Following Love

Ruth 1:1-18 23rd Sunday after Pentecost Proper 24 Year B Following Love Opening Song Welcome – All Hallow’s Eve Call To Worship Make every other line bold You who are famished Come to be fed. Leave behind what is arid Let go what is dead. Step with confidence toward newness Step bravely toward Christ. God is here to embrace us Worship God, receive life! Invocation Meet us here, O God. None of us have made it this far unscathed by life’s heartaches and tribulations. Meet us here, O God. Put our hands in the hands of each other. Put our hearts in the care of this community of grace. Strengthen us through this hour of worship that being healed, we may become healers, that finding our home, we may welcome foreigners, friends and kin home with Christ, home with you. Amen. Stewardship Moment Invitation to Give: (After Ruth 1:1-8) May each of us possess the generosity of spirit that led Ruth to promise, “Where you go, I will go. Where you lodge, I will lodge.” Through our offerings may we go where our neighbors are in need, may we lodge with those who sorrow, may we share ourselves and what is ours, that all whom God loves will not feel abandoned nor alone. Prayer of dedication Gracious and generous God, please accept these gifts that we have brought. May these offerings serve to draw others to love, honor, and serve you. Multiply these tithes and offerings, Holy One, and use them for the edification of your people all around the world. All for love’s sake, amen. Scripture Ruth 1:1-18 Ruth 1:1-18 Common English Bible The family in Moab 1 During the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. A man with his wife and two sons went from Bethlehem of Judah to dwell in the territory of Moab. 2 The name of that man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the territory of Moab and settled there. 3 But Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died. Then only she was left, along with her two sons. 4 They took wives for themselves, Moabite women; the name of the first was Orpah and the name of the second was Ruth. And they lived there for about ten years. 5 But both of the sons, Mahlon and Chilion, also died. Only the woman was left, without her two children and without her husband. 6 Then she arose along with her daughters-in-law to return from the field of Moab, because while in the territory of Moab she had heard that the LORD had paid attention to his people by providing food for them. 7 She left the place where she had been, and her two daughters-in-law went with her. They went along the road to return to the land of Judah. 8 Naomi said to her daughters-in-law, “Go, turn back, each of you to the household of your mother. May the LORD deal faithfully with you, just as you have done with the dead and with me. 9 May the LORD provide for you so that you may find security, each woman in the household of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 But they replied to her, “No, instead we will return with you, to your people.” 11 Naomi replied, “Turn back, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Will there again be sons in my womb, that they would be husbands for you? 12 Turn back, my daughters. Go. I am too old for a husband. If I were to say that I have hope, even if I had a husband tonight, and even more, if I were to bear sons— 13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you refrain from having a husband? No, my daughters. This is more bitter for me than for you, since the LORD’s will has come out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her. 15 Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her gods. Turn back after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to abandon you, to turn back from following after you. Wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do this to me and more so if even death separates me from you.” 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her about it. Sermon – Following Love Speaking of fictional stories in the bible – it is said that the book of Ruth and the book of Job have a lot in common. The book of Ruth is called a Novella – a medium sized story in between a short story and a novel. Today we are going to look at the first chapter of this book, but you could easily read the whole story in less than 20 minutes. The story ends with the birth of Obed, the grandfather of King David. We hear a lot about David being the first king of Israel. But here is the thing – there is no historical proof that David ever existed. Was David a fictional character also? How can Jesus be a descendant of David if he never existed? I can assure you that Jesus and his mother Mary were historical people. But if David is not a historical person, why is he in the bible? Well because the old testament is a book of stories that were passed down for thousands of years. The point of the stories are not in the exact details, it is in the timeless truths that guide our actions and become a foundation of our faith. And just like a lot of novels – the story is true, the names and the places have been changed to protect the reality of the story. The book of Ruth has some disturbing truths that can hit home for us – 3000 years later. It is the story of a fairly well off family that lived in Bethlehem. Bethlehem means beth – house – lehem – house of bread. The family was doing pretty well off until the bread disappeared. The happy family fleed to Moab. Now moving to Moab was like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. No self respecting Hebrew would be willing to live with their distant cousins the Moabites. And there were strict rules about marrying them. Which the two sons in this family do. And then the story specifally says that this was in the time of the judges. These were not necessarily wise people – they were strong warlords who kept order the old fashioned way. So in other words, there were no rules, no laws, no covenants, no government control. It was every man for himself. So this family was responsible for their own survival. And the story gets worse – first the father dies, then the two sons die – leaving three women to survive on their own. With no food, no jobs, no family, no government assistance – this was a death sentence for the 3 of them. Women were second class citizens subject to abuse, resentment . foreign women, were less than less than. Let’s respect Naomi for her honesty. We are more comfortable with people who grieve privately, who put on a brave face and never talk about what’s tearing them up inside. But that’s not healthy. Author Lynn Caine wrote her best-selling book Widow after the death of her husband. In it, she writes, “being a widow is like living in a country where no one speaks your language.” (5) And yet Ruth is one of 4 women listed in Jesus lineage. All 4 were foreign, all four went above and beyond to remain loyal to the Hebrew people. There is a lot going on in this story, but the important point is that love always finds a way, love always wins, love is always strong enough to overcome hatred, love is no respector of race, gender, status or circumstances, love can bring those at the bottom to the top, love will cling to us no matter where we go in life. You know Oprah Winfrey says that she was supposed to have a biblical name, but it was misspelled on her birth certificate. Orpah was the daughter in law in this family. she was a Moabite and they lived in Moab. So when her mother in law Naomi told her to go home – she didn’t have far to go. Never to be heard from in biblical history again. It is the other daughter in law – ruth who insists on staying. Perhaps she had no place to go, perhaps she came from an abusive home. There is some speculation that these two women were kidnapped to become wives, and to return home at this point meant death. Whatever her reason, that bible says that she clung to her mother in law Naomi. She says these famous words – wherever you go I will go, wherever you stay I will stay, your people will be my people your god will be my god wherever you die, I will die.” These words are used in weddings, in commitment services, in friendships, in our faith. Who is it that clings to us no matter what? Who goes above and beyond for us. That person is Jesus. Jesus is a reminder of how far God will go for us. Jesus cared about us and saved us before we were even born. God always comes to us in the form in a relationship. God shows us hesed – steadfast love. Ruth name is an important lesson. Ruth means kindness. When we say that someone is ruthless – they are without kindness. Who is the Ruth in your life? So the rest of the story quickly – ruth and Naomi go back to Bethlehem. Naomi has ruth in the fields gleaning grain in order to survive. Naomi sets Ruth up with the owner of the field. They get married, have a baby names Obed. Obed is the father of Jessie, Jessie is the father of David and the legacy continues to Jesus Christ. This is a story about family, it is a story about hesed love, ultimately it is a story about redemption. The word redemption is used in this 23 times. God’s love always redeems us. Virginia Duran was born in a migrant worker camp in central California. Her father was in jail, and her mother could not afford her. There was a doctor in the area, also named Virginia, who made sure that there was enough food for the young girl and her mother. That's why her mother named her Virginia: after the doctor who helped feed, clothe and pay the rent for them. As Virginia grew and her family moved, she eventually lost contact with that caring doctor. Years later, when Virginia was grown, she was visiting Mexico when she saw a picture of a poor girl in the newspaper. At that moment Virginia realized that, if it hadn't been for that one doctor many years before, she could have ended up like the girl in that picture. When Virginia went home she told her sister about the picture. She had decided that she wanted to do something to help poor children. The two sisters traveled to Mexico and found a dusty village filled with migrant children. Many of the children's parents were unwed teenagers or alcoholics. Many of the children were also malnourished and sick. Virginia and her sister helped as many of these children as they could. Today they have 35 children in their care. As Virginia was taking care of the children one day she suddenly remembered something she had long forgotten. Doctor Virginia once told her that she, the doctor, had been rescued by a wealthy woman herself. That woman had also been saved from poverty by yet another woman, who had been rescued by another woman ” back six generations. All of these women lived in the west, and all were surrogate mothers for children who desperately needed love. Interestingly, all of the women were named Virginia. "You're the seventh in a long line," the doctor told her. "And someday, you'll do as much for someone else." (4) Virginia Duran was in a long line of love. Ruth was in a long line of love – and so are we. We know of a Ruth in life, but we are called to be Ruth to those around us. Let us pray…… Amen Halloween Prayers Prayers for the children and young people Holy God, giver of life, we know you are ruler over all things that make us fearful. You triumph over the evils in our world, and you raise your people to life again after death. As the One who created us, we know it makes you glad to hear us laugh, and to watch us play. So, we ask you to bless all here today who have dressed up in their Halloween costumes. Bless all who will go out “trick-or-treating” this week. Let their laughter and the wholesome fun they enjoy be a sign to all who do not know you, that your Love reigns over all things in heaven and on earth. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Prayers for all Lord, tonight, We will face all that most concerns us: our fears, the shadowed places of the mind; the coming of winter darkness; the cold thin place between waking and sleep. We call to mind the powerless, the lonely, those who most fear the knock at the door; all those deceived by the world’s empty promises; all those cowed by menaces or threats. 