Here and Now. Vs. Bye and Bye

February 16, 2025 Luke 6:17-26 Year C Here and Now Vs. Bye and Bye Fill My Future with Vision Prelude Greeting A Call to Plenty Leader: Being “blessed” is something we too often associate with good luck or privilege or prestige. But in the economy of Jesus, blessedness is quite the opposite. It relies only on active participation in a kin-dom of God in which all are blessed and lifted up to a level playing field, especially those whose identity is demeaned by the powers-that-be. Jesus proclaims a vision of the future in which the jars of plenty never run dry and those who need to dip from plenty the most go to the front of the line. “Abundance” (sing refrain only) See music assets in your downloads God’s abundance is for all, no one is left outside, kin-dom come, all people one in trust and love abide. In this world of striving, we feel the yearn to earn. The world measures our worth in those earnings. But Jesus had different ideas. When they believed the scarcity narratives perpetuated by those in power, he imagined a narrative of selflessness that prized humility over hubris. When we feel our own resources are lacking, we can view our lives and practices again from the economy of Jesus. Let us pray: God of Surprising Paradoxes, we come to you today, lifting to you our feelings of powerlessness against empire and the rage we feel when bad things happen to good people. In the midst of our confounded search for answers, remind us of your justice that restores dignity to those who have been laid low and promises an inheritance of goodness and grace for all people. Amen. Hymn Come We that Love the Lord UMH 732 A Sermon for all Ages Leader: Welcome, children! We are so glad you are here [and for those joining us through the screen, welcome to you, too]. It is week five of talking about the generosity of Jesus and how these BIG jars represent how BIG the heart of Jesus is for each one of us. He wanted everyone to have plenty of everything they need and now it is up to us to keep helping him do that. Let’s remember all the fun we’ve had with our first four piggy banks. First, we did something that GAVE others an affirmation boost, letting them know how important they are to us. And because Jesus fills our own banks with love every day, we have enough to do that any time we want to! Second, we found something from our own toy and clothes that we could share. Especially when we have enough to play with and wear, we can pass along the good vibes! Third, we had fun giving something yummy to people who help others when they need help. I’ll bet this piggy is filled with the memory of their smiles now! And last week, we asked people to help us buy something meaningful with their coins and dollars. And we continued to collect this week [empty out the coins/dollars from the piggy]. We have MORE than enough to buy a flock of chicks! And now, what we have left in the piggy is a warm feeling that we were able to offer something really amazing. So… this week we are talking about how Jesus gave people a “vision” of what a fair world would look like. Let’s see what this little piggy has in store for us! But first, here is a note! “Dear children. You are really getting the idea that we don’t keep things locked up all the time just filling our banks with more and more and more. We look at what we already have, and the fun is in figuring out how to give it away! Affirmations, toys, clothes, snacks, and chickens – thank you for giving all that away! This week, I need your help blessing and filling those who are hungry. So take out what’s inside of my piggy bank and let’s see what we can do together. Always yours, Jesus.” OK… let’s see what is in here [take out a note]. This is what it says, “Take the leftover dollars you have collected after paying for the chickens and go with this little piggy ‘to the market’ and buy some canned goods for the food bank.” Hmmm…. to the market… oh, look! I see some shelves with canned goods and a cash register [create a little “store” out of a bookshelf and have a person with a box that looks like a cash register]. Ok… we need $20 for the chickens and this is what we have leftover [make sure you have at least a dollar bill “left over” for every child]. When we have plenty, Jesus encourages us to use what we have to bring about his vision for the future–a world where everyone has enough to eat. We have a food bank here in town [adapt this language for your context] where people can get food if they don’t have enough money to pay for food. So let’s go to the market and buy cans of food with the leftover money we collected so we can take this food to the food bank! Here we go with this little piggy to the market! [go and do the transactions and put the cans of food into a bag to be delivered] Thank you so much for using that money to give away more goodness! You are the vision of the future for all of us! Let’s pray a repeat-after-me prayer, and then we’ll go [instructions per usual for your church]. Dear Jesus… [children repeat, etc.] thank you for showing us… how to to share… thank you for showing us… how to to care… help us to know… that there is no doubt… the gifts that you give us… can never run out… there’s so much in store… that we’ll give it away… making sure there’s enough… for ALL every day… Amen… Responsive Reading Psalm 1 UMH 738 The Peace Leader: Just as our worth as humans is not dependent on the bottom line of our bank accounts, our relationships are not dependent upon the earning of favors and the limitations of “quid pro quo.” The peace of Christ has no limits, and we get more just by giving it. So may jar-fulls of peace be with you today. People: And also with you. Leader: You are invited to pass the “plethora of peace” among you, remembering to pass it to those joining us remotely. Scripture Luke 6:17-26 Sermon The Here and Now Vs. The Bye and Bye So yesterday I had a pretty full day. It started at 7 in the morning with getting up for the sharefest meeting, and it was after 10 when I sat down to prepare my sermon. By then of course I am tired, so I am tempted to just cheat. I know that I have preached on this scripture before. As a matter of fact, I know that I have preached on this sermon here before. In 2019 – we covered this story. As a read through the old sermon – it became clear that it was not going to work – It was based on the wrong question. In 2019 I talked about being happy, the question was are you happy. Today, I have a whole different question, for a whole different reason. Today the question is – are you rich? That is a trick question. When we think of being rich, we think about how much money we have. But in reality, being rich has nothing to do with money. Being rich is a mindset. There are millionaires who still struggle to pay the bills, and there are poor families who struggle to put food on the table, who always have enough to share with others. Being rich has nothing to do with money, and yet for Jesus, especially in the book of Luke being rich has everything to do with money. In Luke 6 when Jesus says blessed are the poor – all of us here today are convinced that Jesus is talking about us. The bible in general, makes a distinction between the haves and the have nots. And it would be fair to say that throughtout the bible, God in on the side of the poor. All throughout biblical history the bible has prophets who speak out about some people getting rich on the backs of others. The prophets warn that those people have an obligation to improve the life of the rest of the people. So when Jesus says blessed are the poor, the hungry, those who suffer – he is not saying anything new and different and strange. As a matter of fact, when Jesus was a baby, it was his mother Mary who used to sing to him a lullaby – that God was turning everything upside down. Every body who were rich, going to lose what they had. Those who were in power would be pulled down, the haves, were going to become the have nots. Even as a woman with no power to change anything – it was his mother Mary who stood up and declared that the spirit was with her, and that she would do her part in turning the world around. When she became pregnant with Jesus – she vowed that this baby would be a part of the revolution – he would be a part in turning everything around. – and he did just that. He lived his life, he taught others, he went to the cross of the system in order to change the system. He makes it his mission to speak out about the system. Not only does he speak out – but he sets out to improve the lives of those who are in need. He doesn’t just talk about it, he feeds, he teaches, he speaks out, he provides, he even heals. We are all familiar with the sermon on the mount – where Jesus says blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who are hungry for justice, blessed are those who mourn for lost loved ones. He speaks about what it means to be happy. What it takes for us to live a happy life, and he tells us that happiness is achievable no matter what our situation is. The problem for us today – is that the sermon on the mount is in the book of Matthew. And we are reading the book of Luke. Luke has a whole different understanding of life. For Luke he doesn’t give a sermon on the mount – Jesus gives a sermon on the plain. Instead of rising above people, he comes down to their level. Matthew speaks just of blessings. Luke speaks about blessings and woes. There are people who are blessed, and there are people who are not. There are people who will be happy when the system is turned on its head, and there are people who need to beware. For Luke, how much money does matter. And how much money you have does make a difference. And unfortunately, all of us here are far above the income level to the people that Jesus was talking to. All of us, have a way to meet our basic needs. Our lifestyle is above the subsistence level. In Jesus eyes, all of us would be considered rich. We all fall into the have category. So when we hear these blessings and woes – we are supposed to become uncomfortable and squirm in our seats – Jesus is talking to us. We need to take this scripture seriously. Jesus is reminding us, that no matter how poor we think we are – there is someone else who is worse off then you. And he encourages us to reach out and to be willing to help that person along. Africa 1994 Around the time of the 1994 elections in South Africa, a friend was doing some academic research in that country. As you may remember, it was a difficult time in that nation. The country of South Africa was struggling to create a free society for people of different races. One Sunday night, my friend drove into Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa. He describes it as an impressive city of steel and glass, with imposing government centers and modern universities. As he drove into the downtown area, he was stunned to see a small congregation of black Christians worshiping inside the green circle of an expressway ramp. He said: The contrast could not have been more stark. Here against the skyline of the great governmental city of Pretoria, strong symbol for many of the bitter years of apartheid, was a tiny group of those who had been denied standing in the society. Here, in the shadow of the capital of a nation built on gold and diamonds and ivory, was a poor band of Christians with no building, no pews, no paid clergy, no musical instruments save tambourines ... Pretoria stood majestically, the embodiment of the present power. The little flock danced and sang and praised the God of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. William G. Carter, Praying for a Whole New World, CSS Publishing Company, ___________________________ A lot of times when we do reach out to help – we hold onto that boundary of having, and identify with when as doing them a favor. We still stay a step above, and forget to treat them as a fellow sister or brother. When Jesus fed the hungry – he had no place to lay his head. He was homeless, but he made it it mission to help others. Perhaps that is why it is the sermon on the plain – he came top earth to be on the level of the people he was trying to help. Sermon Opener - Christian Liberty - Luke 6:17-26 Jesus died penniless. Roman soldiers cast lots to divide among themselves Jesus' only possessions--the clothes on his back. And he looked at his disciples and said, blessed are you who are poor. Jesus died hungry. There is no record that Jesus had anything to eat the day of his death. What we call The Last Supper on Thursday evening may very well have been Jesus' last meal. He died on the cross Friday at sunset with an empty stomach. Looking at his disciples he said, blessed are you who hunger now. Jesus died weeping. After his last supper Jesus headed for the Garden and there in that Olive Grove we call Gethsemane he prayed and he wept. He told his disciples you are blessed when you weep. Jesus died hated. Caiaphas, the greatest religious authority in Israel called him a blasphemer. The crowds wanted a murderer freed before they would see Jesus pardoned. And his disciples deserted him. Looking at his disciples he said blessed are you when men hate you on account of me. The beatitudes are a wonderful description of what disciples are suppose to be like. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are you who are poor. They sound so ideal, so spiritual. They probably come in fourth in the “framed scripture hanging on a wall category.” Just behind The Ten Commandments, Psalm 23, and the Lord’s Prayer. But truth be told few of us ever come close to truly living them out. Why? Here’s the reason: It’s because they are a call to sacrificial living. When I think of making sacrifices I think of E. Stanley Jones, perhaps United Methodism’s most famous foreign missionary. He authored over a dozen books and converted hundreds of Hindus in India to Christianity. He is the only person of which I am aware who was voted in abstentia to become a bishop. When he received the news, he turned it down. One day E. Stanley Jones came to Emory University and spoke to a Systematic Theology class. One of the students asked him why he turned down the episcopacy. He laughingly replied that if he became a bishop he would have to retire at age 70. "I am now 82," he said, "and I am still going strong." Then someone asked him: what do you think of the Beatitudes? Several students picked up their pens expecting something profound and they got it. Here's what he said: "At first sight, you felt they turned everything upside down. At second sight, you understand that they turn everything right side up. The first time you read them they are impossible. The second time you read them, nothing else is possible. The beatitudes are not a chart for Christian duty. They are a charter for Christian liberty.” The sermon on the plain teaches us how to live, what to do with our money. It teaches us what it truly means to be rich. Are you rich? Being rich is still about where our spirit us, not how much money we have in the bank account. What Will It Take to Make You Happy? - Luke 6:17-26 “Who do you think is happier?” asks Marc Reklau in his book Destination Happiness, “people who [have] won the lottery or people who [have become] paralyzed after an accident?” You may be surprised at the answer. “Yes, the lottery winners were very happy, but not for very long,” Reklau continues. “After six months they went back to their previous levels of happiness.” On the other hand, “the accident victims were sad, but surprisingly after six months, they [also] went back to their previous levels of happiness.” Think about that for a moment. Six months later both groups--those who had won the lottery and those who had an accident and were paralyzed--had returned to their previous state of happiness. I don’t know what that says to you, but it says to me that happiness is an inside job. Our circumstances don’t determine how satisfied we are with our lives. Something else--on the inside--makes the difference. The same studies on happiness were conducted with a group of college professors. They were asked how happy they would be if they got tenure. For a college professor tenure means that they are given a permanent post from which they can be removed only under extraordinary circumstances. These professors answered that, if they got tenure, they would be very happy . . . for the rest of their lives. Another group of professors was asked how unhappy they would be if they did not get tenure. They answered, “Very unhappy for a very long time.” And again, when researchers went back to them six months later, every one of these professors had gone back to their previous level of well-being whether they received tenure or not. “If they were happy before, they were happy six months later . . . if they were unhappy before, they were unhappy six months later.” (1) Interesting. You and I count as part of our heritage the blessings of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But what is happiness? Is happiness something that can be obtained by pursuing it? Is it a product of circumstance or surroundings? Is it to be equated with money in the bank, a diploma on the wall, the respect of one’s friends and neighbors? Or does it depend on something else, something entirely different? Think for a moment: What would it take to make you happy--really happy? Jesus talked about happiness, but not in the same way you or I would talk about it…. Which of these words describe your spirit right now – Poor, hungry, weeping, hated, excluded, reviled, defamed. Or rich, full, laughing, well thought of. In God’s eyes, all of us our considered rich. In Jesus eyes, anyone who didn’t have to beg for food everyday was pretty well off. But what does that mean for us? It means that we have a choice about what to do with our richness. Everyday – do we choose to get closer to God, or farther away. Do we choose to be a part of Jesus mission or ignore it? Do we live with the beatitudes in mind or not? Are we happy with the way the world is, or do we hunger for a better world? It is a blessing to know we are spiritual beggars – we pray for more. It is a blessing to hunger for more spiritual knowledge, it is a blessing to weep when we see that things are not going right, it is a blessing to suffer persecution on behalf of Jesus. May God fill our clay jar – with a vision for a future where all may live in God’s abundance. Lets pray….. Song Jesus Calls Us UMH 308 Prayers of the People Leader: In the economy of Jesus, up is down and down is up. The last shall be first, and the first shall be last. We live out Jesus’ example by putting others before ourselves. Together, we work to dismantle the structures of inequality that create injustice in our world Leader: Each week of this series we will be focusing on naming gifts of abundance we have received in the week, instances where we have seen the abundance of Christ at work in the world, and we will ask for the wisdom and strength to change so that abundance is more available to all. In this pause, O God, we ponder the many gifts you have given us. Our gratitude seems never enough for the plenty you provide. We call to mind the gifts of creation, of relationships, of sustenance. [pause] In this pause, Christ Jesus, we ponder the ways your love is still at work in the world. Our awe and wonder at the goodness of others is profound. We call to mind acts of kindness, generosity, and selflessness. [pause] In this pause, Holy Spirit, we come asking you for strength. The temptation to live by the economics of not-enough is so strong in us. We ask for revelation in our thinking and doing, so that we might live with clear vision in the house. [pause] Loving God, Christ Jesus, Holy Spirit, we are yours. We bring to you now the concerns of our day, of our communities, knowing that already you are present, already you are working to bring about comfort and healing. Today we pray for…. Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Long ago, people of faith were invited to share their “first fruits” as an offering of praise and thanksgiving to God. Growing up, did you live in a home where the first portion of each paycheck was designated as your family’s offering? Did you have an allowance, out of which you took a portion to share in Sunday School? Whether that’s part of your background or not, some of us continue to make our regular gift to the church as the first of all that is paid. It may be as a bank draft, responding to the QR code, or giving on-line. A few of us still give with a check, or actually bring cash to put in the offering tray. When we make a conscious decision to share some of our finances, in whatever form, we’re creating a habit of giving. Together we provide our gifts. When we give proportionately and regularly, our giving becomes a significant way to identify ourselves as people of faith. How we spend our income shows what’s vital to us. Is your offering — and is mine — as thoughtful as the money we spend for the cars we drive, the homes in which we live, the phones we carry, the beer we drink or the restaurants where we’re known by name? Paul’s question might be: what are your first fruits? And where do you offer them? With joy, let us bring our offerings, clearly indicating the priority we give to Jesus and his church. Prayer of Thanksgiving With gratitude, God, we offer these gifts. You pour out blessing upon blessing for us. Now we return a portion of what you’ve first given us. Accept this offering, and help us use these funds to further build up your Realm on earth. AMEN Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook The jars are full in the Kin-dom of God. A future with Christ is full of the vision we need and the vision we are called to proclaim. We are transformed in the economy of Jesus, bearing the witness of dividends of grace. We have heard the call to invest our interest in the transformation of our communities. And so we go, doing likewise in the world, with the help of God, the guidance of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Now and forever. Amen. Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Beloved, go today in the blessing of Christ, who calls you, equips you, and accompanies you as you live out God’s justice and joy wherever you go! Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, August 2024. Postlude What Will It Take to Make You Happy? - Luke 6:17-26 “Who do you think is happier?” asks Marc Reklau in his book Destination Happiness, “people who [have] won the lottery or people who [have become] paralyzed after an accident?” You may be surprised at the answer. “Yes, the lottery winners were very happy, but not for very long,” Reklau continues. “After six months they went back to their previous levels of happiness.” On the other hand, “the accident victims were sad, but surprisingly after six months, they [also] went back to their previous levels of happiness.” Think about that for a moment. Six months later both groups--those who had won the lottery and those who had an accident and were paralyzed--had returned to their previous state of happiness. I don’t know what that says to you, but it says to me that happiness is an inside job. Our circumstances don’t determine how satisfied we are with our lives. Something else--on the inside--makes the difference. The same studies on happiness were conducted with a group of college professors. They were asked how happy they would be if they got tenure. For a college professor tenure means that they are given a permanent post from which they can be removed only under extraordinary circumstances. These professors answered that, if they got tenure, they would be very happy . . . for the rest of their lives. Another group of professors was asked how unhappy they would be if they did not get tenure. They answered, “Very unhappy for a very long time.” And again, when researchers went back to them six months later, every one of these professors had gone back to their previous level of well-being whether they received tenure or not. “If they were happy before, they were happy six months later . . . if they were unhappy before, they were unhappy six months later.” (1) Interesting. You and I count as part of our heritage the blessings of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But what is happiness? Is happiness something that can be obtained by pursuing it? Is it a product of circumstance or surroundings? Is it to be equated with money in the bank, a diploma on the wall, the respect of one’s friends and neighbors? Or does it depend on something else, something entirely different? Think for a moment: What would it take to make you happy--really happy? Jesus talked about happiness, but not in the same way you or I would talk about it…. Sermon Opener - Christian Liberty - Luke 6:17-26 Jesus died penniless. Roman soldiers cast lots to divide among themselves Jesus' only possessions--the clothes on his back. And he looked at his disciples and said, blessed are you who are poor. Jesus died hungry. There is no record that Jesus had anything to eat the day of his death. What we call The Last Supper on Thursday evening may very well have been Jesus' last meal. He died on the cross Friday at sunset with an empty stomach. Looking at his disciples he said, blessed are you who hunger now. Jesus died weeping. After his last supper Jesus headed for the Garden and there in that Olive Grove we call Gethsemane he prayed and he wept. He told his disciples you are blessed when you weep. Jesus died hated. Caiaphas, the greatest religious authority in Israel called him a blasphemer. The crowds wanted a murderer freed before they would see Jesus pardoned. And his disciples deserted him. Looking at his disciples he said blessed are you when men hate you on account of me. The beatitudes are a wonderful description of what disciples are suppose to be like. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are you who are poor. They sound so ideal, so spiritual. They probably come in fourth in the “framed scripture hanging on a wall category.” Just behind The Ten Commandments, Psalm 23, and the Lord’s Prayer. But truth be told few of us ever come close to truly living them out. Why? Here’s the reason: It’s because they are a call to sacrificial living. When I think of making sacrifices I think of E. Stanley Jones, perhaps United Methodism’s most famous foreign missionary. He authored over a dozen books and converted hundreds of Hindus in India to Christianity. He is the only person of which I am aware who was voted in abstentia to become a bishop. When he received the news, he turned it down. One day E. Stanley Jones came to Emory University and spoke to a Systematic Theology class. One of the students asked him why he turned down the episcopacy. He laughingly replied that if he became a bishop he would have to retire at age 70. "I am now 82," he said, "and I am still going strong." Then someone asked him: what do you think of the Beatitudes? Several students picked up their pens expecting something profound and they got it. Here's what he said: "At first sight, you felt they turned everything upside down. At second sight, you understand that they turn everything right side up. The first time you read them they are impossible. The second time you read them, nothing else is possible. The beatitudes are not a chart for Christian duty. They are a charter for Christian liberty.” The Beatitudes: They are admonitions to sacrificial living and sacrificial living is the door to Christian Freedom. Now what does that mean? Let’s take a look. 1. A Good Word for Poverty 2. Caution against Riches 3. Sacrificial Freedom Is Greater than Financial Freedom _________________________________ Peoples attitudes Toward God's Messengers (Prophets) C. H. Spurgeon used to preach only once each year "for his orphans." At that great meeting many would come to hear the famous preacher, and an offering would be received for his orphanage. After one of these meetings he is reputed to have been leaving the building where the service had taken place when one of those "super spiritual," narrow-minded, nitpicking individuals accosted him with the charge, "Why, Mr. Spurgeon, I thought you preached for souls and not for money!" The story relates that Spurgeon gravely replied, Why, Mr. So-and-So. Normally I do preach for souls and not for money. But my orphans can't eat souls and if they did, my brother, it would take at least four the size of yours to give one of them a square meal!" Craig Skinner in The Minister's Manuel, 1995 p. 346.

Why are we Here Today?

November 12, 2023 24th Sunday after Pentecost Joshua 24:1-3,14-25 Why are we here today? Year A Prelude Greeting Call To Worship God is great, and greatly to be praised! We thank you, God, for families and friends. We thank you for the warmth of kitchens, quilts, and good neighbors. God, how great is your name throughout the earth! We thank you, God, for newborn kittens and faithful dogs, for pine trees and sunlight and crisp, clean air. Blessed be God, the rock of our salvation! We thank you, God, for the sound of laughter and the touch of love, for brand new mornings and for dreams held close. Let us come into God’s presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise with songs of praise. Come! Let us worship God. Written by Janice Jean Springer, found in Touch Holiness: Resources for Worship, Updated, eds. Ruth C. Duck and Maren C. Tirabassi (Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2012), 103-104. Invocation Wisdom, your presence illuminates our path. Shine your light into dim spaces so that we do not stray from your teaching. Help us discern what you are calling us, your church, to do and be in this moment in time. Give us urgency to be good news in the world and for our neighbors. Let your glory reign among us and your Spirit lead us into truth, justice, and love. For your name and in your name, we pray. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Rev. Cheryl Lindsay) Song My Lord What a Morning UMH 719 Responsive Reading Psalm 78 UMH 799 Children’s Sermon Decisions with middle schoolers (NEED EXAMPLES) Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 Decision Time By Lois Parker Edstrom Object suggested: A wallet. Let’s talk about the decisions we make each day. We decide what to eat, when to go to bed, what clothes to put on, what to read, who will make a good friend. Can you think of more examples? Most of the examples we listed would allow many choices. When you decide what to eat you could choose between a peach or an apple, bread or a cracker, soup or yogurt, or you could choose one of each. Now let me give you an example of having two choices, but you must choose just one thing. Suppose you see a wallet lying in the street. It might have a lot of money in it. You can keep the wallet or you can try to return the wallet to its owner. This is a right or wrong decision. You must choose to do one thing or the other. The Bible tells us the story of Joshua, a leader of a group of people called the Israelites and it is a story about making an important decision. This group of people, the Israelites, had been slaves in Egypt and Joshua was one of the men who led them out to a new land. God had protected and helped the people during this journey, but some chose to worship other gods which, in this story, are called foreign gods. Joshua wanted the Israelites to understand that they must choose to serve God or the foreign gods; they could not worship both. They had two choices and Joshua asked them to make one decision. He told them, “… choose this day whom you will serve…” (24:15). Joshua made this important decision for himself. He said, “… as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh (the Lord)” (24:15). Each one of us is also given this choice. We can choose to serve and worship God or do our own thing without God. It is the most important decision you will ever make. Scripture quotations from the World English Bible Copyright 2012, Richard Niell Donovan Baptism of Chandler Stickel (Call children up to think about baptism first – don’t print this) Scripture Joshua 24:1-3, 14-25 Sermon Why are we here today? Perhaps you have heard about the man who died, then awoke in a splendid city of golden streets and fine homes. He was shown to one of the finest, one with a rolling front yard, lovely flowers, luxuriant shrubs. Wondering how to care for those things, he was told that others would do that for him. So, he climbed into a hammock and spent the day contemplating his happy state. Days passed, then weeks. Finally, bored, he sought to do some yard work, but was told that he might not. He then inquired what kind of work he could do. He was told by the follow in charge that he was not allowed to do anything but rest. Finally, the man complained, he said, I never thought that heaven would be this boring. The man in charge stared at him for a minute, then said, what made you think that you were in heaven? I don’t want to say that you have to work hard in order to get into heaven, but I will say that God expects us to keep busy. Most definitely, we are not expected to get comfortable with boredom. The verb “to serve” is repeated seven times just in these last two verses, verses 14-15. It appears fifteen times in this one chapter. Joshua clearly believes that the purpose of his life, the purpose of everyone’s life, is to serve the Lord with all faithfulness. But before they could wholeheartedly serve their Redeemer God, they had to deal with some garbage in their lives. There was something they needed to throw away. This is a fitting message for the stewardship campaign as we are encouraged to love the lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and spirit. And we are encouraged to support the church with our prayers, presence, gifts, witness and our service. This is also a fitting scripture as we welcome baby Chandler into our church family. Baptism is stewardship in action – we have a chance to remember our commitment to God, but we also make a new promised to pass on our faith to the next generation. God challenges us to build a house big enough for all. God is the center of the house, but the house is big enough to include all of God’s children from the littlest to the oldest. When the multimillionaire, Andrew Carnegie, was building a new home for his family, he instructed the architect to place the following inscription over the living-room fireplace: "This hearth is our family altar - its warmth reminds us of Christ's presence in our home." After the house and fireplace were completed, the architect went to Carnegie and said, "You'll have to choose another motto, that one is too long to fit over the fireplace." "No!" said the millionaire, "I want those words. If you must, then tear down that fireplace and build a bigger one." The architect informed him, "Sir, you cannot build a bigger fireplace without building a bigger room!" "All right," was the reply, "tear out the walls and build a bigger room!" The architect then said, "But a bigger room will throw the entire house out of proportion!" "Then tear the entire house down and start over," the millionaire said, "for we must have that motto as a constant reminder that Christ is in our home!" We could say that Andrew Carnegie built his home around the conviction that Jesus Christ was central in his family. Are you building your home around that same conviction? Does your daily life reflect the truth that you really believe Christ is present in your home? Do you show your family that Christ is central to your praying with them? Or is the Lord's Prayer in worship the only time your family prays together? Sometimes we have to build a bigger house with our spirits. Including God in everything that we do can take a lot of work, a lot of effort, and being willing to make the right choices. • We don’t get to read a lot about Joshua’s leadership. Joshua took over leading the Isrealites after Moses retired. Near the closing verses of Joshua. One of the last things he does alive. Before it closes, they bury the bones of Joseph in the promised land • Promise of Genesis: You will be a great nation in this land. • Genesis closes with a great nation in the wrong land • Exodus closes with the nation on the border of the land. • Joshua is the story of possessing the land. It contains some of the most disturbing parts of the Bible. They are now a great people in the land A side note- I think that one of the reasons that we don’t read a lot of the book of Joshua – is because it is a violent book about how they destroyed a lot of people in order to posess the promiseland. Nevertheless, Joshua reminds the people of how far they have come and how far God has brought them. Joshua reminds them that all of the way – it has been a covenant partnership – God and dedication has fulfilled their destiny. Just Friday, I heard a jewish family saying for the second time this week – that I think sums up the message of Joshua – You are not responsible for building the kingdom all by yourself, but you also are not free to walk away from the work that needs to be done. It is all about service, obedience and commitment. Imagine this story – Joshua is an old man, about to retire. He had led the community for many years, he has watched children grow into productive adults. He has seen babies born, he has seen the community grow and change. What started out as a budding dream has become a full blown reality. And many of the children living in that reality, take it for granted. But just before he retires he calls this complicated society together and gives them some words of wisdom – those words have lasted until today. Father Joshua tells us to put aside the Gods that are constantly vying for our attention, concern and duty – and to choose to serve God. Everyday we have to intentionally choose God, or someone or something else will make that choice for us. We have to choose who is going to be God in your life. He encourages us to think about how God has proven to be faithful than the other Gods in our life. We each have to decide who is going to be God in our life. We have to be willing to make a commitment to that God. And to be an example for someone to make that same choice. Many years ago, near the royal English residence on the Isle of Wight, stood several homes for the poor and aged. A missionary, visiting one of the homes, asked a lady, "Does Queen Victoria ever call on you here?" "Oh, yes," was the answer. "Her Majesty frequently comes here to see us." Then, wondering if the woman was a Christian, the missionary inquired, "Does the King of Kings ever visit here?" The