: "God's Story Is Still Being Written" Object: A picture book or a blank notebook and a marker Good morning, boys and girls! I brought a book with me today. Have you ever read a really good story? Maybe it's a story about superheroes, animals, or adventures. What happens when you get to the last page? The story is finished! But today we heard a different kind of story. We heard the very first story in the Bible—the story of creation. In Genesis, God created the light, the sky, the land, the plants, the animals, and finally people. And after each part, God looked at it and said, "It is good." Can you say that with me? "It is good!" When God made the sun and moon, it was good. When God made the fish and birds, it was good. When God made people, it was very good. Now here's a question: Do you think God's story ended after the seventh day? No! God's creation story is still going on. God is still creating, still working, still bringing new life into the world. Every baby that is born, every flower that blooms, every act of kindness, every person who learns to love God a little more is part of God's continuing creation. And guess what? You are part of that story. Point to yourself and say, "I'm part of God's story!" Sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes we think we're not good enough. But remember what God said when God created people: "It is very good." On Trinity Sunday we celebrate God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity reminds us that God is always active and always working together in love. God the Creator made the world, Jesus came to save the world, and the Holy Spirit is still working in the world today. That means God is not finished with creation. And God is not finished with you. Every day God is helping you grow, learn, love, forgive, and serve others. God is writing new chapters in your life. So whenever you look at the sky, the trees, the animals, or even yourself in the mirror, remember this: You are part of God's creation. You are part of God's story. And God says, "You are good, and I'm not finished with you yet!" Let's pray: Dear God, thank you for creating this wonderful world. Thank you for making each one of us. Help us remember that we are part of your story and that you are still working in our lives. In Jesus' name, Amen. Affirmation of faith How do you live for the love of God? I love because God first loved me. God loves me in Christ with a love that never ends. Amazed by grace, I no longer live for myself. I live for the Lord who died and rose again, triumphant over death, for my sake. Therefore, I take those around me to heart, especially those in particular need, knowing that Christ died for them no less than for me. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Tara Bulger) Passing of the Peace Prayer for illumination Loving God, open our hearts and minds to what you would say to us this day. By your Spirit, we ask that you would speak, as we, your people, are listening. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Tara Bulger) Scripture Genesis 1:1 – 2:4 Sermon 7 Days of Creation Imagine for a second, you can close your eyes if you want to. But think back to the time in the cosmos when nothing existed. Think back to a time long ago when there was no world, no stars, no animals, no people, no you. – just nothing. Now think about the fact that even when there was nothing – there was still God. God is not a something, or a being, God just is. You can come back now. The bible tells us that is how it was in the beginning. God was like a strange light that shone everywhere, but didn’t come from anywhere. God has an idea – and spoke – let there be light. All of sudden God spoke another idea and life popped up everywhere. God kept having ideas – and things kept happening. Until the 7th day and then he rested – and said that it was good. Today we start at the beginning – the creation story in Genesis 1 Every culture, every religion starts with a creation story. There are five common themes in all creations stories – of something developing out of nothing, of someone coming down to earth, of a parent who took care of all of the world, of an egg that hatched, or of a great light that appeared. The story in the bible has all of that. The oldest creation story comes from Mesopotamia – about Gilgemesh who destroyed creatures to form the world. The ancient Hebrews, who were neighbors may have heard this story – and they created a kinder version, not of destruction but of creation. You may not have realized it in reading Genesis, but there are actually two separate stories of creation in the bible. There is the story in Genesis one – where God came upon the waters and created light and everything else in six days and rested on the seventh. And there is Genesis two – where God created the garden of Eden and then Adam and Eve. We usually smoosh these two stories together, even though they are different. In ancient Israel, chapter one of Genesis would have been sung as a worship song. This is a poem that we no longer have the music to. It goes through each day of creation, and then it explains why they were gathered in the temple on the seventh day – Which is Saturday. To rest from their work and to gather in community to celebrate, and remember and to move forward. The story starts by saying that in the beginning, God started creating. Once it started, it has never stopped, the creations story continues today. It ends by saying that God’s creation is good, very good. There is a popular story about A young fish swims up to an older fish and says, "I’m trying to find this thing they call the ocean." "The ocean?" says the older fish. "That’s what you’re in right now." "This?" scoffs the young fish, disappointed. "This is just water. What I want is the ocean!" Often times in life, we as people search for God, and try to identify God, we even want to see a version of God that we can recognize. The creation story reminds of that God is a part of every aspect of our lives. And even though we may not always be able to see God, or point to God – God is still there with us. During World War I, a war that was fought in muddy trenches, a young British soldier was close to mental breakdown. The artillery bombardment ... the stench of death ... the fear, they had driven him to the point of despair. He looked at his captain and asked, "Sir, you said you believed in God. Where is God in all of this?" Just then, two stretcher-bearers climed over the top of the trench and moved out under enemy fire to pick up a wounded soldier lying in no-mans-land. And the Captain said, "Look, private, there goes God now." God is not a spectator looking on from the heavens. God is all of our efforts to bring light out of darkness; God is in every deed of compassion; God is in every act of mercy shown; God is in our hospitals where doctors and nurses minister to those who are sick; God is in every court of law trying to bring justice and righteousness; God is in every human endeavor where kindness and forgiveness are shown; God is in all the events of our time, and we need to constantly remind ourselves that there is something at work in history that is beyond us - and that the destiny of the world is in stronger hands than ours. When President Reagan and the Soviet leader, General Secretary Gorbachev, signed the peace treaty to begin destroying part of their stockpile of nuclear weapons, there was a cartoon in a religious magazine that made a profound point. The cartoon pictured the angel Gabriel, up in heaven, about to blow his horn and end life on this planet. But God, looking down on this earth said, "Hold on, Gabriel. They’re going to have another peace conference." Where is God? He is here in our midst. He is in the conference which move nations toward peace ... He is in the work of missionaries who cross the seas to serve him ... He is in your daily lives as you cross the street to help a neighbor or to be a friend to someone in need. I realize that it is not very spectacular and it won’t make the front pages of the paper, but it tells us where God is. He is here. He is among his people. He is becoming known by the way we, his followers, live our lives every day. Just in the last few months of worship, we have relived the story of Christ – we walked along with he disciples as he taught, we witnessed the crucifixion, we were there for the resurrection, He promised the Holy Spirit – and we became the Pentecost people. And today we go back to the beginning and remember that all of human history came from an idea that God spoke into the universe. Today is Trinity Sunday – the day we put the whole story together, and we remember the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. – the creator, the redeemer, the sustainer. As Protestants – the Trinity is the foundation of our faith. We are always saying in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit. Having a clear understanding of the power of God in all forms, helps us to understand where we are in creation. It helps us to understand our purpose in life. And how we can continue God’s work. On a pastor’s desk was a sign, "Be patient with me, for God is not yet finished with me." It was a humorous way of telling his people that he was not yet perfect as a Christian. It is a fact that God is not finished creating his universe or his people. Contrary to popular opinion, God has not finished his creation, for scientists claim that our universe is expanding at the rate of twenty-six million miles per hour. Likewise, the creation of an individual is a process that involves a continuous creation. Indeed, God is not finished with us. He is