5 We stand with those weak in body, mind or spirit and those seduced by treats or hurt by tricks. Lord, your light shines into every darkness. You told us: pray ‘deliver us from evil’. Your Spirit gives us hope, gives us courage, a candle in the window unhurt by the wind. Amen Song – Pass It On UMH 572 Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook In this company of friends, we have shared the feast of Christ’s love. May we go from this hour of worship empowered to accompany our neighbors on love’s journey, until in Christ, we walk each other home. Amen. Community Time Benediction Charge and benediction May we go from this place knowing that the love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit go with us, guiding us, carrying us and reforming us, today, tomorrow and always. Amen Children’s Sermon Children sermon / interactive Sunday School lesson: Good morning children! Do you know what time of year it is? Yes, that’s right. It’s Halloween. (It’s also a time many churches celebrate the great saints of God down through the ages.) Sometimes Halloween can seem like scary time. Some people dress up as ghosts, monsters and all kinds of evil looking creatures. When I was very young, I went outside at Halloween with my mother and saw some frightening things! But I wasn’t really that afraid because I held my mother’s hand and I knew she was right their beside me. I will show you what it was like. Betty, will you come here and hold my hand. Now, let’s have the other kids make a scary face! (Holding the young child, walk past the children making faces.) Now Betty, was that really scary? (Most likely they will be laughing.) No? That’s good. There was no need to be afraid because I’m right here with you holding your hand. I want you all to know that there are many places in the bible where God says he is with us always, so we don’t need to be afraid. Jesus also said, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28). Although we can’t see God holding our hand, the Bible says he is right beside us. He is just like a parent holding us close. So, even at Halloween we don’t need to be afraid – God is with us! Children’s Prayer: Dear God, thank you that you are with us always. When we are afraid help us to remember you are right beside us. In Jesus’ name – Amen! Copyright Sundaychildrensfocus.com 2021 Feel free to use this at your own church. Please “Like” us on social media or link to this site. Blessings, Pastor Andrew Prayers for the children and young people Holy God, giver of life, we know you are ruler over all things that make us fearful. You triumph over the evils in our world, and you raise your people to life again after death. As the One who created us, we know it makes you glad to hear us laugh, and to watch us play. So, we ask you to bless all here today who have dressed up in their Halloween costumes. Bless all who will go out “trick-or-treating” this week. Let their laughter and the wholesome fun they enjoy be a sign to all who do not know you, that your Love reigns over all things in heaven and on earth. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Additional Illustrations The word “redemption" appears 23 times in this short story. It's not a word we use much anymore. My mother used to redeem S&H Green Stamps for prizes. I was at a convenient store up in Maine when I made the mistake of throwing a Coke bottle in the trash. The lady almost jumped over the counter to grab it out of the trash and said, “You don't understand, that's worth something up here; we have a bottle bill in this state." Bottles and cans are redeemable in Maine. Some of you redeem your frequent flyer miles for more trips. To redeem something is to buy it back, cash it in, set it free. Now I need to tell something about this story because what makes this story really neat is that there is something else going on underneath the surface. Isn't that what makes stories intriguing? S.D. Gordon was a dynamic preacher up in Boston in the early part of last century. One Sunday Dr. Gordon carried an old, beat-up, rusty bird cage into the pulpit with him. “I guess you are wondering where I got this bird cage," said Brother Gordon. “Well, I bought it from a boy on the street. He had birds in it. I asked him what he was going to do with those birds." The kid said, “I'm going to play with them, tease them, irritate them—then take them home and feed them to my cats." “How much do you want for those birds?" asked Brother Gordon. “You don't want these birds," replied the boy. “They are worthless—they don't sing or anything." Nevertheless I hung in there until I bought the birds. Then I took them to the park and set them free. Then S.D. Gordon leaned over the pulpit and said this: God saw Satan playing around with the people God had made in His own image. God said to Satan— What are you going to do with my people? Satan replied, “I'm going to tease them a while, make them marry and divorce, fight and kill each other, throw bombs and shoot missiles. Then I'm going to condemn them to hell for they are worthless anyway." “How much do you want for them?" asked God. “It'll take the life of your son," said Satan. That day, God so loved the world that He sent His only Son to set us free. New Life is costly—you are worth it. Have you heard of a game called “Would You Rather . . . ?” You and a partner take turns asking each other to choose one option between two equally unpleasant things. Would you rather do this . . . or would you rather do that—two equally unpleasant tasks? It’s an interesting way to get better acquainted with someone. Here are some examples: Would you rather be wealthy, but only able to walk everywhere . . . or broke, but able to travel anywhere in the world? Would you rather always have an annoying song stuck in your head or always have an itch that you can’t reach? That’s a tough one. Would you rather be trapped on a deserted island with someone who never speaks or with someone who never shuts up? (1) I probably couldn’t guess your answers to these questions. But there is one “Would You Rather” question that is pretty easy for everyone to answer: “Would you rather move across the country or get a root canal?” You could replace “root canal” with all sorts of unpleasant options, and most people would still choose anything else rather than moving. Just ask somebody about their last move and see how they respond. “Never again!” is a common response. “I don’t even want to talk about it!” is another. However, Ruth and Orpah, her daughters-in-law, wanted to stay with Naomi. They protested. But Naomi knew a sad truth: her daughters-in-law would not be accepted by her family in her home country because they were foreigners. The law was very clear about such things. No Moabite could enter the household of faith even after ten generations. (Deut. 23: 3) If her daughters-in-law remained with her, they would never be accepted among her people. So Naomi once again encouraged them to stay in their homeland. She told them that it was absurd for them to follow her, “Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands?” she asked them. Finally, Orpah decided that her mother-in-law was right. It would be best for her to remain in her own country. Ruth, however, still wanted to stay with Naomi. Ruth loved Naomi deeply. It was in this context that Ruth spoke some of the most famous words in all of literature: “Where you go, I will go,” she told Naomi, “your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Let’s respect Naomi for her honesty. We are more comfortable with people who grieve privately, who put on a brave face and never talk about what’s tearing them up inside. But that’s not healthy. Author Lynn Caine wrote her best-selling book Widow after the death of her husband. In it, she writes, “being a widow is like living in a country where no one speaks your language.” (5) That is the heart of our message today. That kind of love is what the cross is all about. It is about a love that never quits, never gives up, never fails. It is agape love—sacrificial love from the heart of God. It’s not, “I love you for what you can do for me,” or “I’ll love you as long as it is convenient.” It’s “I’ll love you no matter what. I’ll always be there for you.” Dr. David Wilhelm shares a story of sacrificial love he witnessed in the lives of two of his elderly patients, Fred and Ruby. Ruby had advanced Alzheimer’s, and she became more angry and difficult as the disease progressed. But Fred continued to nurse his wife lovingly. Fred devoted himself to her care, even though Ruby could no longer return his love. And then one day Fred ended up in the hospital. He had late-stage colon cancer. Fred admitted to Dr. Wilhelm that he had known about his diagnosis for over a year. He had refused treatment because he needed all his energy and money to take care of Ruby. Her needs came first. He was willing to suffer and even to die to ensure Ruby got the best care possible. (6) The cross of Jesus is the ultimate symbol of a love that will never give up on us, a love that would give up everything to save us. And you and I are the recipients of that love. Over the past two thousand years folks just like us have believed in that love, and they’ve passed that love on. Through plagues and wars and famines, oftentimes under barbaric oppression, they did not let go of it. And we are the recipients of that love. It would be tragic if we didn’t pass that love on. It would be tragic if we lost the joy of sharing Jesus’ love with others. He gave all of himself to show us God’s overwhelming love for us. And the only thing Jesus asked in return is that we share that same love with others. One of the world’s great love stories between a widow and her daughter-in-law. Let it remind us that the greatest love is a love that’s sacrificial and self-giving. It is love that flows from the heart of God. When Abraham and Sarah were told to pick up and move to a strange land, God made a promise that he would bless them and be with them. But Ruth has no such divine reassurance. She links her life with Naomi on the basis of nothing more substantial than the affection one young woman has for an older one. It's a story about the strange yokings, the unusual linkages which occur in love in an ordinary family. Yokings and linkages made all the more strange because you and I live in a culture which doesn't understand such clinging and claiming of one person by another. We have trouble understanding this story, not because it is nearly three thousand years old, but because we have constructed a society which acts as if it were possible to be a full human being with no attachments, no claims, no bonds between people. For us, the individual is everything, the free, autonomous, liberated, self-sufficient individual standing alone. We have devised an educational system to suit our ideology of the individual. Here we educate by detaching you from your family, moving you out of the home, putting you in the hands of strangers, abandoning you to the peer group in Pegram, and after we have completely detached you from home, family, tradition, community, we give you a degree. We thereby imply that the way to wisdom is by making everyone a stranger to everyone else. We are shocked whenever someone comes along who makes a claim on our lives--parents who have opinions about our behavior, children who hold parents to account. We are shocked because we have defined freedom as the fewest possible number of attachments. Such "freedom" makes marriage, family, the bearing of children incomprehensible. After all, why would anybody want to limit his or her options by becoming unnecessarily tied down to the messy complications of other human beings? See? Ruth, a foreign, Moabite woman, through the twistings and turnings of providence, becomes the means of salvation for Israel, for us. Bethlehem's baby reminds us that this is a family story, but it's not just an isolated story about an ordinary family like yours or mine. It's a story about the whole human family, about the way in which God can use your little, ordinary human family from New Jersey in spectacularly wonderful ways. God saves through ordinary people like Ruth, Naomi, Joseph, Mary and Jesus doing ordinary duties like having babies and putting up with daughters-in-law in ordinary families like yours and mine. If we'll just stick together, through thick and thin, and trust God to use our ordinary fidelity to one another to bless the world in his extraordinary love.

