Making our Way Home

March 27, 2022 Fourth Sunday of Lent Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Making our Way Home Year C Opening Song Welcome Call to Worship L: Come, let us celebrate the forgiving, reconciling love of God. P: For once we were lost and felt so far away; now we have been found and welcomed home. L: Know that God’s love is lavished upon you forever. P: We rejoice at the news of forgiveness and hope! L: Come, let us celebrate and praise the God of Love. P: AMEN! (Nancy C. Townley) Responsive Reading Psalm 32 (UMH 766) Hymn of Praise Lift High the Cross UMH 159 Prayer of Reflection and Growth Holy Breath of Life, There are moments when our decisions do not take into consideration the well-being of our neighbors. There are times when our reactions turn inward instead of building healthy reconciliation. How is it that we are holding back our neighbor’s rebirth? How are our implicit and explicit biases restricting God’s grace and radical love? How do our actions and biases impede our own spiritual growth? Urge us to be life-giving agents of your love. May each of our steps be healing not only to us, but to our siblings on the journey. Amen. Assurance of God’s Grace God, our Divine Parent, runs towards us with infinite love and grace. May the mercy we experience transform our minds, hearts, and souls. May we extend God’s grace as we run towards our Divine Parent. (Rev. Michelle Torigian) Passing of the Peace The God of love forgives you, accepts you and enfolds you in his peace. The peace of the Lord be always with you And also with you. (Taken from “Glimpses of Glory” by David Adam) Scripture Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Occasions for celebration 15 All the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus to listen to him. 2 The Pharisees and legal experts were grumbling, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Jesus told them this parable: Read full chapter Luke 15:11-32 Common English Bible 11 Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. 12 The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the inheritance.’ Then the father divided his estate between them. 13 Soon afterward, the younger son gathered everything together and took a trip to a land far away. There, he wasted his wealth through extravagant living. 14 “When he had used up his resources, a severe food shortage arose in that country and he began to be in need. 15 He hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to eat his fill from what the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything. 17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, but I’m starving to death! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son. Take me on as one of your hired hands.” ’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. His father ran to him, hugged him, and kissed him. 21 Then his son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! 23 Fetch the fattened calf and slaughter it. We must celebrate with feasting 24 because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate. 25 “Now his older son was in the field. Coming in from the field, he approached the house and heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what was going on. 27 The servant replied, ‘Your brother has arrived, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he received his son back safe and sound.’ 28 Then the older son was furious and didn’t want to enter in, but his father came out and begged him. 29 He answered his father, ‘Look, I’ve served you all these years, and I never disobeyed your instruction. Yet you’ve never given me as much as a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours returned, after gobbling up your estate on prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ 31 Then his father said, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive. He was lost and is found.’” Sermon – Making our Way Home This is one of those stories that we have heard over and over again. Some have called the story the prodigal father, some have called it the prodigal son, I have even done a monologue on the story called the prodigal mother. Prodigal means spendthrifty or overly generous. The common understanding of the story is that the son is the sinner like us, and God is the prodigal father who gives us the overabundance of forgiveness. I just this year heard one story that the older son represents the jews who were in the family of God and the younger son represents Christians who live under grace. The bible uses family dynamics to teach us many lessons about ourselves, and about how we relate to God. When I hear this story I always relate as the older sibling, who had a younger sister who seemed to get away with everything. Where do you see yourself in the story? I wonder if Jesus knew this story personally, watched this dynamic play out perhaps in the neighborhood, or even in his own family. And thought it was the perfect story. In Luke 15 the pharisees are questioning Jesus, why is he bothering to talk to sinners, outcast, women, people who are not a part of God’s society? Jesus tells a series of stories of lost people who have been found. Jesus is tells this story to help us realize that God loves all people equally, but he does not love us all the same. There is a difference between equality and fairness. As children of God, God gives us what we need at the time, which does not seem fair to some people. It is not so much important as to who we are in the story – what really matters is who we are today. The story is left kinda openended. After the party – did the younger son finally stay with his father and take care of him? Did the older son forgive his brother and learn to live along side of him? In the father’s last days – which son was by his side – all questions which we will never know. I asked earlier, what if Jesus knew this family personally, because Jesus knows each of us. The story is left incomplete, so that it can include us, and our situation. The father did not love his sons the same, but at the end of the story the party was for both of them. Each of them played a part in the situation, but the party was to call each of them home. The sinner and the self righteous all have a journey to make during the Lenten season. We all have to do the work of reconciliation, with ourselves, with our family, with our community and most importantly with God. Easter is a celebration of coming home. What road will we take this month to get there? Prayer Holy God, when we wander from the way, call us back; When we stray from the truth, redirect us; When we do not live life to the full, inspire and refresh us. May we and your whole church follow him who is the way, the truth and the life. We pray for all who have wandered away from the faith, for all who have lost touch with you and your