continually trying to make us what we are meant to be. When you understand not only that you were created, but why you were created and understand that the Christ of creation wants to personally relate to you both now and forever, that is when life will really begin. God is not finished with us yet. Will he ever be finished with us? The fact is that God never gives up on us. We may fail and disappoint him. We may slip and backslide, but God does not lose patience with us. When life on earth is ended and the earth vanishes, the Bible tells us that God will make for us a new heaven and earth where our creation will continue until we become what he made us - a likeness to him. CSS Publishing Co., Inc., Old Truths For New Times, by John R. Brokhoff The ways we hear the creation story affects how we live our lives, the choices that we make and how we treat other people. The story in Genesis is not so much an explanation of how creation happened, as much as it is an explanation of why it happened. If creation is good, and we are a part of creation then we are good. Good in behavior, but also good in essence, purpose and worth. Good in the eyes of God. We see his presence in the midst of his people. The evidence of God is not only visible in the steady, unfailing order of creation, but he is here among us, working out his will, and moving toward his eternal purpose in our midst. I love the story about the Sunday school teacher who was trying to teach the Ten Commandments to her young students. She thought it would be most helpful if she provided them with some concrete illustrations. “Early one Saturday morning Billy’s parents were going out,” she said to her students. “Billy’s Dad asked him to mow the lawn while they were gone. When his parents returned, however, the lawn had not been touched.” She asked the class which commandment Billy had disobeyed. Instantly the class responded, “Honor thy Father and Mother!” “Good,” said the teacher and she gave another example. “Jessica was in a store with her mother. When her mother wasn’t looking, Jessica slipped a candy bar into her pocket . . . Which commandment?” the teacher asked. Quickly the class answered: “Thou shalt not steal!” “Great,” said the teacher and she continued. “Jimmy had a bad temper and he was mean. One day he got angry with his sister and grabbed her pet kitten. He then threatened to pull its tail off.” This time the students were stumped. Finally one little fellow piped up and shouted, “What God hath joined together let no man put asunder!” Well, that is our job. That’s our place in the creation story – to hold together all of the pieces of God’s world and to get them to work together for the good of the earth. Like any creation story – there is endless symbolism and meaning in this story. There is the mandate for us to be stewards of the earth, there is the declaration of Good, there is the arrival of the light, there is the recognition of God in all areas of our lives. It is the story of how creation began – it makes us a part of a never ending story. What sentence will you add to the story of life? Anything that you do – brings us all closer to God. Light doesn’t eradicate the darkness – it just helps us to see the goodness of God more clearly. After each act of creation God declared that it was good. Very Good. May you know that you are a part of the goodness! Let us pray….. God, whose fingers sculpt sun and moon and curl the baby’s ear; Spirit, brooding over chaos before the naming of day; Saviour, sending us to earth’s ends with water and words: startle us with the grace, love, and communion of Your unity in diversity so that we may live to the praise of Your majestic name. Amen. Consultation on Common Texts, 2002 Song For the Beauty of the Earth UMH 92 Pastoral Prayer (Do Not Print) Invocation and Adoration Eternal and Almighty God—Creator of the heavens, Redeemer of the lost, and Comforter of our souls—we bow before You in awe. You are the one true God, beautifully revealed in three persons. We praise You for the mystery of Your divine community, inviting us to find our rest and belonging in Your perfect, eternal love. Reformed Worship +4 Confession Lord, forgive us for the times we take Your majesty for granted or try to reduce Your boundless nature to our own limited understanding . Forgive us for the times we fail to reflect Your divine harmony, allowing division, selfishness, and discord into our relationships. Cleanse our hearts by the inspiration of Your Spirit, and draw us back into the unity of Your grace. Faithward.org +4 Thanksgiving Gracious Father, we thank You for the gift of life and the beauty of Your creation. We thank You, Lord Jesus, for pouring out Your life to reconcile us to God. And we thank You, Holy Spirit, for dwelling within us, guiding us into all truth, and empowering us to live as a light to the world. Reformed Worship +6 Petitions for the World and Church As You are united in perfect harmony, we pray that You would unite Your Church in mind, love, and purpose. Bind us together with the cords of Your grace so that we might share Your gospel hope. We lift up our broken world to You today. Bring peace to places of conflict, healing to those who are hurting, and justice to the oppressed. Pour out Your Spirit upon all who are struggling, lonely, or in need of Your comfort. Reformed Worship +4 Benediction We bind ourselves to You today. In the strong name of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—we offer You our lives, our worship, and our praise, now and forever. erikanderica.org +3 Amen. Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Matthew’s Gospel ends with a blessing from the resurrected Jesus, framed as “marching orders” for the disciples. Early Christians would have heard these instructions as a job description for every follower. If we seek to follow Jesus, and want to step into action, what shall we do? 1) go make disciples 2) baptize the new believers 3) teach them everything I commanded you 4) remember “I am with you” As we prepare for our offering, we recognize our financial gifts, joined with our gifts of time and talent, make it possible for us to: –make disciples, inviting others through _________ [Describe in ways specific to your setting: advertising? on-line presence? Billboards? License plates? Support of a food pantry? Free classes?] –welcome the newly baptized [Describe specifics: with a reception or lunch? Banners at baptism? Introductory classes to link newcomers?] –teach Jesus’ commandments [Sunday School? Bible study? Book groups?] –remember Jesus will always be with us [communion, small groups who pray together, support groups for those grieving, groups for recovering from addiction?] Know your offering makes a difference for this congregation and for many who yearn for a community with which to identify! Let us share our tithes and gifts. Prayer of Thanksgiving Ever-Giving God, Thank you for all the gifts you pour into our lives. Even in the tough times, we know the gift of life comes by the power of your Spirit at work, blowing like the wind, filling us like a deep breath. Receive the gifts we’ve offered today. Help us use them to build up your Realm on earth as it is in heaven. Draw us close to you, to one another, and to those eager to hear the Good News of your love for each and all, AMEN Announcements Closing Prayer for YouTube Find rest in the love of God Choose rest by the grace of God Embrace rest by the power of God Trust rest because of the provision of God And know that the God of rest goes with you To love and serve God’s creation. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction I charge you to live as disciples, empowered by the triune God, this day and forever more. And may you be surrounded with the love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Spirit. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Tara Bulger) Additional Illustrations Years ago when the model T Ford was made, an owner of a Model T was parked along a road because his car had motor trouble. The driver could not find what was broken and why the car would not run. At length, a fellow-traveler stopped and asked if he could be of any help. In a short time, the stranger had the motor running. The owner was amazed and asked, "How did you know how to fix it? Who are you?" The other man replied, "I am the man who built it. My name is Henry Ford." Likewise, God alone knows how to fix us, how to make life run again. Why? Because he made us and therefore knows us to the very number of hairs on our heads. Have a problem you cannot solve? Have a need you cannot fill? Go to God the Father who will supply all your needs. He is the ultimate answer to the meaning of our existence. Though we have been created physically in the image of God, he is not yet finished with us. In God the Son we have a second creation as a Christian. Our first creation by the Father made us human beings, but we failed to live up to what we were made to be. Since Adam and Eve, we have spoiled the original creation through rebellion and disobedience. We did not and we still do not live up to our first charter: to be good and to do good according to God’s likeness. Because of sin, it is now a fact that by nature we are sinful and unclean and in need of a second creation. We must admit that many modern folk do not agree with what we have just said. They still have the rosy idea that "man" is basically good as the Father originally created him. Kurt Vonnegut, a leading contemporary author, tells of attending the University of Chicago after World War II. He was a student in the Department of Anthropology. At that time, it was taught that