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

Job 42:1-6, 10-17 October 24, 2021 Opening Song Welcome – Pumpkin Spice Day Call to Worship God, we’ve come together to bless you with our songs, offerings, prayers and because of being nourished from scripture and at Christ’s table. Encourage us to celebrate the ways you redeem us. Teach us to take refuge in you, both in good and in difficult times. Let us exalt your name today as we focus our minds and hearts on you. AMEN Stewardship Moment Offering Prayer (Psalm 34, Job 42) You invite us, God, to taste and see that you are good. Well, we have tasted and you are truly good. As a token of our gratitude and a reflection of our devotion, we give back to you from our abundance. Multiply the gifts of our hands, that they may double what we could do alone. To the glory and service of Jesus, Amen. Prayer of Thanksgiving We give you thanks this day for the mighty and subtle ways you work in the lives of your people. You are a God who restores. You restored Job from his misery. You restored David from his afflictions. You restored the true meaning of priesthood. You restored Bartimaeus’s sight. You restore families that are broken. You restore ministries in peril. You restore our souls with your Holy Spirit. You restore the shattered hearts that have forgotten how much you love them. Almighty Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we thank you for what you have done, are doing, and will do. Amen. Passing the Peace of Christ (Job 42) That we may come through life’s ups and downs, live to a good and full age, and see God’s mercy to our children and children’s children, let us bless one another with these words of peace: “May you live to see God’s mercy to four generations. Scripture Job 42:1-6, 10-17 Sermon Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice One day on Facebook I ran across this post which asked – When you get to heaven what burning question will you have for Jesus. I was just about to type an answer – until it occurred to me, wait, I am a pastor – I don’t have to wait until I go to heaven in order to talk to God. And I typed – that was a good one, your almost had me. If you are a Christian and you know how to pray – God will always answer your questions. There are several stories in the bible that clearly tell us that we don’t have to go to heaven in order to get answers to our questions. Most of God’s answers have always been told to us in the bible. But secondly, God intentionally comes to us on earth. The answers have been handed to us – in the bible, in our Christian tradition, in the life of Jesus . the bible is full of stories of personal stories of people who have had a personal encounter with God. I am here speaking to you today because in my life I have never had a problem communicating with God. Any question that I have asked God- I have gotten an answer. It is not always the answer that I am looking for, it does not always come when I am expecting it – but it does come. The founder of Methodism – John Wesley says that when we ask a question of God – we have 4 tools to receive the answer – we have tradition, experience, our ability to reason. The primary tool is always scripture. – that is called the Wesley quadrilateral. Our scripture today is the last chapter of Job. The book of Job reads like a fairy tale – it starts with once upon a time and ends with Job living happily ever after. Job started out with a wonderful life, lost it all and gained it and more back again. It is a really nice story – we all want to live happily ever after – but if we get to that point that all of the valuable lessons that we learned through the struggle become moot. In reality, for most of us happily ever after doesn’t come till we get to heaven. And yet, the valuable lessons that we learned from life not only stick with us, they are what carry us through. So I want to step back a little from the very end of the Job story – and go back for a minute to the struggling phase. Remember, his bad luck through him into a deep depression and his wife and friends tried to talk him out of it. Job refused to believe that this was all a result of sin. Job rejected his friends advice and decided that he needed to talk directly to God. Sure enough, when you call on God, God always appears. Job wanted God to explain the meaning of his suffering. Why was this happening to him. God never answers Job. As a matter of fact, God makes it clear that I am God and you are not. God’s ways are not for him to understand. “What?” God exclaims, “You don’t know the answers to these simple questions?” In contrast to the omniscience of God, we are abominably ignorant. The fact is that the human mind cannot conceive or comprehend God and his ways. It is like trying to contain the ocean in a thimble! H. G. Wells once told of a bishop who asked an angel for the wisdom of God. The angel laughed and, laying his hand on the bishop’s head, said, “Can you hold it? Not with this little box of brains!” Once Job talks to God personally, he does not need an answer – he just needed to hear God’s voice. He comes out of the conversation changed. Life is not always fair. That's why the Apostle Paul says in effect, "I've learned to accept the fact that life isn't fair, and that's okay. I'm serving God, not my circumstances. I've learned how to play the cards that life has dealt me." When we suffer, invariably, if we open ourselves up to God, we discover God in a fresh and wonderful way. Job says that he heard about God all of his life, but this was the first time that he was able to see God clearly for himself. It is only in our suffering that we come up with burning questions for God, and it is only in our burning questions that help us to see God. God is always there, but we seem to look for God in our suffering. When we experience God for ourselves – our faith is changed. Paul Hovey recounted a discussion about the Bible. A woman in the group said, "I let the preacher read the Bible for me. He understands it so much better than I do." Another person in the group commented, "That’s like buying second-hand clothes or being content with leftover food at a restaurant. Anyone who relies on the preacher to do his Bible reading for him will never have anything but a second-hand religion." Your religious faith will be transformed from a second-hand inheritance to a first-hand experience as you wrestle with religious questions, welcome religious insights, and wonder at the religious dimension of daily life. We all have a chance to see God firsthand. Afflictions and Faith One of the greatest evidences of God's love to those that love him is to send them afflictions, with the grace to bear them. Even in the greatest afflictions, we ought to testify to God that, in receiving them from his hand, we feel pleasure in the midst of pain, from being afflicted by him who loves us, and whom we love. John Wesley, Christian Behavior I think that it was that experience of seeing God clearly and changing his relationship was what opened to door for Job to move on and to seek a new life. In life, joy is not the absence of trouble, it is the presence of God. The story is told of a Sunday class that had been asked the question, ¡§in your time of discouragement, what is your favorite Scripture.¡¨ A young man said, ¡§the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want Psalm 23:1.¡¨ A middle age woman said, ¡§God is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1. Another woman said, ¡§In this world you shall have tribulations, but be of good cheer, I have overcome this world. John 16:33-35. Then old Mr. John who was 80 years old, with head of white hair and dark black skin, stood up and said with as much strength as he could muster, ¡§and it came to pass¡¨ 85 times in the bible. The class started to laugh a little thinking that old Mr. John¡¦s lack of memory was getting the best of him. When the snickering stopped, he said. At 30 I lost my job with six hungry mouths and a wife to feed. I didn¡¦t know how I would make it. At 40 my eldest son was killed overseas in the war. It knocked me down. At 50 my house burned to the ground. Nothing was saved out of the house. At 60 my wife of 40 years got cancer. It slowly ate away at her. We cried together many a night on our knees in prayer. At 65 she died. I still miss her today. The agony I went through in each of these situations was unbelievable. I wondered where was God. But each time I looked in the bible I saw one of those 85 verses that said, ¡§and it came to pass.¡¨ I felt that God was telling me, my pain and my circumstances were also going to pass and that God would get me through it. Suffering is one part of life, seeing God’s presence is everything. There is a famous story of a preacher who once had a parishioner come into his office, a man whom he had counseled through many difficult circumstances. The had made some progress, but always seems to go back to his old ways. But this day the preacher could tell that something was different. He announced – Pastor I have just resigned as general manager of the universe – and I was amazed at how fast my resignation was accepted. That was the same joy that Job felt. He realized that he cant explain God, he cant explain life. the question is not why is this happening to me. A better question is what can I learn about myself, about God, about faith from this situation. How can I get closer to God. We have experience, tradition, reason and most importantly scripture. We have all that we need to get in touch with God and to have a deeper relationship with God. Let us prayer together….. Prayer Why is it that we are afraid to cry aloud out need to God? We sit in our darkness and cry and complain about the dire circumstances that have overtaken us. Yet, when given the opportunity to approach the Savior who offers us light and healing, we cower in the darkness, not daring to believe that healing and light are possible for us. The darkness of our souls is invades all of our lives; it colors our attitudes and determines our actions. Lord Jesus, come and shine your light not only on us, but in us and eventually through us. Break the barriers we have erected against peace, freedom, and hope. Bathe us in the light of love, and we shall become bearers of that incredible light for others who dwell in darkness. As we receive the light from you, give us courage and confidence to reach out in compassion and service in your name. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN. Song Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee UMH 89 Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Go! Your faith has made you well. We go, knowing that our faith has been made stronger. Go! Follow him on the way. We go, knowing Jesus is the way. Community Time Benediction Darkness has been banished. Sight has been restored. Your lives are reformed in Christ’s love. Go now in peace to serve with great joy. Bring the love of God with you so that the light which has brightened your life may shine for others. Go no, beloved, to serve. AMEN. Children’s Sermon Job's Blessing There are 66 books in the Bible, and one of them - it's almost in the middle - is called the book of Job. Guess who it’s about. It’s about Job! It tells us a lot about Job. It tells us he had 10 children. It tells us he was very rich. (You have to be if you have 10 children!) And it tells us he loved the Lord and obeyed Him. Then something terrible happened. Satan took away just about everything Job had: his house, his children and everything he owned. The only thing he had left was his wife – and she used to nag him! Satan even caused Job to have awful sores all over his body. Job couldn't understand why God allowed all this to happen to him. It seemed so unfair. Job’s friends gave their opinions, but they didn't know what they were talking about. Finally, God stepped in and made things right again. But He didn't do it until Job did something very important. It tells us in chapter 42, verse 10: “After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosper again and gave him twice as much as he had before.” (NIV) So God blessed Job after he prayed for his friends. You see, God blesses us when we pray for other people. When we pray for other people it shows that we’re fulfilling the commandment to love our neighbor. Maybe we should see if that works in our lives. Maybe, when we say our prayers this week, we should pray for others before we pray for ourselves. Let’s pray right now: Father in heaven, there are lots of things we need and lots of things we want, but help us to remember to pray for the needs of other people before we pray for ourselves. Help us to be a blessing to others and to fulfill the commandment to love our neighbor. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen. God blesses us when we pray for others "After Job prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosper again.'" Job 42:10 (NIV) From ChildrensSermonsOnli Additional Illustrations Releasing the Pain, Spreading the Message A young seminarian who lost both her parents at an early age shared a way of praying that helped her through the worst of times. She shared that in those most painful of days, she used to sit with her grandmother. Together, they would read the Bible, focusing on two particular passages. First was the one that follows directly after the Bartimaeus story we heard this morning -- the story of Jesus approaching Jerusalem, when he asks two of his disciples to go ahead and find a colt for him, on which they place their cloaks. The second is Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The woman used these two images together to prayerfully imagine Jesus inviting her to take his yoke of love, in exchange for the heavy load of grief, loss, and doubt that she carried. She pictured releasing the pain she carried, which was placed by Jesus on the back of the young colt in exchange for the yoke of spreading the message of Christ’s love in word and action. Suzanne Watson Triumph in the Rubble Carlton Fletcher tells about his Uncle Walter who lived in Waldorf, Germany, during the Second World War. Uncle Walter was the descendant of Huguenots that had run away from France during the persecution of the Protestants in the 1600's. During the war he wanted to build himself a house, but all the necessary materials were reserved for the army. You couldn't build a house for yourself. To a member of Germany's middleclass, a house is most important. Building a house and getting out of an apartment is a priority. And nothing -even a world war - would deter Uncle Walter, even if it meant building a house and hiding it under a junk pile. Here is how he did it. He bought a lot and loaned it out for people to throw junk on it. And then he would go there at night and build, layer by layer of brick, and cover it up with junk. When the end of the war came, there was a big pile of junk, but there was a house under it practically completed. All it needed was a roof. In 1946, when the war was over, he raised the roof like a madman. And he was jubilant. He said, "I beat the Nazis, I beat them. I got my house." Don't you admire the spirit of a man like that - to be able to build a house amid the rubble of life? I suspect Bartimaeus was such a man. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Sheila Walsh is a lovely and talented woman, the former co-host of the 700 Club. On air, Walsh always appeared to be competent and confident. Few people guessed that she was lonely and struggling with faith issues. Although she counseled numerous people, Walsh did not share her troubles with others. Finally, after years of inner turmoil, Walsh checked herself in to a psychiatric hospital and got help. In an interview, Walsh remarks about that time in her life, ". . . the greatest thing I discovered . . . is [that] sometimes some of God's most precious gifts come in packets that make your hands bleed when you open them, but inside that's what you've been longing for all your life--to be fully known and fully loved." (2) "Some of God's most precious gifts come in packets that make your hands bleed . . ." Have your hands bled lately? Has your heart? Has a friend betrayed you? Has a loved one left? Are you facing an uncertain future? All you can see is that the perfect plan for your life has crumbled like a house of cards. But is there some joy hiding there in the pain? Can God's grace reach you even in your darkest hour? Master violinist Itzhak Perlman was performing at the Lincoln Center when one of his violin strings broke. He continued to play, improvising new arrangements of the music to avoid the one broken string. The concert was a huge success. Afterwards, Perlman commented, "Sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left." (3) So your perfect plan didn't work out. Are you going to reject God? Are you going to turn inward in self-pity? Or are you going to improvise a new arrangement for your life? Are you going to re-submit your life to God's control and find out how much music you can still make with what you have left? A few years ago, a tragic car accident claimed the lives of Gerald Sittser's wife and one child. Sittser was left to raise his other three children alone. He claims that his grief has driven him closer to God. He cherishes every day, and sees beauty in the most common things. He writes, "I still want (my family) back, and I always will, no matter what happens as a result of their deaths. Yet the grief I feel is sweet as well as bitter . . . Never have I felt so broken; yet never have I been so whole . . . My soul has been stretched. Above all, I have become aware of the power of God's grace and my need for it." (4) One of my father's favorite stories was about a Bible study class that shared their favorite Bible verses with their pastor. When an elderly, uneducated man in the class got his turn to share he said, "Well, I've got a lot of favorite passages that I like a lot, but there's one that has helped me the most. In fact," he said, "it is five little words that are found all over the Bible." When asked what they were, he said: "And it came to pass." The preacher asked the old man to explain why that was his favorite verse. The old man said, "Don't you see? When the Bible says, 'It came to pass,' that means that it did not come to stay." He said, "During my life many troubles have come, but thank God, they did not come to stay. Instead, they came to pass." I believe that Job could say "amen" to this old man's favorite Bible passage. In the first chapter of the Book of Job we are given a graphic description of the troubles that came into Job's life. In quick succession on the very same day, a series of messengers came to inform him of the trouble that had come. One told him that all of his oxen and donkeys had been stolen and his servants slain. Another messenger arrived to tell him that his sheep and the servants who cared for them had been destroyed by fire. A third then appeared and informed him that all his camels had been stolen and the servants who cared for them slain. This seems to be a chronic problem within the church. There are those people who are always coming up with methods and gimmicks, acting as if the power of the gospel depended on them. Perhaps the reason that this book has been so valuable for so many people for such a long period of time is the very fact that "it is in the Bible," giving us permission to challenge and question God when our suffering compels us to do so. This very questioning, the honest expression of our doubts and uncertainties, is what builds trust My wife and I spend our summers in the mountains of North Carolina. There are days when the clouds are low and fog settles in. On those days, we cannot see the mountain across the valley, a half mile away. Someone could tell us there is a mountain over there. We could take their word for it, but only when the clouds and fog disappear and the mountain can be seen are we positive without a shadow of a doubt that there is a mountain over there. In the same way, a report that God exists is good as far as it goes, but the personal vision of God is the best and only way to know God. Job said, “My eye sees thee.” Can we today really see God? Indeed, we can in various ways. We can see God in nature. Nature is not God as the New Age claims, but we can see God in the beauty and power of nature. A famous French entomologist, Jean Henri Fabre, at the age of eighty-seven, wrote a ten-volume work on insects. Someone asked him if he as a scientist and scholar could still believe in God. He positively replied, “I don’t believe in God I see him!” He did not win his argument, but he did win a new relationship with God. And so it is with us. We do not always get our questions answered, but we can have God. We do not always understand God’s way with us, but we can always take his hand in ours and walk with him on the path that leads to eternal life. Life is not always fair. That's why the Apostle Paul says in effect, "I've learned to accept the fact that life isn't fair, and that's okay. I'm serving God, not my circumstances. I've learned how to play the cards that life has dealt me." Our earliest understanding of suffering may come at a young age, when we lose a grandparent or a precious pet. We may have wondered, "Why me?" The tragedy that invades our lives can be hard to accept, much less understand. This is where our faith comes in, where we know that God is with us just as God was with Jesus on the cross. God is present with you and speaks to you in the midst of your suffering. God's greatest passion is not your happiness, but your wholeness. Your most difficult times can become an opportunity for growth. Suffering does not have the final word. God and a victorious life await you. In the aftermath of the horror, Steve Goodier offered these beatitudes: * Blessed are those who mourn for the tsunami's victims; may they find comfort in their pain and hope in their helplessness. * Blessed are those who found a way to survive; may they now find sufficient strength and healing as they reassemble the scattered pieces of shattered lives. * Blessed are those who tirelessly strive to give relief; may they be amply encouraged in their valiant efforts. * Blessed are those who generously give money and supplies ... may they know the deep satisfaction of having made a difference. * Blessed are those in every nation who unite now in compassionate service and love; may they show us what it means to be family.[2] Why do these things happen? It is not a new question. It is as old as human existence. The book of Job is really one long compendium of the questions people raise when confronted with catastrophe: Why? Why me? Why him? Why them? Can’t see Jesus in the picture Pastor Steven E. Albertin told the following story. He said, in my church secretary's office there hangs a modernistic picture composed of a maze of colors and shapes. I realized these sophisticated, modern, and abstract pictures were supposed to contain some profound artistic or philosophical message, but I never was able to figure it out. It just looked like a jumbled mass of confusion. If there was a message there, I was blind to it. One day while I was standing in the office, waiting for the copier to warm up, one of the congregation's kindergarten-age boys, Adam, stood beside me and said, "Do you see what I see?" "Do you see something in that picture? I sure don't." Adam looked at me with glee in his eye, "Pastor, can't you see him? It's Jesus hanging on the cross." I stared as hard as I could, until my eyes actually hurt from staring. I wanted to believe Adam and that there actually was the image of Jesus hanging on the cross hidden somewhere in that mass of color and shapes, but I couldn't see Jesus anywhere. "Adam, I'm sorry but I must be blind. You will have to help me see." Directing his finger to a mass of color in the center of the picture, Adam said, "There, Pastor. Do you see what I see? There is Jesus, his face, his arms outstretched on the cross." And then, like an epiphany, the image began to appear. Yes, there hidden somehow "behind" the colors and the shapes was the barely visible image of Jesus, hanging with arms outstretched on the cross. "It's amazing, Adam. You have helped one blind pastor to see Jesus. Yes, I can see what you see, Adam." Steven E. Albertin, Against the Grain, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. D.L. Moody, the famed evangelist, told this story at one of his meetings: One evening just before Christmas, a man was walking through the streets of an Eastern city. The store windows were all beautifully decorated, and he observed three little girls intensely interested in one of them. He discovered that the girl in the center was blind, and the others were trying to describe the beautiful things in the window. “Why,” they said, “can’t you see that Teddy bear and that doll? Just look at that pretty pink bow!” But the poor little girl stood with a blank expression on her face and could not appreciate the beautiful things before her. “Now,” said Moody, “this is an illustration of the effort we Christians are making to arouse the unconverted to an interest and delight in spiritual things. The reason we can’t do so is because the sinner is spiritually blind.” Moody had scarcely concluded when a reporter was on the platform asking him where he had heard that story. “Oh,” said Moody, “I read it in one of those daily papers. I have forgotten which one.” Then the reporter said, “I’m the one who wrote the story because I was there and saw the whole thing. I see now that I’m just like that little girl, spiritually blind.” That man was converted then and there. Illustration: In fact, most Christians today perceive God like one person noted: God is a lot like our pastor. I don’t see him through the week and I don’t understand him on Sunday.

