Signs and Wonders - Repreach of 9/3/17 Encounters with God

September 3, 2023 Exodus 3:1-15 Signs and Wonders 14th Sunday After Pentecost Year A Repreach of 9/3/17 Prelude Welcome Gathering Prayer From all our life’s pathways, you have called us to this place, O Lord. Be with us as we listen for your word and seek your ways. Guide our steps and guard our lives that we may serve you more effectively in this broken world. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Opening Prayer Lord of summer sunshine and autumn harvest, be with us this day as we gather to encounter your word and your way for us. Remind us that we can place our trust in your eternal love. Enable us to be more effective in our witness to that love by word and deed. Guide our steps and pick us up when we falter. Dust us off and place us on the pathways of grace and service. These things we pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Call to Worship We gather hoping to see God, here in worship, we realize that we see God in one another. We can see God when we show one another honor, when we pursue hospitality to strangers, when we live in harmony with one another, when we rejoice in hope. Let us worship the visible God amongst us. (Presbyterian Outlook, Molly Spangler) Song Go Down Moses UMH 448 Children’s Sermon Shoes come in all types and sizes. There are dress shoes like we might wear to church. There are athletic shoes like we wear when we play sports. There are sandals or flip-flops for summer. Show everyone the shoes you have on now. (Pause.) We have all kinds of shoes! But why are we talking about shoes you might be wondering. Well, shoes protect our feet, but they can also serve another purpose. Raise your hand if you wear your shoes inside most of the time. (Pause.) Raise your hand if you take your shoes off when you’re inside. (Pause.) People might take off their shoes to keep from tracking dirt inside. And in some places, people always take off their shoes and leave them at the door when they enter a house as a sign of respect. Respect means to show someone you think that person is important. And that reminds me of today’s Bible lesson. God told a man named Moses to take off his shoes (Exodus 3:5). To get ready to hear about what happened to Moses, let’s take off our shoes now. I think that’ll help us understand why God told Moses to take off his shoes. I'm going to do that. If you wish, join me. Take off your shoes and show children the “bush” paper on the wall. Explain that they’ll make a “burning bush” by adding color and flames. God called Moses from a burning bush to get his attention and talk to him. God had an important job for Moses. He told Moses to take off his sandals because he was standing on holy ground. Let’s hear what happened. Give each child a cut-out flame and a marker. As you read aloud Exodus 3:3-6, have kids write their name or draw a picture on their flame. At first, Moses was confused and wasn’t sure God could really be speaking to him. God wanted Moses to lead His people, but Moses wasn’t sure he was the right guy for the job. But God wanted to get Moses to pay attention. Move kids to the bush on the wall. Have kids choose where to add construction paper flames while you tape. Why did the burning bush get Moses to pay attention to God? You didn’t know how our bush would turn out, but you listened to my instructions. God did the same thing with Moses—he gave Moses important instructions. Just like God spoke to Moses, God speaks to us, too. God, thank You for giving us instructions. Thank You for speaking to Moses and for speaking to us. Help us remember to listen to You. In Jesus’ name, amen. Sermon4Kids Responsive Reading UMH 828 Scripture Exodus 3:1-15 Sermon Signs and Wonders Can you imagine – It is just an ordinary day at work. As a matter of fact, things are going just as expected. You are not really bored with what you are doing, But you are not pretty excited or engaged either. And all of a sudden, something catches your attention. It’s nothing really, but at the same time it is really strange and you become engaged and start paying attention. And then the thing that you are watching, starts talking to you in a most familiar voice and gives you a message that you are not surprised to hear at all – it is God talking to you. When you woke up this morning and planned your day, you certainly didn’t expect this to happen. That is the funny thing about God – you can never plan for the conversation, God just comes and talks to us. I believe that all of us have encounters with God. God comes to all of us in ordinary but strange ways all of the time, the thing is most of us are not paying attention. We are not listening so the message never really registers Usually when God makes an entrance into our consciousness – God usually wants something from us. God never just stops by to say hello, God is calling us to do something – something beyond ourselves and our immediate needs, something that makes a difference in the world. Exodus 3 and 4 are actually the most significant call stories in the world. There are many call stories in the bible, where God calls people like Moses, Jeremiah, Paul and even Peter to be more than they expected. In Exodus, Moses shares his first of many encounters with God. Just an ordinary day, when something catches his attention. When he comes to examine things closer – God says don’t come any closer – you are standing on holy ground take off your shoes. There are many cultures where you take off your shoes when you enter into someone’s space. Taking off your shoes is a sign of respect. Taking off your hat is a sign of equality. As he takes off his shoes and gets closer – God says I have heard the cries of my people, I know their pain. God says I have seen, I have heard, I know, and have to deliver. It is interesting how scripture can always address the issues of today? When you look at the news today – what is it that God has seen, has heard, knows and needs to deliver his people from? And more importantly, how is God calling you to respond? What is God calling you to do? And I think more importantly who is God calling you to be. It is interesting, because as soon as God tells Moses what God wants him to do – Moses makes an interesting response. He says who am I to do all of this work. And God kindly reminds him – well you are Moses, and I am God and I will be with you. And of course that leads Moses to ask the other most obvious question – not so much who are you. He knows that it must be God – not many other beings have the ability to talk English through a burning bush. He asks who am I supposed to tell others that you are. All of those other people who you are asking me to get moving, I need a credible authority to talk to them. Now at the beginning of their conversation God introduces himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Joseph There is an ancient Jewish legend that says: A young man asked his Rabbi "Why does your daily prayer say, ‘God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob? Why does it not simply say, ‘God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?’ " The Rabbi replied, "because, my son, Abraham’s God and Isaac’s God may not have been Jacob’s. Each generation must find God for itself, indeed, each person must find his own God." This legend touches on the passages of our lesson from Exodus 3, but with significant differences, lessons to be learned by the Israelites as they languished in captivity, lessons to be remembered by them throughout their subsequent history. I believe that that is only one God – but we each see and interpret and experience God in different ways. So sometimes we have different names for different experiences. But Moses takes the conversation a little further and says I needs to know you name. God’s name is Yahweh, which because of pronounciation some say Jehovah. I have a whole sermon about the name of God. But today I just want to point out that God says I am who I am. Actually he says I will be who I will be. I will be a deliverer, I will be a provider, I will be faithful, I will be with you. It is important for us to know that old testament because it is a mirror of the new testament. In the book of John, Jesus makes 7 I am statements – I am the bread of life, I am the light of the world, I am the door of the sheep, I am the good shepherd, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the way that leads to life, I am the true vine. That brings us back to our original question, who are you in an encounter with God. There is a Hasidic tale that reveals, with amazing brevity, both the universal tendency to want to be someone else and the ultimate importance of becoming one's self: Rabbi Zusya, when he was an old man, said, "In the coming world, they will not ask me: ‘Why were you not Moses?' They will ask me: ‘Why were you not Zusya?' "6 Moses the excuse-maker becomes Moses the liberator as God's call and support comes clear. Our liberator is Jesus Christ who liberates and frees so we may be exactly what God intends. Joseph Campbell , a great spiritual writer who encourages everyone to find their callng says, "Go where your body and soul want to go, when you have the feeling, then stay with it and don't let anyone throw you off." Federick Buechner puts it this way: "Where your deep gladness intersects with the world's deep need -- there you have a vocation, a calling." Paul Wilkes, in his book Beyond The Walls: Monastic Wisdom For Everyday Life, writes, "If monastic wisdom has anything at all to say to our modern world, it is that our labors, humble or vaunted, are potentially an unending source of holiness, purification, and grace. Monk or mechanic, computer programmer, writer, forest ranger, stockbroker -- all can be worthy, even sacred vocations." God is calling us today – to answer that call. God is Power, fidelity and presence. I will be who I will be – God says this is my name forever, to all generations. God will always be. There’s a lot going on in our world. There is a lot that needs to be done. Where do you fit in. There is, I think it is true to say, something a little bit depressing about Labor Day weekend. For Labor Day weekend signals the psychological end, at least, to summer with its periods of refreshment, and the start again, for many of us, of the more hectic rhythm of life and work at school, in college, at office or, in home. So let me ask you: How is your work? Are you giving of your self at work? Is work a place where you sacrifice for a cause? I find it helpful to remember the story of the little girl who, in the process of growing up, discovered that more than anything else she wanted to be able to mow the lawn. But each season she was told that she was too young. The great day came, however, when her parents decided that, at last, she was old enough to do the task. She did it with surprising skill and great delight, and having finished admiring her work, she began to cast long, envious glances across the fence at the neighbor's lawn, which also needed cutting. The neighbor, seeing her interest, said, "Sally, would you like to cut my lawn?" And the little girl enthusiastically said 'yes.' "Well, let's see...how about $3.00?" said the neighbor. The little girl's face fell, and she turned away, shaking her head. "What's the matter?" asked the neighbor. "I only have $2.00," said the little girl. Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com. Adapted from a sermon by Rev. C. Wayne Hilliker: "Living A Life That Matters" When you go to work tomorrow – expect God’s call. Let us pray…. Song. I Have Decided to Follow Jesus. TFWS. 2129 Pastoral Prayer Stewardship Moment So often Jesus’ words in the Gospels are upside down from what we would expect to hear. In Matthew 16, Jesus teaches his disciples “if you want to become my followers, take up your cross…”, and “if you want to save your life, you’ll lose it.” Such an upside-down world continues when we find our greatest delight in GIVING, rather than in receiving. A woman, traveling alone in the mountains, found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry. The woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his great fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman. He declared, “I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.” The woman smiled, “The joy of giving!” https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/joy-giving-very-short-story-betty-garrett/ Prayer of Thanksgiving Ever-giving God, because we are your beloved creatures, we know you’ve first given us such abundance: air, water, land, love, life. In gratitude, we now offer you a portion of what you’ve given to us. Accept our gifts, Holy One, as signs of our love for you and our desire to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Help us use these resources to share your Good News with those who struggle to live. AMEN (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Communion UMH 13 In the US, this is the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Despite the origins of Labor Day, for many, it is the last weekend of the summer, and offers one more 3 day weekend before the push of school, fall, and a long stretch of routine and rush. Many folks make this a picnic weekend, a last trip for camping, getting to the lake, or going to see Grandparents. Wherever you find yourself, let us also take this as a time for giving thanks, remembering, and sharing together around the table to which Jesus invites his followers. For we gather, in person or on line, in gratitude for the work Jesus has done for us. In thanksgiving, we share in a simple feast of bread and juice, signs and symbols of the life, death and resurrection of the one we claim as Lord. So as we participate in communion, we give thanks for the work of Jesus: healing, teaching, loving and pointing us to God. May we recognize our place in the communion of saints, and commit ourselves once more to life as disciples (followers) of Jesus. The Table is spread, and all are welcome to share the feast. (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Remember, as our time of worship draws to a close and our lives of service begin anew, go out into the world in peace. Return no one evil for evil. Strengthen the fainthearted, support the weak, love everyone. That God’s light and love, justice and joy, might be for you and all people everywhere. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Molly Spangler) Community Time Joys and Concerns Benediction Jesus has called you and placed his trust in you. Go into this world, bearing the words of hope and healing. Reach out to others in compassion. For it is Jesus’ name, that you are sent out to serve. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley)