The Year of God's Favor

January 26, 2024 Luke 4:14-21 The Year of God’s Favor 3rd Sunday of Epiphany Year C Prelude Greeting A Call to Plenty Leader: We continue our worship series on the economy of Jesus. Six stone jars in which water was turned to wine at the beginning of his ministry was a sign and symbol of the transformation of the community into abundant life. But this takes understanding our purpose–not as those who simply take care of “our own,” but those who especially are called to alleviate suffering in this world, bringing the kin-dom on earth as it is in heaven. Today we hear Jesus lay out his purposeful plans clearly–the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy of freedom for the oppressed. “Abundance” (sing refrain only) See music assets in your downloads God’s abundance is for all, no one is left outside, kin-dom come, all people one in trust and love abide. In this world of striving, we feel the yearn to earn. The world measures our worth in those earnings. But Jesus had different ideas. Where they sought answers to life’s uncertainties, he showed us how to live into God’s calling with conviction and integrity. When we feel our own resources are lacking, we can view our lives and practices again from the economy of Jesus. Let us pray: God of Purpose and Prophetic Hope, we come to you today, having made space on our calendars to seek your wisdom and clarity for our lives. In the midst of our discernment, remind us of your plans for us: plans for goodness and not harm, plans overflowing with hope for the future. Show us the actions we can take to ensure this hopeful future for all people. Amen. Song All Things Bright and Beautiful UMH147 A Sermon for all Ages Leader: Welcome, children! We are so glad you are here [and for those joining us through the screen, welcome to you, too]. Remember these six big stone jars from last week? We are talking about the generosity of Jesus and these BIG jars represent how BIG the heart of Jesus is for each one of us. He wanted everyone to have plenty of everything they need, and now it is up to us to keep helping him do that. If you could fill these jars with anything, what would it be? Hot chocolate? Jelly? Gatorade??? [let them respond] Wow. Those are great ideas. And I hope you get jarfuls of whatever you want. Jesus, however, told people that what we should do is fill the world with what everyone else besides us needs, especially if they don’t have enough food or clothing or help or love. He said this was his “purpose.” Do you know what “purpose” is? [let them respond, if they can] Purpose is when we think about what we want to accomplish in our lives, in this world. Jesus’ had a plan and a purpose that was very clear. He said we should take the advice of Isaiah (one of his favorite scriptures) and make sure people were cared for and respected and loved. And especially when they didn’t have things that they need, we should be sure to share what we have with them. We have our own “six stone jars” for each week! [maybe this week they are already on the chancel somewhere and you just need to bring over the second one] These are our piggy banks so we can practice the economy of Jesus. The first one had words of hope in it, affirmations that we gave away to make sure others felt loved and seen. Let’s see what the second one has in it… [lift it and shake it gently] Oh, here is another note on it [open a note that has been taped to the piggy bank]. “Dear children. Thank you for multiplying hope and affirmation last week! Remember that instead of putting things in this piggy bank, they are filled with the gifts you already have that you can give away. You see, in my economy, we don’t keep things locked up all the time just filling our banks with more and more and more. We look at what we already have, and the fun is in figuring out how to give it away! Always yours, Jesus.” Oooo, I can’t wait to see what is in this one! [open it and take out the set of two notecards for each child] Let’s see what these say. Looks like there are two cards for each of you. One says “I loved this toy, but now I want to pass that love to you! Enjoy!” I see… we are going to find a toy this week that we loved to play with once-upon-a-time and gift it to someone else! And here is another one: “I used to be able to wear this, but I’ve grown and can’t fit in it anymore. I left the warmth of love in it, and I hope you’ll feel like it is a hug from me.” This will be so fun to find something to share with someone who may not have a toy or piece of clothing that would make them feel special. And don’t worry if you can’t find something right away in your closet or toy box. These cards work anytime! I can’t wait to hear what happens when you give away all of this goodness! Let’s pray a repeat-after-me prayer, and then we’ll go [instructions per usual for your church]. Dear Jesus… [children repeat, etc.] thank you for showing us… how to to share… thank you for showing us… how to to care… help us to know… that there is no doubt… the gifts that you give us… can never run out… there’s so much in store… that we’ll give it away… making sure there’s enough… for ALL every day… Amen…   Water into wine Phenopthalien Sodium bicardonate Acetic