The Priestly Functions of Jesus

October 10, 2021 Proper 23 Hebrews 4:12-16 The Priestly duties of Jesus 20th Sunday after Pentecost Year B Opening Song Welcome Opening Prayer God of Grace, Thank you for the gift of this new day. Thank you for gathering with us and providing the free gift of your grace to bless us in this particular time and place. As we worship you, strengthen us to face the challenges of our lives, knowing you’ve provided the One who goes before us without sin. Help us believe and live into your presence, even as we pray in the strong name of Jesus, AMEN Stewardship Moment (from Mark 10) Matthew and Luke also include the story of the rich man seeking eternal life which we hear in Mark 10. A triple threat! Remember how the man comes to kneel before Jesus with his question: “what more must I do to inherit eternal life?” How challenging it is to hear Jesus answer his question: “Go, sell what you own and give to the poor.” Challenging, because on the world scale, all of us are like this man. Wealthy! We have MANY possessions. Does putting yourself in his position change how you hear this story? Here’s the truth. Following Jesus is not always easy! For most of us, it’s tough to imagine giving away our wealth. After all, how will we live if we give like that? Gratefully, Jesus teaches his disciples that salvation is possible, even for the rich. Today, before you place your cash or check in the offering tray, take a moment to give thanks that your offering isn’t measured by what you COULD give. It isn’t the means by which you receive eternal life. Instead, make your offering in gratitude that God makes all things possible – even we who are wealthy and not yet able to give away all we have, receiving eternal life. Prayer of Thanksgiving We give you what is already yours, God, for you are Creator of all. But we pray you will receive our gifts, and use them to respond to the needs of the poor. Help us find ways to truly see the reality which is right before us: of our amazing wealth in a world filled with many who struggle for daily sustenance. Then, once we have seen, embolden us to share ever more, that your Realm may be made known on earth, as it is in heaven. AMEN Scripture Hebrews 4:12-16 Common English Bible 12 because God’s word is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. It penetrates to the point that it separates the soul from the spirit and the joints from the marrow. It’s able to judge the heart’s thoughts and intentions. 13 No creature is hidden from it, but rather everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of the one to whom we have to give an answer. 14 Also, let’s hold on to the confession since we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, who is Jesus, God’s Son; 15 because we don’t have a high priest who can’t sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin. 16 Finally, let’s draw near to the throne of favor with confidence so that we can receive mercy and find grace when we need help. Sermon The Priestly Duties of Jesus A few weeks ago Debbie Ritchie and I attended the Billy Graham Route 66 tour. It was truly an uplifting experience. I can’t say that it was fun, because church is not supposed to be fun. But I can say that I enjoyed it. I wasn’t really impressed with Franklin Graham or his message. He has a vastly different style than his father. But I thought that the music was awesome. The Christian group the Newsboys provided the music. I gained a new respect for their lead singer, Michael Tait – I loved the way he was able to express his faith onstage. He too was a pk – a preacher’s kid, but he had a wonderful charisma. Michael Tait is African American. They also invited a Hispanic singer to sing in Spanish with them. I was so impressed with Michael Tait, that I went home and googled anything that I could find about him. Just two days ago I read an article where he talks about sometimes feeling like an honorary black person in a very white contemporary music world. But the article got my attention as he talked about what he called the deconstruction of the church. I know that we can all agree that the pandemic has changed us. None of us are the same person we were 18 months ago. And many of those changes are permanent – we are not going to just pick up where we left off. As we start to meet in person, as we struggle to return to normal – it is becoming painfully obvious that we are not the same church. We can’t just pick up where we left off – you all in the pews have fundamentally changed- your needs are different, your relationship with God has changed. People are not participating in church the way they did 18 months ago, and yes – giving is way down. How do you come up with a plan for the church to go forward in these new circumstances? That is what Michael Tait means by the deconstruction of the church. If an international church singer can recognize and name it, it is not just our church, not just our community, not just the United Methodist Church. But in reality, the church has been deconstructing for the last 2000 years. What does that mean about God? Is God just an illusion that our ancestors created? Is God an out of date fantasy that is no longer relevant. One of the Newsboys biggest hits – God is not Dead. But I think the more important question- is not about God but us. What does this mean for our relationship with God? How has the pandemic changed our relationship? Have we gotten busy with many more pressing issues, so God is on the back burner? Have the practices of faith become so tedious that they are a waste of time? Have they too become irrelevant? And all of us are 2 years older than we were when this started – we just don’t have the energy and attention that we had 18 months ago. What has changed? I think that is a different answer for each of us. The church is the people, and of the people have changed the church has changed. God stays the same. But times show us that the church can easily become outdated and irrelevant. God is a force working within and outside of our building. The Holy Spirit is always out there doing something. People are always asking questions of that only the spirit of God can answer. We in here may not see what God is doing in the world clearly. That is why it is so important to keep the faith, keep praying, study the bible. If you read the bible yesterday, that really might not be what it says to you today- the word changes with our experience. A little boy was talking to his daddy one time and he said, "Daddy, is the devil bigger than me?" He said, "Yes, son, the devil is bigger than you." He said, "Well, Daddy, is the devil bigger than Mommy?" He said, "Yes, the devil is bigger than Mommy." He said, "Well, Daddy, is the devil bigger than you?" That little boy really looked up to his daddy and his daddy said, "Yes, son, the devil is bigger than me." The little boy had only one thing left to say. He said, "Is the devil bigger than Jesus?" The daddy said, "No, son, the devil is not bigger than Jesus." The little boy said, "Well, Daddy, there's no need for me to be afraid of the devil." All of that is true because of Jesus. Michael Tait said that in the midst of COVID he felt that God was receding in his life. r e c e d i n g. But then he realized that God was actually reseeding. R e s e e d i n g. I think that God is reseeding all of us – encouraging us to start the process all over again from scratch. Every week I look back at my old sermons to see what I said about a particular scripture. Usually I still end up writing a new sermon, because the circumstances have changed. I couldn’t even find anything on this particular scripture. The book of Hebrews is unique because it reminds us of who Jesus is for us. Jesus is the high priest In Latin, priest means Pontifex. The pope is the pontif. A Pontifex is a go between, a bridge, a mediator, an intecessor. The high priest would be the bridge between heaven and earth, the mediator between God and the people. The priest speaks to God on our behalf, and interprets God to us. A priest is also someone who performs certain rituals to facilitate the relationship between the sacred and the normal life. The catholic church and the episcopal church have priest – who perform ritual duties on behalf of the people. The Methodist church has pastors – who perform priestly functions, who have the job of leading people to Jesus. But James says that the people are the priesthood of all believers. God hears your prayers just as well as God hears mine. I can’t pray on your behalf, and my prayers don’t matter any more than yours. There are no special words to say – you don’t even have to have words – Jesus listens to us all – thanks to Jesus. Hebrews 4:12-16 has two important lessons – well really 3 but I will talks about he third one last. First lesson – God’s word is always living and active. God’s word is always relevant. This book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand object, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened in judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.1 There is only one book in all of the world that fits that description. It is the book that I hold in my hand, known all over the world as the Bible. The word of God intends to instruct us, but it also holds us accountable. If you cut it, it will bleed with the blood of Jesus. If you listen to it, it will tell you supernatural truth beyond all of the sages of all of the ages. If you believe it, it will fill your soul with joy, your spirit with life, your mind with truth, and your heart with wisdom. That brings us back to Jesus – who the book of John calls the living word of God. God’s word come to earth. He was God’s son but lived his life as a poor carpenter. He knows what it means to be human. He bled, hurt, crucified. When we pray – he knows what we are talking about. Each chapter of Hebrews explains a different reason to think of Jesus as the high priest. In chapter 4 Jesus is humble to hear our prayers from our perspective. Jesus is someone who we can talk to who has mercy because he understands where we are coming from. Daniel Benedict tells about a group of college students who were having a discussion about the nature of God. Some of the students did not