love. We remember all who are pilgrims and seekers. Lord, we turn to you. Lord we pray for all who are separated from loved ones, through war or circumstance, for those who have left home or become lost. We pray for all who live in poverty and debt. Lord, we turn to you. We give thanks for our families, our parents and all who love us. We pray especially for those who are dear to us but with whom we have lost contact. We pray for all who are called home into your kingdom where sorrow and pain are no more. We remember especially whom we hold within our hearts. Lord We ask for your mercy. Amen (Taken from “Glimpses of Glory” but David Adam) Lord’s Prayer Hymn of Dedication What Wondrous Love is this UMH 292 Stewardship Moment Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son seems so familiar, we find it easy to gloss over. However, what happens if we title this text “The story of a father and his two sons”? When we put the focus on the father, we see: he is a GIVER! He gives his younger son his portion of what will be his when the father dies (by tradition, the younger son receives less than the older). The father mourns when the younger son disappears, but he gives thanks when the son returns. No matter that the son wasted his inheritance. The father celebrates, killing the calf and he gives a party for the son, who “was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” When the elder son angrily objects, the father gives assurance; “all that is mine is yours”. The whole of what remains will go to this son! When we breathe in this parable, does it inspire you to be givers? Because we have been loved, and given so many gifts (you might name some of them, i.e. life, air, food, water, relationships, communion, the church, salvation…), our instinctive response to this abundance is generosity (because I’ve received, now let ME give!). Today, let’s joyfully share our resources, knowing we, too, could be known as GIVERS. Prayer of Thanksgiving Good and gracious God, Receive these gifts, offered from the abundance we’ve received from you. Help us recognize the needs around us and then respond in faith. Encourage us to grow in our desire to give, even as we rejoice in the father’s generous giving to both his sons! AMEN (Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for those on Facebook May our spirits come alive in this season of Lent When we run to God, our Divine Parent, with the hopes of strengthening our bonds, When we embrace the Christ, our Divine Neighbor, with the hopes of reconciliation, When we breathe with the Spirit, our Divine Encourager, in the hopes of peace. Amen. ( Rev. Michelle Torigian) Community Time Benediction The Father comes to meet you in love. The Son comes to you with forgiveness. The Spirit comes to refresh and restore you. Go on Peace (Taken from “Glimpses of Glory” by David Adam) Children’s Sermon Have you ever run away from home? Additional illustrations When have you been generous enough to forgive someone who hurt you deeply? Is there someone you need to forgive or ask forgiveness of?

God's Plan for us?

March 20, 2022 3rd Sunday of Lent God’s Plan for us? Isaiah 55:1-9 Year C Opening Song Welcome Introit Invocation Author of abundance, God of change, we come into this hour with holy expectations. As we travel on our journey of transformation this Lenten season, we know that you are with us. You walk beside us. Your presence surrounds us. Help us to bear fruit as we walk this road. Remind us that you will never leave us nor forsakes us, that your rod and your staff comfort us, that you have prepared a feast for us when all can come and eat. Keep us forever in the path as we worship you in spirit and in truth. Amen. (Rev. Mia McClain) Hymn of Praise Guide Me O thou Great Jehovah UMH 127 Responsive Reading Psalm 63:1-8 UMH 788 Prayer of Confession This is the season of turning. We are called on this journey to turn our lives to the Lord, to turn away from all those things which have harmed us and others; to separate ourselves from actions and attitudes that demean and destroy. It is far too easy for us to sink into the mire of self-pity and self-serving attitudes, wondering why everything isn’t coming our way. We want comfort, contentment, no stress, no struggle. Yet our lives are filled with stress and discontent. We hurt, Lord. We hurt in our bodies and our souls. We hurt in our relationships with others. How we must try your patience! We don’t want to be like this - we want to feel the warmth of your love, the freedom of your spirit, the joy of serving you. Forgive us for our selfishness and stupidity. Heal us. For we ask these things in Jesus’ Name. AMEN. Words of Assurance You are given another chance! God has heard your cries. Turn again to the Lord. Find comfort and strength in God’s eternal love for you. Be healed. AMEN. (Nancy C. Townley) Passing of the Peace Scripture Isaiah 55:1-9 Common English Bible Invitation to the feast 55 All of you who are thirsty, come to the water! Whoever has no money, come, buy food and eat! Without money, at no cost, buy wine and milk! 2 Why spend money for what isn’t food, and your earnings for what doesn’t satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is good; enjoy the richest of feasts. 3 Listen and come to me; listen, and you will live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful loyalty to David. 4 Look, I made him a witness to the peoples, a prince and commander of peoples. 5 Look, you will call a nation you don’t know, a nation you don’t know will run to you because of the LORD your God, the holy one of Israel, who has glorified you. 6 Seek the LORD when he can still be found; call him while he is yet near. 7 Let the wicked abandon their ways and the sinful their schemes. Let them return to the LORD so that he may have mercy on them, to our God, because he is generous with forgiveness. 8 My plans aren’t your plans, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. 9 Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my plans than your plans. Anthem Sermon – God’s Plan for us? One of my most endearing childhood memories – was the ice cream truck driving through the neighborhhood. Whenever our household would hear that music, everyone would stop what they were doing and run outside, and somehow come up with the money to buy ice cream. I don’t know if there was an ice cream truck around here, but in Cicero he came every day. I lived across from a elementary school, so as a matter of fact he parked outside my house every day to wait for the kids. It was a good humor truck, and I preferred cones, so I didn’t buy from him all of the time. When I lived in Oak Park, it was the knife sharpener guy. He would drive down the streets and ring his bell in his truck – and if you had dull knives, then you bought them to his truck. If you go to a ball game, it is the peanut vendor who calls out to you. And for a while, you would go downtown Chicago and a street vendor would call out – get your Streetwise newspaper. People have been calling out of our homes and our comfort zones for years – and no matter what they are selling, we come running to spend our money on whatever they have. That is why the prophet Isaiah begins his message in chapter 55 by calling out to us to come. Don’t Spend your money – but bring your appetite. But God is here – come closer. Come says the prophet – listen to the good news. The good news? Usually the good news comes from the gospel and the new testament, and the Hebrew bible gives us a judgement. But here we are with Isaiah giving us the good news – come on, God is here. As a matter of fact, come is God’s favorite phrase in the bible, right behind Do not be afraid. " One time workmen were blasting rock in a quarry. After attaching the fuse and withdrawing to a safe distance, they noticed a three-year-old child wandering in the danger zone. They called to him and waved their arms for him to run away, but he only looked at them with amusement. Then his mother appeared and sized up the situation. She did not run to him nor yell for him to come to her. Instead, she knelt down, opened wide her arms, and smiled for him to come. Instantly, her son ran to her, and when the explosion took place, he was safe in her arms. So God in Christ looks at us with love and with open arms and says to us, "Come." If we respond to this invitation of love, we, too, will escape the explosion of an evil world. Come all who are thirsty, come to the water, all who don’t have any money- come and eat. Isaiah invites us to all of the Lenten practices to bring us closer to God - Isaiah invites us to repent, return, renew and rejoice. Isaiah’s invitation is to seek God while God can still be found. When we listen to the news, we can easily ask where is God in the midst of all that is happening. When we listen, we listen less and less. A search for God is made because we do not see God. A pastor once visited the kindergarten class of his church school. The teacher, in introducing him, explained who he was and what he did, "Children, we have a special guest this morning. Do you know who he is?" One little fellow tentatively answered, "God?" "No," she said, "but he works for God." Then the pastor told about his work. As he started to leave, the same lad called out, "Next time, bring God with you. I’ve never seen him." Many adults could say the same. That is why we need to seek him. Isaiah gives us four reasons to seek God. First of all what all of those other vendors that call out to us to eat, to buy, to consume will not really satisfy us – eventually we will need to buy more. Moreover, we may experience an emptiness in our lives. We are empty of food and drink, and we do not know where to go to get filled. One time, Marge wrote to Ann Landers: "I’m forty-four, husband same age. We get along okay - no drinking, no gambling, no skirt chasing. He has a good job and our home is paid for. Our four children are healthy and normal. They do well in school and the three older ones have never caused us any trouble. So why am I writing? Because my life is blah. Something is missing. It’s like stew without salt. I feel a certain emptiness. What is it?" How can a person have so much and so many blessings and yet feel unfulfilled? Yet, many of us are in the same position as Marge whose life is "Blah"! Life has lost its zip, its excitement. We want true life, something worthwhile to do and live for. Many of us are like the Easter chocolate bunnies - hollow inside. Second, it is time to turn away from the ways of the sinning world. One Pastor put it this way – the devil takes visa, but the master’s card the bible leads us a different way. Third God shows us true love “What’s that?” I asked. She said, “You mentioned in your talk that God loves me. Do you believe that? Because I don’t believe anyone has ever loved me. My dad left me and my mother abused me, and I have gone from one institution to another. I’ve been sexually abused, neglected, and you are telling me that God loves me?” “That’s right,” I said. “God loves you!” She paused for a moment as tears began rolling down her cheeks. Then she said simply, “Well, if God loves me, then nothing else matters. If God loves me, that’s all that matters.” Fourth – our ways are not God ways I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew, He moved my soul to seek him, seeking me; It was not I that found, O Savior true. No, I was found of Thee. • Forgive, when you feel like condemning. • Accept when you feel like blaming. • Love when you feel like hating. • Give more when you feel like quitting. • Return when you feel like running. Perhaps some of you hearing this sermon feel like I am writing directly to you. Maybe you have accepted every invitation this world has to offer and it has been like salt water to your thirsty soul, making you thirstier than ever. Perhaps some of you have attended church your whole life yet never really have come to grips with the love of God. Oh, you have heard all about it before but never really allowed yourself to experience it. Perhaps some of you have accepted The Invitation before, but now your relationship with God is stale and you need to taste the fresh Bread of Life again. The good news is that God’s banquet of blessings has been prepared, and you are invited! There is a place at God’s table reserved for you. A special engraved invitation written by a pierced hand is yours. Isn’t it time for you to accept it? There are people like those in Zaire who hunger for spiritual food which they find in the Scriptures. Some years ago a shipment of 750 Bibles was sent to a merchant to be sold at three dollars each. With the average annual income of only eighty-five dollars, the people literally broke down the door of the merchant before he opened for business - just to buy a Bible! Would that we all were hungry for spiritual food found in the Word of God! "Ho, every one who thirsts, come to the waters ..." CSS Publishing Co., Inc., Old Truths For New Times, by John R. Brokhoff So, lets face it. No matter where we are in life, no matter what we are doing, we can’t escape the call to come. It may not be the ice cream truck, but it is the television, it is social media, it is the bright lights of restaurants and stores, it is the need to go shopping at the mall to pick somethings up, it is the news, it is our family, our friends, it is our needs, our fears, our concerns. There is always something that says come. It is never ending. Now is a good time to listen to the call of Isaiah to come to God. In the midst of it all God is calling. This morning we heard the church bells calling us to come. Lent is a call to come Worship and songs are a call to come. Come to