Her Legacy Lives On

May 11, 2025 Acts 9: 36-43 Mother’s Day Year C Her Legacy lives on Prelude Greetings Call to Worship One: Today we celebrate our mothers, grandmothers, aunties, and all the women who have loved us. Many: Thank you God for giving us mothers. One: We remember with deep gratitude all the ways they demonstrated their love for us. Many: Sometimes we did not understand them, but we know that God understood. One: We take time to remember our mothers because a mother's love is most like God's love. All: For their tears, for their hugs, for their wisdom, for their unfailing trust in our abilities, we give thanks today. (United Methodist Board of Discipleship, LaGretta Bjorn) Opening Prayer (Do not Print) Loving God, we know your love because we have mothers. We thank you for the mothers who carried us in their wombs, nourishing, protecting, and bringing us into the world. We thank you for the mothers who did not give birth to us, yet loved us just the same. With gratitude we remember their words of encouragement when we have felt unsure or afraid; we thank you for their kindness when the world has treated us unkindly; we thank you for their soft, comforting arms and the gentle way they kissed away our tears; we thank you that they protected us with the fierceness of a lioness protecting her cubs; we thank you for the times when they corrected us rather than letting us continue down wrong paths. Help us to live so that their investment in us might not be in vain. We honor our mothers with lives of service to you in the name of the Risen Christ, for it is in his Name we pray. Amen. (United Methodist Board of Discipleship, LaGretta Bjorn) Song Easter People Raise your Voices UMH 304 A Sermon for all Ages Hello, children of God! Hmm…wow. So much for my great plans. I have some special tools and equipment here, but I don’t think I have the skills to use them correctly. I thought I would try my hand at sewing, because it sounds like fun, and it would be pretty impressive to be able to create things like clothing and blankets and gifts for people. I gathered all of these items that should go with sewing. (Hold up items as described) I have some needles, and some scissors, and fabric, and thread, and string…I thought it should be simple enough. I should be able to just put these fabric pieces together. But…I think I messed up a little (exhibit attempted, but obviously failed craft). In fact, I’m not even sure I used the right kind of tools here. This looks a bit like a big mistake. I guess I’m not cut out to be a seamstress. But you know what? I know some people who are excellent at making things using sewing. I have some friends who love to create beautiful clothing and quilts. I’ll bet if I take these tools to them, they might be able to fix my mess-up and make something new and useful! In the hands of people who know what they’re doing, things will be done right. This sort of reminds me of what God can do in our lives. He creates each of us with special skills and abilities that we can use for Him. But sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes things get messed up and seem bleak and even hopeless. But God can turn our lives around and use even hardships for His glory. He can and will take all of our abilities and use them for His purposes. There’s a wonderful story in the Bible about a time that something that looked sorrowful turned joyful. In fact, this story features a lady who liked to sew. Her name was Tabitha. She’s also called Dorcas, but I kind of prefer the Tabitha name. Anyway, Tabitha made clothing for people, and she did a lot of great charitable things for people. Sadly, Tabitha got sick and died. Those around her were very sad, and they mourned as they remembered all of the wonderful things she made and did. They sent for Peter, that good old disciple of Christ, and he came to the house where Tabitha’s body was. As everyone was weeping, Peter knelt and prayed. Then he called to her and said, “Tabitha, get up!” And you know what? She did! It was like she’d just been taking a nap. Tabitha got up after being completely dead, and she was alive and well again! Naturally, word spread about this event, and it caused many people to believe in Jesus. A sad event was turned around and used for God’s glory and purposes. And I’ll bet Tabitha went back to making things for people, so that God could use her gifts for His purposes. The same thing can happen with us. God gives all of us special talents and ways to serve Him. You might feel that you are not enough for the task. Maybe you don’t know how to best live for the Lord. Maybe you’ve made mistakes and feel like things are hopeless. On your own, it might be tough to do, well, anything. But in the hands of the Master, anything is possible. God wants to use you, and will make it happen! God also wants to use all things for His purposes. Place your life and all things in His hands. No matter who you are, He can and will use you! And no matter what happens in your life, He will use that, too. Let’s say a prayer to thank God for the opportunity to use all gifts for His glory: (MinistrytoChildren.com, Kristin Highley) Prayer of Blessing for Mother’s Day (and other days): Holy One, today we pray for all who share in your creative power, your nurturing energy, your fierce protection, your unconditional love. Whatever titles they carry, Whatever genders they are, We offer this prayer for all who bear your Mothering Spirit: Protect the protectors; Comfort the comforters. Nourish those who provide nourishment for others. Grant your holy energy to those birthing new life in this world. Provide sacred rest for the weary, Divine wisdom for the bewildered, Grace upon grace for the brokenhearted. For all who gasp and pant with you in life-giving labor, Grant your blessing, Grant your peace. Amen. (From Expecting Emmanuel, Joanna Harader) Scripture Acts 9:36-43 Sermon Her Legacy Lives on May is the month of teacher appreciation, nurses appreciation, and even bus driver appreciation. In the midst of all of these appreciation days, I saw a Facebook post that said if there if your profession has to have an special appreciation day, then you are not getting paid enough for what you do for the world. I thought that sounds about right. May is also the month of rebirth. It is the month that we celebrate the gift of resurrection. – so our scripture for this morning is perfect for the fourth Sunday of Easter. It is the story of Dorcas, a woman who dedicated her life to serving those who were not celebrated, appreciated, or even acknowledged. Her mission was to make clothes for the widows. In those days, widows were a hidden part of society. They could not work, they had no means of support, they could not be seen, they were totally dependent on the kindness of others to survive. The old testament states that these are the people who we all have an obligation to take care. That was Jesus ministry – to take collect money to support the widows. That was Peter and the disciples ministry after the resurrection. That was Paul’s ministry to the gentiles – to raise money for the widows of Israel. Dorcas is the only woman in the bible who has earned the title of female disciple, because she diligently continued the mission of Jesus. You can’t tell the gospel story without acknowledging the contributions of women. In the midst of doing their work, women were the first to witness the resurrection. They were not named as disciples, and yet they were the backbone of the early church. Often times, they were behind the scenes cooking and taking care of practical things, so that the twelve disciples could be out in front telling the story and raising money for Jesus’ charity. Also they were the ones who financially supported the early church. So it is fitting that when one of these important benefactors dies, that they would call Peter to come and to do the funeral and to comfort the community. Dorcas was one of those important women. Everyone loved her, because not only did she support Jesus ministry to the widows. But she also held everyone thing together. She was known for helping the widows and for that matter anyone. She inspired others to believe and to help with the mission. When she died, the community lost a shining light that could not be replaced. Peter, not only comes to see her, he is able to put life into her body, and to bring her back to life. We never know if she returns to her ministry, or if she is as active in her new life as she was before, or if the community is just grateful to have her presence. What we do know, if that her gifts for ministry are present. At her wake, not only do the people gather to tell stories of how she helped them, they bring all of the clothes that she made for them as they honor her life and her ministry with them. This is a very fitting story for Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is one of the most emotional Sunday’s of the year. Because it is a day that can trigger so many different emotions. There are so many things going on in our heads about mothers. But this morning, we seek to honor our mothers. And while this a happy day for most, we need to realize that, for some women, Mother’s Day feels more like a day of mourning than a day of celebration. It stands as a reminder of what some have lost. Perhaps it’s a woman who lost her child through miscarriage, stillbirth, illness, or tragedy. Perhaps it’s someone who recently lost or who is estranged from his or her mother. Perhaps it’s a mother who is challenged by a rebellious child. Or perhaps, it’s an infertile woman who is pleading and praying for the gift of motherhood. Perhaps it’s a woman who had an abortion before she came to Christ. We all have different experiences that color our view of things, and so there may be some here this morning with pain and suffering that makes it difficult to celebrate. Meredith Hodge was a woman like that. She was infertile and unable to have a child. Regarding Mother’s Day, she has written, “Infertility had darkened my heart and tempted me to despair. Anticipating [Mother’s] day in fear, internally I wished over and over: ‘Please don’t make the moms stand up. Please don’t hand out flowers to moms. Please, no one wish me a happy Mother’s Day.’” She went on to say, “It wasn’t anger or jealousy, but my attention was more focused on my isolation and brokenness. I was grieving the loss of my longtime dream to be a mother. I felt as though all eyes were on me: the barren, childless woman in the congregation, the one who ‘wasn’t blessed.’ I assumed people were staring at me thinking, ‘I wonder what’s wrong with her and why she doesn’t have kids yet.’ “It wasn’t until I applied the gospel to my circumstance, prayed for guidance, and allowed the Spirit to take over my heart that I began to see heart transformation and change in my response to Mother’s Day.” As we honor the mothers in our lives, as we honor the experience of mothering and nurturing that we have received. I think that it is important for us to remember the themes of our scripture – the power of the resurrection, the gifts of the spirit, the mission to help those who can’t help themselves and the contributions of women. Mother’s Day is a chance to acknowledge all of the women in our lives, and their faithful service. Who are the women in our lives who have contributed to the tapestry of our lives, of our church. How do we say thank you for all that they have done for us. This story in Acts 9 says that Peter was here and there. In other words Peter couldn’t sit still, he needed to go out and tell everyone the story of Jesus resurrection. Everywhere the he went, he was able to who others how the spirit was alive and at work in the world. When he is called to do Dorcas’ funeral – he asks everyone to leave and then he puts the spirit back into her body. He is able to do the same things that Jesus did – and bring her back to life. That was his way of acknowledging her part in Jesus ministry, it was his way of saying thank you. Wouldn’t we love to have the power to bring back those important women of faith, who showed us what love is, who supported us and who invested in us. On this mother’s day, all that we can do is remember them in or hearts. In the midst of their grief, those who loved Dorcas, not only used words, but they also used actions to who their appreciation for all that she had done for them. They bought her work in order to spread the good news of her faithfulness. They showed all of the clothes that she had made as a testament to her character and good works. Her good works spoke far louder then her words. We are the results of all of the Dorcas in our lives, their work lives on in us. We are living sermons of those who came before us. I read of a father who often reminds his children: “Your life is God’s gift to you. What you do with your life is your gift back to God. So do something great for God with your life.”