acid Responsive Reading Psalm 19 UMH 750 Passing of the Peace (don’t print words) Leader: Just as our worth as humans is not dependent on the bottom line of our bank accounts, our relationships are not dependent upon the earning of favors and the limitations of “quid pro quo.” The peace of Christ has no limits, and we get more just by giving it. So may jar-fulls of peace be with you today. People: And also with you. Leader: You are invited to pass the “plethora of peace” among you, remembering to pass it to those joining us remotely. Scripture Luke 4:14-21 Sermon The Year of God’s Favor At the time of George Washington’s second inauguration, congress set the date for March 4th. Because of travel in the winter, it was difficult to do it any sooner. By the 1930’s, horse travel was no longer a consideration. The date was changed to January 20th at noon. This time in between the election and the inauguration allowed the new administration to have enough time to put together an administration, but to shorten the time in between, when neither administration was in charge. The Opening Moments of Jesus’ Ministry Every four years the new president of the United States gives his inaugural address. In it, he articulates his program or his plan of action for his term of office. See if you recognize the President who made the following remarks: "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." - Abraham Lincoln, 1865. "This great nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself--nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." - Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." - John F Kennedy, 1960. Today's Scripture is Luke's version of the opening moments of Jesus' public ministry. We might call this his inaugural sermon. Mickey Anders, Jesus' Mission and Ours Luke is good at telling the story of how this man Jesus becomes the messiah. Once the hope of the world becomes an adult, in order to begin his ministry, he must first listen to the spirit of God, and them find what it means for him. He is baptized by his cousin, John. During that time, the spirit of God speaks to him and tells him that he is on the right path. After baptism, he goes off alone in the woods to listen for the spirit. When he returns to society, the spirit leads him to go back home, to his synagogue to not only find the source of the spirit, but also to proclaim the spirit to others. The spirit is a key character in Luke’s telling of the story of the messiah. We will be reading from Luke all year, I will encourage you to look for the work of the spirit in each story. Where does the spirit lead Jesus? As we listen in on the story, where does the spirit lead each of us? When Jesus goes into the temple – he reads from the book of Isaiah. But he also gives his first sermon – one of the shortest sermons, but also one of the most prolific. The scripture says that the spirit calls us to help the the blind to see, the death to hear, to free the captive and to proclaim the year of the Lord. Jesus Sermon – This scripture has been fulfilled right here today. The spirit was at work in so many ways just in that one sentence. This Scripture has been fulfilled right here today. The spirit is at work in the senses – in sight, hearing, and speaking. The spirit was at work in that congregation, within Jesus, and within anyone who sees, hears, or proclaims those words. The spirit is at work today in us, and this scripture get fulfilled in each of our lives. Now each of us is challenged to find how the spirit is at work in our lives, and to think of how the spirit encourages each of us to do the work of the spirit for others. How does the spirit help you to find meaning and purpose in your day, that way it gave meaning to Jesus? From that day forward, Jesus became very clear about what he must do, and he spent the rest of his life doing it – declaring the year of the Lord’s favor to everyone. When we look at the life around us, what do we see, what so we hear, what needs to be said, who needs to be free? Sermon Opener - Good News - Luke 4:14-21 The story is told of a Franciscan monk in Australia assigned to be the guide and "gofer" to Mother Teresa when she visited New South Wales. Thrilled and excited at the prospect of being so close to this great woman, he dreamed of how much he would learn from her and what they would talk about. But during her visit, he became frustrated. Although he was constantly near her, the friar never had the opportunity to say one word to Mother Teresa. There were always other people for her to meet. Finally, her tour was over, and she was due to fly to New Guinea. In desperation, the Franciscan friar spoke to Mother Teresa: If I pay my own fare to New Guinea, can I sit next to you on the plane so I can talk to you and learn from you? Mother Teresa looked at him. “You have enough money to pay airfare to New Guinea?” she asked. Yes, he replied eagerly. “Then give that money to the poor,” she said. “You'll learn more from that than anything I can tell you.” Mother Teresa understood that Jesus’ ministry was to the poor and she made it hers as well. She knew that they more than anyone else needed good news. On a Saturday morning, in Nazareth, the town gathered in the