nobody was bad or disgusting. Shortly before his father died, he remarked to Kurt, "You know, you never wrote a story with a villain in it." Kurt explained, "That was one of the things I learned in college after the war." Green is the color of life. That fact most assuredly pervades our thinking when we consider the "Colors of Christmas"! In our Ohio outdoors today, there is a marked lack of the color green. The leaves are gone. Most plants have died from frost and exposure. We are in the season of late autumn, early winter. This is a time of dormancy in the life of most of Ohio’s growing things. They hibernate, they go to sleep, they die. Now, of course, there is a highly technical, scientific explanation as to what actually happens. My college biology suggests that the cholorophyll dies and the caroteen takes over, becoming pre-dominant. But we’re not scientists. We simply know that in autumn and winter, the plants die and the leaves fall. That’s all we know, and probably all we need to know about such a subject. We’re just people trying to understand life ... the gift of life given to us by Christ himself. But, one of the important Colors of Christmas is green. We see that "green" and that "greenery" surrounding us at Christmas. Today, we see it here, in God’s house, the church. We find it in our green paraments: on the altar, lectern, and pulpit, in the color of my stole and in my Cross, in the ribbons of life we gave the youngsters a few moments ago. And we also see green in the holly and mistletoe of the yuletide season. Our Advent wreath is green, and our Christmas tree and decorations in the sanctuary themselves will abound with green. A good symbol of this created life we have in Christ - and of our Advent/Christmas season, too, may be found in this branch from a tree ... an evergreen. We use "evergreen" as a name for a certain type of shrub or bush or tree. "Evergreen." But evergreen is also what it is. It is ever-green. We know that this type of tree is a symbol of life, for it never loses its needles or leaves in winter. Rather, this tree remains green - ever green - all year long. It is always filled with life, continually reminding us of the life - the gift of life here and eternally - that is ours in Jesus Christ. Green is the color of life, but the color green can also have some negative connotations. When I mention the color "green" to you, what is the first thing that pops into your head? Do you think of Christmas trees, evergreens, the green leaves, plants, and grass of a summer day? Or do you think of something else that is green, something else that has replaced God in the minds of many, many people? I’m referring, of course, to the "idol" money! The love of money is referred to in the Bible as the root of all evil. Indeed, Paul told brother Timothy that very truth. And it can be true for us, too, if we let money become the "idol" of our lives, that which we worship above all else. But this green money has another side to it, too. Money can be a positive, powerful force in doing God’s will, in helping others, if we will but use it properly. It’s a fact: we cannot live in this world today without money. But we can do a lot of good with it. It’s not meant to be hoarded, but invested for God’s greater glory. We are but stewards of God’s many and varied gifts. II. God is not an absentee landlord, but he is here among us. Consider other perspectives of human development which often translate into practical consequences. God is not finished with us yet. Will he ever be finished with us? The fact is that God never gives up on us. We may fail and disappoint him. We may slip and backslide, but God does not lose patience with us. When life on earth is ended and the earth vanishes, the Bible tells us that God will make for us a new heaven and earth where our creation will continue until we become what he made us - a likeness to him. CSS Publishing Co., Inc., Old Truths For New Times, by John R. Brokhoff If we view human beings solely as highly-developed animals, we can find much to back up our claim. Certainly a biological or anthropological perspective has the weight of research behind it. We humans, indeed, still share 98 percent of our genes with chimps. We are indebted to Homo erectus as our Homo sapien ancestor. Perhaps a magic twist in 0.1 percent of our genes within the past 60,000 years did create the anatomical basis for spoken complex language. Certainly as long ago as Charles Darwin's The Descent of Man, it has been pointed out that we are similar to other animals in being subject to the same laws of development from primitive forms in nature, passing on variations by inheritance from individual to individual, reproducing in greater numbers than can survive, and possessing body parts we no longer use such as a tail bone to carry a tail, an appendix to store food when we ate only plants, and wisdom teeth with which to crush bones.1 If we believe that humankind is solely a part of nature, a species of animal and nothing more, then we are likely to treat the people we encounter as highly-developed animals. Those we like we view as pets. If they love us and remain faithful to us, we cuddle them as we would any friendly and lovable dog or cat. We will bring them into our household circle of friendship and even try to curry the favor of others as we, too, seek to be friendly animals. To those who are unfriendly, we act as if they are a swarm of flies at a picnic or a beast of burden. We ask our school teachers, our police, and our courts to protect us from these pests. We organize our labor force and our economy to enable us to take advantage of these beasts of burden, paying them lower wages and creating social programs to see that they are fed, watered, and sheltered. While all this is quite unconscious, it still reflects an understanding of humankind as animal: pets, pests, and beasts of burden. That is a perspective upheld by many. God speaks through his creation. He speaks through the reading of Scripture. Sometimes he speaks through public worship. Oh, not necessarily through the sermon. Please understand. Each Sunday, I try my best to bring you some word from God. I don’t have a special pipeline, though. I am a human being. Even with my best efforts, on any one Sunday morning I may not be on your wavelength. God’s word for your life may not come from the sermon. It may come from some hymn. Or it may come from the reading for the day. Or it may happen simply in the silence when we are bowed in prayer. But the most important thing that can happen to each of us is that when we leave this place we are able to say, “God spoke to me this morning.” And, you know, if we empty ourselves and surrender ourselves completely to Him, I believe He will speak. God spoke and the world was created. God spoke and a nation was founded. God spoke and humanity was redeemed. God speaks today and we find help for the living of our lives. May God let it be so this day. Amen. OUR BIBLE BEGINS with the story of Creation. It is the first of the Bible’s many resurrection stories. Actually, the Bible begins with two creation stories - one in the first chapter and the second in the next chapter. Both stories, coming to us from those very earliest of speculation about life, grew from the belief that life was orderly, was following a plan, was fulfilling the destiny of a great mind.

How the Holy Spirit helps us to work together

May 24, 2026 1 Corinthians 12:3-13 How the Holy Spirt helps us to work together Pentecost Sunday Year A Prelude Greeting Call to Worship One: We’re gathered to celebrate Pentecost JOY, grateful God still pours out the Spirit on all flesh! Many: We celebrate, for our sons and our daughters shall prophesy! One: Some will see visions, and others, dream dreams. Many: In that day, all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved! One: Let the wind blow free, let God’s Spirit fill us all! (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Opening Prayer Ever-breathing God, like a mighty wind bringing fresh air and new life to each and to all! Fill us with your Spirit this day! Renew in us a passion for you, for your all-encompassing love, and for this congregation. Inspire us! Help us breathe in the power you offer. Set us on fire to do the mighty works you’ve prepared for us, even as we’re energized in this time of worship. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Song In Christ there is no East or West UMH 548 A Sermon for all Ages Have a colorful kite with you if possible. “Wow! Look at this kite! What does a kite need to fly?” (Wait for answers: wind, string, someone to hold it, open space.) “You can’t always see the wind, can you? But you can see what the wind does. The wind lifts the kite, moves it, and helps it soar high in the sky. Pentecost is the day we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is kind of like the wind. We cannot see the Holy Spirit with our eyes, but we can see what the Holy Spirit does in people’s lives. In our Bible reading today from 1 Corinthians, Paul says that everyone has different spiritual gifts. Some people are good at teaching. Some are good at helping. Some are kind encouragers. Some are singers. Some are leaders. Some are good listeners. God gives every person special gifts through the Holy Spirit. This kite reminds me of the church. Look at all the different parts: the sticks, the fabric, the tail, the string. Every part matters. If one part is missing, the kite will not fly very well. That is how the church works too. We all have different gifts, but the same Holy Spirit helps us work together. And just like the wind lifts the kite, the Holy Spirit lifts us up to do amazing things for God. Maybe your gift is making people smile. Maybe your gift is helping someone who is sad. Maybe your gift is praying, singing, sharing, or showing kindness. You do not have to be grown-up to have a spiritual gift. God’s Spirit works in children too! So whenever you see a kite flying in the wind, remember: even though we cannot see the Holy Spirit, God’s Spirit is always moving, helping, and lifting us up.” The kite teaches us three lessons – it needs the wind to fly, it’s foundation is a cross – and the only way it can fly free in the wind, is if it is tied to a steady foundation. Prayer: “Dear God, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for giving each of us special gifts to share. Help us use our gifts to love others and serve you. Lift us up like a kite in the wind. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” A litany for those who would fly kites Leader: Those who fly kites know that kites are earthbound and cannot lift and soar until they are caught by the wind. People: People and churches are earthbound and cannot be themselves until the wind of God’s Spirit lifts them to fly. Leader: Kites are not free to thrust and move until they are let go to explore the skies. People: People and churches are not free to love and care until they can let go and catch the Spirit which is love. Leader: Kites have no power and direction unless they are caught and controlled by the wind. People: People and churches have no power and direction unless they allow the Spirit of God to move within them. Leader: Let us pray… Together: O God, may your Spirit lift us from being earthbound and free us to soar, to explore, to have direction and purpose. O God, help us to fly as people freed by your Spirit, to live and to love. (theBillabong.com) Scripture 1 Corinthians 12:3-13 Sermon How the Holy Spirit helps us work together There are symbols of Pentecost all around us today. There is the red to symbolize fire, the air conditioner is running representing the wind, there are doves up above the chancel area, and the breath of God is inside of us all. This is the day when we remember that the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and launched the church into the world. And today Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12 what Pentecost really means for the church. Pentecost is the birthday of the church- it is just like any other birthday. The day we are born is important, but we continue to celebrate that day every year of our life. Every year – we receive gifts, and the gifts become bigger as we grow older. At three you would be excited to get a tricycle. As we get older we are excited by a bicycle, and eventually we are expecting a car. Pentecost gifts are the same, the closer we are to God, the more we realize our gifts. Pentecost is not just about what happened long ago in Jerusalem. Pentecost is about who we are right now. We are Pentecost people. The mission is in our hands. And perhaps one of the best symbols for Pentecost is a kite. There is something beautiful about watching a kite fly. A kite dancing in the wind captures our attention immediately. Children stop and stare. Adults look upward. A kite reminds us there is something larger than ourselves moving around us. But a kite teaches us something important. A kite cannot fly by itself. You can buy the most beautiful kite in the world. Bright colors. Long tail. Strong frame. But if there is no wind, it simply lies flat on the ground. The church is the same way. Without the Holy Spirit, the church becomes nothing more than a building, a committee, or a social club. We can organize meetings. We can print bulletins. We can maintain traditions. But without the Spirit, we never truly rise. Paul says, “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.” That is where Pentecost begins. The Holy Spirit enables us to confess Christ as Lord. That confession may sound simple, but it changes everything. To say “Jesus is Lord” means Caesar is not lord. Politics is not lord. Wealth is not lord. Fear is not lord. My ego is not lord. Jesus is Lord. The Holy Spirit lifts our hearts and points us toward Christ the way the wind lifts a kite into the sky. A kite was never meant to stay on the ground. And the church was never meant to stay grounded either. Too often the church becomes comfortable sitting still. We become focused only on survival. We worry about budgets, buildings, attendance, and preferences. We hold tightly to the kite and forget the wind. But Pentecost reminds us that God’s mission is always larger than our fears. The disciples were hiding behind locked doors before Pentecost. After the Spirit came, they moved into the streets. They preached. They served. They crossed boundaries. They carried the gospel into the world. The Spirit took frightened followers and turned them into the church. And that same Spirit still moves today. Paul says there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. Every kite looks a little different. Some are large. Some are small. Some move quickly in the wind while others glide slowly and steadily. Yet they all depend upon the same wind. So it is with the church. Not everyone has the same gift. Some teach. Some sing. Some pray quietly. Some organize. Some visit the sick. Some cook meals. Some lead missions. Some encourage others. Some work with children. Some give generously. Some offer wisdom and compassion in difficult moments. The church needs every gift. A kite needs every part too. Remove the frame and it collapses. Remove the tail and it spins out of control. Cut the string and it drifts away. Sometimes people think their gifts are too small to matter. But Paul reminds us that we are all part of one body. Pentecost means that the Spirit has given every believer a role in God’s mission. Not just pastors. Not just leaders. Not just the loudest voices. Everyone. The mission is in our hands. And perhaps that is the hardest part of Pentecost for us to accept. We often pray for God to do something while forgetting that God has already sent the Spirit upon the church. We are waiting for someone else to change the world while God is waiting for us to use the gifts we already have. The kite does not create the wind, but it must respond to it. The church does not control the Spirit, but we are called to respond when the Spirit moves. And sometimes the Spirit pushes us into uncomfortable places. The wind can pull hard on a kite string. Anyone who has flown a kite knows that sometimes the wind changes direction unexpectedly. Sometimes it lifts higher than we planned. In a prayer letter about her ministry, a friend of mine described her angst as a teenager. Her sister knew that she wanted to be a teacher, but my friend wasn’t clear on what she wanted to be and do, and she felt shame that her ambitions weren’t clear to her. Toward the end of her college years, God spoke to her in a picture: “First I saw an arrow and felt God say, ‘See, this is like your sister, keenly focused on a single target that she’ll hit right on the mark.’ Next, I saw a kite swaying in the wind and felt God say, ‘I made you like this kite. Your life will go in many directions, but you’ll always be anchored in my hands. I need your sister to be focused, but I need you to be available. Are you willing?’” The Holy Spirit does that too. The Spirit calls churches to welcome new people. The Spirit calls us to serve beyond our comfort zones. The Spirit calls us to forgive when we would rather stay angry. The Spirit calls us to speak hope into a divided world. Pentecost is not safe. But it is holy. Paul also reminds us that “in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” Baptism ties all of this together. In baptism, we are connected to Christ and to one another. We become part of the body of Christ. We are no longer isolated kites scattered across the ground. We are joined together in God’s mission. And notice what Paul says: Jews and Greeks, slaves and free, all were made to drink of one Spirit. The Spirit breaks barriers. The church at its best is not divided by race, wealth, politics, nationality, age, or status. Pentecost creates a new community where all belong because all are united in Christ. That is the miracle of Pentecost. Not just speaking in different languages. Not just wind and fire. But people becoming one body through the Holy Spirit. And the world desperately needs that witness today. We live in a world pulling apart at the seams. Division is everywhere. Loneliness is everywhere. Cynicism is everywhere. But the church is called to be a Pentecost people. A people lifted by the Spirit. A people united in Christ. A people sent on mission. And maybe that is why a kite is such a fitting image for the church. A kite always points upward. That is what the Spirit does for us. The Spirit lifts our eyes beyond ourselves. Beyond fear. Beyond despair. Beyond earthly divisions. The Spirit reminds us that we belong to God and that God is not finished with the world yet. But a kite also remains connected by a string. That matters too. Because Pentecost is not about escaping the world. It is about being sent into it. The Spirit lifts us toward God while keeping us connected to the people around us. The church is called to soar spiritually while remaining grounded in mission. Feeding the hungry. Serving the poor. Welcoming the stranger. Teaching children. Caring for the lonely. Sharing the gospel. Living as the body of Christ. The mission is in our hands. The End Is the Beginning The end of the gospel of John always sends us back to the beginning. Every ending always implies the beginning of something