[5] That’s good advice. So do something great for God. Make a difference to others by lifting them into life. For when you do, you too will be lifted up from your problems and brought back to life. You will experience the ecstasy of generosity because you will feel a little like how God feels when we allow him to love us. And when these sacred moments of generosity occur, I believe God smiles, for he sees the world the way he created it to be. As Peter is here and there and out and about, he shares the story of Dorcas to tell the power of the holy spirit working within us. The holy spirit worked within Dorcas life in order to make a difference to others. Her life spread love to the whole community. Her life was love in action. The Apostle Paul says that none of us live to ourselves and none of us die to ourselves. There is a link, a tie that binds us together, and although it is a matter of faith, something that is unseen, that cannot be weighed or measured, it becomes visible in the ways we practice mutual aid. There's a song that says, "They'll know we are Christians by our love." Let's hope so. Let's hope they know us by the mutual aid that we practice, by the caring we display for each other, by the words that we share and the lives that we live. And our living faith. Amen. CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Sermons for Sundays in Lent and Easter: The City of Justice, by Frank Ramirez I heard about a kindergartener who was asked to define love and he responded by giving the teacher a big hug and he said, “That’s the way we define love at my house.” And that’s why motherhood is such a beautiful model for Christian love – because mothers translate love into action every day. But, as much as your mother loves you, there’s only so much she can do for you. Someone has written a piece called “Reflections of a Mother”, and in it, says such things as: I gave you life, but cannot live it for you. I can teach you things, but I cannot make you learn. I can take you to church, but I cannot make you believe. I can teach you right from wrong, but I cannot always decide for you. I can love you as a child, but I cannot place you in God’s family. I can pray for you, but I cannot make you walk with God. I can teach you about Jesus, but I cannot make Jesus your Lord. And it’s true. As much as your mother may love you, she can’t follow God for you. And that’s true of our love for one another here this morning. As much as we may love one another, we can’t obey the gospel for one another. That’s something we’ve all got to do as individuals. In the midst of all of the pain and the pitfalls of Mother’s Day, it is important to honor this day. It gives us a chance To honor the love in action that we have received from so many women in our lives. But it also reminds us – to be love in action in the lives of others. We all get the chance to participate in the continued work of the spirit. Let’s pray….. Song All Hail the Power of Jesus Name UMH 155 Prayers of the People (Do not Print) On this fourth Sunday of Easter, with the scent of lilies from the flower- ing cross not yet a distant memory, hold your resurrection glory before us as our guide and hope, O God. May this season plant seeds of new life and yield growth and maturity in Christ. May the gift of your Spirit be our steady leader and faithful friend. We praise you, Savior God. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! (Revelation 7:12) For mothers around the world today, we give you thanks, O God. We give thanks for the countless ways mothers and mother-figures nurture, educate and inspire. Bless the women who hold and heal, who shelter and protect, who liberate themselves and others from that which dis- courages and curbs potential. Within our varied roles and with our differ- ing gifts, help us recognize the Divine’s image in all her people. We praise you, Savior God. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! (Revelation 7:12) Righteous God, in a world torn by war, keep us from hate that hardens and scorekeeping with human lives. When our world is troubled and vi- olence the chosen path, draw near to judge and save. Guide our leaders with your wisdom. Help us walk with humility as our constant compan- ion. Move our hearts with compassion, justice and love. p2We praise you, Savior God. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! (Revelation 7:12) As the Body of Christ, hear us now as we pray as Christ taught us, (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment In the book of Acts, Luke tells about the beginning of the life of the church. The disciples keep finding ways to share the Good News Jesus had taught. In Acts 9, we hear of Peter coming to Joppa, where Tabitha had died. Peter heard others tell how Tabitha shared her talents with the widows, providing clothing for them. Then Peter prayed and gave what he could, bringing Tabitha back to life. In our life together, what can you give to build up the community? Some of us can create, some can provide compassion and care, some can bring new life to those drowning in despair or depression. Most of us can share financially, letting our checkbooks and wallets attest to the faith we claim. This is a time to offer your gifts. With joy-full hearts, let us present signs of our own identity as disciples of Christ. Prayer of Thanksgiving God, we offer these gifts to you. Please receive them. Help us translate this offering back into ways of building up these people and the ministries to which you call us. Use us. Use our talents and our treasure. Help us each, and all, proclaim the Good News of your love, which we know best in Jesus the Living Christ. AMEN (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed! Live into the hope of Christ’s resurrection! Honor the God who calls you to new life! May the grace, hope, peace and love of God our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer be with you now and always. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction God’s hand holds us fast and will never let us go. Let us leave this place in sure and certain faith that we swim in the love of our Creator, to the east, the west, above us, below us, and within us. Written by Sally Johnson, United Methodist Creation Justice Movement Additional Illustrations She Knew the Good Shepherd Missionary Herb Schaefer tells about a thirteen-year-old Chinese girl who continued with her family to worship God secretly in their home during the Cultural Revolution in China, that time when religion was forbidden and worship was banned by the Chinese rulers. One evening the Red Guards burst into their small home and threatened them for worshiping Jesus. A small altar with a crude cross stood in one corner of the room. Determined to put a stop to their worship and command complete allegiance to the Communist state, the Red Guard lieutenant demanded they spit on the cross. They refused. The lieutenant became indignant and shouted at them that unless they spat on the cross they would be killed. Finally the elder in the group came forward, spat on the cross and left. One by one they followed, doing the same disgusting thing until only the thirteen-year-old remained. She refused to do what the others had done. "I cannot and I will not," she replied. Then she told the lieutenant the depth of her faith and said that she was willing to die for it. Remarkably the Lieutenant seemed pleased. "This is the kind of devotion we want for the new China: people who will commit themselves so totally that they are willing to die for what they believe." But he wanted that devotion directed toward Chairman Mao. "We will change you," he promised and left. She was spared, but she never saw the rest of her family again. The story doesn't end there, however. For shortly thereafter, that little girl fled to Hong Kong and was taken in. Later she entered the Lutheran seminary there and today she is a pastor of the Hong Kong Lutheran Church, serving the needs of countless souls. She prays for the day when she will be allowed to return to her village and minister to her people there and perhaps even to that Red Guard lieutenant who spared her but murdered her family. She was able to endure, to overcome that tragedy in her life, because she knew the Good Shepherd. Lee Griess, Taking The Risk Out Of Dying, CSS Publishing Company How many times have we heard, “Sorry, too late, or “The deadline has passed, or “Time has expired.” Life does not always give us a timeout to tend to urgent matters. Life does not always grant us double and triple overtime. Some things we must do now because the circumstances require immediate action. Time is the most important of all of our resources. It’s the only thing we can give to others and never get back. The clock is ticking down on all of us. We must find ways of giving our immediate attention to priorities that require our utmost urgency. Peter went with the disciples immediately and Tabitha was brought back to life. The people who loved Tabitha did not delay notifying Peter of the problem and Peter did not delay addressing the problem. They both were concerned about time. They both acted with the utmost expediency. They all had a sense of urgency in a matter of critical importance. The slightest delay could end in disaster. We feel like we know Tabitha because we all have been blessed to know someone like her somewhere along the way. Perhaps it was our grandmother, an aunt, or a neighbor lady. Perhaps it was an older gentleman from church, a customer on the paper route we carried as a youngster, or a former teacher. Some saintly soul whose skillful hands and generous spirit combined to leave behind a lovely legacy of good works. Personally, I know that all of Gladys' adult grandchildren still have Christmas stockings that she sewed for each of them when she was alive. Elizabeth's crocheted afghans are still gracing count¬less homes so many years after her death. Jack's carefully crafted stained-glass art hangs now in the windows of the homes of family and friends all over the country. And William built more book¬cases, picture frames, cabinets, and shelves than he could remem¬ber before he died, but those of us who have pieces of his crafts-manship all remember him. So it was with Tabitha. The family members, friends, and neigh¬bors gathered together in her home, clothed and armed with the good works that she had left behind. Together they admired her loving handiwork. Together they fondly remembered her. Together they showed the symbols of her goodness to the apostle. Why? Because that's what he had seen Jesus do. Years before, when Peter and the rest of the twelve had accom¬panied Jesus all along the dusty roads of Galilee, Peter had been in a similar bedroom. The twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus had died, and the house was full of mourners. But Jesus sent them away. Or at least out of the room. And then, accompanied only by a select few disciples and the grieving parents themselves, Jesus spoke to the little girl. And in speaking to her, he raised her to life. So, now, the disciple followed the example that he had seen set by the Master. He sent the mourners out of the room, and then he spoke to the corpse. "Tabitha, get up," Peter said, and the dead woman opened her eyes. Then she sat up. And then, next thing you know, Peter is leading her out to present her to her astonished friends and loved ones. Where Tabitha had been, she left behind symbols of love and generosity, tokens of thoughtfulness and sweetness. Where Peter had been, he left behind life and health, gladness and rejoicing. We consider the example of Tabitha, and we observe that the good works she left behind remind us of her Lord. For he is the original artisan, after all, and he has generously shared his handi¬work with us. We see both his skill and his sweetness in what he has made. The works of his hands inspire our praise and adoration. Likewise, we consider the example of Peter, and we see that the works he left behind also remind us of his Lord. We follow Peter, and we remember the one who sent his followers out "to proclaim the good news ... Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment" (Matthew 10:7-8). We remember the one who went about doing good (Acts 10:38) and then told Peter and the rest that they would do the works he had done and even greater works (John 14:12). The deeds and lives of his people, you see, remind us of him. For in the end, they are — we are — the good works that he leaves behind. Amen. CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Sermons on the First Readings, by David J. Kalas Now we are introduced to another woman. A woman role model? What? Right. A woman role model. She must have been a special lady, this Tabitha — Dorcas. I am not even sure if either of those was actually her given name, because both, in Aramaic or Greek, mean "Gazelle." A nickname? Was she swift? Fleet of foot? We have no idea. Perhaps the "gazelle" moniker applied because she was so quick to respond when someone needed help. "Always doing good and helping the poor" (Acts 9:36), says scripture. Good for her. A role model — a woman! Women have always been uniquely important in the life of the church, whether or not men want to admit it. It started with Mary. Women were accorded special status during Jesus' ministry; in fact, it was probably women who were major financial supporters of the itinerant rabbi and his friends. Women were the first witnesses to the resurrection. This is not a feminist statement but a factual statement: from the first day to this day, if it were not for the women, there would be no church. It is that simple. Have there been any women important in your Christian experience? What's that? Foolish question, you say. I guess, but I can think of some. Mom — it was at her urging that I knelt down by my bed one night at the age of seven and asked Jesus to be my Savior. There was Iris — Iris was our youth leader, always there, dependable as the day is long. There is my wife, Christie, of course. Her love over this past quarter-century-plus has taught me what grace is all about — she loves me no matter what. No, I cannot explain it, but no one can explain grace. There was Naomi in Fort Myers, Florida, a feisty eighty-year-old redhead who offered her preacher unfailing encouragement through difficult days. Speaking of feisty, I could never forget Mildred in Greensboro, North Carolina, who lived and breathed her church and would have eviscerated anyone who would do it harm. I also remember Judy, whose wonderful faith through some tough times was a beacon of inspiration to me. I could go on and on and on. So could you. Needless to say, no one is especially startled at such statements these days, but they would have been almost scandalous in New Testament times. Women's place in society was not much more than property, and Jesus' willingness to speak to women in public and even include women in his entourage was just a bit outrageous. Beneath the surface of this text lies several hidden treasures. Among these are service and witness, faith and resurrection, testimony and promise. Tabitha, or Dorcas as translated in the Greek, holds the distinction of being the only woman in the New Testament who is specifically referred to as a disciple. Dr. William H. Willimon writes in The Interpretation Bible Commentary, "She merits the only use of the feminine form of the Greek word for 'disciple' in the New Testament." There is also in this text a sub-theme of faith and resurrection. Faith in the promise of God to raise those who died in Christ to new life again, and faith in the power of resurrection in life's everyday disappointments. While our text tells of the personal resurrection of Tabitha, it also reveals the communal resurrections for the widows, once the down-trodden of the community. The resurrection of Tabitha represented hope in the midst of despair, faith in the midst of failure, victory in the midst of defeat. When will the breakthroughs occur -- when will we become living sermons? It must begin at the household of faith, with the people of God. During this Easter season we have an opportunity to break down barriers that separate us from one another, and demonstrate that which we say we are about. Women in ministry, pulpit exchanges, ministry in cross racial settings, ministry to persons who are homeless, ministry to persons living with AIDS, persons from different cultural groups, persons from different religious expressions, and people who need to know that God cares for them regardless of who they are, where they've been, or where they are now. God's redemptive grace is for all people. Our challenge in today's world is overcoming the temptation to follow the crowd. The desire to be among the in-crowd often damages our witness. It's so easy to discriminate against others when we have the support of the crowd. It takes real courage to confront injustice and stand for what models Christ's example. A living witness must look beyond the status quo and seek to reach people at their point of need. Taking the gospel where people are will sometimes take me into places that are unfamiliar. When we commit to "walk the walk" and not just "talk the talk," then we're released to share the good news with integrity, compassion, and love. CSS Publishing Company, TURNING OBSTACLES INTO O, by Rodney Thomas Smothe A minister recently shared with me an experience of one of his friends. His friend had cancer. He was undergoing chemotherapy treatment, and the prognosis was not very good. Then, at Christmas, he received a special treat from his nine-year-old granddaughter. His granddaughter made a Christmas stoc_esermonsking for him and she sent it to him along with this letter. Dear Granddaddy, Here is a stoc_esermonsking for you. This year the only thing I'm asking for for Christmas is for my grandfather (you!) to get better. I wanted some other stuff, but I can have that anytime I want. But there's only one of you. You're the best! Maybe Santa will come to your house and put magic stuff in your stoc_esermonsking that will make you all better. Love - Laura Just as you and I feel the pain of our loved ones, God feels our pain. Just as we reach out in tenderness to those who need it most, God reaches out to us. In our times of pain, we must continue to trust in God's loving presence in our lives. Trust In God's Power In April of 1995, our country experienced the worst act of terrorism ever exacted on U.S. soil -- the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City. Don Hull of the Oklahoma City Police Department was one of the first to arrive on the scene. As he crawled through the debris and smoke, he saw a baby that looked to be dead. The baby had a gash on the side of its face but no blood was flowing from the wound. The baby's arm was also severely twisted. Even though he was looking for possible survivors and even though he knew the baby was dead, Hull felt compelled to pick him up. As he did so, he could hear the baby gasp for air. Suddenly blood burst forth from the baby's wounds. It was as if picking the baby up had jump-started his heart. Holding the baby tightly against his chest, Hull crawled out of the wreckage of the building. Twice on the way out he had to administer CPR to keep the baby alive. The baby turned out to be Joseph Webber. Joseph's dad says that his son would not be alive today if not for the efforts of Don Hull. He goes on to say, "It is nothing less than a series of miracles that Don Hull saw Joseph, that he picked him up, that he felt hope, that he breathed life into him and carried him out. It is truly miraculous. The work of God."2 Even in the face of great adversity, God can do miraculous things through those who respond faithfully to his call. If we will follow the compelling heart and the gentle nudgings of God's spirit, we can be effective servants for the kingdom of God. We are unlimited in what we can accomplish for God, but we must seek God's empowerment of us. It is that power that enabled Peter to raise up Tabitha and it is that power that will enable us to rise above the constraints and the trauma of life in this world. Testify To God's Faithfulness When God empowers us to overcome the difficulties of life, our call is to bear witness to others. We must share the message of the good God has wrought in our lives. In this way our times of difficulty can be opportunities for bringing glory to God. A fifteen-year-old boy was taken in for open-heart surgery. His heart lacked the oxygen necessary to live an active life. The surgery would last for several hours. The boy's parents anxiously sat alone in the surgical waiting room, wondering how they would pass the time and hoping that all would be all right. After sitting alone for a few minutes, they saw a familiar form walking down the long hospital corridor toward where they sat. It was a man who was a good friend of theirs. He was also an active deacon in their church. As he got closer to them, they could see he was carrying something under his arm. He sat down with the boy's parents and he showed them that he had brought his checkerboard and checkers with him to help them pass the time. So, for the next three hours, they played checkers together. Before they knew it, the time had passed. The surgery was over and all was well. When we have experienced God's presence and God's power in our lives, we are changed. We are left wanting to witness to others about this glorious transformation in our lives. The things we do and the things we say reflect our new master. And when we encounter people in need, we can carry Christ's gracious and compassionate presence to them. Similar to Tabitha, they too may be raised from death to life." CSS Publishing, Lima, Ohio, Returning To God, by Douglas J. Deuel Dorcas, in our text, falls ill and dies, leaving behind her a whole group of poor widows to whom she has ministered and for whom she has provided clothing and support. Widows in Israel were among the destitute, having no one to protect them or to furnish them the necessities of life. Thus, there are repeated admonitions in the Old Testament to show mercy toward widows, orphans, and strangers, and Dorcas is an example of that mercy. But now Dorcas is dead, and the poor widows, whom she has helped, weep in grief, not knowing what will become of them or to whom to turn. Their grief is overcome with joy when Peter raises Dorcas from the dead and presents her alive to the bystanders and church in Joppa. The result is that many in Joppa, who do not belong to the church there, are converted to faith in the Lord. Once again, Luke, the writer of Acts, is presenting us with the on-going power of the Spirit that is rapidly converting the Mediterranean world. No one deserves a special day all to herself more than today's Mom. A cartoon showed a psychologist talking to his patient: "Let's see," he said, "You spend 50 percent of your energy on your job, 50 percent on your husband and 50 percent on your children. I think I see your problem." Source Unknown. A Sermon Opener: This is a Mothers’ Day sermon. I’m preaching without apology and with appreciation for that time—honored institution without the benefit of which we wouldn’t be here! Every Mother’s Day sermon I’ve run across starts with an explanation —— this one’s no exception. As ministers, we’re reminded not to get too sentimental about motherhood because: (a) for some, motherhood is an accident, and not always a welcome one; (b) for some, biological motherhood isn’t possible; (c) for some, mothers weren’t all that nice; (d) for some, motherhood under the very best of circumstances is still less than abed of roses and a primrose path. If I can take some liberties with poet Wilhelm Busch’s words, I’d have to say: “(Mutter) werden ist nitch schwer; (Mutter) sein dagegen sehr.” (To become a (mother) is not so difficult; on the other hand, be-ing a (mother) is very much so!) So, with all those qualifications, why bother with Mothers’ Day at all? I’ll tell you why —— because for all its stumbling blocks, pitfalls and broken dreams, for all the soiled diapers, soiled wallpaper and spoiled plans, we’re talking about a beautiful ideal, a natural part of God’s creative plan to bring love and caring to light. Motherhood is a constant demand for the gift of love and caring. Proclaim, “A Mother’s Day Sermon,” May 14, 1989. I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the loving God, who was born of the promise to a virgin named Mary.. I believe in the love Mary gave her son, that caused her to follow him in his ministry and stand by his cross as he died. I believe in the love of all mothers, and its importance in the lives of the children, they bear. It is stronger than steel, softer than down, and more resilient than a green sapling on the hillside. It closes wounds, melts disappointments, and enables the weakest child to stand tall and straight in the fields of adversity. I believe that this love, even at its best, is only a shadow of the love of God, a dark reflection of all that we can expect of him, both in this life and the next. And I believe that one of the most beautiful sights in the world is a mother who lets this greater love flow through her to her child, blessing the world with the tenderness of her touch and the tears of of her joy. An Affirmation from John Killinger's, Lost in Wonder, Love, and Praise. Illustration: "As we began to pastor our first church, my wife, Lori, and I found we were going to have a third child," Bill wrote. "Several weeks later, Lori was going through her clothes, which no longer fit. Watching her, our 5-year-old son asked, ‘Mom, now that you're going to have a baby, are you going to have to wear 'eternity' clothes?'" (Source: Bill McKibben, Woodlake, California) Eternity clothes? Yes, it seemed that way at the time!