synagogue to listen to Jesus read and teach. It was no big surprise. He was well known in the area; it was his hometown. He was raised there. They wanted to learn from him. So when he read from the Isaiah scroll, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor” everyone understood these words to be the words of Isaiah. It is how that prophet from long ago defined his ministry. When Jesus finished that reading he handed the scroll to the attendant and sat down. In that day you sat in the Moses Seat to teach to the people. Today preachers stand in a pulpit. So all eyes were on Jesus, waiting for him to begin his teaching… Francis of Assisi gave us a wonderful prayer to help us to find meaning in our day Prayer Our Father, each day is a little life, each night a tiny death; help us to live with faith and hope and love. Lift our duty above drudgery; let not our strength fail, or the vision fade, in the heat and burden of the day. O God, make us patient and pitiful one with another in the fret and jar of life, remembering that each fights a hard fight and walks a lonely way. Forgive us, Lord, if we hurt our fellow souls; teach us a gentler tone, a sweeter charity of words, and a more healing touch. Sustain us, O God, when we must face sorrow; give us courage for the day and hope for the morrow. Day unto day may we lay hold of thy hand and look up into thy face, whatever befall, until our work is finished and the day is done. Amen. Francis of Assisi, 1181-1226 The spirit is alive and well today, and still telling us what to do. We just have to listen, with Jesus as our guide. As we go forward in our year – how do we listen? Let us pray…… Song In Christ there is no East or West UMH 548 Prayers of the People Leader: In the economy of Jesus, we are purposeful with our investments. Rather than maximizing returns, we focus on maximizing goodness in the world. We share from our abundance with those in need, seeking out the people and places in this community in need of support that we can gratefully provide. Leader: Each week of this series we will be focusing on naming gifts of abundance we have received in the week, instances where we have seen the abundance of Christ at work in the world, and we will ask for the wisdom and strength to change so that abundance is more available to all. There are notecards in the pews/seats and, if you wish to do so, you are invited in the pause between these petitions to write your observations and we will add them to the six stone jars as a sign of thanksgiving and commitment. In this pause, O God, we ponder the many gifts you have given us. Our gratitude seems never enough for the plenty you provide. We call to mind the gifts of creation, of relationships, of sustenance. [pause] In this pause, Christ Jesus, we ponder the ways your love is still at work in the world. Our awe and wonder at the goodness of others is profound. We call to mind acts of kindness, generosity, and selflessness. [pause] In this pause, Holy Spirit, we come asking you for strength. The temptation to live by the economics of not-enough is so strong in us. We ask for revelation in our thinking and doing, so that we might live with purpose in our plans. [pause] Loving God, Christ Jesus, Holy Spirit, we are yours. We bring to you now the concerns of our day, of our communities, knowing that already you are present, already you are working to bring about comfort and healing. Today we pray for…. Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Invitation to Offering Offertory Prayer Faithful God, who calls us to follow and empowers us by your Spirit, we bring these gifts to you in gratitude and hope. May they be used to proclaim good news, set the oppressed free, and bring sight to the blind. Transform our offerings into acts of love and justice that reflect the mission of Jesus in this world. In his holy name, we pray. Amen. (Luke 4:14-21) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook The jars are full in the Kin-dom of God. The plans are full of the purpose we need and the purpose we are called to embody in the world. We are transformed in the economy of Jesus, bearing the witness of dividends of grace. We have heard the call to invest our interest in the transformation of our communities. And so we go, doing likewise in the world, with the help of God, the guidance of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Now and forever. Amen. Community Time Joys and Concerns Benediction May the Holy Spirit bless you with inspiration to recognize and pay attention to all the ways the Word of God springs to life around you in the familiar rhythms and customs of your day, so that you may find and bring God’s love, peace, and hope wherever you go. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, August 2024. Additional Illustrations Took a walk in the neighborhood, when it was late winter, not quite warm outside, but certainly much better than it was. There were two little girls selling lemonade in order to buy a present for their mother. He realized that he had left his wallet at home, so said that he would be right back. He turned to walk the block back home, heard footsteps running behind him, a little voice said mister, you don’t have to pay for it, the lemonade is free. Walking had exhausted him, he told her that he didn’t want any lemonade. Jesus reminds us that God’s grace is free, don’t have to pay for it, reject the good news, because it is too much work. Free – means at no cost to you. Freedom from sin, sickness, poverty, and death. Martin Buber, the great Jewish theolologian had his house invaded by Nazi’s – asked if he had any subversive reading material – went to the shelf and handed him the bible Epiphany: The Joy of Fulfillment - Luke 4:14-21 I've read some books where it seemed the author had no purpose in writing. When that's the case, I'm glad if I can discover it early, so I don't invest too much time in a meaningless search. In some instances, however, I've been slow to recognize the problem, perhaps because I've been looking so earnestly for the author's point that I didn't realize he was without one. No such charge can be made against Luke, the Greek physician who gave us the Gospel which bears his name. He knew why he was writing, and he was obviously excited about his assignment. In a sense, you and I can feel that we are eavesdropping when we read this Gospel. Luke addresses himself, in the opening paragraph, to someone named Theophilus. We don't know who this was. Some say he was a friendly Roman official who had only a disorganized knowledge of the faith, to whom Luke wanted to give more basic instruction. Others say that this is only a general term to refer to all who "love God" or "are loved by God" -- the two ways the name "Theophilus" is translated. However that may be, we are sure that Luke's Gospel speaks to us and that the purposes which he meant for the unknown Theophilus are being fulfilled in us as well. Luke explains that others have "done their best" to write reports of the things they knew, from eyewitnesses, about the life of Jesus. We don't know how many such books or tracts were available in the first century. With the kind of impact the gospel was making on so many lives, it was natural that anyone who knew anything about Jesus either first- or secondhand -- would want to tell others their version of the story. The best and most significant of these accounts survived, perhaps simply because God meant it to be so. But from the human side we can see a reason, too: no doubt the most beloved books were copied and recopied for sharing. We know as much by the fragments which remain to this day in such relative abundance. But Luke has his own reason for telling the story…. ___________________________ Act As If You Do Love In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, "Do not waste your time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less." C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity _______________ The Pearl of Great Price I remember the story of Theophane the Monk. He was traveling along a path one day and ran into a young man. He asked the young man where he was going. The young man replied, "I am looking for the pearl of great price." Theophane said calmly, "Well, look no more. I have it." Theophane produced the pearl of great price. The young man was in pure delight to see and find what he was looking for. Then Theophane said, "Here, take it." And he gave the young man the pearl of great price. The young man was delighted and danced for awhile and then sat under a tree to contemplate. "The pearl of great price! I have it! But is it better to have it or to have the ability to give it away like Theophane the Monk? How long will this question rob me of my joy?" God calls us to live on the edge, not with ancient word recited and unlived, but with a living word to be given away in us and recited in the rituals of daily life. Richard A. Wing, Deep Joy for a Shallow World, CSS Publishing Company _________________ ___________________________________________ Turning Everything Upside Down Jesus' message is for us, too. His plan of ministry is our plan of ministry. If we truly seek to be Christ like, we must try to do as he did, live as he lived, spread the good news in the way that he called us to share the good news. And we do try. We seek to do all the things listed by Isaiah that Jesus shares here. But, I must admit my own guilt - my ministry is more comfortable than challenging. Sure, you are a challenging bunch of people - Yes, I'm still in the midst of my first year of ministry here. Sure, we've faced grief and loss as a congregation. Yes, I'm busy with meetings left and right. But when, I must ask myself, was the last time I brought the good news to the poor? Perhaps only through a can dropped off for Salvation Army collections. Is that what Jesus is getting at? I can't say yes without kidding you and myself. When was the last time I proclaimed release to the captives? When did I help the blind to see? Have I freed those who are oppressed? Who is oppressed today? At best, I have tried to proclaim the year of God's favor - but how can I convince people of God's favor when they are poor, captive, blind, and oppressed? Jesus says he comes to turn everything upside down, and confuse everyone's expectations of how things are supposed to be. Those who are captive find release, even when we still seek to hold them guilty. Those who are oppressed are freed, even when it means we must give up our role too often as oppressors. Those who are poor receive God's good news, even when it means we must share from our abundance, even when we want the good news all for ourselves. Jesus challenges us to a radical ministry that defies the normal order. Can we do it? Beth Quick, The Mission, the Vision ___________________________ Turning Everything Upside Down Jesus' message is for us, too. His plan of ministry is our plan of ministry. If we truly seek to be Christ like, we must try to do as he did, live as he lived, spread the good news in the way that he called us to share the good news. And we do try. We seek to do all the things listed by Isaiah that Jesus shares here. But, I must admit my own guilt - my ministry is more comfortable than challenging. Sure, you are a challenging bunch of people - Yes, I'm still in the midst of my first year of ministry here. Sure, we've faced grief and loss as a congregation. Yes, I'm busy with meetings left and right. But when, I must ask myself, was the last time I brought the good news to the poor? Perhaps only through a can dropped off for Salvation Army collections. Is that what Jesus is getting at? I can't say yes without kidding you and myself. When was the last time I proclaimed release to the captives? When did I help the blind to see? Have I freed those who are oppressed? Who is oppressed today? At best, I have tried to proclaim the year of God's favor - but how can I convince people of God's favor when they are poor, captive, blind, and oppressed? Jesus says he comes to turn everything upside down, and confuse everyone's expectations of how things are supposed to be. Those who are captive find release, even when we still seek to hold them guilty. Those who are oppressed are freed, even when it means we must give up our role too often as oppressors. Those who are poor receive God's good news, even when it means we must share from our abundance, even when we want the good news all for ourselves. Jesus challenges us to a radical ministry that defies the normal order. Can we do it? Beth Quick, The Mission, the Vision ___________________________

The Spirit of the Lord is Upon us

January 23, 2022 Luke 4:14-21 The Spirit of the Lod is upon you 3rd Sunday after Epiphany Year C Opening Song Welcome COVID precautions Call to Worship Call to Worship (based on Psalm 19) The heavens are telling the glory of God May our worship reflect God’s glory. The firmament proclaims God’s handiwork. May we see each other as the handiwork of God. Let our prayer and praise, our singing and proclamation project the love of God. We commune with Christians around the world, with Christians throughout time. With Christians across geography and across time, Let us worship! —from Jesus Sets the Table, resources by the United Church of Christ, posted on their Worship Ways website. Stewardship Moment Moment for Stewardship (inspired by I Corinthians 12:12-31a) Less than a month after Christmas, I wonder if you can name the greatest gifts you received? Writing to the people of the Corinthian church, Paul reminds the believers to “strive for the greater gifts”. Why? Because the gifts we’ve RECEIVED are also the gifts we’re challenged to put to use. Some of us would love to have different gifts, but this scripture in I Corinthians 12 instructs us to recognize it takes many members with many different gifts to make up the whole body. (use specific references to well-known gifts in your own congregation) As we come to a time of sharing our gifts, we recognize not everyone is able to give great plumbing ability, but ______ shares that with us. Not everyone has a gift of welcoming newcomers, yet we’re grateful for _______, who helps first-time visitors find their way. Not everyone is able to lift us to the heavens with music, but we are so often raised up when __________ shares her/his gifts. Here’s the thing. YOU are the body of Christ, and individually members of it. Not everyone can do everything. Not everyone can write a check for $1000 (well, at least one which will not bounce [ 🙂 ] , but if that’s your gift today, we would be delighted to receive such a gift! But each of us, and all of us, are able to share because of the gifts God has given each one. Today, let us offer our gifts with glad and generous hearts, grateful for the ways we’ve received grace upon grace. Prayer of Thanksgiving Generous God, we thank you for instilling each of us, and all of us, with gifts to help build up the body of Christ. Receive what we’ve offered today. Bless each one in our giving. Help us use all these gifts to strengthen the body of Christ known as _______________ Church. AMEN Reception of New Members UMH 33 Scripture Luke 4:14-21 Common English Bible Jesus announces good news to the poor 14 Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news about him spread throughout the whole countryside. 15 He taught in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. 16 Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been raised. On the Sabbath he went to the synagogue as he normally did and stood up to read. 17 The synagogue assistant gave him the scroll from the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed, 19 and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.