a place where we will finally be fed and satisfied, where we will have meaning, where we will know true love, where what we gain will be eternal. Where are the places that you can go in your life to find God? The church, the bible, in social settings, in prayer, in nature. God speaks to us in so many ways – This lent we are invited to come - Come to the ways of God. Let us pray……. Prayer Living God, whose son Jesus conquered death and lives forever, giving us cause for hope we hold before you those places and situations in our world which seem lifeless and hopeless. We pray for those who go without or have to pay inflated prices which they can ill afford in order to feed their families. We pray for those in positions of authority and responsibility. We pray for those who feel their voice and plight is ignored by the world. We pray for your church. We pray that you would fill all in our churches with the vision to see where the barren parts of our church and community life might bear fruit. We pray for those who are ill, or recovering from illness. We pray for those who are dying and those caring for them. We pray for those who are living with loss and grief. We pray for ourselves. Living God we pray that you bring life to the areas of our own lives which are lacking life and hope. We bring you our anger and frustrations, we bring you our fears and our lack of courage, we bring you our anxieties and stress. And we ask you to fill us again with your presence, peace and hope that through our prayers and our actions, relying on you to strengthen and encourage us, we might bring your light to a barren world waiting to burst into life. Amen. (Christine Dutton) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Jesus is a master story-teller. Often he spoke in parables, using everyday situations to help those listening comprehend more about God. In Luke 13, Jesus tells of a man with a barren fig tree in his vineyard. That man was annoyed, and eager to get the tree cut down and carted away. However, the one who cared for this tree and the others in the vineyard, pleaded for enough more time and an opportunity to provide manure (“rich dirt” some folks say) for the tree. Do you recognize our church in this parable? Are we a fully fruitful tree, bearing fruit for the world? Or would you see we’re more like this fig-less tree? What about if we each ask the question of our own life? As individual “trees” in Christ’s vineyard, do we – do I – bear fruit? With thanks for the many ways we can be nurtured – and we can nurture – within the life of this congregation. (Name a few specific ways which can be in your own congregation) Let those who are bearing fruit share our morning offering as a symbol of our fruitfulness. And let those who are currently without fruit commit to seeking ways to be made fruitful. For one and for all, may the Master Gardener strengthen each of us for active and fruitful ministries in the days to come. Prayer of Thanksgiving All things come from you, God of all Creation. Please receive these gifts as signs of our desire to be fruitful and productive parts of your created world. Do not cut us down, but offer us opportunities to be proclaimers of life through Jesus, in whose name we pray, AMEN (Center for Faith and Giving) Hymn of Dedication Balm in Gilead UMH 375 Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook I invite you, in the name of Christ, to observe a holy Lent by self-examination and penitence, by prayer and fasting, by works of love, and by reading and meditating on the Word of God. May the grace, hope, peace and love of God our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer be with you now and always. Amen. (Terri McDowell Ott) Community Time Benediction Turn to the Lord, for God is go Repent of your sins and find God's forgiveness Go forth as new creatures, able to serve and quick to love. (Erik Alsgaard) Choral Response Prelude Children’s Time Eat What Is Good By Lois Parker Edstrom Suggestions: Display various foods as a part of the lesson and allow the children taste, if appropriate to your situation. What are your favorite foods? Pizza? Hamburgers? Ice cream? Chocolate pudding? Cookies? These foods are fun to eat and it’s okay to enjoy them once in a while, but our food choices should also include lots of fruits and vegetables, milk and yogurt, good cereals and breads. Have you ever tried a peanut butter and banana sandwich, sweet potato chips, or a crisp, juicy apple with a wedge of cheese? Delicious!! There are so many tasty foods to enjoy. The prophet, Isaiah in the Bible speaks about God’s message and it is this: “Listen diligently (carefully) to me, and eat… that which is good” (55:2). God is not speaking about food, but about his words of wisdom. As we read the Bible and spend quiet time praying and thinking about God, we learn God’s lessons. We learn about good choices, such as how to honor God, how to respect ourselves, how to treat others with kindness. We learn about things that help us have a good life. God’s ways are good ways. They help you become a loving, thoughtful, and healthy person. God says, “Listen diligently to me, and eat…that which is good…” Eat good food and fill your hearts with the goodness of God’s words. Scripture quotations from the World English Bible Copyright 2012, Richard Niell Donovan Additional Illustrations The Master's Card entitles us to . . . Be wild. Be weird. Be predictably unpredictable. Do not, under any circumstances, be normal. It's the Devil who takes Visa, and shops until the hooves drop. The Master's Card is the only way to fill your spirit with the joy, the abundant life that God has promised. ChristianGlobe Networks, Collected Sermons, by Leonard Sweet

Lead us not into temptation this lent

March 6, 2022 Luke 4:1-13 First Sunday of Lent Year C Prelude Welcome Invocation Call to Worship L: For some of us, it was tempting to “sleep in” this morning. P: But God has called us to this place, to hear God’s word, to open our hearts in prayer and praise, and to seek direction for our lives. L: There are many temptations placed in front of us. We are called to be strong and place our trust in God. P: God is always faithful to us, comforting, guiding, lifting us. AMEN. (Nancy Townley) Opening Prayer Lord, the temptations of the world loom large before us. We are enticed, cajoled, and “sweet-talked” into moving from lives of service to lives of self-centeredness. We need your healing love. As you resisted the temptations in the wilderness, help us to place our trust in you, that we may be strong in our faith and confident in our service to you through serving others. AMEN. (Nancy Townley) Hymn of Praise I Love to tell the Story UMH 156 Responsive Reading Psalm 91:1-2,9-16 UMH 810 Scripture Luke 4:1-13 Luke 4:1-13 Common English Bible Jesus’ temptation 4 Jesus returned from the Jordan River full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. 