So, Who is this Jesus Anyway?

August 27, 2023 Matthew 16:13-20 So, Who is this Jesus Anyway? Pentecost 13 Year A Prelude Welcome Invocation God of Many Names, we gather as a people formed by you. You drew us from the primordial and gestational waters. You give us breath and life and being. You meet us in the sanctuary and on the sofa. You call us by name with purpose, care, and love. May our time together in this space, online or onsite, remind us of our connectedness to you, each other, and all creation. May you be glorified, honored, and worshiped in spirit and in truth. May we be rooted, challenged, and encouraged in love. We welcome your presence among us. We seek your guiding Spirit. We place our trust in you. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsay) Call to Worship Family of God, as we gather today, Jesus asks us, “Who do you say that I am?” You are our Messiah, the Son of the living God! Family of God, as we gather today, the Holy Spirit asks us, “Who do you say that I am?” You are our Comforter, Advocate, and Sustainer! Family of God, as we gather today, God the Father asks us, “Who do you say that I am?” You are our Creator, Provider, and Healer! Family of God, as we gather today, the Triune God asks us, “Who do you say that I am?” You are Love that creates, saves, and enfolds us into the family of God! May we be instruments of Love in all that we are and all that we do. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, March 2023. Song. Take My Life and Let it Be. UMH 399 Children’s Sermon • Good morning! • I have some questions for you about superheroes. • A lot of superheroes have two different names, right? • They have their normal name and then they have their superhero name. • For instance, do you know the normal name of the person who is Spiderman? (Peter Parker) • How about the normal name of the person who is Batman? (Bruce Wayne) • And the normal name of Superman? (Clark Kent) • You really know your superheroes! Can you tell me how you learned so much about them? • (If you don’t receive an answer, ask: Is it because you read, watch, and pay attention to stories about those superheroes?) TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway) • Even though you know both the normal and superhero names of those superheroes, most of the people who are in those superhero stories do NOT know both names of the superhero. • Instead, it is only the people who are closest to those superheroes who know both of their names, who truly know who the superheroes are. • In today's scripture story, something like this happens with Jesus and his disciples. • Jesus asks his disciples who other people say Jesus is -- and there are lots of different answers – answers that are incorrect. • So then Jesus asks his disciples who THEY think he is. • Peter says "You are the Messiah" and Jesus says, "You are right! And, because you know who I am, you will help others know who I am." SHARE the Good News (a.k.a. The Destination) • The reason Peter knows who Jesus really is and other people do not know who Jesus really is because Peter and the disciples are paying close attention to Jesus. • Peter is a student of Jesus. He follows Jesus and goes wherever Jesus goes. He’s watching and listening to Jesus. • Because he does this, then he learns both of Jesus’ names. He knows Jesus the teacher and he knows Jesus the messiah. • And guess what? • We can know Jesus in the same way that Peter does. • We, too, can follow Jesus and learn from him. • And the way we do that is the same way you learned both names of the superheroes we talked about earlier – by reading, discussing, and paying attention to the stories – in this case the stories about Jesus. • This is one of the reasons why we talk about the Jesus stories when we are in worship and in Sunday school classes... • ...so that we can learn from Jesus and learn about who Jesus really is by reading and discussing the Bible stories that are about him. • And, the more we learn about Jesus, the more we can help others learn about Jesus, just like Peter did. • That's the good news for today. Let’s pray. CLOSING Prayer • This is a repeat-after-me prayer. Dear God, Dear God, Thank you for stories of Jesus… Thank you for stories of Jesus… …that help us learn… …that help us learn… …who he really is… …who he really is… …so that we can help others learn… …so that we can help others learn… …about Jesus and you. …about Jesus and you. Thank you and Amen Originally posted August 26, 2017 Updated on July 27, 2023 Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia View more children’s sermons here This material is the copyrighted property of rfour.org and Nathanael Vissia. It is also free. Please use, improve and share this material. But do not sell it or require any personal information for it. Affirmation of Faith Nicene Creed. UMH 880 Passing of the Peace Scripture. Matthew 16:13-20 Sermon. So who is this Jesus Anyway? It has been said that the church is one generation from extinction. I have heard that saying all of mu ministry, but now it seems more relevant than ever. The changes in our world seem to take over so rapidly. I think that in the midst of those changes, it is important on our task and mission. To stay focused on the words of God and the story of Jesus. Matthew is pretty good at telling us the story of Jesus. And as we have been following Matthew all year, he has been really good at telling us the mission of Christ and how Jesus worked so hard to drill the mission and ministry of the church into the disciples, so that the disciples could drill it into us. The foundation of our faith is who we are, who Christ is, and what we are called to do for the rest of the world. Speaking of foundations, out scripture for today is all about foundations. This story of the disciples gathered together just before the transfiguration, where Jesus reveals himself is a turning point. This is when things get real, and Jesus acts upon his true power. This is a turning point because this is where the disciples move from confused, needy students to trusted colleagues in the ministry. In this story Jesus literally establishes Peter as the foundation, the rock of the church. He goes from Simon Ben Jonah, becomes Rocky. I will talk a little more about that later. But what stood out to me as I read this chapter this time – was that the foundation of the church was established just outside of the gates of hell. I will build my church on the Rock. The gates of the underworld wont be able to stand against it. I’ll give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. In other words, the church has been in danger of dying since its beginning. The gates of hell represent death. The Authority of the Church There is general agreement that the phrase "the gates of Hades" is poetic language for the power of death (see Isa. 38:10). What is meant is that the congregation of the new covenant will persist into the age to come despite all the efforts of the powers of darkness to destroy it. "The gates of Hades" may here represent a defensive posture: death will strive to hold in its prison house all who have entered its gates, but the Messiah's congregation will triumphantly storm the gates and rescue those destined for the life of the age to come. Douglas R.A. Hare, Interpretation: Matthew, John Knox Press,1993, p.191 Death is a threat to our bodies, our minds, and our spirit. Anything that we build up and create, is going to be destroyed one day. Death is the way of the world- it is what happens in life. And yet and still, Jesus has intentionally given us the keys to the kingdom of heaven. He says that whatever we unlock on earth witll be unlocked forever, whatever we fail to unlock, we remain unlocked forever. We don’t have the power over death, but we do have the power to unlock, to create, to build, to move forward. It is God that sustains his plan and moves our work forward. Authority What did Jesus mean by "the keys of the kingdom?" The day in which Jesus spoke there were religious teachers known as scribes. These scribes were the teachers of the bible. The scribe wore around his waist a belt and on that belt hung some keys which were symbolic of the knowledge of that scribe. Jesus said, “I am going to give you keys that will unlock heaven and will lock up the powers of hell and bind the devil and loose the power of God." What are those keys that Jesus gave to Simon Peter and what are those keys he has given to you. The keys of the kingdom are the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. Adrian Rogers, Sermon on Matthew 16:13 What Doors to Unlock In our I.D.-electronic-cryptic-cyber-coded age, keys are not only physical things that plague our pockets and puncture our purses. Many keys are mental, hauled about in the mainframe of our minds. "Hey, what's the key code to open the garage or raise the gate or log onto the computer or access the ATM or retrieve the messages or unlock our memories?" I wonder if Peter ever thought about returning the keys to Jesus, tossing them back to the Fisher King and saying, "Thanks, but no thanks." On the one hand, the vote of confidence must have been nice. Everybody loves to get a promotion, to feel that affirming slap on the back, to pocket the key to the executive washroom, to get the strong handshake and have a superior say, "OK, you're in charge now." Everybody loves it until they are in charge and they can't figure out which key goes to what door and everybody needs them to open every door right now or to lock every door right away. No one cares that the keys aren't labeled and there are a thousand of them to sort through. You've got the keys. You're in charge. Act like it! I can't tell you how Peter felt that day when Jesus promised him the keys or how he felt a few days or weeks later, because I'm not Peter. Not only am I not Peter, I'm a Presbyterian. So, I'm not standing in line hoping to be handed the pontifical keys to the entire church of Rome one day. In fact, as a Protestant Christian I happen to believe that I've already been given the keys and that's a major part of my problem. To the extent that you and I are key holders to the church of the risen Christ and provide some sort of access to the glorious realm of God, we've got a key problem and a much more serious one than how to haul all of them around. As keepers of the keys, we've got to figure out what do with them, what doors to open, what windows to unlock. That's the whole point, isn't it? Gary Charles, Keys In our modern Christian Folklore, we have heard a lot of stories about Peter and the Pearly gates. This is where the image comes from. I think that we see cartoons of Peter at the Pearly gate every day and every news story. In the cartoon we see the clouds, we see a gate, and Peter is standing outside of the gate usually refusing to let someone in, until they say or do what the artist wants them to do. Believe it or not, Peter has not always been so powerful. And that has not always been how this scripture was interpreted. The Church was always had leaders. But it seems that the catholic church didn’t really establish the office of pope until the 16th century. It was then that they started to officially talk about church leadership and talk about qualifications of church leaders. And they used this scripture to establish the position that Jesus touched Peter, and Peter passed his leadership on, so that every bishop had been touched by someone who touched peter. Until the church was established, Peter was just a normal fisherman. In the bible and in the protestant church – Peter represents us – the ordinary faithful person, just trying to navigate life and figure out how to keep a relationship with God. In the bible, anything that Peter does, we can do to. Any power that Peter has, we have that Power, authority and responsiblility also. There is one cartoon of Peter at the Pearly gates, he is standing at an open gate, but with no keys, no clip board, no judgement. He is standing there welcoming each person as they come in. His power is in opening the door to heaven and letting people in, not keeping them out. Perhaps that is where our power lies as well. What we unlock stays open forever, and what we don’t unlock stays locked forever. The future of the world is in our hands, the future of the church is on our shoulders. I know that I have told this story before – but it is appropriate. Who Do People Say You Are? I have a friend who’s principal of an elementary school in North Texas.One day there was a minor altercation on the playground – a second-grader pushed one of his classmates off the slide, and, while she wasn’t hurt, it could’ve been dangerous. The