[a] 20 He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the synagogue assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the synagogue was fixed on him. 21 He began to explain to them, “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled just as you heard it.” Sermon The Spirit of the Lord is Upon You There is a Facebook post that circulates for a while, that ask you to explain your job in very simple crude terms. I finally came up with a good answers. I set people free. Well actually it is not me who sets them free – it is the spirit, but I get to be the one to proclaim the good news to everyone. Jesus actually gets up in front of the congregation and says this exact thing. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to set the captive free. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus is on his way home from being baptized. He has been traveling around in Southern Palestine, and now he is returning home to the North. Only Luke says that he is in Nazareth his home town. When a hometown hero returns and reads scripture at first they are proud of him. Until they realize that Jesus is not just talking to them, but talking about them. They are the captives who need to be set free. In his book 40 Days, Alton Gansky relates this story: "Harry Houdini made a name for himself by escaping from every imaginable confinement -- from straightjackets to multiple pairs of handcuffs clamped to his arms. He boasted that no jail cell could hold him. Time and again, he would be locked in a cell only to reappear minutes later. It worked every time -- but one. He accepted another invitation to demonstrate his skill. He entered the cell, wearing his street clothes, and the jail cell door shut. Once alone, he pulled a thin but strong piece of metal from his belt and began working the lock. But something was wrong. No matter how hard Houdini worked, he couldn't unlock the lock. For two hours he applied skill and experience to the lock but failed time and time again. Two hours later he gave up in frustration. The problem? The cell had never been locked. Houdini worked himself to near exhaustion trying to achieve what could be accomplished by simply pushing the door open. The only place the door was locked was in his mind. Faith is not a complex process. It is not the result of years of education, pilgrimages, or flashy supernatural experiences. The door to belief is ready to open and is locked only in the minds of those who choose to believe it is. Faith, Salvation; Works At some point I think all of us become prisoners to our habits, our thoughts, our expectations. And we get stuck there. Jesus came to open the doors for all of us. Liberation theology is a theology that strives for freedom of all people. It addresses the systems in our world that depend on the mental cultural prisons which say this is how life is and this is how it needs to stay. As Jesus told his hometown that it was time to change, they got so mad at him that they threw him off of the cliff. But that is the rest of the story. But that is not the scripture for next week. They did not get mad at him for quoting Isaiah. They got mad at him because he called them captives of their own beliefs. He had the nerve to say that gentiles and strangers were closer to God and would get to heaven before them. They were mad because Jesus challenged them to accept other people. That is like saying that a person who never goes to church, who doesn’t believe in God, who chooses to sleep in on Sunday is just as much a child of God as the person who comes to church every Sunday. It is sort of like saying that the person who chose to stay at home, stay out of the cold, and watch the service in their pajamas is just as much a part of this congregation as those of you who got up, got dressed, fought the weather to be present in church. And yet Jesus says that the spirit of the lord is upon me to each of us who hears. When Jesus quotes this scripture in Isaiah, he is talking about the jubilee year – every 50 years when the system was supposed to reset itself and all debt cancelled, starting all over again. But of course it has never happened – those who had the power were never ready to give it up, those who had money never gave it up. Imagine what the world would be like, if Jesus has never proclaimed freedom for all in our world? Once there was a church that decided to have a work day, on which members showed up to do heavy cleaning and light maintenance on the church building. A general call went out for volunteers. The usual suspects showed up – the ones who show up year after year. There was one other person who showed up as well – a new member, she brought with her the mop and bucket that all had been asked to bring. She even announced that she was here to work. No one payed attention to her, because they all had their assigned duties. They all laughed together, they socialized. No one bothered to talk with the newcomer. No one, or even make her a part of their activities. She went home that day wondering if she even belonged. There was a happy ending, with persistence she was able to get beyond the social understandings and