2 There he was tempted for forty days by the devil. He ate nothing during those days and afterward Jesus was starving. 3 The devil said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” 4 Jesus replied, “It’s written, People won’t live only by bread.”[a] 5 Next the devil led him to a high place and showed him in a single instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 The devil said, “I will give you this whole domain and the glory of all these kingdoms. It’s been entrusted to me and I can give it to anyone I want. 7 Therefore, if you will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered, “It’s written, You will worship the Lord your God and serve only him.”[b] 9 The devil brought him into Jerusalem and stood him at the highest point of the temple. He said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, throw yourself down from here; 10 for it’s written: He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you 11 and they will take you up in their hands so that you won’t hit your foot on a stone.[c]” 12 Jesus answered, “It’s been said, Don’t test the Lord your God.”[d] 13 After finishing every temptation, the devil departed from him until the next opportunity. Anthem Sermon Lead us not into Temptation this lent There are few words that disturb a Christian more than the word temptation. The Lord’s prayer says lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. So we tend to associate temptation with something bad. The story of Jesus temptation is included in three of the 4 gospels. Each has a little bit of a different spin on the story, but in each Jesus goes into the wilderness and the devil tempts him and Jesus comes out victorious and begins his earthly ministry. Jesus has been baptized, he hears the voice of God and that same voice leads him into the wilderness. The devil comes and encourages him to take care of himself and his needs by using his special powers as the son of God. That is the point of this passage, for us to think about what it means for Jesus to be the son of God. The things that the devil tempts him to do are all come from his needs and his thoughts – he is hungry, he is struggling with what a messiah does, he is all alone in the dessert. Why wouldn’t he do all that he can to take care of himself and to survive a difficult experience? – because he realized that being the son of God did not mean having access to the power to do what he wanted, but it meant having the power to back away from our deepest desires. It meant thinking beyond our immediate needs to think about the better cause. Temptations don’t come from the devil, they come from our hearts. And they are not always intended to lead us to the wrong place. The Union Pacific Railroad built an extensive bridge over a canyon in the west. In order to test the bridge, they sent a train across it with extra weight and extra cars. They stopped the train in the middle of the bridge and left it there for 24 hours. People asked it they were trying to break the bridge before it started. No they said, they were just trying to prove that it wont break. In the same way, the temptations Jesus faced weren’t designed to see if he would sin, but to prove that he would not. (Word, March 14, 1991) Life sometimes does the same for us. Temptation doesn’t come to mislead us, but to show us our own strength. Just as the Spirit and the Word led Jesus, they also lead us. Just as Jesus is the son of God, we too are children of God. Thomas Pilgrim, a pastor reminds us that in those times when we feel as if we are in the wilderness, trying to find your way and temptation offers you the wrong answer, the wrong choice, the wrong use of power, the way to popularity, the wrong kind of partnership, then remember that God called us by name. He said of each of us, this is my beloved son, my beloved daughter in whom I am well pleased, and if God calls us by name, God will see us through. Our job is to make sure that in the midst of all of the other noise of life, that we are able to hear God’s voice. That is our job during lent. We too have the spirit and the word to sustain us. We listen to our faith, we read about our faith, but I think most of us learn from singing our faith. . When you think about what you know and remember about your faith – did it come from the bible, from a sermon, or for a song? I am a pastor and I give sermons every week – its my job. But I never know if they make a difference. Of course whenever I try to fudge and give a short sermon – someone always calls me on it. When I was younger – I looked forward to coming to church – I wanted a chance to see my friends. I came to hear the choir sing. When the pastor would get up to preach – that was my cue to tune out and think about something else until the choir started singing again. Yes there were some things that the pastor said that stuck with me – but it is still the songs and hymns that capture my heart and come to mind in the dark corners of life. Unfortunately, for pastors, our brains are wired to sing. There is something deep inside of us that responds to music. Even on the late stages of alzheimers disease – long after people have lost touch with he world- they can remember the songs of their childhood. All those songs that we learned in Sunday school – the words are still there. That is something to look forward to in life. But I want you to think of some of the faith songs that are important to you…… I just finished a book called wintering by Katherine May. The book is about some of the traditions and things that we do in order to survive winter. As she goes through the winter months, she talks about her personal winter moments. One chapter is titles – “Sing”. Where she felt that she was losing her voice in life, and she went to a voice coach to learn to sing again. She said that singing was important to her and to her family. She says “There’s a moment of deep genetic resonance in hitting the exact same not in the exact same way.” She goes on to say that when I sing with my son, I am teaching him something: not just words and lyrics, but how to survive. Like the robin, we sometimes sing to show how string we are, and we somethings sing in hope of better times. We sing either way.” (page 228) Personally, I am not a big fan of contemporary Christian music. Some of it is too simple for the ears of someone with a seminary degree. But what is called contemporary includes a wide variety of music. But I do have to say that within the last two years, Shine.FM out of Olivet has become my goto radio station. In those days where I am searching for hope, motivation, support for the struggle to survive – it soothes my soul in a ways that nothing else can. And in the last 2 years, survival has become an every day issue. What are some of the