teacher sent for the principal. She talked with the children in the hallway outside their classroom. She got their story and then explained the seriousness of playground safety and how important it was to be nice to each other. When she finished, the little boy apologized, and that was that. A couple of days later, she happened to see the little girl with her mother in the checkout line at the grocery store. She smiled and they waved discreetly to each other. She got into the adjacent checkout line, but was in earshot of the little girl. She overheard the mother ask her daughter, “Who was that lady who just waved to you?” The little girl said, “She’s works at our school.” “What does she do?” the mother asked. The little girl said, “She helps people apologize.” My friend told me later, “It helped me to think much more clearly about what I do in my work, beyond titles and status, to what actions I take that make it meaningful.” A band director friend told me about going back to a community where he’d once taught. He said it was fun getting reacquainted with band parents and friends he hadn’t seen for years. He said he was standing on the sidewalk downtown when a young man came up and asked, “Do you remember me?” He didn’t have a clue, but then, he’d taught a lot of students, and they had long-since grown up. He said, “You’re going to have to help me out here.” The young man told him his name and said, “You’re the one who introduced me to the world of music, and I just wanted to say thank you.” Who do people say YOU are? Philip W. McLarty, The Unspoken Question People know us by our actions. Who are we in the world? It all depends on who Jesus is for us. Is he a teacher, a guide, a prophet, a Lord, A savior? In Matthew 16 the disciples had a better understanding of who Jesus was. In his teaching, Jesus liked to ask a lot of questions. Jesus asks over a 100 questions in the bible. But today he asks the most important question – who do you say that I am. Peter came to realize that he was the Son of God. Peter’s faith becomes the rock of the church. We are the church today, and the church remains one generation from disappearing. Sometimes that generation turns into a day. And sometimes the day that we have turns into a moment. The church can be only a moment away from disappearing. Literally in one moment in this story Jesus is praising Peter and calling his his rock. And the next moment he is telling Peter to get away from him because he is satan. Peter never gets a chance to redeem himself in Jesus lifetime. But he goes one to truly be the foundation of the church. This is another of those stories that is told in all 4 gospels. But it is told in Mark, Luke and John in different ways. Matthew is the only gospel to use to the word church. That is probably a later edit of the book. But it is intended to make us a part of the story. It is intended so that we can tell this story today – and witness the life of the church. The keys have been passed on to each of us. What is our power to overcome the gates of hell. The power to confess to the world that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. One Word: Jesus William J. Bausch tells a story that says it as well as it can be said. The story says that God created the heavens and earth and everything in them. He created them by His words. God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. This happened with everything. God was proud of His work. He was especially proud of the man and woman which He made. But the devil was jealous and angry. One day when God was enjoying the man and woman, the devil slithered up to God and asked him why he liked those strange human creatures so much. When God opened His mouth to speak, the devil craftily put a bond upon God's tongue. God could not speak, not even one word! Since God's creative power was in His words, the sly old devil had bound God's power. The devil laughed at God and then proceeded to corrupt man and the woman. Aeons went by, and the devil came back to scoff at the silent God and mock Him. God responded to this by holding up one finger. "One?" asked the devil. "Are you telling me that you want to say just one word?" God nodded. The devil, thought, "I suppose that even God could not do much with just one word." So the devil removed the bond from God's tongue. Then God spoke His one word in a quiet whisper. He spoke it for the man and the woman. It was a word that gathered up all the forgiveness, love, and creativity God had stored up in His heart during His long silence. His one word was "Jesus." And that is the word that changed everything. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Jesus us our rock. When we remember that, we will win the race. The Triumph of Jesus In 1896, after fifteen centuries, Athens renewed the Olympic games, thus fulfilling the dream of Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France. You can imagine how proud the Greeks were to host the first modern Olympics. You can also imagine how disappointed they were at their athletes' lack of success in event after event. The last competition was the marathon. Greece's entrant was named Louis, a shepherd without competitive background. He'd trained alone in the hills near his flock. When the race started, Louis was far back in the pack of marathoners. But as the miles passed he moved up steadily. One by one the leaders began to falter. The Frenchman fell in agony. The hero from the United States had to quit the race. Soon, word reached the stadium that a lone runner was approaching the arena, and the emblem of Greece was on his chest! As the excitement grew, Prince George of Greece hurried to the stadium entrance where he met Louis and ran with him to the finish line. In this sports tale we have something of the history of the human race. Most historical figures make their impact, achieve a measure of fame, books are written about them, but as the years go by they begin to fade. Less and less is written or spoken of their lives until they rest in relative obscurity. With Jesus Christ, however, one finds quite an opposite phenomena! Christ started from way back in the pack. He was born in relative obscurity, never had many followers, commanded no army, erected no edifices, wrote no books. He died young, was buried in a borrowed grave, and you'd think he'd be quickly forgotten. But, no! His reputation has grown so that today he is worshiped on every continent, has more followers than ever before, sixteen times has his picture been on the cover of Time magazine, and his sayings have been translated into more than 200 languages. Stephen M. Crotts / George L. Murphy, Sermons For Sundays: After Pentecost (Middle Third): The Incomparable Christ, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. ___________________________ Amen. Song. Forward Through the Ages. UMH 555 Morning Prayer Lord, we hear the wonderful words from Matthew’s gospel in which Simon Peter acknowledges Jesus as the Christ, the son of the living God. He is given the name Peter, the rock upon whom the church will be built. We would like to be the kind of “rock” that Jesus could count on – to be strong in the face of adversity; brave when danger is present; compassionate when sorrow and strife prevail. You have called us to be your church and we ask for your transforming love that we might be better witnesses for you. Today we name in our hearts before you people that we love who are dealing with sorrow and illnesses; people who feel abandoned and alone; people who are entering schools and colleges, military service, the workforce. We also name those people and situations filled with joy and hope; a new home, the birth of a child, celebrations of special occasions, and often just a beautiful day. Hear the cries of our hearts to you, O God. Heal and transform lives. For we ask these things in Jesus’ Name. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Matthew 16:16 is known by many Christians as “the Good Confession”. In some congregations (yours?), individuals coming to join the church are asked to make a confession of faith, declaring “I believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God”. When we not only speak this, but we believe this statement, we want to align our life with the life of Jesus, who came to show people the Way of Life. Week by week, we acknowledge one way of moving into alignment is to share gifts with the One who has first given to us. Shirley Erena Murray, a contemporary Christian song writer, puts this idea into words with the hymn “Take My Gifts” (CH#381). (if you can sing one verse, do so. Or invite the congregation to sing!) “Take whatever I can offer – gifts that I have yet to find, skills that I am slow to sharpen, talents of the hand and mind, things made beautiful for others in the place where I must be; take my gifts and let me love you, God who first of all loved me.” Let us offer our gifts to God, with thankful hearts. Prayer of Thanksgiving Receive these gifts, Lord God, as signs and symbols of our desire to line up our lives with the life of Jesus, the Christ. By your power, multiply these gifts and challenge us to be ever-more generous, that we might share the Good News of your love with this hurting, hungry world. AMEN. (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Resist the powers that use people. Hear the cries of the weak. Dare to work for justice. Know that God—Source, Word, and Spirit— is your help, will keep you safe, and will bring you new life. You are blessed by God and sent to serve. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Mary Boyd) Community Time. Joys and Concerns Benediction As you go, take the keys of heaven with you. Unlock hope in a world in need of encouragement. Loose joy where there is despair. Give peace room to grow. Release love with every encounter. And the God of hope, joy, peace, and love will be with you. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Rev. Dr. Cheryl Boyd) Additional Illutrations

You of Little Faith

August 13, 2023 Matthew 14:22-33 You of Little Faith 11th Sunday After Pentecost Year A Prelude Welcome Call to Worship [Lyrics are from UMH #512 “Stand by Me”, Charles Albert Tindley, ca. 1906] L: “When the storms of life are raging, stand by me” P: Lord, hear my cry and rescue me! L: “When the world is tossing me like a ship upon the sea” P: God who rules wind and water, stand by me. L: God stands with you in bright sunshine and deepest storm. P: God gently guides us to safety and peace. Thanks be to God. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Song Here I am Lord UMH 593 Children’s Sermon Two eggs - ASK (a.k.a The On-Ramp) • Good morning! • I have a plastic egg here. Nothing is in it [crack it open and show everyone; then close it again] • And I have a container with water here. • I was thinking of putting this plastic egg in the water. If I put this egg in the water, do you think it will float or sink? [listen to their answers] • Thank you for sharing! Now, let's find out if the egg will float or sink! [put egg in water] • Well look at that – it floats! [leave the egg floating in the water, because you're going to come back to it] TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway) • In today's scripture story, we hear about two people staying above the water, just like this one egg is staying above the water. • Those two people were Jesus and Peter. • The story starts with Jesus praying by himself. And then, he goes out on the water and stays above it. • When Peter sees what Jesus is doing, Peter wants to do it, too. • So Jesus tells him to go ahead and do so. • At first, Peter is able to stay above the water just like Jesus did. • But then Peter looked at the waves and the storm and it made him afraid. • And, once he's afraid, that’s when Peter starts to sink into the water. • By looking at the storm and waves and being scared by it, Peter let the storm and the waves get inside of his heart and mind. • [point to the egg in the water] If we pretend this egg is like Peter, we can then see what happens when we let water inside of it. • [crack the egg open to let water in, and then close it back up] • What happens to the egg once it gets water inside of it? (it sinks into the water) • Which is exactly what happened to Peter, isn't it? Once the storm gets inside of him, it causes him to sink into the water. SHARE the Good News (a.k.a. The Destination) • But why didn't Jesus sink, too? • I think it was because he had been praying beforehand. • While praying, Jesus was filled with God's breath and God's Holy Spirit. • By being filled with God's Holy Spirit instead of fear of the wind and waves, Jesus was able to stay above the water [put second egg into the water so that you have one floating egg and one sinking egg], even when there were stormy seas and waves around him. • And, just like Jesus spent time in prayer to receive and be filled with God’s Holy Spirit, so can we. • When we spend time in prayer like Jesus did, we too can receive and be filled with God's spirit, love and peace. • And, when we are filled with God’s spirit, love, and peace, there’s a lot less room for the storms of life to get inside of us. • Which then allows us to help others during those stormy times, just like Jesus was able to help Peter in the storm in today’s scripture story. • And that's the good news for today. Let’s pray. CLOSING Prayer • This is a repeat-after-me prayer. Dear God, Thank you for Jesus… …who shows us… …how to receive and share… …your help during stormy times. Thank you and Amen Originally posted August 5, 2017Updated on July 13, 2023 Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia Prayer for Transformation and New Life God our gentle parent, bring calm to the storms that batter us and blow us off course. We do not need to walk on water; we need only walk through our lives as whole and holy children who recognize that your love unites us, buoys us, and carries us forward to face miraculous challenges in a complex world. Help us to see through the clutter of daily existence in order to focus on what is most important: love, compassion, faith, and connection. Amen. Words of Assurance Even when we doubt, God is with us. God walks beside us, through us, with us, in all that we do. Miracles are among us if we see ourselves with God’s loving gaze. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Dr. Sherry Warren) Scripture Matthew 14:22-33 Sermon You of Little Faith We all need a lot of things in order to live. We need food, we need community, we need to feel useful. We need to take care of ourselves. But most importantly, we need to feel safe and the assurance that things will be okay. No matter who we are, we all need salvation. It is Jesus who saves. Our scripture for today is a classic story of salvation. Salvation in the midst of the storm. As we have been reading through the book of Matthew, Jesus is teaching his disciples to go out on mission and to reach more people. Jesus is giving them lessons that they need in order to be prepared. Jesus reaches the point where he is tired, and dealing with the death of his cousin. Jesus gets his disciples away from the crowd and gets away so that he can take a break. Jesus sends the disciples ahead of him on a boat on the lake. In his absence, a storm appears – his disciples cry out to for Jesus to save them. Jesus comes – this time he does not calm the storm, he calms the disciples. When they calm down, they are able to continue the journey to reach the gentils on the other side. This story will always appear with the story of the feeding of the 5000. – perhaps as a way to renact the jews wondering in the desert and God providing for them in their time of need. The feeding of the 5000 appears in all four gospels. This story appears in Mark, Matthew and John, but not in Luke. In this story, it is Jesus who provides for the needs of the people. Matthew is the only story where Peter jumps in the water and attempts to walk on water also. Usually, Peter serves as an example of discipleship for the rest of us. I will talk about that a little later. Let us focus on Jesus for a minute. At the end of this story, the disciples declare that surely this must be the son of God. God is the one who provides for our needs. Jesus does whatever God does. The bible talks about God walking on water twice. Psalm 77 says that God walks on water without leavening a footprint. Job 9 speaks of God walking on water and controlling nature. The Miracle Dog As you know, there are probably hundreds of walking on water jokes around. My favorite is about a duck hunter who bought a new retriever. Besides being a beautiful dog, it was guaranteed to be the best retriever anyone had ever seen. He couldn't wait to show off his new dog to his buddies. And then he couldn't say enough about his dog. All through the trip down to the camp and all evening long, he talked nonstop about his dog and how good it was going to be. Opening day came. The hunters were all sitting in the duck blind early in the morning. The owner of the new dog was filled with excited anticipation. The dog sat next to him, ready. A flock of ducks flew over; the dog began to tremble in excitement and anticipation. A shotgun fired. At a signal from his owner, the dog took off after the duck like a streak of lightening. It jumped out of the blind, over the cover and onto the water. That's right, it didn't swim, it ran right across the water and retrieved the duck. They couldn't believe it. Everybody was flat out amazed. This went on a couple of more times. A duck would be shot and the dog would run across the water and retrieve the duck without ever getting its feet wet. The owner was beaming. If he had grinned anymore his face would have split in two. He couldn't stand it. "So what do y'all think? What do you think of my new dog?" One of the guys who was tired of hearing how wonderful this dog was, said, "Well, he's good looking all right. But I don't know if I'd want a dog like that or not. The dad gum thing can't swim." Billy D. Strayhorn, Great God I have preached this story numerous times, but this time I am taking a different approach. Usually, I focus on the miracles of the story and how Peter was brave and took a risk. Today I want to talk about miracles being a part of our every day life. Tourist Walk on Water Some years ago some enterprising capitalist was planning to build a bridge on the Sea of Galilee at the site of today's reading. What makes this project unique is that it is not being built OVER the water. It is being built UNDER the water. A 28th foot long floating bridge will be submerged 2 inches below the surface so that pilgrims and tourists will be able to "walk on the water" just as Jesus did. Perhaps their next project should be to build a hot air balloon on the Mount of Olives so that tourists will be able to imitate Jesus' ascension into heaven! What the bridge builders do not understand is that this gospel is not about Jesus trying to impress anyone with his ability to walk on water. It is about his willingness to overcome any obstacle to reach out to those in need of him. Jerry Gentile Everyday Miracles Kentucky farmer and philosopher Wendell Berry is a poet who consistently invites us to look again at the everyday, common things of life. He makes the case that turning water into wine is a relatively small miracle compared to turning water (and soil and sunlight) into grapes. Many times we are so transfixed by the humongous miracles God is capable of that we forget the humble, everyday miracles that go on all around us. Wendell Berry's way of putting this is: "We are alive within mystery, by miracle." (Life is a Miracle: An Essay Against Modern Superstition [Washington, D.C.: Counterpoint, 2000], 45). Leonard Sweet, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Water Walkers I'll bet every one of us this morning can think of some remarkable water-walkers we have known. We all have watched simple, straight-forward, hard-working men and women, little toddlers and tormented teens, the shut-in elders and the shut-out homeless, perform acts in their lives that defy the limitations of the world in which they live. The chemotherapy patient who gets out of bed, puts on clean clothes, picks up the house, before going for treatment . . . What are they doing but walking on water? The homeless woman who sleeps in a box, gleans food from dumpsters, but still smiles a greeting and laughs at a joke . . . What is she doing but walking on water? The single parent, overworked, overwhelmed, over-extended in time, money, and energy, but makes it to soccer games and school plays and checks to see that homework is done . . . What is that harried parent doing but walking on water? The octogenarian who lives alone, whose family has forgotten him, who counts the postal carrier and the water-meter reader as "company," but still is up and dressed by 8am and sits at the table for all his meals . . . What is he doing but walking on water? Leonard Sweet, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Some of the best miracles in life aer those which happen to us every day. Every day in some way Jesus comes to alleviate our fears, help us to see the important things in life. Every day Jesus comes to help us to navigate through the storms and save us. Staring at the Cross Alexander Solzhenitsyn said that only once during his long imprisonment in a labor camp in the Soviet Union did he become so discouraged that he thought about suicide. He was outdoors, on a work detail, and he had reached a point where he no longer cared whether he lived or died. When he had a break, he sat down, and a stranger sat beside him, someone he had never seen before and would never see again. For no apparent reason, this stranger took a stick and drew a cross on the ground. Solzhenitsyn sat and stared at that cross for a long while. He later wrote, "Staring at that cross, I realized that therein lies freedom." At that point – in the midst of a storm – he received new courage and the will to live. The storm didn’t end that day, but through Jesus, Solzhenitsyn found the strength to ride it out. I don’t know what storm of life will come your way this week, or what storm you may be enduring at this very moment. But I know this: even as the storm rages around you, if you will listen very carefully with your heart, you will hear a gentle voice calling to you, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." And in time the storm will pass. And Jesus will still be there. Johnny Dean, Oh Me of Little Faith, www.eSermons.com In the gospels, Peter represents us as a disciple. Even as a pastor, Peter us much mor our example than Jesus. None of us are intended to be Jesus in the story. Peter is faithful, but not perfect. Peter is trying but still has a lot to learn. In ths story it is Peter who takes a risk and attempts to step out on the water and walk just like Jesus. But I don’t think Peter was ever intended to walk on water. If I am not mistaken, when he falls in the water, Jesus saves him and puts him back into the boat. The boat is actually the hero in the story. In a Jewish story – water is never a good thing.It is necessary for life, but is it is dangerous and chaotic. It cannot be controlled. Jesus is able to overcome all of that – but not us. The boat is the tool for salvation. It transports them through the chaos safely. When you look up at the ceiling, it is made of small wooden planks in order to represent the floor of a boat. The planks are intended to remind us that we are inside of the boat right now. We All Need This Boat Our friend Will Willimon, former Dean of the Chapel at Duke, tells of a visit he made one afternoon to the office of a lawyer in his congregation. It was just a drop-in. Will says he did not know the man that well - his wife seemed to bear the church interest for the family. Listen to the story in Will's own words: "It was at the end of the day. I entered the outer office of his law firm. Everyone had left. All was dark, except for a light coming from the inner office. He called to me. Invited me to come back to his office. "'Didn't expect to see you here, preacher,' he said in a voice that sounded tired. 'Come on in, I was just about to fix myself a drink. Can I interest you in one?' "'Sure,' I said, 'if it's caffeine free, diet.' "He poured out the drinks, offered me a seat, reared himself back in his chair, feet on the disordered desk before him. "'What sort of day have you had?' I asked. "'A typical day,' he said, again sounding tired. 'Misery.' "'Oh, I'm sorry. What was miserable about it?' I asked. "'My day began with my assisting a couple evict their aging father from his house so they could take everything he has while he's in the nursing home. All legal. Not particularly moral, but legal. Then, by lunchtime I was helping a client evade his workers' insurance payments. It's legal! This afternoon, I have been enabling a woman to ruin her husband's life forever with the sweetest divorce you ever saw. That's my day.' "What could I say? "'Which,' he continued, 'helps explain why I'm in your church on a Sunday morning.' "'I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed,' I said, 'thinking what on earth I have to say in a sermon which might be helpful to you on a Sunday.' "'It's not the sermon that I come for, preacher,' he said, fixing his gaze upon me. 'It's the music. I go a whole week sometimes with nothing beautiful, little good, until Sunday. Sometimes, when that choir sings, it is for me the difference between life and death.'" Why are YOU here? You don't have to answer. The fact that you ARE here is enough. You NEED this ship. We all do. Stay in the boat. Because it is here we hear, "Take heart. It is I; don't be afraid." David E. Leininger, Stay in the Boat! ____________________________________ What brings you hear this morning? What is it that keeps you hear? Whatever it is that makes your boat float, its okay. We are all in need of some salvation. The miracle in this story in is the journey ahead. Jesus has already told them the he is sending them on a mission of a lifetime. And they will need lots of support in order to succeed. They are going to reach a whole new group of people and tell them the good news of Christ’s salvation. One of my favorite stories to read for my morning devotions comes from the book – His in a life of Prayer. George Muller was making a voyage to America from England in the 1800’s. He was a missionary and had made friends with the captain on the long journey. The captain came to his room one night to tell him that their journey would be delyed. They had run into some dense fog and it was impossible to move forward. The captain had been in deck for the last 24 hours and there was nothing that could be done. The passenger told the captain that was unacceptable. He had an appointment to next day and he has never in his life been late for an appointment. The captain apologized, there was nothing to be done. My Muleller said that he was going to his room to pray. The captain volunteered to come and pray with him. My mueller refused. First because the captain was not a Christian, and his efforts would be disingenuous, and second because he knew that God had already granted his prayer. After his session he went to the captain and told him that the fog had cleared. Sure enough it had, and Mr Mueller made it to his appointment. Prayer is talking to someone who can do something about the problem. The disciples has a mission. It was Jesus who called them to the mission. It was Jesus who would see them through to fulfill this mission. We are the church also have a mission to fulfill – make disciples of all nations. Peter’s lesson was to trust Jesus. The point of the story is not that Jesus walked on water, but that Jesus invites us to trust him as we too go on a mission. Some say that today the church faces one of the greatest challenges in 500 years. The world is changing, people are getting further and futher away from God. Most people are convinced that they don’t need a boat to navigate the turbulent waters of life. Our challenge is not to step out and walk to Jesus. It is to stay in the boat. So that we can get to our mission safely. God called us on this journey, God will see us through. Dancing in the Wind - Matthew 14:22-33 We live in an embattled time. Conflicts in politics, problems with economics, and a global pandemic have put the icing on the proverbial cake of usual issues. Most of us already feel we are up to our necks in alligators. Now we have entered hurricane season to boot. How much more can we take? How much longer can we fight? Let’s face it. We are a tired, fatigued, tense, and nervous bunch right now. Just when we think we’ve ridden the final wave another rises up and heads right toward us. What shall we do? When I think of prepping and preparing for adverse conditions, I think of athletes. Athletes train themselves not only physically, but mentally and spiritually, in order to accomplish ever more rigorous feats. Runners in particular have an entire body of literature on how to excel in this endorphin-boosting sport. I like to call their oeuvre “runners’ wisdom.” A lot of runners’ wisdom is simply common sense. Drink water before you run. Warm up and stretch. Push harder every day but don’t overdo it. Wear good shoes. Trust what your body is telling you. Let your instincts guide you. But one of the best articles I found written by Jonathan Beverly of “Runner’s World” is about how to run in a headwind. Beverly explains that most of us, when we are running against the wind, tend to work harder, push more, bear down, tense up. This causes tension, fatigue, and exasperation. Instead, he explains, we must do exactly the opposite: lean in, relax, and allow the wind to dictate the pace. We must “dance in the wind.” Beverly learned this lesson not from other runners but from hawks he saw flying above the fields. He noticed that the raptors did not struggle against the headwinds, but they used the wind to do a kind of mid-air dance. They circled, they swooped, they twirled, they dove. They relaxed and played in the wind. Their goal was not measured progress but play and enjoyment. They were masters at seizing the moment and “going with the flow.” Adapting to the wind. Adapting to life. Like Jonathan Beverly, we too could learn some lessons from the birds when it comes to dealing with the hurricanes and wind-gusts of life.... Swimming in the Deep End As a Boy Scout, I attended summer camp every year. And, as usual, the first day brought the required "swimming test." This requirement was necessary as it divided us into the appropriate sections of the pool. For the last 3 years I had tested into the shallow end, because I was too afraid of the test, which required jumping into the deep end of the pool. This year, however, I was resolved to pass the test. The hour of the test arrived and the lifeguard, who knew of my fear, agreed to jump into the pool with me. We agreed that on the count of three we would both jump into the pool together and together swim the entire length of the pool. We began . . . ONE . . . TWO . . . THREE . . . SPLASH . . . the lifeguard was in the pool and I was still standing on the side of the pool. He got out and encouraged me to jump in with him. ONE . . . TWO . . . THREE . . . SPLASH . . . there I was again on the side of the pool and he again was in the pool. Again, he got out and encouraged me and reiterated that he would be there along side me as I jumped into the pool, and swam to the other end. We began again . . . ONE . . . TWO . . . THREE . . . SPLASH . . . SPLASH . . . we were both in and swimming toward the other end. Half away across I realized what I was doing and became scared, but the lifeguard continued to reassure me as we swam across the last length of the pool. Like the lifeguard, Jesus goes before us encouraging us and companioning us even in the most difficult moments in life. Mike Bayard We don’t need to learn to walk on water, we are not Jesus. Jesus is with us every step of the way, encouraging us to stay in the boat so that we can safely reach our mission and bring others in. Amen. Song Stand By Me UMH 512 PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, if it’s you, we need to hear from you. When we are alone. When we go away to pray. When we have little faith. When we are battered by the waves. When the wind is against us. When we get in the boat. When we’re terrified by our ghosts. When we seek you on the mountain. When we cry out in fear. When we start walking on water. When we begin to sink. When we are far from land. Lord, if it’s you, speak to us, calm our fears, calm our storms. Strengthen our resolve. Remind us who you are. Walk to us, Call to us, Save us. Reach out your hand and catch us. Quiet the wind around us. Lord, if it’s you, we worship you for “Truly you are the Son of God.” Amen. Written by Tony Peterson, The Africana Worship Book, Year A (Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2006), 91. Affirmation of faith (from A Declaration of Faith) We believe Christ gives us and demands of us lives in pilgrimage toward God’s kingdom. Like Christ we may enjoy on our journey all that sustains life and makes it pleasant and beautiful. No more than Christ are we spared the darkness, ambiguity, and threat of life in the world. We are in the world, but not of the world. Our confidence and hope for ourselves and other people do not rest in the powers and achievements of this world, but in the coming and hidden presence of God’s kingdom. Christ calls each of us to a life appropriate to that kingdom: to serve as he has served us; to take up our cross, risking the consequences of faithful discipleship; to walk by faith, not by sight, to hope for what we have not seen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Philip Gladden) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Most of us, if we’re honest, can name things which make us afraid. We may not sing out “lions and tigers and bears, oh, my!” but down deep, we might name fear, fire, storms, drugs, alcohol abuse… or think of sharks, spiders or separation from those we love. Matthew tells of the time Jesus’ disciples were in a boat on the sea, with the wind kicking up. Then, the disciples saw something, or some ONE, walking on the water. A ghost? FEAR! Jesus! Appearing out of the midst of the wind and the waves, inspiring Peter to call out “If it is you, command me to come to you”. Jesus responded. Peter stepped out onto the water, and began to move toward Jesus…until fear overtook him. Jesus’ gift to Peter was to go with him into the boat, with the other disciples. As we come to this time of offering, I wonder if you can name a time when you’ve experienced Jesus (or the Spirit/or God) at work in you in the midst of your fears? For me, I think of _____________________ (name your own specific time). In grateful response for the times we’ve known the assurance of the presence of the Holy, we bring our tithes, gifts and offerings. This is our opportunity to acknowledge the ways in which our lives are lifted from fear because of our faith. Let us joyfully share what we’ve brought, rejoicing as we’re set free from our fear. Prayer of Thanksgiving With deep gratitude, God of all life, we offer you these gifts. Accept these symbols of our lives, along with our praise, for we’re confident you desire us to move beyond our fears. Set us free to use these resources, overcoming the fears which hold back so many. Liberate us, that we might celebrate in your presence all the days of our lives. AMEN (Disciples of Faith, Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook As we go forth from this time of intentional community and ministry, let us practice replacing fear with faith and worry with a calm that is rooted in God’s grace. May we more deeply connect with the freedom that comes from trust in something larger than ourselves. Go in peace and do God’s work among all of God’s people. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Dr. Sherry Warren) Community Time Joys and Concerns Benediction You have been embraced by the love of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and blessed by Jesus to go into this world to offer healing and hope. Go in peace. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Additional Illustrations

Jesus Prayer for Our Success (Threatened with Resurrection)