new. On December 31st, the last day of the year, we celebrate the beginning of the New Year. Pregnancy ends with the delivery of a baby, and a new life begins—for both the parents and the baby. When you finish High School, you enter a new world of college or work. Jesus’ death on the cross was an ending, but it was also a beginning. Pentecost is the last day of the Easter season, and it is also celebrated as the beginning of the church. Carla Gorrell, Looks Like a Conspiracy ___________________________ The Holy Gust The Keys to the Car There are transitional moments in life that confirm something tremendous has taken place. One of those moments occurs in a teenager's life and in lives of the parents of that particular teenager, when a mom or a dad gives to him or her the keys to the car for the first time for a solo run. What a transitional moment this is! Many of us have already experienced this. Some of you still have to experience it in life, but, I guarantee you, it's going to happen. It's going to be a step of growth for you. It's a time when you release to your child into an adult world. It's a change in your son or daughter's life from which they are never going to turn back. It's a moment in which you are giving your child an adult responsibility. It is a transitional moment for the child also because the teenager recognizes that he has been given a great responsibility. It's an adult responsibility. He also realizes that this is something that he needs to take care with because great trust has been put in him. Teenagers need to prove to their parents that the validity of their faith in them is correct. In the Scripture for today, Jesus does something very similar for His followers. Jesus said, "As the Father has sent Me, so send I you." Jesus is tossing the keys to the kingdom to His disciples. He is demonstrating that He is accepting them as His followers but He is also demonstrating to them that He is entrusting to them the message of the gospel. He gives to them a great privilege. He is showing them that He believes in them. Don Walker, Commissioned to a New Ministry _________________________ So on this Pentecost Sunday, perhaps we should ask ourselves: Are we resisting the wind of the Spirit? Have we settled for lying flat on the ground? Have we forgotten the gifts God has already given us? Because the Spirit is still blowing. The question is whether we are willing to rise. The church does not belong only to the past. Pentecost was not the ending of the story. It was the beginning. The Holy Spirit still empowers us to confess Christ as Lord. The Holy Spirit still gives gifts to the church. The Holy Spirit still unites us through baptism into one body. And the Holy Spirit still sends us into the world. We are Pentecost people. The mission is in our hands. So let us catch the wind of the Spirit once more and soar for the glory of God. Amen. Song I’m going to sing when the spirit says sing UMH 333 Prayers of the People (You don’t have to print) God of the gathering wind, as we celebrate Pentecost and feel summer’s first warm breath, plant in us the quiet courage of seeds beneath soil — small but determined, destined to rise. Align our seasons with your divine rhythms. Let us unfurl in righteousness like morning glories p2 opening to dawn light, like wheat fields bending golden under your gaze. Spirit of Peace, in these days when violence seems to engulf us – when weapons thunder across borders, when classrooms become places of terror, when families walk endless miles seeking shelter – deliver us from the darkness we have allowed to flourish. Guide the long journey of human history toward your promised justice. Grant us the strength to stand against hatred’s divisions, to speak your love that knows no boundaries, to transform systems that perpetuate suffering, to be steadfast in our pursuit of peace. Wind of wisdom, Breath of understanding, You who once drew scattered people together at Pentecost — kindle in us a hospitality that mirrors Christ’s open arms. Unseal our hearts to truly see the journeys others walk. Fill us with that love which defies boundaries, which heals what seems beyond repair. Let us become your unified voice rising from many throats, your single body formed of countless limbs, offering gratitude for the redemption you have promised and continue to unfold among us. Merciful One, attend to these whispered hopes we offer. Together now, as Christ’s living presence, we turn to the ancient words that Jesus gave us praying… “Our Father…” Charge and benediction May the spark of God ignite you. May the love of Christ renew you. (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Over many years, Christians have marked Pentecost Day as the birthday of the church. Today, we’re celebrating this birthday with ________________ (Describe what you’re doing: Birthday cake after worship? Balloons? A kitchen shower with gifts to help the kitchen be more usable? Canned food for your food pantry?) Of course, birthdays often mean presents too! You’re invited to share a birthday gift today, as part of our morning offering. Will you give an extra dollar for each year you’ve been part of this congregation? How about a financial gift in thanksgiving for the number of years since this congregation began ministry? Perhaps you will give a penny, nickel, dime, or dollar for each year since our calendar marks time since Jesus was born? ($20.26, $101.30, $202.60, $2026.00!) Happy birthday to the church! Let’s receive our morning offering, including any and all birthday gifts today. Prayer of Thanksgiving Holy God, By your hand, creation came out of chaos. Through your love, Jesus came to teach, heal and share Good News. With your Spirit, we are empowered to share what we now offer, to build up your church, share Good News, and rejoice as new life emerges out of chaos. So touch this offering and help it be used wisely and well. Breathe your Spirit into each one present today, so together we eagerly act out your love for the world, AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for those on Facebook Having been quenched and ignited by Spirit And united in the waters of the baptized life Let us go from this gathering as members of the Body of Christ— Together even when distant Understanding and understood across difference Resolved beyond fear and empowered by the Spirit Joyful in amazement and in mystery Visioning, prophesying, dreaming As on the Day of Pentecost (United Church of Christ, Cheryl Lindsay) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Charge and Benediction May the spark of God ignite you. May the love of Christ renew you. May the Holy Spirit fill you on this Pentecost Sunday and the days to come. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Additional Illustrations You Are in the Spirit It's like the story of the shark and the whale. Both were swimming in the sea when the shark swam up to the whale to engage in conversation. As they swam along, the shark said to the whale, "You are so much older than I, and wiser too. Could you tell me where the ocean is?" The whale responded, "The ocean is what you are in now." The shark would not believe it. "Come on, tell me where the ocean is so I may find it!" The whale repeated, "The ocean is here, now; you are in it." Unbelieving, the shark swam away searching for the ocean. The moral of the story, I believe, is this: don't spend too much time looking for God because the Spirit of God is here in the now of your life, dwelling within you, within me, within this community. And that truth is nurtured in prayer. Susan M. Fleenor, The Indwelling Spirit of Pentecost Peace The peace Jesus gives to us through the Holy Spirit is more than we can ever imagine: Peace means the cessation of all warfare, but it also means much more. Peace means a feeling of inner well-being, but it also means much more. Peace means an end to psychological tensions, but it also means much more. Peace means halting interpersonal conflicts, but it also means much more. Peace means the settling of silence on the soul, but it also means much more. In Valyermo, California , the Benedictines converted a 400-acre ranch into a religious community called St. Andrew's Priory. As you enter the grounds, you find that the land is posted: "No Hunting Except for Peace." The world is hunting for peace. What will we give it? Leonard Sweet, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com They All Come Together John Ortberg tells the story of a friend who made his first trip south of the Mason-Dixon Line from Chicago to Georgia. On his first morning in the South he went into a restaurant to order breakfast, and it seemed that every dish included something called grits...which, as my Tennessee friends tell me, is exactly the way God intended it. Not being familiar with this southern delicacy, he asked the waitress, "Could you tell me, exactly what is a grit?" Looking down on him with a mixture of compassion and condescension, she said, "Sugar, you can't get just one grit. They always come together." John Wesley knew there was no personal holiness without social holiness, and Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Dillard says, "You can no more go to God alone than you can go to the North Pole alone." We're just like grits...you can't get just one. They come together. John E. Harnish, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com _______________________________________________ Lost and Found Picture a little girl lost in a big city. There she sits, crying on the curb. A policeman finds her, puts her in his cruiser and drives her up and down the streets, hoping she'll recognize something familiar. Which, at last, she does. She sees a steeple with a cross on it. Tears vanish. Speech returns. "That's my church," she says. "I can find my way from here." You're not the only one, little girl. William A. Ritter, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Wrong! – Acts 2:1-13 by Leonard Sweet Today is Pentecost, the birthday of the church. The symbols of the Pentecost gift are wind and fire. Every birthday is accompanied by a cake over which there is the ritual of wind and fire. But in the course of blowing out candles in your lifetime, have you ever missed one? Ever miscalculate the amount of wind needed to get it 100% right? [To make your sermon more EPIC, you might want to showcase a birthday cake, and blow out some candles. You could even have some fun and include some gag (magic re-lighting) candles that you can’t blow out.] In 1972 veteran journalist Ross Gelbsan attended an environmental conference discussing “The Limits of Growth.” The entire conference had a “doom-and-gloom” feel to it, as the projections of scientists and economists foresaw the end of the world as we know it based on population growth, the destruction of natural resources, etc. Their conclusions were dire. The world would exhaust almost all its resources in about thirty years. But as Gelbsan absorbed all these dreadful predictions he noticed that one of the primary spokespersons for doom and gloom, environmental scientist Donella Meadows, was pregnant. Gelbson interpreted her pregnancy as a note of “personal hopefulness” amidst all this bad news. When his article on this event was finally published by The Village Voice, he used Meadows’ pregnancy as a call for optimism. Even when events appear unremittingly grim, pregnancy shows that there is still cause for hope in our children. It was a wonderful article and a great image. Only one problem: Donella Meadows wasn’t pregnant. Oops!! Wrong!!! Kathryn Schultz tells this story on her friend Ross Gelbson in her remarkable book Being Wrong (HarperCollins Publishers, 2010). Schultz wants to convince her readers that “being wrong” is not something we can avoid, and it isn’t even something we should actively TRY to avoid. Schultz finds that our “wrongs” are sometimes the most creative, imaginative, extravagant, and courageous expressions of our humanity. “The capacity to err,” Schultz contends, “is crucial to human cognition” (p.5). If Schultz is right about being wrong, then we in the church are in deep trouble. Increasingly, church people can’t see others as simply being wrong but evil. Why must we always demonize the other side? What can’t people just be wrong without being demonic or evil? In fact, isn’t the ultimate in evil the notion that you’re always right and never wrong?.... _________________________ Scribbling With Their Tongues Reader’s Digest once carried a wonderful story of a mother who was describing her family’s visit as tourists to Wales. She was describing her six-year-old son’s reaction the first time he heard the Welsh language being spoken. “Mom,” he said, “it sounds like they’re scribbling with their tongues.” That is how the disciples may have sounded when the Spirit came upon them, like they were scribbling with their tongues but they were not speaking gibberish. They were speaking known languages that people who overheard them could understand. Some of those present that first Pentecost made fun of the disciples and accused them of being intoxicated. If the police had happened by, they might have issued warrants reading “drunk and disorderly.” But the apostle Peter stood up and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Then Peter proceeded to tell them about Jesus. Peter’s preaching made an impression. About three thousand were added to the church on that one day. King Duncan, ChristianGlobe Illustrations ________________________ She Knew What to Say The manager of a stock brokerage firm had heard his pastor, Sarah Magnuson, lead a congregation retreat, and he was impressed by her incisive style. A few days after the retreat he came to Sarah's office with what seemed like an unusual invitation. "I've got a couple dozen stock brokers working for me," he told his pastor as he sipped a cup of coffee. "I hold a weekly meeting of these people, and every so often I like to bring in someone to talk to them, someone who comes from an entirely different set of circumstances." "So?" Sarah said, not knowing quite what her parishioner wanted. But she was suspicious. "So," he said, "I liked the way you handled the material on the retreat last weekend. I'd like to set up a time when you would talk to my brokers. And by the way, attendance at these meetings is mandatory; this is a permanent appointment on their weekly calendar." Sarah was nonplussed. "Don't make that kind of suggestion while I have coffee in my mouth," she kidded. "Besides, I can't appear before those people. I don't know zip about stoc_esermonsks and investments. What am I supposed to do, bone up on the brokerage business?" "No," her friend said. "These people are experts in their field. You don't need to know anything about the technicalities of their business." He let that sink in for a few seconds. "But you know something they don't know -- you know the Gospel. That's where you excel." "But I can't speak their language," Sarah lamely complained. "You don't have to speak their language," he replied. "You just speak your language, the language that comes from your knowledge of the Gospel and what it says to us. If I know you, my guess is they'll understand what you have to say." A few weeks later Sarah finished addressing the group on the subject of ethics in the business world, firmly and unabashedly based on Scriptures. And she topped it off with a question and answer period that took the group past the normal closing time for these meetings. As the brokers moved back to their offices, a variety of positive comments could be heard in the hallways. "The boss picked a ringer this time," one broker said. "She didn't pull any punches," another chimed in. The following day the manager called his pastor to thank her. "You made a very positive impact on them," he said, "and I appreciate what you told us." "Even though I couldn't speak their jargon?" Sarah asked, somewhat pleased that she had scored so well. "You said exactly what they needed to hear," her grateful parishioner assured her, "and don't worry -- they understood you." Merle G. Franke, Lectionary Tales from the Pulpit, Cycle A Shaken from Our Sanctuaries A few years ago, AT&T had a major snafu in New York City. They had an agreement with the city that, when electrical demand peaked, AT&T would switch to their backup generators. One day they did that, and something went wrong. When they switched over, the resulting power surge blew a number of rectifiers. Not only did that knock out phone service in the area, it also disrupted communications for air controllers at Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark airports. Over a thousand flights were affected. Usually, technicians would fix that kind of blackout quickly. However, they didn't respond quickly on that particular occasion. While alarm bells rang unheard, the technicians were--believe it or not--attending a training session on how to handle an emergency. I worry that something like that often happens in the church. Christ has called us to serve the world for which he died. Worship is that time when we strengthen our spirits for service to the world. When worship becomes an end in itself, we are not being what Christ has called us to be. We need to be shaken from our sanctuaries and into the streets. King Duncan, Collected Works, www.Sermons.com What if Jesus Were Really Boss? Some years ago Charles Sheldon wrote a book titled, In His Steps. In that book he told about the revolution which occurred in the lives of a church and a congregation when the people decide to put every moral issue to the test of one question—“What would Jesus do?”. Perhaps his book was a bit naive. We are not always sure of what Jesus would do in every situation. Many of the moral issues which we must face as we come to the end of the Twentieth century were never part of His First-century world. Perhaps a better form of the question is: “Given what I know of the mind and spirit of Jesus Christ, what would Christ have me do?” I am confident that a revolution would follow if we were to ever really take that question seriously. But that is what we mean when we confess our faith that “Jesus Christ is Lord.” “Lord,” in the vernacular, means “Boss.” What if Jesus Christ really were Boss around here? Donald B. Strobe, Collected Works, www.Sermons.com _________________________ The Wild Goose Celtic Christians chose, not the dove, but the wild goose as a symbol representing the Holy Spirit. It sounds strange to us, but it has a long tradition in Ireland. While the Roman Church imagined the Holy Spirit in the form of a peaceful, graceful dove, the Ancient Celts understood the Holy Spirit to be like a wild goose. When you hear of the Spirit descending like a heavenly dove on you, you hear harps and strings softly playing and get a peaceful feeling. The image of the Holy Spirit as dove has become so familiar and domesticated an image we pay little attention. The image of a wild goose descending upon you is a different matter altogether. A wild goose is one noisy, bothersome bird. I like this image of the Holy Spirit as a wild goose because it jars us out of our complacency. We need such an image to correct our overly safe and overly sweet image of the Spirit. One preacher friend asked, "How many times can you