songs that have become a staple in your faith life? What are your favorite faith songs? Two songs that will be sung at my funeral are Precious Lord Take my Hand and I’ll fly away. Lately as I listen to Shine.FM two songs catch my attention every time they come on – Looking for my promisedland by Toby Mac. And a song, Sunday Sermons by Anne Wilson. The line that resonates with me – “Devil gone try to take me out of the church. But you can’t take the church out of me.” This lent we will look at those songs – those lines that speak to us when we are in the trenches of life. I will let you know what songs we will look at on Sunday. And on March 13th – Bettylou will lead us in a hymn sing. Our guide will be a devotional called “Unrevealed until its season – a Lenten journey with the hymns by James C. Howell. He starts the journey with the song “Hymn of Promise” – the song that we sang. The song reminds us that life is always a work in progress. The future is connected to the present. The flowers of the future lie in the seeds that we plant today. Our Lenten practices will carry us forward. The three pillars of lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. On Sunday I will have a sheet with the things that we will do as a church for lent. But my challenge to us – is to declare this a holy lent. How can we improve our relationship with God in the next 40 days? Prayer of Reflection and Growth God of the Road, we journey together into the wilderness again. In this time filled with new spiritual practices and studies, our minds will be “tested.” Doubts will creep in as we seek your presence. At times, we will slide away from our responsibilities to care for our neighbors. “Keep awake,” you call to us. And so we ask ourselves: Will hurtful words from others taunt us, and inhibit our growth with you? Will negative images in our minds draw us away from our practices? Will we snooze to the needs of this world and ignore the pain in our communities? Deliver us from the temptations of this world and the tests that we impose upon ourselves. Amen. Assurance of God’s Grace When we aimlessly wander throughout this Lenten journey, God follows us – even into the depths of the wilderness. May we see God’s presence, knowing we are never alone on arid days and in barren lands. Amen! (Rev. Michelle L. Torigian) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Moment for Stewardship This is the first Sunday in the season we call “Lent”. In earlier years, this 40 day season (in which every day counts except the 7 Sundays from today through Easter) was a rigorous time of fasting, which began with Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”) as a time to clear the house/kitchen of meat, oil, butter and sugar. Today, Christians are encouraged to use these 40 days to practice three acts: 1) prayer, 2) giving to the poor and 3) fasting (stepping away from some act, practice or thing you ordinarily would consume). I don’t believe it meets that practice to declare you’ll pray for lima beans to disappear, offer cans of lima beans to the local food pantry and promise not to eat any lima beans from now until Easter (I wouldn’t touch a lima bean for ANY reason, in any season!) [use your own example of something you detest] Rather, I want to challenge each one of us to a three-fold, season-long practice: “prayer, share, care”. Will you start today? Will you pray for this faith community, share your finances to help ________ (name your particular recipients or organization you’ll bless with a financial gift at the end of this Lent), and care for your mind/body/spirit by taking on a new discipline or giving up something separating you from living as you believe God intends you to do? (if you want to encourage this more strongly, create for each person present a 2 part card: 1 piece for the offering plate, the other to take home and post in a prominent place – refrigerator door or bathroom mirror — as a reminder of their intent.) Will you share your intention? Please sign the card, then tear off that part and add it to your morning offering. Remember to take the other card home to remind you of this 40 day challenge. May you find this Lent to be a power-packed season as you take these three steps! Prayer of Thanksgiving Loving God, you filled Jesus with your Holy Spirit before his 40 days in the wilderness. We thank you for inspiring (“in-Spirit-ing”) us as we step into these forty days of Lent. Now, receive these gifts and these cards of our positive intentions for this season. Please use these resources to build up your Realm on earth, and your Church in this place and around the world. AMEN (Center of Faith and Giving) Hymn of Dedication O God our Help in Ages Past Communion Invitation to Communion In the first temptation, described in Luke 4:1-4, Jesus had fasted for forty days! While we don’t know the specifics, most of us can hardly imagine fasting from bread, dessert, or coffee, for 40 days! Jesus, however, after fasting in the wilderness, was able to turn aside from the suggestion/temptation of the devil to create bread from a stone. Using scripture as his piece-de-resistance, the famished man quotes from Deuteronomy 8:3; “one does not live by bread alone.” At this table, we are all invited to participate in a simple meal which Jesus instituted on the last night of his life. It is not bread alone, but it is a small piece of bread, and a sip of juice, which help us remember Jesus’ body and blood. These elements bind us to God and to each another, renewing our identity as one part of the body of Christ on earth. Together, let us share these gifts as signs of our decision to be disciples of Jesus, the Christ. (Center of Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Benediction (Psalm 91:9-12) God will command the angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear us up. Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High will be your dwelling place. No evil shall befall us. Go in peace, in the provision and protection of the Lord. Thanks be to God! Amen. (Matthew J. Packer) Community Time Benediction The journey has begun. God is with you. Go forth to learn, to teach, to serve. Go bringing peace and hope to all in the name of Jesus Christ. AMEN. (Nancy Townley) Choir Postlude Children’s Sermon from Sermon4Kids I would like you to help me with something today… I have this bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies (again, this could be another treat, or a toy or other item). Would you like one? Well, I am going to give each of you a cookie to hold…but DON’T eat it! You can touch it, you can feel it, but don’t eat it. Why don’t you smell it? Does it smell tasty? Do you think you would like to eat it? Don’t eat it, though! Is your mouth watering yet? You might be getting tempted to take a bite… Have you ever heard of the word “temptation”? Do you know what it means? Being tempted means you want to do something you are not supposed to do. Right now, you might be tempted to take a bite of that cookie. Well, eating cookies is not necessarily wrong, but if I specifically told you not to do it, then you should probably not be doing it, right? Sometimes it’s tempting to disobey, or to not listen well to our parents. What are some rules you might have at home? (Allow kids to share examples of rules. Optional: hold up list of rules or procedures for something.) Now, you might be tempted to skip some of those rules, or to do something other than what you should be doing. Maybe one of the rules doesn’t sound fun, and you’d like to do something else. It can be hard to be obedient. In fact, on our own power, it’s downright near impossible! But guess what? We don’t have to obey everything perfectly on our own power. Jesus took care of that, and we can rely on HIS power! Did you know that Jesus faced temptation? It was in our Gospel lesson today, as a matter of fact! He went out into the desert, and for a long time He didn’t have anything to eat. Well, that made Him pretty hungry, and Satan picked that time to try to make Him do things He knew He was not supposed to do. These were things that might not have been bad if God instructed it, but Jesus knew He couldn’t listen to Satan for directions. Being tempted is not a sin, but giving in to temptation is. Jesus did not give in, though. Do you know what He used to get rid of the Devil? He used Bible verses! He told Satan that He was not just going to rely on His physical body, but on the Word of God. He threw out Scripture like arrows, and it hit those temptations and eventually made Satan run away! Now, it can be hard to do the right thing. But we know that Jesus lived a perfect life, and died for us so that we can live. Jesus faced temptation, so He knows what it’s like when we are having a tough time trying to obey. What do you think we can do when we are tempted to do the wrong thing? (Take suggestions.) Yes! We can pray to God for help, and we can read our Bibles. And we can also focus on positive things in our lives. The best way to fight off a negative temptation is to focus on something wonderful instead. Why don’t we pray for help with that right now? Oh, and afterwards, you may eat your cookies… (Optional: after prayer, let kids enjoy their treats.) Additional Illustrations A Collapse of Concentration We have all gone through times of testing – times which tried our patience and tested our faith. Christians are not immune from troubles. I played in nationally-rated chess tournaments for years. The one thing all tournament chess players had to guard against was making a mistake when your position was under attack. The pressure of defending a difficult position would often cause careless errors. I’ll never forget a game I was playing against a much-higher ranked player than myself who was from Fresno. Even though the position was relatively even, I was applying a lot of pressure. Every time he parried one threat I seemed to find another way to continue the attack. Finally, he made a blunder and lost a knight and the game. Afterwards I was analyzing the game with some other Fresno chess players. Their attitude was: you only won because our player made a mistake. They didn’t realize that fatal mistake was preceded by a series of pressure-creating moves that finally resulted in a collapse of concentration. All tournament chess players face that – they have to try to not emotionally respond to a tense situation on the chessboard and allow their game to fall apart. This is why God allows testing to come our way. He wants us to learn how to not respond to the pressure, and learn how to go through the difficulty without being crushed emotionally. David Humpal, Overcoming Times of Testing Temptation in Tough Times In tough times, we are tempted not to believe in God. I remember when Old Man Lunde was alive so many years ago. I remember him telling about the Depression in the 1930s and the dust storms of North Dakota. I remember how Al Lunde was broke and didn’t have a dime to his name. He, his wife and kids moved out here to the Pacific Northwest, and Al’s face stuck into my face, as his finger wagged at my eyes, “And where was God in all of that?” Al was still mad at God for what happened to him in the Depression. The years passed, and his wife, Cora, ultimately had a stroke. As she came closer to death, Al was wrestling with loneliness and depression. He was again angry with God and me and again wagged his finger into my face, “How could a good God do something like this to my wife, Cora?” … How nice it would be in the primary temptations of life had to do with sugar cookies, ice cream and popcorn, but the temptations of life have to do with the gut issues of life such as the temptation not to believe in God. The temptation not to believe that God knows your name. The temptation to not believe that God counts the numbers of hairs on your head. The temptation not to believe that God is good. The temptation to not believe that God is not watching our every action and is close to us. Edward F. Markquart, Sugar Cookies, Ice Cream and Popcorn Settling for Less? Do not bother looking for Lent in your Bible dictionary. There was no such thing in biblical times. There is some evidence that early Christians fasted 40 hours between Good Friday and Easter, but the custom of spending 40 days in prayer and self-denial did not arise until later, when the initial rush of Christian adrenaline was over and believers had gotten very ho-hum about their faith. When the world did not end as Jesus himself had said it would, his followers stopped expecting so much from God or from themselves. They hung a wooden cross on the wall and settled back into their more or less comfortable routines, remembering their once passionate devotion to God the way they remembered the other enthusiasms of their youth. Little by little, Christians became devoted to their comforts instead: the soft couch, the flannel sheets, the leg of lamb roasted with rosemary. These things made them feel safe and cared for -- if not by God, then by themselves. They decided there was no contradiction between being comfortable and being Christian, and before long it was very hard to pick them out from the population at large. They no longer distinguished themselves by their bold love for one another. They did not get arrested for championing the poor. They blended in. They avoided extremes. They decided to be nice instead of holy, and God moaned out loud. Barbara Brown Taylor, Settling for Less, article in the Christian Century, February 18, 1998, page 169. How Do Needs Become Sinful? Jesus was really tempted. By definition temptation is something that appeals to us. But how can the Spirit-filled Son of God be tempted