lady immediately gave him a happy smile and said, "No sir, he doesn't visit here. Praise God, He lives here! That's why we are so richly blessed!" Does the King of Kings live in your home? Does it have a spiritual atmosphere? Do the plaques on the wall, the books on the shelves, and the records on your stereo announce to those who visit that Christ is central in your home? If you want to have a strong Christian home, your family life must revolve around the powerful presence of Jesus Christ. What are some ways in your life that you choose God? Joshua chose God by choosing to be an example to us all – he says as for me and my house we will choose God. God is calling the Church and saying.... “Church, I have a project for you –a mission that will repurpose, redesign, remodel, renew, and restore one of my fields. Are you up for it? Can you do it? Will you be my creative, innovative “minds in the field”? How many of you have seen an episode of “This Old House”? How many know what I’m talking about? The show, on television for nearly 40 years (since 1979), now also has a website and a magazine. The innovative show has developed a “buzz” as the “go-to” site for creative hands-on remodeling --for men and women alike! Its premise is simple: how to take an ordinary, drab, old, crumbling, or even condemned house, a “fixer-upper” if you will, and renovate and revision that house into a new, sound, and exquisite piece of art based on the identity and style of the homeowner, still while remaining true to the feel of the neighborhood or context. For many, the proposed renovation of a home becomes more than a hobby or a project. It becomes a mission driven by passion, desire, commitment, confidence, a little bit of risk-taking, and a lot of faith in the finesse of your master designer. Creative designer and imagineer Russell Morash conceived of the idea for “This Old House” as he was designing and renovating his own 19th century home. He wanted to help other people do what he could do. But he also wanted to jumpstart others’ imagination and innovation. He dreamed of encouraging people to draw upon their own creative potential! He wanted to help people learn and discover ways of making the house of their choice into a unique reflection both of owner identity and the style of a certain “place and space.” He didn’t just want to show people the nuts and bolts of renovation. He wanted to, as he puts it, “expand the viewers’ perceptions of what a home can be.”* In fact, Jesus is the ultimate Designer and Blueprint all in one. He’s put down the downpayment on the House, He’s given us the blueprint for Eternal Life. And He’s asked us to join Him on an awesome and challenging mission –to repurpose lives, build bridges of communication, connect people in love, beautify relationships, install windows to the world, restore hearts to God. He’s even pointed us to mission “fields” within His Vineyard that need restoring. The choice of fields is up to us. All we need to do is follow along, learn, and try it all out! Right? Granted, home remodeling takes time, dedication, imagination, and a lot of faith. Life remodeling does too. Just ask Jesus! But He’ll be working right beside us. He is our “go-to” master craftsman who knows how to revision, re-mission, re-beautify life! And the Church! He’s got the grand design. And He’s ready to break ground! So why aren’t we excited? What are some ways that we can work to build a home, with God in the center of everything that we do? We can still welcome the next generation into the family, we are still faced with choices that make a difference, we still have a job to do for the community. Is you’re the world important enough to you to give it an extreme home makeover? Former President George Bush was asked the question, "What is your greatest accomplishment in life?" He could have replied that as a fighter pilot in World War II, he was shot down and survived. He could have mentioned that he was the U.S. Ambassador to China, the Vice President of the United States or the President of the United States. He could have talked about his victory in the first Gulf War or the fact that he had two sons that served as governors and one son who is now President, but he didn't say any of that. When asked what his greatest accomplishment in life was George Bush said, "My children still come home." Children will always want to come home, when that home is always under the extreme home makeover that God alone can give. ________________________________________ [1] Cited by Steve Farrar, Getting' There, p. 150 ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., Collected Sermons, by James Merritt It is up to us to be the Joshua people of today – Jesus, Yshua is actually named after Joshua. Jesus calls us to be obedient disciples in service to those around us. We are called to create a home with God as the center, to choose God above everything else and to serve God with everything that we have. We have to be intentional about serving God everyday. I will leave you with this prayer of encouragement. There is a powerful prayer by a man named Joe Seremane that expresses how much we miss out on when we hold back from yielding our hearts to the Lord. Seremane writes, “You asked for my hands that I might use them for your purpose. I gave them for a moment then withdrew them, for the work was hard. “You asked for my mouth to speak out against injustice. I gave you a whisper that I might not be accused. “You asked for my eyes to see the pain of poverty. I closed them, for I did not want to see. “You asked for my life that you might work through me. I gave a small part, that I might not get ‘too involved.’ “Lord, forgive me for my calculated efforts to serve you only when it is convenient for me to do so, only in places where it is safe to do so and only with those who make it easy to do so. My prayer is that we each have to strength to choose God everyday. Amen. Song The Summons TFWS 2130 Pastoral Prayer (Just print the title, not the words) Lord, we are a stubborn and impatient people. We always want to know how things will end. We want to know what the schedule is. We want a "daily planner" from you so that we can be ready. It is interesting that you have already given us a daily planner. The Holy Spirit, who has been given to comfort and guide us, is our daily planner. Daily we are called to come before you in prayer and praise; daily we are challenged by your Holy Spirit to find ways to serve your people in your world. And we do acknowledge this, somewhat. But we still would like to know when we need to have all the "oil for our lamps". Why is it so hard, Lord, for us to be continually ready? Is it because we have placed you to one side in our lives, and when we think you are coming we take our faith down from the shelf and dust it off? Help us to place you at the center of our lives, seeking to daily prepare ourselves for your coming again in glory. As we have brought before you the names of those people who are near and dear to us, we ask your healing love and blessing for them. Their needs are great and our abilities are limited. But we know that with your love, all things are possible. Give us such courage and perseverance that we may faithfully proclaim your love to all creation. Make us ready to receive you, now, in this place and everywhere we are. For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment (explain campaign) Offertory Prayer (Print) Loving God, you are our strength. Thank you for your wondrous works. May our praise to you continue from generation to generation. Lord speak to us and teach us new ways to reach new generations, so that they may know the love and care that you have given to us. Use these gifts to develop programs that will draw new people to you. Bless these gifts, Thank you for all that you have given us and for all that we will receive. Let it be used to glorify Your Holy Name. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. Litany [Pentecost 25, Witness, Discipleship, Growth & Change, Commitment, Grace & Mercy, Personal Holiness, Personal Service] L: Ready! Set! Go! P: Wait a minute! Ready for what? L: The Lord is coming to us. We need to be ready P: Just a minute. What is the date? Do you have an arrival time? L: That’s not important. We just need to be ready. P: Listen! That’s not the way the world works. You have to plan these things out. L: But it is the way the Lord works. P: And this "set" business.....what is that all about? L: Taking stock of our lives, healing old wounds, reconciling relationships, forgiveness, service to others, most of all practicing God’s love as Jesus taught us. P: Right now, I have all I can handle. Relationships, old wounds, angers, work for God. I have to see if I can fit it into my schedule. Anyway, won’t God give me a little "grace" period? L: God has always given you a "grace" period. It is your life! P: What do you mean? L: God has offered you blessings and given you gifts. God asks you to be ready to serve, to make a choice. P: Ready to serve God or my schedule? L: Ready to place God first in your life. If you do this, the other things will fall into place. P: I need to reconsider the choices I have made. L: Choose God. Be ready to Go into God’s world to serve. P: Ready: the Lord is Coming. Set: Get your priorities in order, placing God first. Go: serve God. I can do that. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Announcements Closing Prayer for those on Facebook God has called and chosen you to be witnesses to hope and peace in God’s world. Go in peace and this same healing, reconciling love and peace will be with you. Go and serve the Lord your God in all that you do. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Invite congregants to turn and face the closest doorway and/or threshold. As you prepare to cross the threshold from this place out into the world and as you encounter doorways and thresholds throughout your week, repeat this blessing: May gratitude abound as I meet God and neighbor in this place. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, May 2023. Additional Illustrations A family moved to a new city where the father's company had transferred him. This meant that little Sharon would enter the first grade in a brand-new school. On the first day of class, the teacher was asking each student to provide her with some information as she called the roll. After asking for the proper spelling of her name, the teacher asked Sharon for her address. The youngster replied, "Miss Smith, we don't have an address yet!" "Oh," said the teacher, "your family doesn't have a home yet?" Sharon replied, "Yes, ma'am, we have a home; we just haven't found a house to put it in!" A little boy asked his busy mother to help him find something to do. So the mother found a large map of the United States on a page in a magazine. With a pair of scissors, she cut up the map into small pieces like a puzzle. Then she gave the pieces and some tape to her son and challenged him to put it together. The youngster returned in almost no time with the map together. Mother was amazed and said, "Son, how did you get that entire map of the United States together so fast?" The youngster said, "It was easy. On the back of the map was a picture of a family. So I turned it over and started to work. Once I got the family put together, the country turned out just right." How true that is! The strength of our nation depends on the strength of our families. Let us be challenged today to work hard to make our houses into homes,... where positive Christian values are transmitted from one generation to the next;... where friends are welcomed and children are more valuable than furniture;... where undesirable pressures are kept out, and where Jesus Christ is kept centralThat's how you make a house a home! C.S.S. Publishing Company, HOME IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD, by R. E. Lybrand Last week we began a series titled The Joshua Principles. And the first Principle was Joshua People Always Look Forward With Hope. We talked about how Hope is based on Trust and Trust is based on Faith and the implications that has in our daily lives and in the life and future of the Church. Today the Joshua Principle I want to look at is "Joshua People Obey and Serve." I think this falls right in step with where we left off last week. You see Faith in God builds Trust which builds Hope. When we Trust God and are Faithful, then God is Faithful too and that deepens our Hope. When we Trust God and are Faithful, then we will Obey God and follow God's Will. I want us to look at two passages this morning. When that happens, within that family of faith we are supported and strengthened and sometimes even rescued. Some of you may have seen this clip form KruegerNational Park on Youtube. The full length version might be a little scary for the little ones, so I've tried to edit it so it still makes its point. And it does have a great ending. (Water Buffalo Clip) I loved how the entire herd came back to rescue that calf. They knew the power of the claws of the lions but they also knew the greater power of the herd. And those water buffalo who sent the lions running and flying, knew the rest of the herd was behind them. That's the way it should be in every church, every faith community. It's good to have a herd. And when the Herd trusts God and is faithful to God through Obedience there is a strength that can't be destroyed. If you remember the 1984 movie, Ralph Macchio plays a new kid who gets crossways with a group of school in crowd bullies. They make his life miserable. The custodian, Mr. Miyagi played by Pat Morita, is a Japanese man who takes an interest in Daniel and says he will train him in Karate. When Daniel shows up, Mr. Miyagi doesn't give him any Karate instructions, he simple gives Daniel a series of what appear to be useless chores. Feeling a little like slave labor, Daniel confronts Mr. Miyagi. (CLIP) The results, of course, are Daniel's ability to transfer that the muscle memory into the needed defensive moves in karate. Pilot Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger, who some are calling "Captain Marvel" is a former Air Force fighter pilot who has flown for US Airways for 29 years. He has over 19,000 hours in the air and runs his own safety consulting firm. After 29 years of flying, after 29 years of pre-flight checks, safety checks and all the minutia of flying, you would think maybe someone might begin to take shortcuts, right? And Captain Vince Lombardi (that's his real name, in an interview on Today said he and his crew devote two hours a month to practicing safety drills, man overboard rescue drills and the like to prepare for events like this which we all hope will never happen. It would be easy to say, "Oh, you know for the last six months all of our drills were perfect, we don't need the practice anymore." Shortcuts seem easy. We all tend to do it. Driving on the highway for example. When we were younger, the fear of getting a ticket kept us from speeding. But then we started driving to work every day and when we did the speed limit we felt like we were getting run over by the traffic. Then we began driving fast enough to keep up with the traffic so we didn't impede the flow. And pretty soon you're screaming and hollering at the idiot in front of you who won't get out of the way, right? These two men, their crews and all of the people involved in this event, were diligent in their obedience to following the proper procedures and drills. My contention is that because that, when it came to a time of testing, they were ready to serve and give everything through that service. They didn't have to stop and think about what was right or wrong, they knew and they did almost instinctually. And that only comes from Faith, Trust and Obedience. Why aren’t we excited to “remodel” the Lord’s house? Or in our scripture for today –both Jesus and Joshua call it the “Lord’s Vineyard.” But whichever name you choose, God is the owner and grand designer. We are the tenants, the ones who live on God’s great earth, in God’s house, on God’s vineyard. We are God’s resident tenants, attendants, and staffers. God invests in us and bequests us with creativity to carry out some renovations on God’s behalf. In our scriptures for today, God tells people (through Joshua) at Shechem that it’s time to design and contract a new house in a new place! Time for renovations. Time to put down roots in a “vineyard” they did not plant, to restore people to life in a town they did not build! Are they up for this new project? Are they game for this new contract? Do they have the passion for it? The strength? The daring? The heart? Another issue just as important as the generation gap has to be brought up before we dive into the story told in Joshua 24. The issue in mind has to do with the relationships we nurture across the years. Some people say that all of us give attention to at least four basic relationships throughout our lives: our relationship with God, our relationship with ourselves, our relationship with others, and our relationship with what’s around us, or in other words, our relationship with things. Each of these relationships takes some of our time and demands a certain portion of our energies. Figuring out which relationship matters most can be tricky. Kathleen Kolar was an experienced hiker, having hiked in several popular west coast locations. When visiting Hawaii, she decided to hike a trail that was a grueling eleven miles long. The trail has stream crossings, lava ridges, lush valleys, and 100-foot drop-offs to rocky beaches below. The trek was everything Kathleen had heard — "difficult but spectacular." On her way back, she found herself a "little off trail." She wasn't concerned, all she would have to do is retrace her steps and she would be fine. She was sure the trail would loop around. She continued for a while before realizing that she was well off the trail — in other words, lost. She climbed a steep wall, which used to be a waterfall, hoping to once again find the trail. "It's just you and me, Lord," she prayed. "You alone can get me out of this mess." Things went from bad to worse. She found herself on a small foot-and-a-half perch. She was horrified. It was then that Kathleen realized that she needed to stop so rescuers could find her. It was getting dark; she would have to spend the night on the perch. "I cried and was angry at myself for being so stupid." The next morning, she felt God show her that this hike was similar to her life. She realized how at times her choices had led her away from God. And how those choices would affect her "further down life's path." "On that tiny ledge, I realized that if I were to truly live for God," she explains, "I would have to get to know him better." It took most of the day before anyone found her because of where she was. Unfortunately, the rescuers could not reach her. She would have to spend a second night on that ledge. "I was tired, thirsty, very sunburned and spent," she recalled. Before she was rescued by a helicopter the next day, she felt God remind her of the two greatest commandments, love of God and love of neighbor. "I'd loved Jesus since I was eleven," she said, "but I hadn't yet surrendered my claim on my life. I was still going my own way. Those nights on the ledge, I determined to make knowing God's heart, thoughts, and purposes my passion in life." Another lesson she learned from her experience was that you cannot continue down a wrong path and remain untouched by the consequences. From now on Kathleen says, "I'm letting God lead — and following his path for my life."2 Joshua challenges us today asking what kind of people will we be and to whom will we commit ourselves? Commitment is one of those words that either makes us feel uncomfortable or something that we can easily dismiss as not all that important. While Jesus calls us to be faithful, the choice remains with us this day. In a sense it is a daily choice, a daily commitment, because there are so many things that deceive us, tempt us, and lead us astray. Choose the Lord. Amen.

You Can't Have Two Women in the Same Kitchen

July 17, 2022 Luke 10:38-42 You Can’t Have Two Women in the Same Kitchen 5th Sunday After Pentecost Year C Opening Song Welcome Call to Worship L: How are you this morning? P: It would be easy for us to say “fine, thank you”, but the truth is that there are lots of things going on in your lives, lots of time crunches and pressures. L: You have come to the right place. Rest for a minute. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Just relax and let your heart be open to God’s word for you. P: That sounds good to us. L: Feel the healing, soothing power of God’s love for you. P: Lord, we rest our minds, spirits, and hearts in your compassionate love. AMEN. (Nancy Townley for United Methodist Ministry Matters) Invocation Divine Gardener, we need your care and nurture. Fertilize our soil and our souls. Plant seeds of wisdom, inspiration, and discernment. Prune us today for more abundance tomorrow. Refresh us with living water. Revive us again. Amen. (Faith INFO Team for United Church of Christ Worship Ways) Song Be Thou My Vision UMH 451 Scripture Luke 10:38-42 Sermon – You Can’t Have Two Women in the Same Kitchen Every kitchen has one, whether it is in at home, or at a business or in the church. Some people say that she is the kitchen witch, some say the kitchen nazi, I prefer the title kitchen queen or king. Every kitchen has someone who is considered the boss, in control of everything that happens in that kitchen. And Martha was the appropriate person to be in charge. The name Martha means the lady of the house. Luke does not tell us a lot about who Martha was – but it does say the it was her household. She must have invited Jesus and the disciples to come to the house for dinner, or for rest on the way to Jerusalem. And as they were coming, she had to make sure that everything was perfect for their stay. That would be what the head of the household did. She didn’t have to actually do the work, but she would have been the manager to make sure everything got done. Apparently the only staff that she had to help was her little sister Mary. If Martha was the head of the household, then it was her little sister’s job to take instructions and do whatever her older sister told her to. That was in the household rule book. But you know what they say about two women in the same kitchen. It doesn’t always work out. So I think Mary just got tired of being told what to do, and decided to stay out of the kitchen and to let Martha do all of the work. As a matter of fact, the name Martha means lady of the house, Mary means rebel.- or beloved one who doesn’t have to do anything. If Martha was the host and Jesus was the guest, why else would she ask Jesus to make her sister come back in the kitchen to help? One of the first places that we visited on our trip to Israel was Bethel. I remember it being like a small space, with very small houses very close together. Each house was probably about the size of my living room and kitchen. It was a very cramped space. There is no way Jesus and 72 of his disciples was going to get into one house, I can’t even see it being enough room for 12 guest to be comfortable. And I certainly remember the kitchen, definitely not enough room for 2 people to be comfortable cooking. The two lessons that I remember from visiting that space. First, like many sites on Israel, they were not certain that this was the real site of Bethel, it was just a guestimate. This would have been an example of the scene of this story. Secondly, our guides pointed out – Mary and Martha would have been very popular names. So are Mary and Martha in Luke, the same as the Mary, Martha and Lazurus of the book of John? We will never know. The point of the story is that Mary and Martha could have been anyone in their society. The story of Mary and Martha is the story of any two women who couldn’t cook together in the same kitchen. Luke’s details about the story are vague enough for each of us to see ourself in the story. Would we be the Martha of the house- working hard to make sure that everything was perfect for our guest, or would we be Mary – wanting to be present with our guest, listening to every thing going on? Of course, in the story, when Martha asks Jesus to correct Mary, it seems as if Jesus takes Mary’s side when he says that life is about choices, and Mary has made the better choice. If Martha had made the decision to sit and listen to the teachings, then no one would have had dinner that day. This scripture can stir up a lot of emotions, about the work of the household and even the church. IT seems that the person who is doing all of the work, is not being acknowledged for that work. When we hear this story, we too think that we have to make a choice and pick who is right and who is wrong. Are we a Martha is our work for God, or are we a Mary? At times I have been both. We also have to remember, that this is not the first time that Jesus has been asked to make a choice between two siblings. And every time, Jesus responds that is not his place. This is not a story about who is right, it is a story about hospitality, and ultimately discipleship. We are still in chapter 10 of Luke, where Jesus is traveling to Jersalem. And the lesson he has been teaching is on hospitality. We have been in chapter 10 for 3 weeks now. First Jesus commissions the 72 people to go out and depend on the hospitality of the community, next Jesus uses the Samaritan to ask us who is our neighbor, and today Mary and Martha remind is that discipleship is a matter of both/and hospitality and presence. This story is not called Mary or Martha, it is called Mary and Martha. We Need Martha and Mary Max Lucado is right on target when he writes: "Every church needs a Martha. Change that. Every church needs a hundred Marthas. Sleeves rolled up and ready, they keep the pace for the church. Because of Marthas the church budgets get balanced church buildings get repaired and cleaned babies get bounced on loving knees in the nursery. You don't appreciate Marthas until a Martha is missing and all the Marys of the church start scrambling to find the keys to lock doors, turn off the lights and turn off the fans. Yes, the Marthas are the Energizer Bunnies of the church. They keep going and going and going." Martha was a live wire to be sure. However, even live wires need a time out for recharging. Work without worship will soon burn you out. Even in church we can lose our sense of perspective. Max Lucado, A Gentle Thunder, Word Publishing, 1995, page 127. I think the challenge for many of us is to find the balance between hard work and resting in Jesus. Our lesson, is that hospitality is an important part of discipleship. In chapter 10 Jesus teaches that all of us here have a purpose and Jesus commissions us to go forth, that serving God can leave us vulnerable and sometimes full of questions, and it is important for us to do the work, but also to be present to those we are helping. In allowing Mary to sit at Jesus’ feet, Jesus takes over the job of being the host. Jesus becomes the servant and shows us what hospitality for all of the world looks like. Jesus tells us the in hospitality and discipleship only one thing is necessary – In the classic Billy Crystal movie “City Slickers,” three longtime friends face middle age. In their middle-age crisis they find themselves losing their focus and in danger of losing their families. To reignite the fire in their lives the guys sign up as “cowboys,” helping a dude ranch move its herd of cattle from high in the hills down to the lower valley. “Curly,” the grizzled old cowboy who leads them, seems to be the toughest, canniest, wisest person they have ever met. Billy Crystal asks the usually tight-lipped cowpoke what his secret is. What makes his life so strong and centered and sure. Curly smiles, raises his grubby, gloved index finger and proclaims, “It is just one thing,” then he rides away. Billy’s character spends the rest of the movie frantically trying to figure out what Curly meant. What IS that “just one thing?” Psychologists, marriage counselors, relationship gurus of all stripes, warn us not to expect one person to provide for all our emotional, intellectual, and relational needs. We need a variety of relationships, a network of spouses, friends, colleagues from work, basketball buddies, quilting club comrades, children, elders, and peers, to meet all our relational needs. But what might be true for our human connections does not hold true for our spiritual needs. Our soul needs only “one thing.” No matter what your denomination. No matter if your spiritual temperament is exuberant, reserved, flamboyant, or meditative. Whether your soul craves cathedrals, or soars under the blue dome, it is all the same as long as we have that “one thing.” That “one thing” is Jesus. The point of our hospitality is always to be disciples of Christ. Amen. Song What a Friend we have in Jesus UMH 526 Prayer of the Day Eternal God, you draw near to us in Christ, and you make yourself our guest. Amid the cares of our lives, make us attentive to your presence, that we may treasure your word above all else, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America