become a part of the group. She soon realized that that cool reception was just a fluke. She was able to get beyond those ties of familiarity and friendship which served as a unintentional barrier. But what would have happened if she did not bring her broom and her persistence to church with her that day? Jesus came to set the captives free and sometimes we are the captives. I thought it was interesting that the scripture says that Jesus stood before the congregation and read the scrolls. I have to do a little more research- Jesus was a carpenter by trade, I was not under the impression that he could read or write. But my point is that Jesus did not really give a big speech, he just announced that the spirit of the lord was upon him. The message that he did give – is that those were not just ancient words – but living words. He said that the scripture had been fulfilled today. He opened the doors of the church, he gave us an opportunity to be in mission. How are those words being fulfilled here today? We have accepted new members in our midst, we will have an opportunity to support Methodist women in ministry to the community. But what else? What else needs to be done? Each year we follow the life of Christ, every year we learn about Jesus call to ministry, we think about our call to ministry, to follow jesus to be children of God. The spirit if the Lord is upon each of us. How do we fulfill this scripture in our lives today? Let us pray…. Prayer for others (I know it is long, but I am hoping with spacing that all of it can be included) Prayer for Others (inspired by Psalm 19:14) Creator God, we come before you asking prayers for those who lead nations cities churches homes. As you poured out your love in the Word may we hear your word and follow; may the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts lead us to you. Holy One, we come before you - a people broken into shards of lives sick, poor, hungry hidden by the limitations of our eyes. Help us to see as You see as you poured out your love in the Word. May we hear your word and follow may the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts lead us to you. God of Mercy, we come before you – seeking to live as you command, but often failing, and thus we are torn by cries of despair anger power control lost to foolishness and stumbling blocks despite your love in the Word Help us to hear your word and follow May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts lead us to you. Gentle God, we come before you giving thanks for all our blessings the gift of life hope faith love family friends all we care for this day. Help us to be Your hands. Incline Your heart, O gracious God, and teach us to love O Christ, our rock and our Redeemer. Amen. ~ written by Terri C. Pilarski, and posted on RevGalBlogPals. http://revgalblogpals.org/2012/03/11/sunday-prayer-lent-3b/ Lord’s Prayer Song Oh For a Thousand Tongues to Sing UMH 57 Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook The Spirit of God is upon you. We go forth proclaiming God's love and liberation. The Spirit of Christ is upon you. We go forth to live lives of justice and freedom. The power of the Spirit is upon you. We go forth as one body, one spirit, one witness to the promises of our God. From The Abingdon Worship Annual edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu, Copyright © Abingdon Press. Community Time Benediction You have been called and anointed. You have been strengthened and enlightened. You have become one body in Christ. Now go to spread joy and liberation in word and in deed to all the world. From The Abingdon Worship Annual edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu, Copyright © Abingdon Press. Children’s Sermon People make promises every day. Sometimes we give something to another person as a sign of our promise, sometimes we sign our name to seal our promise, other times we just give our word to another person that we will do something. I'm sure you have all seen a ring like this. (Show the wedding ring.) When a man and woman get married, they usually make promises to one another. They say something like, "I promise to love you for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health as long as we both shall live." Then they exchange rings as a symbol of that promise. This is an ordinary letter like the ones we receive in our mail box every day. Right in the middle is the name and address of the person for whom it is intended. What do you see up here in the corner of the envelope? Right! It is a stamp. When the Postal Service sells you this stamp and you put it on a letter, it represents their promise to deliver it to the person to whom the envelope is addressed. It doesn't matter if it is cloudy or sunny, raining or snowing, hot or cold, the mail gets delivered. That is the promise that this stamp represents. You are too young to have a credit card, but one day you probably will. Most adults have a credit card which they use to buy things. When you buy something using your credit card, you have to sign a ticket. When you sign the ticket, you are promising that you will pay for the items you purchased using the credit card. Your signature is your promise. People make promises every