7th Sunday of Easter – Ascension John 17:1-11 May 21, 2023 Jesus Prayer for our success Year A Prelude Welcome Introit Call to Worship L: Today is Ascension Sunday when we celebrate Christ’s return to God. P: We look up in wonder as he is lifted from us into heaven! L: But this is not a time to gaze upward. There is work to be done. P: Jesus has entrusted the ministry of God’s love to us. L: Let’s get to work! P: Let’s make our hearts ready for the task ahead with prayer and praise! L: Amen P: AMEN! (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Opening Prayer God of incredible surprises, as we gaze into the clouds, remind us that we are standing on holy ground. Place our feet on the pathways of peace and hope. Draw our attention from the vision of the Lord rising to the heavens to be with you and help us to focus on the ministries that you would have us do. Keep us ready and willing always to serve you all our days. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Song All Hail the Power of Jesus Name UMH 155 Children’s Sermon Good morning! Today we are going to talk about a very special event that took place in the Bible. First, though, I want to show you a little trick. Have you ever seen a raisin dance?? It might sound strange, but let me show you what I mean. Here are my raisins, ready to party (show a handful of raisins). Now, do you know what a raisin used to be? That’s right, a grape! You’d think the grapes might want to dance, so maybe we’ll try it out with them too… Okay, here’s my dancing juice (pour enough fizzy soda to fill about half a glass or jar). Let’s see, do the grapes want to dance? (Drop in a grape or two…nothing happens). Well, the raisins look a little shriveled up here, but watch what happens when I drop them in the bubbles… (wait a few moments, and observe the raisins float up to the top of the glass). Wow, those raisins got excited about being in that glass, didn’t they? They might have seemed like all the juicy grape life was drained away, but they got new power and rose back up! So, the reason we watched raisins is because today we are looking at what happened when Jesus ascended into Heaven. Have you ever heard the word “ascend”? It means something goes up, like an elevator or a person going upstairs. In our lesson today, we are looking at the last time Jesus was on earth. We’ve been talking about how He showed up to His disciples a few times after His resurrection, and spoke with them about things or gave them encouraging words. Well, He had one final special meeting with them…Jesus took His disciples out of the town a little ways, and He reminded them again of who He was, and how He suffered and died to fulfill the prophecies. He told His friends that He was going to send them an exciting present, and that they should wait for that present to get an amazing sort of power…then He gave them a blessing, and then do you know what happened? Well, have you ever had a balloon, the kind with helium, and let it go? What happens? It just floats all the way up into the sky, right? That’s what happened to Jesus! He floated up, ascending into the sky just like those raisins. But He didn’t come back down. (At this point, you may use your stuffed animal to demonstrate the “lift off”; or for extra effect, hoist one of the kids—safely—and lift them up for the others to see). The disciples were left open-mouthed, starting into the sky and wondering when He would return…an angel let them know that Jesus would be coming back, though they didn’t realize it would take such a long time. In the meantime, the disciples were excited about what Jesus had said. They went to Jerusalem and hung out in the church, giving praise to God and telling people about what they had seen. They were all stirred up with energy and excitement, just like those raisins were stirred up and started dancing! How do you think you might have felt if you saw Jesus go up into the clouds like that?? It might have been shocking or confusing or exciting. One thing we can know is that we should be eager to share God’s love and good news with one another. And do you want to know something else? This story about ascending has a sequel! Jesus told the disciples to wait for a special power that would be sent, remember? Do you want to know how that power came? You’ll have to stay tuned, because in our next lesson we will get to hear all about it! For now, let’s say a prayer and ask God for patient hope, and for enthusiasm to share His news with others: Prayer: (Have kids repeat each line, if desired) Dear God, Thank you for who you are Thank you for resurrection joy Help us to be excited about your story So we can share the good news with others Thank you for your love Thank you for Jesus! (Ministry to children, Kristin Schmidt) Affirmation of Faith UMH 888 Anthem Scripture John 17:1-11 Sermon Jesus’ Prayer for our Success This is the last Sunday of the Easter season. Next Sunday is Pentecost, and the Sunday after that is the beginning of ordinary time. Ordinary time is the longest and the most boring season of the church year. The first six months of the Christian year, which starts in December is dictated by the holidays and festivals- advent, Christmas, epiphany, lent Easter. The last six months of the year the church is silent. That silence is intended to challenge us to take the lessons that we have learned and become better Christians, delve deeper in our faith, get closer to God, have a clearer understanding of our purpose, to become more determined to fulfill our mission. Our mission is to fulfill Jesus mission, Jesus mission is to fulfill God’s mission of love for all people. On the last Sunday of Easter, we remember the culmination of Jesus ministry on earth. The culmination is not Easter. After Easter, Jesus hangs around a little bit and encourages the disciples. Until one day he returns to heaven and leaves the mission in their hands. All week I have been seeing a Facebook meme which says that Ascension is the day Jesus decided to work from home. Ascension happens in the middle of the week – and has its own scriptures to talk about it. Our scripture for today is john 17. Our songs are Ascension songs, but I chose the gospel for the last Sunday of Easter. I felt that it was a nice combination of both thoughts. John 17 is Jesus final prayer for his mission, for the mission of the disciples and for the mission of all future Christians who will read and hear these words. Now to give you a little background on this prayer. In Matthew, Mark and Luke – Jesus gives a final prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. He is alone, and his is very worried and concerned and he prays the God will take this cup away from him, so that he doesn’t have to go through even more pain and passion. John always tells things a little differently. For John – Jesus is at the last supper with his disciples. He is not upset, he just accepts what is to happen next as a part of the plan. So he prays this his disciples will have strength, solidarity and steadfast hope. He prays that all who fulfill his mission will have eternal life. In this prayer, eternal life is not something in the sweet by and by. Eternal life is always there for us to use – when we know the power of Jesus in life and we know that power comes from God and is available to us – we are living eternally her today. John’s point in his gospel is to teach us that heaven and earth are always connected, Jesus is always fully human and fully divine. We always have access to God through Jesus. When we follow Jesus, we follow God. Heaven is not a place up in the sky – heaven is a place in our hearts. Heaven is how we live, how we treat people, how we pray, how we fulfill God’s mission for love and unity for all people. If God can resurrect Jesus from the dead, then the challenges that we face are no match for God. On this last Sunday of Easter, I want to share with you a poem that we studied in seminary – 30 years ago. This poem has stuck with me all of these years because it reminds me of the power of resurrection. The poem is called “They have Threatened us with Resurrection” It was written in the 80’s by Julia Esquivel. She is a survivor of a massacre of indigenous people in Guatemala by the military. Whole villages were destroyed and people felt helpless to defend themselves and their families against their own government. And yet rather than give up on life, they chose to stand on their faith. They knew that evil had the power to destroy their body, but not their spirit. For them, tough times had threatened them with resurrection. It made their faith stronger and they were more determined to survive. The quetzal is Guatemala’s official bird. Legend has it that if caged the bird will die of sadness. But when it is on freedom, it has the power to overcome any circumstance. Even in deadly circumstances, it will always come back to life and thrive. The poem says that it is the internal cyclone of struggle that heals the wounds of the quetzal. The power within is the earthquake soon to come that will shake the world and put everything in its place. Jesus is the earthquake that puts everything back in its place. I wont share with you the whole poem, as a matter of fact her book is a series of poems. But I will share some of the important parts It isn’t the noise in the streets that keeps us from resting, my friend, nor is it the shouts of the young people It is something within us that doesn’t let us sleep, that doesn’t let us rest, that won’t stop pounding deep inside, it is the silent, warm weeping of Indian women without their husbands, it is the sad gaze of the children fixed somewhere beyond memory, precious in our eyes which during sleep, though closed, keep watch, What keeps us from sleeping is that they have threatened us with Resurrection! Because every evening though weary of killings, an endless inventory since 1954,** yet we go on loving life and do not accept their death! They have threatened us with Resurrection because they are more alive than ever before, because they transform our agonies and fertilize our struggle, because they pick us up when we fall, because they loom like giants before the crazed gorillas’ fear. This poem has stuck with me all of these years because I think that at some point we have all been threatened with resurrection. Out faith has been tested. We have become discouraged, we have felt that it was no use, we have not seen results, we have seen evil prevail, we have lived in darkness, we have felt that there is nothing that we can do, we have stared death in the eye. It is in that moment that we cannot hold onto the things going on around us – we have to look inside and hold onto our faith. We have to realize that it was at that moment in the life of our saviour that he did not cry – but he prayed. He prayed for us as we face our darkest moment. John 17 says I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those you gave me, because they are yours. I have been glorified in them. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, even as I am coming to you. Holy Father, watch over them in your name, the name you gave me that they will be one just as we are one. It is the moment that we see resurrection as life in the midst of death, light in the midst of darkness, and eternity as the power of God right now in this situation that we learn the power of our faith. The poem, Threatened with Resurrection ends by saying… Join us in this vigil and you will know what it is to dream! Then you will know how marvelous it is to live threatened with Resurrection! To dream awake, to keep watch asleep, to live while dying, and to know ourselves already resurrected! When we are able to see resurrection clearly- the mission of Jesus has been fulfilled and God has been glorified. God’s mission is in our hands now, we just have to keep the faith. Amen. Song I’ll Fly Away TFWS 2282 Pastoral Prayer Lord, we sometimes wonder why you bother with us. Throughout history, you have called to humankind to be your witnesses. You have given to each a special blessing. But the historical record reveals the stubborn, selfish responses of your people. We think that we deserve your blessing and don’t have to do your will. We have acted in wicked ways far too often. Today you have called us together to hear the words of Jesus as he prayed for his disciples, telling you that his love for them is complete and that he believes in them. We would like to think that we are included in that number, that Jesus prays for us and loves us. And, indeed, he does. He has given his life for us. Now we are called to give our lives for him, to offer to all the good news that God’s love is real and powerful. God’s healing mercy is for all people. We offer our prayers for our families and our friends who are in situations of need, asking God’s blessings upon them. We raise our voices in choruses of pleading for you to be present to all your people, creating pathways of peace. Be with us, gracious Lord. Help us to witness to the world, not only by our words and our thoughts, but by our actions that your peace may be known. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Stewardship Moment Offertory Prayer Our kind Heavenly Father, we rejoice in your faithfulness! As you promised, your glorious Spirit inspires a new way of life through the church of Jesus Christ. We trust that as we continue to devote ourselves to prayer, you will strengthen our congregation in mission outreach. Direct all our gifts and offerings for the purposes of your kingdom, O God. We pray through Christ, who ascended on high to your eternal throne in the heavens. Amen. (Acts 1:6-14) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Easter people, God has done great things for you! Go, now, carrying the story of God’s work in your lives that in all things, good and difficult, you can ask with confidence, “How will God show up now?” knowing all the while that God will, indeed, take all our caring and point us toward joy. Amen.( Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, October 2022.) Joys and Concerns Benediction The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace, in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Amen! (Aaronic Blessing) Additional Illustrations