by something that is potentially sinful? Spirit-filled, sanctified, spiritually vibrant Christians are still subject to temptation. Jesus was hungry. There was nothing wrong with craving bread after a forty-day fast. All of us have certain desires, wants, needs, both physical and emotional. We crave food when we are hungry. We need companionship, acceptance, approval of others, love and appreciation. These are legitimate needs. And even our wants are not necessarily sinful. How then do they become sinful? The devil is often viewed as the source of our temptations. But we need to understand something about ourselves. It is doubtful whether the devil would have suggested that Jesus turn the stone to bread had Jesus not been hungry. The source of our temptations is almost always our own legitimate, normal, natural desires. The desire for food, sexual intimacy, approval of others is not from the devil. These are wholesome, normal, legitimate desires. How do they become sinful? Jirair Tashjian, Lectionary Commentary and Preaching Paths Christ Lives Here The sure antidote to temptation is to be focused on Christ, to be so filled with his power, his salvation, his life and service, that there is no room for temptation. Shortly after the Reformation, some young followers of Martin Luther wrote him (kind of like an original Ann Landers) with a question, saying, "We are harassed by many temptations which appeal to us so often and so strongly that they give us no rest. You don't seem to be troubled in this way and we should like to know your secret. Don't temptations bother you? Are you somehow immune to sin?" Luther wrote them back in reply, saying, "I, too, know something of temptation. But the difference is that when temptation comes knocking at the door of my heart, I always answer, 'Go away! This place is occupied. Go back where you came from, for Christ is here.' " Lee Griess, Taking The Risk Out Of Dying, Lee Griess, CSS Publishing Company Commentary and Devotional This passage (4:1—11) is often appointed by lectionaries for the first Sunday of Lent. The presumption is that the narrative is of direct relevance for Christians as they enter a period of penitence. Ordinary Christians are unlikely to perceive it so, and with good cause. The story does not correspond with our experience; we do not hold conversations with a visible devil, nor are we whisked from place to place as Jesus is in the story. Moreover, the temptations that Jesus faces are peculiar to him; they seem very remote from those we face day by day. This passage may in fact prompt some to doubt the validity of Hebrews 4:15: “For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” What did Jesus know of the temptations that are faced daily by the recovering alcoholic and substance abuser? The lonely divorcee? The struggling business owner? The teenager who covets peer acceptance above all? There is, however, a common denominator that links all of these with the temptations ascribed to Jesus. The basic, underlying temptation that Jesus shared with us is the temptation to treat God as less than God. We may not be tempted to turn stones into bread (we are more apt to turn butter into guns, but we are constantly tempted to mistrust God’s readiness to empower us to face our trials. None of us is likely to put God to the test by leaping from a cliff, but we are frequently tempted to question God’s helpfulness when things go awry; we forget the sure promise, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9). Pagan idolatry is no more a temptation for us than it was for Jesus, but compromise with the ways of the world is a continuing seduction. It is indeed difficult for us to worship and serve God only. We should be continually grateful that we have a great high priest who, tempted as we are, was able to resist all such temptations by laying hold of Scripture and firmly acknowledging that only God is God. Douglas R. A. Hare, Interpretation: Matthew, John Knox Press. God's Testing As the Union Pacific Railroad was being constructed, an elaborate trestle bridge was built across a large canyon in the West. Wanting to test the bridge, the builder loaded a train with enough extra cars and equipment to double its normal payload. The train was then driven to the middle of the bridge, where it stayed an entire day. One worker asked, "Are you trying to break this bridge?" "No," the builder replied, "I'm trying to prove that the bridge won't break." In the same way, the temptations Jesus faced weren't designed to see if He would sin, but to prove that He couldn't. Today in the Word, March 14, 1991. Sermon Closer Harry Emerson Fosdick was one of the greatest American preachers of this century. He described his preaching as counseling on a large scale. Few people knew that as a young seminary student he reached the breaking point after working one summer in a New York Bowery mission. He went home and was overcome by deep depression. One day he stood in the bathroom with a straight razor to his throat. He thought about taking his own life. And then -- and then he heard his father in the other room calling his name, "Harry! Harry!" It called him back. He never forgot it. It was like the voice of God calling him. So I want to remind you today that in those times when you are in the wilderness, trying to find your way through, and when temptation comes and offers you the wrong answer, the wrong choice -- the wrong use of power, the way to popularity, the wrong kind of partnership -- then you remember that God has called your name: "This is my beloved son, my beloved daughter, in whom I am well pleased." And, you remember that because God has called your name He will see you through. Thomas A. Pilgrim, The Man From Galilee, CSS Publishing Company The Savior Is There I think of Mother Teresa, ministering to those often left by others to die. I think of the press coverage on Mother Teresa's long dark night of the soul, as she wrote with weary familiarity of an arid landscape from which, seemingly, the Deity had disappeared. Is that the more convenient time? Or is it the senior years, when the reality of age rudely intrudes into your personal fantasyland? When the temporary exuberance of youth has surrendered to the inexorable advance of old age with its cynicism, if not possible disillusionment? When the fumes of yesterday’s zeal and vision may be all that is left in an empty spiritual tank? As I sort through all that, I arrive at the inescapable conclusion, to know that opportune time might be helpful, but what you and I really need to know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, is not the “when.” The focus of our attention ought to be, whenever the enemy’s opportune time—despondency, sickness, failure, waning stages of life, whenever—the victorious Savior is there. Benjamin Reaves, What You Need to Know