believe in God . . . but most had a belief of some kind. The discussion was lively. One young woman said, “God is like a great big Teddy Bear who gives me a hug when I need it.” To this, a young man replied, “No Teddy Bear God for me! God is the Chief Justice of some kind of universal Supreme Court who’s going to nail me to the wall when I show up for judgment!” The discussion raged on for some time and finally someone offered up this idea, “God is whatever we think God is. One person’s idea is as good as another person’s idea. We shouldn’t be judging other people’s religious ideas.” This opinion seemed to gain traction with the group. Benedict, who had been mostly silent to this point, then asked a question. “What about Son of Sam’s idea of God? He said God told him to kill some people. Is his idea of God okay?” The group decided to modify their opinion just a bit. “People can have any idea they want of God as long as they don’t hurt other people,” they decided. “That really sounded like the most reasonable way to many of the students. Nobody gets hurt and everybody gets their own god . . . .” (2) These young people were genuinely searching for a way to understand God. Most of us, however, would be uncomfortable with the idea that God is whatever people think that God is. We believe that God has revealed himself through Jesus Christ. God is neither a Teddy Bear nor is God a Supreme Court justice who is going to nail us when we show up for judgment. God, we believe, is like Jesus. The second important point of this scripture – our relationship to God is an important key to our faith. Jesus is the mediator of that relationship. The language of that relationship – prayer. Our scripture in Hebrews says that we can go to the throne room praying boldly, because God heard the prayer. We don’t have to have special skills, we don’t even have to have words. Jesus is in the throne room and Jesus has our back. Prayer is talking to God – it is as fundamental as reading the bible. Since the pandemic – praying boldly has been my struggle. I try to pray as much as I can – but sometimes I am afraid to ask God directly – what happens if I get what I ask for. I find that usually that is when the challenge starts – when God hears my prayer – I am still complaining and asking for more. But praying boldly means that God will answer – in some way – usually not in the way we are expecting. But answered prayer always leads to action on our part. Sort of like Michael Tait’s concept of reseeding. When we pray we don’t see what it happening. We are earnestly looking for good news after this pandemic, but don’t see it. We are asking where if God in all of this? Remember to come to the throne room with confidence. God will answer. That leads us to point three – the most important – Jesus Christ is our intecessor, our mediator, our bridge to heaven. The church seems to be shrinking here in America, but in others places the church is growing by leaps and bounds. The church is growing in Africa, in the Phillipines. But the fastest place the church is growing is in Korea. Another example. The Christian faith is growing today in Korea faster than anywhere else in the world except, perhaps, for parts of Africa. Many people have speculated as to why Christianity is growing so fast in that unlikely Asian land. One reason may be that the Buddhist and Confucian religions, which once were dominant in Korea, both put their emphasis upon religion as mystical, speculative, and remote. The Christian faith came into Korea with a message of involvement, a message of love, a message of compassion. The Christians started right from the beginning feeding the starving, sheltering the homeless, and teaching the illiterate. The Korean people were receptive to that kind of selfgiving religion. So the Christian community is growing by leaps and bounds in Korea today. The Korean church, of course, is simply being the selfgiving body of Christ. (1) God is alive and well. Each of us here today is responsible for our relationship with God. The reseeding process is our job. The seeds are in our own hearts – and we are the only people with access in our own hearts. We are charged with watering those seeds and being patient enough to let them grow. The good news, we are not alone. We have the bible, we have worship, stewardship, mission. We have a Jesus who cares about us enough to listen understand and work. Most importantly – we have each other working together as the church. Let us pray…… Prayer God of infinite patience and wisdom, we come to you with so many things that claim our time, our energy, our resources, our very lives. We are easily drawn away from serving you by the enticements of the world for wealth, ease, and comfort. Just like the young man in the scriptures, we are owned by our possessions, held captive by our treasures. You continue to offer to us healing and hope. You seek to transform our lives from captivity to freedom in witness and service. We look at the world in which there is so very much warfare and strife, anger and hatred, and we easily become overwhelmed by the needs and the stresses. Help us to place our lives and our trust in you, knowing that with your help, many wonderful things can be accomplished which will provide hope and peace for others and ourselves. Give us courage and strength to truly be your disciples. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN. Song God of Grace and God of Glory UMH 577 Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Even in this time of pandemic, we are a blessed people. We will go to be a blessing in the world. Even when there are so many angry people around us, we are the face of Jesus. We will go to be love and compassion to all. Even when we are isolated, quarantined, living in lockdowns, we are the family of God. We will go to serve our sisters and brothers wherever we may find them. Community Time Benediction With God all things are possible. May you carry that confidence into your daily life and work, as you walk in Christ’s footsteps, guided by God’s hand. Children’s Time Object: a sports pennant Good morning, boys and girls. I have a small flag for you to see and talk about today. It's not the flag of our country, is it? (Let them respond.) No, it doesn't have stars and stripes. Does anyone know where it's from? (Let them respond.) This is called a pennant. It's a tiny flag that some people wave on a stick at a football or basketball game. (If there is time, you might want to tell about the school or team it is from.) How many of you have ever been to a basketball game? (Wait for show of hands.) It's exciting to watch all the players. Sometimes they run really fast, stop quick and all of a sudden they are at the other end. It would be exciting to be one of the players and have all the fans shouting and cheering for you. Basketball looks pretty easy. But if you ask players, I think they would tell you it is hard work. The players practice, sometimes three or four hours a day. They have to do exercises and keep their muscles just right. They have to eat the right kind of food and get the right amount of sleep. It's called being in training. Most of them had to learn where to go on the basketball court. Sometimes it looks to some of us like they're just running back and forth; a big group up and then the same big group back down the court. But to a real basketball player, that's not at all what happens. The players all have a different special place to go on the court. Everyone has their own spot. Who tells them where to go? (Let them respond.) The coach does. The coach teaches them all the different special places to go when they run back and forth. If they didn't do what the coach tells them, would their team win very often? (Let them respond.) No, they probably wouldn't win. Sometimes they win anyway even though they didn't do what the coach told them. Most coaches aren't happy just to win. They want their team to do what they learn in their practices. Our lesson today is about Jesus learning to do what God told him to. God was a little like a coach. Jesus had to learn many things before he could teach other people. Our verse for today says one of the things Jesus learned was to be obedient. That means he learned to do what he was told. You would think that Jesus could do whatever he wanted to. But our verse says that he did what God told him to. Sometimes it's not fun to do what we're told by our parents. But that's one of the things about being a player instead of a coach. Players are only a team when they do what the coach tells them. Next time you don't want to do what you're told, remember that Jesus had to do what he was told, too. CSS Publishing Co., , by CSS Additional Illustrations Prayer is the bridge that Jesus builds in order to talk with his Heavenly Father. The Latin word for "priest" is pontifex, which means "bridge builder." Jesus is described in the Letter to the Hebrews as "a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek." As a priest, Jesus builds a bridge of prayer between heaven and earth. He crosses that bridge not once, not twice, but three times in that short span of time in the Garden of Gethsemane, as the future stared him straight in the face and straight through his heart. It is not unusual for persons visualizing Christ to see him as being like themselves. The extreme of this is probably Van Gogh's painting which he called PIETA. It is a painting of Jesus and his mother. The unique characteristic of the picture is that Jesus has red hair. Obviously it is highly doubtful that Jesus had red hair. Very few people living in that part of the world do, but Van Gogh had red hair and that is how he saw Jesus. There is that natural tendency to paint Christ in our own image. Yet for most of us that is not enough. After World War II, the people of Genoa, Italy commissioned an eight ton statue of Christ. Once it was finished, it was not put on a hilltop, as other statues of Christ have been. It was lowered into the depths of the bay in Genoa where a great naval battle had been fought during the Second World War and where many ships were sunk. It was a site where many sailors gave their lives. The symbolism of Christ being lowered into the deep where the bodies of those brave men rest is powerful and profound. The statue is called CHRIST OF THE DEEP. It represents what Christ has done in our behalf. He emptied himself and became as we are. I heard about a pastor who was being honored by his congregation for his humility. They presented him with a medal. Unfortunately after a while they had to take it back because he PUT IT ON and thereby revealed that he wasn't as humble as he appeared. We live in a tainted world. None of us escapes. Steven Leacock wrote a brilliant, humorous piece about a young pastor named Melpomenus Jones. This young pastor was honest; honest in a timid sort of way. He couldn't even bring himself to tell the little white lies that are part of our normal etiquette as a society. For example, on his first pastoral call, he got along fine at first. He drank some tea, leafed through a family photograph album, and chatted pleasantly. Then after about an hour, he stood to leave and he said, "Well, I really must be going now." The hostess, trying to be polite, said "Oh, must you go so soon?" Well, being totally honest, he had to admit that he really didn't have to go at that particular moment. So he sat back down. As the afternoon progressed, they went through this little ritual several times. He would say he had to go and she would say, "Really must you?" and he would respond, "Well no. I really don't have to." After all, he began his vacation the next day. There was nothing really pressing. Finally the husband came home. It was now late into the evening, and the husband with a tinge of sarcasm in his voice said to the pastor, "Well couldn't you just stay all night?" The young pastor said there really wasn't any reason why he couldn't and so he did. He stayed the next day and several days afterward. He had leafed through that photograph album til his fingers were sore. Even worse he was bloated from drinking so much tea. Finally he was so filled with tea and with boredom he became physically ill and his condition deteriorated. With a sigh he said to the host, "Now I really must be going," and he died. Well, he was honest, but this is a world that isn't ready for that kind of honesty. (2) Karl Barth was once asked what he would say if he met Adolph Hitler. This great theologian responded, "I would say to him Jesus Christ died for your sins." This is not to make light of sin or our responsibility for sin. It is to say we have one who sympathizes with us in our sin, who understands our weaknesses, and who is able to forgive us for all our transgressions. There is a story about two little boys who were fighting, as little boys are often prone to do. One of them yelled at the other, "I'll never speak to you again." They went to their respective houses, but the next day they were back out playing as if nothing had happened. One of the little boys' mother asked him why they were speaking to each other now. He responded, "Me and Johnny are good forgetters." (4) There is not a heart so hard that the sword of the Spirit cannot pierce that heart and penetrate that heart, and bring that heart to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. George Whitfield, the great Eighteenth-Century evangelist, was hounded by a group of detractors who called themselves the "Hellfire Club." They mocked him, they laughed at him, they derided his work, they made fun of his preaching. On one occasion, one of their ring leaders, a young man named Thorpe, was mimicking Whitfield, making fun of him. He was actually delivering one of his sermons with brilliant accuracy, perfectly imitating his tone and his facial expressions. They were laughing, having a wonderful time. Then all of a sudden, a strange thing happened. As this young man, Thorpe, was preaching Whitfield's sermon, his lips began to quiver, his eyes began to water, the color drained right out of his face; his friends didn't know what was going on. They thought he was getting ill. But in reality he was getting well. Because all of a sudden he sat down on the ground and cried out to God and asked the Lord Jesus Christ to save him. This man, Thorpe, went on to become a prominent Christian leader in the city of Bristol.7 This sword of the Lord is indeed sharp, living, and powerful. It can cut the cancer of sin out of your heart. It can cut for you the bread of life. But it is a two-edged sword. It can cut you and kill you, or it can cut you and heal you. The choice is up to you. Several years ago, Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks did a comedy skit called the “2013 Year Old Man.” In the skit, Reiner interviews Brooks, who is the old gentleman. At one point, Reiner asks the old man, “Did you always believe in the Lord?” Brooks replied: “No. We had a guy in our village named Phil, and for a time we worshiped him.” Reiner was surprised: “You worshiped a guy named Phil? Why?” Brooks replied: “Because he was big, and mean, and he could break you in two with his bare hands!” Reiner asked: “Did you have prayers?” Brooks answered: “Yes, would you like to hear one? O Phil, please don’t be mean, and hurt us, or break us in two with your bare hands.” Reiner: “So when did you start worshiping the Lord?” Brooks: “Well, one day a big thunderstorm came up, and a lightning bolt hit Phil. We gathered around and saw that he was dead. Then we said to one another, ‘There’s something bigger than Phil!’” (1) Well, yes, there is something bigger than Phil. There is Someone bigger than the totality of our universe. Henri Barbusse once wrote a novel with the French title, Le Fleu, or The Flower. In this novel there are two soldiers. One of the soldiers is a man of sterling character. His friend, however, whose name is Dominique has made many mistakes in his life. In one passage the solder with the unblemished record has been wounded and is dying. He turns to Dominique and says: “It can’t be long now. Listen, Dominique. You’ve lived a bad life. There are many convictions against your name. But there are no convictions against me. There’s nothing on my name. Take my name. Take it I give it to you. Straight off, you’ve no more convictions. Take my name, and give me yours so that I can carry [all your past mistakes] away with me.” (4) One night for devotions, a youth leader took a group of kids and their counselors down to the edge of that lake and had them stand behind the cross, so that the light was shining toward them and the lake stretched out before them. Finally, the leader asked them to look up at the cross and tell the group what they saw. Wanting to sound scholarly and devout, the young people blurted out responses like, “forgiveness,” and “salvation,” and “sacrifice.” This counselor wanted them to see more. “What you should see when you look up at the cross,” he said, “is God, on the other side, looking back down at you. Whenever God looks at us, he looks at us through the cross of his Son, Jesus. His victory over our sin, his victory over our chaos is what God sees.” (5) That’s how God looks at us—through the prism of the cross of Christ. And because of that cross God sees us as if we were without blemish. The writer of Hebrews shows us God’s character and God’s relationship to us, God’s children: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest . . . Jesus the Son of God . . . Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Last summer the [Catholic] MadonnaRehabilitationHospital in Lincoln, Nebraska, had reached an agreement with pornographer Don Parisi, who wanted to donate his Internet domain name madonna.com to the hospital. But the agreement was voided because the singer Madonna filed and won a complaint to claim the domain name. Her publicist boldly asserted that she "happens to be the most famous Madonna in the world." Something must have happened, though, because the address madonna.com does take you to the MadonnaRehabilitationHospital. Of course the actress Madonna is better known than the Mother of Jesus in many pockets of culture, but the combination of presumption and lack of awareness of a broader reality on the part of Madonna's publicist is remarkable. And sad. Anyone facing criminal prosecution or a costly civil suit wants a lawyer not only with the highest skill level, but also with a passion to fight ferociously for the client. Likewise, when we need a heart transplant to survive, a well-meaning friend with a penknife and no medical training won't do us much good; and neither will a cardiac surgeon who chooses to vacation in Maui in our hour of need. What we most need is a physician with skill and a deep commitment to the patient. Those of us with sin-sick souls require that similar combination of sensitivity and compassion, balanced by the power to effectively heal and forgive. We need to know, in the words of the children's table grace, "God is great and God is good. "Goodness without power is ineffective, and power without goodness is demonic. That is the secret to understanding this story. Jesus looked into the young man's heart. The writer of Hebrews tells us that "all are open and laid bare" to the eyes of God. Certainly this is a gift that Christ shared with his Father. Jesus knew the young man's heart. He knew what this young man needed. The prescription that Jesus gave this young man is not a prescription Jesus would give to everyone. It was designed to meet this particular young man's need. Mark tells us that Jesus looked on the young man and loved him. Jesus saw his sincerity, his humility, his obvious potential. But he also saw a gaping hole in his life. And Jesus took direct aim at that hole. "You lack one thing," Jesus said. "Go, sell what you have, and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." John Foster in one of his books tells how he came into his home in this country one day in the thirties to find his daughter in tears before the radio set. He asked her why and found that the news bulletin had contained the sentence—“Japanese tanks entered Canton today.” Most people would hear that with at the most a faint feeling of regret. Statesmen may have heard it with grim foreboding; but to most people it did not make so very much difference. Why then was John Foster’s daughter in tears? Because she had been born in Canton. To her Canton meant a home, a nurse, a school, friends.