day. Do they always keep their promises? Unfortunately, some people don't. God makes promises too. The Bible is full of God's promises. Does God always keep his promises? Yes he does! One of my favorite verses in the Bible is one that says, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. (2 Cor. 1:20) That is what our Bible lesson teaches us today. Jesus was in the city of Nazareth on the Sabbath day so he did what he always did on the Sabbath. He went to the synagogue. He stood up and began to read the words of the prophet Isaiah from the scripture. He read where it says, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come." When he had finished reading, he sat down. All eyes were on Jesus. Then he began to speak to them. "The scripture that you have just heard read has been fulfilled this very day!" Jesus came to earth to fulfill the promises of God. All of God's promises are fulfilled in him. Wouldn't it be great if you and I were as faithful in keeping our promises to God as he is in keeping his promises to us? Our Father in heaven, thank you for your faithfulness in keeping your promises. Help us to be faithful in keeping our promises to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Additional Illustrations He Came to Help Us See Besides freeing us from fear and guilt, Jesus came to help us see. He wasn’t talking about physical blindness, but rather, spiritual blindness. We can’t see because we are trapped by habits, addictions and illusions of happiness. Therefore we are trapped, oppressed by our own choices and situations. Some of us are in denial. Others of us are reinforced through the enabling of other people. Consequently, we are not free. One night a tiger trainer was performing at a circus. He went into the cage with the tigers and a huge hush came over the crowd as the doors were locked behind him. Skillfully, the trainer put the tigers though their routine, entertaining the crowd. But, suddenly there was a "pop" and the all the lights went out under the big top. The trainer was locked inside the cage with the tigers in complete darkness. They could see him with their night vision, but he could not see them. All he had was a chair and a whip for protection. Finally the lights came back on and the trainer finished his performance. Later in a TV interview, the trainer admitted how scared he was. Then he realized that the tigers did not know that he could not see them. "I just cracked my whip and talked to them," he said, "until the lights came on." (from "Tigers in the Dark," God’s Little Lessons on Life for Dad, Honor Books) Keith Wagner, Liberated and Free Fulfilling Others? And the marvel is this: Jesus somehow fits the void in all the far flung instances of human longing. When medieval European artists painted the Holy Family, they usually painted them with typical German, Italian, or Flemish features. It was not imagination or prejudice which made them do so, but the instinctive feeling that Jesus belonged to them; he was one of their people. In our time, Christian artists in Africa and Asia paint the Holy Family with features and coloring appropriate to their world. Again, it is because they feel that Jesus belongs to them. The mountain church, where a duet twangs out country-western music on a guitar, may seem to have little in common with a Bach rendition from a four-manual organ; but each is seeking to show its adoration of Jesus in its own best way. Here is the common bond between a ghetto storefront church and the massive Gothic structure some miles away: they both bear the name of Jesus Christ; and they each seek, in their own way and setting, to fulfill the human longing. What about you and me? What is the longing in our lives which Christ has filled? "Today," Jesus said, "this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." For you, for me? To what degree are we in the business of fulfilling the scripture in the lives of others? J. Ellsworth Kalas, Sermons on the Gospel Readings, Cycle C, CSS Publishing Company Hope Do you remember the story of Pandora's Box in Greek Mythology? The lovely Pandora was sent by Zeus to be the bride of Epimetheus. One of Pandora's more endearing charms was her curiosity, but that quality also proved to nearly be her undoing. One day Mercury, the messenger, sent a box to the young couple. It was meant for them to enjoy, but under no circumstances were they to open it. Well, of course, it is the old story of the forbidden fruit. Told that she could not do it, it became the thing that she desired to do the most. So one day she pried it open and peeked inside. Suddenly out flew swarms of insects that began attacking them. Both lovers were stung with the poison of suspicion, hatred, fear and malice. Now the once happy couple began to argue. Epimetheus became bitter and Pandora wept with a broken heart. But in the midst of the quarreling, they heard a tiny voice cry out: Let me out, to sooth your pain. Fearfully they opened the box again, and this time a beautiful butterfly flew out. It touched the couple and miraculously their pain was healed and they were happy again. The butterfly we are told was hope. It is hope that sustains us; it is hope that sooths our pain. Staff, www.eSermons.com.