sing 'There's a Sweet, Sweet Spirit in This Place' without your blood sugar reaching diabetic levels?" When the Spirit comes in the Bible, it never seems to be sweet or safe. God's Spirit called the prophets to speak to Israel in words that were bold and sometimes dangerous. Ezekiel saw a vision of God's Spirit blowing through a valley of dry bones and bringing them to life. John the Baptist dressed in camel's hair and eating wild locusts proclaimed, "I baptize you with water but he who comes after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." Paul gave this advice to young Timothy, "For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:6-7). Neither safe nor tame, the Spirit inspired Paul to proclaim, "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28). It was this wild Goose that Jesus referred to when he preached his first sermon and quoted Isaiah, saying, "For the Spirit of the Lord is upon me for he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of God's favor"(Luke 4:18) Mickey Anders, Pentecost The Irresistible Influence of the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit warms us and melts our cold, cold hearts. Recently I ran across a parable that makes the point: Once upon a time there was a piece of iron, which was very strong and very hard. Many attempts had been made to break it, but all had failed. “I’ll master it,” said the axe… and his blows fell heavily upon the piece of iron, but every blow only made the axe’s edge more blunt, until it finally ceased to strike and gave up in frustration. “Leave it to me,” said the saw… and it worked back and forth on the iron’s surface until its jagged teeth were all worn and broken. Then in despair, the saw quit trying and fell to the side. “Ah!” said the hammer, “I knew you two wouldn’t succeed. I’ll show you how to do this!” But at the first fierce blow, off flew its head and the piece of iron remained just as before, proud and hard and unchanged. “Shall I try?” asked the small soft flame. “Forget it,” everyone else said. “What can you do? You’re too small and you have no strength.” But the small soft flame curled around the piece of iron, embraced it… and never left it until it melted under its warm irresistible influence. There’s a sermon there somewhere. Perhaps it means that God’s way is not the way of force but love. God’s way is not to break hearts but to melt them. Perhaps it means that that is our calling – to melt hearts… under the irresistible warmth of God’s gracious love. James W. Moore, What Do You Do With Such A Gift? _______________________ Christianity Outside the Church D.L. Moody once called on a leading citizen in Chicago to persuade him to accept Christ. They were seated in the man’s parlor. It was winter and coal was burning in the fireplace. The man objected that he could be just as good a Christian outside the church as in it. Moody said nothing, but stepped to the fireplace, took the tongs, picked a blazing coal from the fire and set it off by itself. In silence the two watched it smolder and go out. “I see,” said the man. The Interpreter’s Bible _________________________ Some Pentecost Thoughts As I see it, the Holy Spirit is graciously and unobtrusively busy all over the place. The quiet Helper. The unpretentious Friend. The Helper is quietly at work: in the sincere concern of a friend for our health, in those who take a stand against injustice, in the grace of folk who go the second mile, in the inner resources we discover in times of crisis, in those who dare to go against the tide of popular opinion, in the grace that enables us to admit when we are wrong, in the resilience of people who fight for the rights of others, in those who surrender some of their rights for the larger good, in times when we share the Gospel in spite of our inadequacy, in finding joy in unexpected places, in taking on responsibilities that we once thought beyond us, in refusing to let the greed of society take over our soul, in giving thanks always, even through the hard times of life, in rising above past failures and putting past hurts behind us. in finding a central core of peace in the midst of turmoil, in daring to laugh in situations where some would curse, in knowing ourselves to be children of God, in knowing ourselves loved, even when we have been very unlovable. Bruce D. Prewer, Some Pentecost Thoughts _______________________ He Lives In Me Right Now! Norman Neaves some years ago told about a teacher asking the students in her fourth grade class to name the person they considered the greatest person alive in the world today. Their responses were varied and interesting. One little boy said, “I think it’s Joe Montana because he led the 49ers to all those Super Bowl wins.” A little girl said, George Bush… and still another named Oprah… and on and on it went with the students mentioning a wide variety or celebrities. But then it was little Donnie’s turn. Without hesitation Donnie said, “I think it’s Jesus Christ because He loves everybody and is always ready to help them.” Mrs. Thompson smiled and said, “Well, I certainly like your answer, Donnie, because I’m a Christian too… and I also admire Jesus very much. But there’s one slight problem. I said the greatest living person… and of course, Jesus lived and died almost two thousand years ago. Do you have another name in mind?” I love the simple, innocent, confident, wide-eyed response of little Donnie. He said, “Oh no, Mrs. Thompson, that’s not right at all. Jesus Christ is alive! He lives in me right now!” That’s the good news of our faith and the message of Pentecost… God is with us right now working from the inside out, giving us the Breath of Life, the Fire Power of Commitment… and the Peace That Passes All Understanding. James W. Moore, What Do You Do With Such A Gift? ____________________________ Why Do Things Hold Together? The late Harvard mathematician and philosopher, Alfred North Whitehead, maintained that the whole scientific enterprise of the western world rested upon the belief that at the bottom of things science would find order rather than chaos. If animists were afraid to probe a world enchanted with demons and spirits, western scientists dissected, investigated, explored and probed into the depths of the atom believing order and organization would be found rather than disorder and disarray. "What was at the bottom of this conviction?" asked Whitehead. It was the theological concept of the Logos, the Word or Reason or Mind of God, which held everything together. Why do things cohere and hold together? It is because the Mind or Logos, or the Spirit of God, holds them together. Maurice A. Fetty, The Divine Advocacy, CSS Publishing Company _________________________ Consecrate that Trumpet to God While preaching a revival in Florida, a man told me that, as a young man, he had played with Artie Shaw's band. His father had been a concert pianist, but neither of them knew the first thing about Christian music. One day the young man was invited by a friend to play his trumpet at a huge Billy Sunday evangelistic crusade. He did it, and then, at the close of the service, as he stood there watching Billy Sunday pray with those who had responded to the call, the great evangelist looked up, saw him, came over to him, and said, "Young man, have you consecrated that trumpet to God?" "I had no idea what he was talking about -- consecrate. So when I shook my head, Billy Sunday took me to an old wooden folding chair, laid my trumpet on it, put his hands -- one on the horn and the other on my shoulder -- and prayed and gave us both to God." Then the man continued, "And you know, Barbara, it made a difference. It made a difference the way I played that trumpet and it made a difference in me!" The Holy Spirit does make a difference. He makes a big difference! Let him fill you today. Drink deeply of this Divine New Wine. There is no telling what he will do for you, with you, and through you!" Grapes of Wrath Or Grace, Barbara Brokhoff, CSS Publishing Company _________________________ The Ability to Hear Communication, an ability to hear, to know what other people "are getting at" and "where they're coming from," has got to be one of the chief characteristics of the effective pastor. I want to be a good communicator, a skillful preacher. Yet before that, I know that I must be a good listener. As someone has said, "A preacher must listen for six days a week -- listening to God and to the hopes, fears, and aspirations of the congregation -- for the right to speak one day a week." I agree. Yet our modern world has also shown us how difficult, how very, very difficult, it is to hear. A number of years ago, Deborah Tannen, wrote, Why I Can't Hear You. It was a book about the difficulty of communication between women and men. Men and women speak different languages, says Tannen. When men are trying to say, "I need you to help me," they say it in ways which women can't hear. Likewise, when women say, "Give me some space; I need to be more independent for awhile," men get the message all messed up and hear something else. Add to this gender-gap, the gaps in our communication due to differences in economics, education, race and class, what hope is there for us ever to understand one another? The story we have read today, the story of Pentecost, is a story about hearing. Remember the Genesis story of the Tower of Babel, that time when the original "one language and few words" of humanity was disrupted forever by the profusion of languages and speech? Some believe that this Pentecost story is meant to signify a gracious reversal of Babel. William Willimon, How Can I Hear You? _________________________ In Touch with the Spirit Those who say that meditation is an escape from reality obviously have no experience of it. Because if they had this experience they would know that meditation makes us face honestly the reality that is at our own core and it gives us insight into the core of that reality. This, I think, is another way of saying that it puts us in touch with the Spirit. In a sense, then, each time we put on our spiritual snorkels and set out to meditate we are celebrating Pentecost, the presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst. Fr. Gerry Pierse _________________________ What's Our Purpose? If we are to reach people for Christ we need people with passion and power. But we also need people with a purpose. In the late 1800’s, no business matched the financial and political dominance of the railroad. Trains dominated the transportation industry of the United States, moving both people and goods throughout the country. Then a new discovery came along—the car—and incredibly, the leaders of the railroad industry did not take advantage of their unique position to participate in this transportation development. The automotive revolution was happening all around them, and they did not use their industry dominance to take hold of the opportunity. In his video tape The Search for Excellence, Tom Peters points out the reason: The railroad barons did not understand what business they were in. Peter observes that "they thought they were in the train business. But, they were in fact in the transportation business. Time passed them by, as did opportunity. They couldn’t see what their real purpose was." If the railroad barons at the turn of the century had understood that they were in the transportation business and not the train business we would all be driving a Gould and not a Ford. The same thing happened in the watch and clock industry. The Swiss had dominated time keeping. They controlled 90% of all revenues made in their industry. They made the most precise gears and springs in the world. Their watches and clocks were perfect. Then something new happened called the Quartz movement—LCD readout. Guess who invented it. A Swiss man. But because it had no gears or knobs or springs it was rejected. They failed to recognize that they were in the business of helping people tell time not making precision gears. They lost their dominance in the industry. They now control 20% of all revenue. Seiko is the dominant leader. "If Sports Illustrated magazine understood it was in the sports information business, not the publishing business, we would have the Sports Illustrated Channel, not ESPN." And folks, if we in the Methodist Church, forget that our purpose is making disciples for Jesus Christ we will also become obsolete. If we loose our focus and get distracted by tradition, habit, custom, ritual, routine, we will go the way of the trains, the Swiss, and Sports Illustrated. We must remember our basic identity. We must—whenever, however, wherever—fulfill our basic purpose. I want to be part of a church whose soul purpose is to win people to Jesus Christ. I want to be part of a church that is empowered by the Holy Spirit. A church that is going out into the streets with spiritual power and the authority. The Holy Spirit compels us to go. Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com _________________________ Living Unaware of Our Vast Fortune Come with me into West Texas during the Depression. Mr. Ira Yates was like many other ranchers and farmers. He had a lot of land, and a lot of debt. Mr. Yates wasn't able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. With little money for clothes or food, his family (like many others) had to live on a government subsidy. Day after day, as he grazed his sheep over those rolling West Texas hills, he was no doubt greatly troubled about how he would pay his bills. Then a seismographic crew from an oil company came into the area and told him there might be oil on his land. They asked permission to drill a wildcat well, and he signed a lease contract. At 1,115 feet they struck a huge oil reserve. The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day. Many subsequent wells were more than twice as large. In fact, 30 years after the discovery, a government test of one of the wells showed it still had the potential flow of 125,000 barrels of oil a day. And Mr. Yates owned it all. The day he purchased the land he had received the oil and mineral rights. Yet, he'd been living on relief. A multimillionaire living in poverty. The problem? He didn't know the oil was there even though he owned it. It is fair to say that you and I are a lot like Mr. Yates at times. We are heirs of a vast treasure and yet we live in spiritual poverty. We are entitled to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and his energizing power, and yet we live unaware of our birthright. We gather today to remember how rich we are. Dan Rondeau, Come, Holy Spirit KITES FOR PENTECOST by Marcus Benjamin It certainly had taken a lot of activity to get the service off the ground. For the two Sundays before, fifteen adults and some fifty children had spent several hours making kites. The kites, which were of thick white paper, had painted on them the symbols of Pentecost- the dove, the wind and the flames of fire. These indeed made the kites very colourful. The pre-schoolers’ kites were made from cardboard with colourful plastic tails. Imagine everyone’s surprise when they found after the service that all the kites in fact flew very well!Why kites? We felt that, apart from the visual symbols of Pentecost which were painted on them, the kites also gave us an excellent theme. Gwen Benjamin drew from the children the thought that a kite was earthbound until it was lifted by the wind. We realised that kites can’t fly unless they are let free to roam in the sky We learned also that kites have no direction and no power except that of the wind. Another interesting feature of our kites was that the wooden base which forms the frame was in the form of a cross. Here then was ample symbolism for a memorable service. Kites symbolize freedom, ambition, and a spiritual connection between heaven and earth. Because they soar upward, they represent the human desire to reach new heights and transcend earthly limitations. gravitybali.com +3 Universal Meanings • Freedom & Liberation: The ability to float untethered (or controlled from the ground) represents boundless freedom and the carefree nature of childhood. • Spiritual Bridge: Their upward flight serves as a metaphor for sending prayers to the divine, communicating with ancestors, and holding onto spiritual hope. • Ambition & Success: The rising of a kite is an arrow pointing upward, symbolizing career progress, rising above adversity, and chasing dreams. gravitybali.com +4 Cultural Significance • China: The birthplace of kites views them as symbols of good luck and longevity. In traditional practices, such as the Qingming Festival, people fly kites and deliberately cut the string to let the kite drift away, symbolizing the release of the previous year's unhappiness. • Bali: Kite flying is a sacred, religious custom meant to thank the gods for bountiful harvests and maintain cosmic balance. • Bermuda: Flying kites on Good Friday is a cultural tradition meant to represent the Ascension of Christ. • Philosophy/Metaphor: A kite teaches the value of patience and "reading the wind"—knowing when to push forward and when to let things unfold naturally. For Christians, Pentecost is the celebration where we remember the day the Holy Spirit was sent to the disciples. These were some of the last words Jesus spoke to his disciples, just before he ascended to heaven. He leaves them with this promise, "you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit". And that is exactly what happened at Pentecost. The disciples were gathered together when suddenly a powerful wind, like nothing they had seen or heard before, came rushing through the room. Then, even stranger than that, fire suddenly appeared in the room and separated so that a tongue of fire came to rest on each persons head. To remind us of the Holy Spirit moving around us, create the Pentecost Kite. My friend has held numerous jobs and ministries, all of them fruitful and interesting, and she is clearly energized by her current position as communications director for a ministry that raises awareness of people groups around the world, often called “unreached,” who have no exposure to the Gospel. I’ve been evaluating my own life in the light of the contrast between arrow and kite. In some areas of my life, I was like an arrow. In other areas, like a kite. With so many unknowns at present, the kite picture is really helpful. All of us need to nurture the confidence that Jesus has the kite string well in hand. And all of us need to flex with the wind of the Holy Spirit. Verbal pictures and images are metaphors, a Greek word meaning transport, where the meaning from one word is transported onto another word or concept. In the Bible, many pictures, or metaphors, are used to describe God. In the Psalms, God is compared to a shepherd, rock, refuge, sun, shield, and many other concrete, real-life items. In the Gospels, Jesus calls himself the bread of life, the light of the world, the door of the sheep, the good shepherd, and the true vine. Each of these pictures sketched in words has brought comfort, joy and challenge to believers for centuries. I’m also interested in metaphors that describe us, the people of God. My new favorite metaphor for Christians is a kite anchored in Jesus’ hands and shifting in the wind of the Holy Spirit.