Finding the Good in "Bad Luck"

October 3, 2021 World Communion Sunday Job 1:1,2:1-10 19th Sunday After Pentecost Proper 22 Year B Finding the good in “bad luck” Opening Song Welcome Opening Prayer Almighty God, even as the drums of warfare beat on through the night, even as the cries of injustice linger in the morning, even as the hustle of busyness rumbles through the day, quiet our hearts. Still our thoughts. Join us in our worship. Remember us in your mercy as we try to remember you, through the proclamation of your good news, in story and in song, and through the hospitality of your gracious table. Welcome us again, one Lord, Creator, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. Stewardship Moment Call for Offering We approach the table today but we don’t approach it alone. We approach it on this World Communion Sunday with Christians around the world, in congregations large and small, speaking every language and one language. And so part of our approach this morning is to remember in our offering our connection to the work of the church in every corner of God’s creation. Truly, God has blessed us with the rich, varied, and abundant gifts of creation. From God’s abundance, let us also give abundantly. Prayer of Thanksgiving Gracious God, you create more than we could ever hope to return. You share more than we could ever hope to deserve. And yet, we pray, accept these humble gifts. May they honor and glorify you in all creation, and may they empower us for the work of witness and service, for the sake of justice, and for the sake of peace, now and forever. Amen. Passing the Peace In Jesus Christ, we know God’s forgiveness and peace. Let us share that peace with one another. The peace of Christ be with you. Scripture Job 1:1 Common English Bible Job’s piety and life of bliss 1 A man in the land of Uz was named Job. That man was honest, a person of absolute integrity; he feared God and avoided evil. Job 2:1-10 Common English Bible Job’s Adversary refuses to give up 2 One day the divine beings came to present themselves before the LORD. The Adversary also came among them to present himself before the LORD. 2 The LORD said to the Adversary, “Where have you come from?” The Adversary answered the LORD, “From wandering throughout the earth.” 3 The LORD said to the Adversary, “Have you thought about my servant Job, for there is no one like him on earth, a man who is honest, who is of absolute integrity, who reveres God and avoids evil? He still holds on to his integrity, even though you incited me to ruin him for no reason.” 4 The Adversary responded to the LORD, “Skin for skin—people will give up everything they have in exchange for their lives. 5 But stretch out your hand and strike his bones and flesh. Then he will definitely curse[a] you to your face.” 6 The LORD answered the Adversary, “There he is—within your power; only preserve his life.” The test intensifies 7 The Adversary departed from the LORD’s presence and struck Job with severe sores from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. 8 Job took a piece of broken pottery to scratch himself and sat down on a mound of ashes. 9 Job’s wife said to him, “Are you still clinging to your integrity? Curse[b] God, and die.” 10 Job said to her, “You’re talking like a foolish woman. Will we receive good from God but not also receive bad?” In all this, Job didn’t sin with his lips. Sermon Finding the good in “bad luck” I remember as a young adult -I thought the bible contained all of the answers to all of my problems in life. I was disappointed to read the bible and see that it was just a bunch of stories, with no real practical advice on how to solve all of my problems. I have also felt that every time I have read the book of Job. – there is no advice, and no answers. And then this year I learn that the book of Job is not even about a real person. None of this ever happened, Job and his daughters are not real persons. When I looked at the story this year, it even reads like a fairy tale. It starts out by saying A man in the land of Uz was named Job. Sort of life the famous – once upon a time. Uz is not even a real place, it sort saying – in the land of discernment and counsel – the land of our thoughts. At the beginning of the story he loses everything, and at the end of the story he gains it all back – sort of like living happily ever after. The whole bible can be described as the story of how we as humans were given paradise, we lost paradise, and we have been spending centuries trying to gain it back. I love fairy tales – They are fun stories with a back story with a valuable lesson in life. They are not necessarily true – but they contain truth. They give us advice about life in a way that our imagination and ability to think is engaged. The teach us timeless lessons about life – that is why they begin with Once Upon a Time. Fairy tales also give us important lesson in history, context and values of the culture that created them. Job may have been a story passed down orally from generation to generation. But it was written in the time of exile for the Jews. They have been driven to a new land, and they even had to find a new identity. This is the time that their faith became important to them. They turned to God to ask why this was happening to them. The traditional answer was that if something bad was happening and you were suffering, then it was all your fault. It was the consequence of a sin. Why were people dragged away from their life and held captive in Babylon – the forgot to put God first in their lives. That was just how life was – when you were righteous good things happened. When you were bad you were punished for your sins. The book of Job was written to thumb its nose at the old eye for an eye thinking. This story paves the way for the theology of grace that we still live for today. I am only going to preach on this once, but Job is a gem of a story with some rich meaning. Job was a good man, but he was also a foreigner. (a Jew would never to bold enough to disrespect the faith of their elders). The scripture says the Job was a good man who did everything to follow God. In return for his goodness God decides to throw him under the bus. He turns Job’s life over to circumstance. Satan in this story is not the devil. Satan is the defense attorney for fate. God is in the throne room holding court. He is proud of Job. But the accuser insist that Job is only good because he is rewarded. He is not a deep man, take away the rewards and Job will curse God. I love this scenery – God is bragging about Job to Satan – he asks Satan where he’s been – I just roaming the earth looking for trouble. God says well you won’t find it in Job. God then lets fate take control and destroy everything that Job has. I don’t know what I would do, if I found out that God had intentionally created all of my problems. When his wife and friends see all of Job’s suffering, First his wife tells him to abandon a God that allows bad things to happen to you. Just curse God and die she says. His friends come over to cheer him up – but only make things worse. According to the old stories – if you are suffering there is something you did to cause it. You are just dealing with the consequences of your own actions. Why worship a God who does not have your best intentions at heart – that was the old faith. Job is a pretty long book – I had to write a paper on it in college, I thought this story would never end. It is 26 chapters. During this journey each of his friends come in to tell Job that when God throws your under the bus, your faith is useless. All of this time Job is struggling to find answers to understand what is going on. His wife talks to him, his friends talk to him, God even talks to him. Through it all Job does not understand, but he is determined to hold his ground – he didn’t do anything to deserve this treatment. Job is a foreigner, no real Jew would question the faith of the old people. But Job loves God and has made a commitment to serve. After his faith ordeal, finally God restores everything that Job lost, and he lives happily every after. We love our happily every afters – that is the best a part of a fairy tale. I always wondered what happily ever after looks like? How long does it last. Job has always been a disappointment to me – no one lives happily ever after. And being blessed does not make us anymore likely to have a rough life than that person who never went to church. The thing I hated most about the book – it gave no answers, no conclusions, no practical advice. God does not even have the final word. It is just a story. But the one thing that I noticed about Job’s story – he lost everything in his life but his choice of how to respond to his circumstances. He choose to be faithful to God, rather he received a reward or not. His faith was a choice, not a loyalty, not an awareness. It wasn’t a reward for being lost, and it wasn’t a punishment for doing wrong . He chose – to have a relationship with God, to move on, to do what was right, and to accept the power of grace in his life. He even chose to maintain that he did not deserve what happened – but it was grace that restored his life. Someone made this whole story up – but the gift of this lesson – the truth in the tale – we cannot control suffering. We cannot control the bad times in life. And most of the time, it is just to circumstances of life. Suffering is not our fault. When we lost everything – let us remember that we still have our choice. We get to control how we respond to the situation. We choose our response and we can always choose God – the more excellent way. Let us pray…… Affirmation of Faith (adapted from the Belhar Confession) We believe in one holy, universal Christian church, the unity of the communion of saints of the entire human family. And we believe that that this unity of the people of God must be manifest and active, in that we love one another; that we give ourselves willingly and joyfully to one another, that we are share one baptism together, that we eat of one bread and drink of one cup together, that we confess one name, one Lord, for one cause, with one hope, which is the height and the breadth and the depth and the love of Christ, forever and ever. Amen. Song One Bread One Body UMH 620 Communion UMH 13 (not necessary to print) Each time we come to this table, we recognize Jesus’ teaching about the Realm of God not only in words, but with signs and symbols. Especially on this World Communion Sunday, we recognize the table extends globally, from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth. From Albuquerque to Zionsville, from Austria to Zambia, from Zanzibar right back to Alberta! All are welcome! Whether the bread is our traditional bread/crackers, or is naan, whether the cup is filled with Welch’s Grape or milk and honey, these gifts are for the people of God, gathered in this sanctuary and symbols like these are for the people of God, gathered in other places. These tiny gifts whet our appetite for that gathering of God’s beloveds from across time and space. (if you have images from around the world, those graphics would fit here!) The images which flash (on our screens/in our mind’s eye) are images of God’s Realm! This feast we share, remember, is a rehearsal dinner for the marriage feast of the Lamb (Rev. 19:6-9). Rejoice! God’s Realm, while not yet fully here, teases into reality our best expectations as we share this meal. Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook You were called to this table. You were fed at this table. You were united at this table. Now, you are sent from this table into all the world. Go therefore into the world, with courage. Set a place for all who hunger. Fill the cup of all who thirst. And as you go, May the Spirit of power and love attend you, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ uphold you, and may the great faithfulness of our God sustain you, now and forever. Amen. Community Time Benediction Shalom to you UMH 666 Liturgy written by Matt Gaventa, the Pastor of Amherst Presbyterian Church in Amherst, Virginia, and the chaplain at Sweet Briar College. Children’s Time Invite the children forward and introduce World Communion as a special meal that is shared with Christians all over the world. Talk with the children about special meals: the guests invited, the food that is prepared and the things that are done to make it special—decorations, good china, silverware and linens. Gather close to the table and ask the children to identify the things that look different or special about the table. When the table looks special, like it does today, everybody knows that something special is going to happen. Ask them to identify other countries, denominations and churches that might be celebrating World Communion today. Hold hands around or near the table. Remind the children that when we gather at this table today we remember that Jesus loves us and that we belong to the family of God that stretches all around the world. Ask the children to repeat the following prayer after you to end the children’s time: God of us all, we remember our brothers and sisters around the world today. Help us to treat all people as your children. Amen. -Contributed by Holly Purcell Albrecht Additional Illustrations