worship resources) Pastoral Prayer Lord’s Prayer UMH 894 Children’s Sermon Kristin Schmidt Hello! So, how are you guys doing today? What have you been up to this weekend? (Take a few answers, but cut students off before they get too detailed, explaining that you don’t have much time) Okay okay, we need to keep going…let’s move on, we need to learn about Jesus and we are actually taking a very quick quiz about Bible stories. What is your favorite Bible story or Bible character? Come on, quickly now, we don’t have all day; favorite Bible character- go! (Rush children through answers…) Well, here are some Bible stories I have (Hold up illustrated Bible or pictures of stories): what’s in this picture? Who is this one? Hurry, hurry, I hope you know these? What’s this one? (After flipping through several stories, slow down somewhat) Well, it might have felt a little rushed and stressful to have all of those questions thrown at you so quickly, huh? I have another question…how do we get to Heaven? How do we get God’s love? (Take a few answers) Do you think we have to do special things to be better Christians? Well, sometimes we think that we have to do certain things or know certain things in order to be a “just right” Christian or have God love us more. We get caught up in hurrying through life and thing we look better if we go to church a lot or do a lot of important things. But you know what? There is nothing we can do to earn God’s love. And there’s nothing we need to do to earn His love! He already loves us, and all we have to do is accept His love and know that Jesus died for us. He did all the work. And He wants us to just be ourselves and enjoy His presence. There is a story in the Bible about two sisters who had Jesus over for dinner. One of them was named Martha. Martha was very busy, and she was rushing around preparing for Jesus. She was cooking and cleaning and working, and she got upset because her sister, Mary, was just hanging out with Jesus. She wasn’t helping do the work but just sat listening to Jesus talk. Martha got upset and asked Jesus to yell at her about it. But He told her Mary was the one doing the right thing. It was not as important to do things for Jesus as it was to spend time with Him. Jesus didn’t want a dusted floor or fresh loaf of bread. He wanted people. And that is how He feels about us, too! What’s important is not just what we know or say or do…it’s how we love God. We can breathe and pause and rest in His presence. He is always there for us! (Hold up small toy) Look at this…what does it do? Does it sing or cook or dance in circles? No. But we can enjoy it just for what it is. That’s sort of how God feels about us. He made us, and He doesn’t require any special activities. He loves us just because we are His children! So remember, there’s nothing wrong with doing things for God. But that is not the most important thing. We can rest in Him and know we are part of His family, no matter what else we do. Isn’t that great news? Let’s thank God for that… Prayer: (Have kids repeat each line, if desired) Dear God, Thank you for the words of the Bible Thank you for making us part of your family Help us to slow down and breathe And rest in your presence Thank you for your love We love you, God! Thank you for Jesus In His name, Amen! Stewardship Moment Invitation to Generosity Colossians 1:18 reminds us that Jesus is the head of the church and first in all things. May we place Christ first as we share the gifts we have been given. Prayer of Dedication and Thanksgiving Alpha and Omega, may these gifts meet the needs before us, the community around us, and the call within us. Amen. (Faith INFO Ministry Team for United Church of Christ Worship Ways) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook God calls. Christ walks with us. The Holy Spirit guide us. As we enter this new week may we go with the grace and blessings of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. (Terri McDowell Ott for Presbyterian Outlook) Community Time Benediction As you go, make known the wonders of God, share the hope of God, and spread the love of God. The grace of God will sustain and guide you. The glory of God will propel you. Amen. (Faith INFO Ministry Team for United Church of Christ Worship Ways) Additional illustrations Don’t Forget the Best There is an ancient Scottish legend that tells the story of a shepherd boy tending a few straggling sheep on the side of a mountain. One day as he cared for his sheep he saw at his feet a beautiful flower -- one that was more beautiful than any he had ever seen in his life. He knelt down upon his knees and scooped the flower in his hands and held it close to his eyes, drinking in its beauty. As he held the flower close to his face, suddenly he heard a noise and looked up before him. There he saw a great stone mountain opening up right before his eyes. And as the sun began to shine on the inside of the mountain, he saw the sprinkling of the beautiful gems and precious metals that it contained. With the flower in his hands, he walked inside. Laying the flower down, he began to gather all the gold and silver and precious gems in his arms. Finally with all that his arms could carry, he turned and began to walk out of that great cavern, and suddenly a voice said to him, "Don't forget the best." Thinking that perhaps he had overlooked some choice piece of treasure, he turned around again and picked up additional pieces of priceless treasure. And with his arms literally overflowing with wealth, he turned to walk back out of the great mountainous vault. And again the voice said, "Don't forget the best." But by this time his arms were filled and he walked on outside, and all of a sudden, the precious metals and stones turned to dust. And he looked around in time to see the great stone mountain closing its doors again. A third time he heard the voice, and this time the voice said, "You forgot the best. For the beautiful flower is the key to the vault of the mountain." In our Scripture passage we have someone who also forgot the best. Her name was Martha. Adrian Dieleman, Hosts and Guests _____________________________________________ Responding with Humor By the way, don't you think Luke also included this incident in his gospel account because he found it irresistible, or perhaps more accurately, because he found a touch of humor in it? There is humor here, isn't there? We smile at the story because we see ourselves in it, or we detect someone we know who is similar to Martha. Sometimes our priorities, or frustrations, are so far off the beam that they are laughable. And along with this was Martha's own lack of humor, which might have finally saved her. "The Lord's coming to my house? You mean he did accept my reckless invitation?" Martha might have asked. "Well, then, he's going to have to settle for potluck!" Such an attitude could have made Martha a relaxed, delightful hostess. A friend of mine likes to tell stories about how his teenage children would call him at home on the telephone on Friday nights after the high school basketball games. It was usually about 10 o'clock and they wanted to know whether they could bring a few friends over for a little get together. When the parents asked how many friends were coming, they were usually told, "Oh, about seventeen." Instead of slamming down the phone, the guy said he always smiled at his wife, and the two of them hightailed it over to the supermarket to get enough supplies to feed and water down the two dozen teenagers who showed up. The slight ridiculousness of the situation and the parents' humorous response to it preserved a loving relationship between them and their children. Richard W. Patt, All Stirred Up, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. The Highest Priority Have you ever been in a hurry and buttoned up a long overcoat with lots of buttons and when you were done, found out that the coat was uneven? What went wrong? I'll tell you what went wrong. When you don't get the first button in the right hole, all the rest are out of sequence too, right?! That's a parable about life. Jesus said it this way in the Sermon on the Mount: "Seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well." (Matthew 6:33) If the Lord is not the high priority in your life, then, like the overcoat, so many other things in life will be out of whack as well. Arthur E. Dean Windhorn Tell Me About The Spitfires! During World War II the Royal Air Force flew Danny's favorite plane of all time: the Spitfire. Watching those things fly all over the RKO newsreels the young boy came to believe they were dauntless. If a pilot flew a Spitfire, Danny thought, he would always hit his target, and he would always return home. One day the British Consul from Minneapolis came to Danny's town to visit. Danny's dad was chairman of the County War Bond drive so that gave him the honor of entertaining the British Consul in his home. His mother, Suzanne, went crazy with preparations. She brought in all her friends; she hired a German woman to clean the house; she went downtown to buy a new dress. The day the Consul arrived 40 people crammed into three rooms to welcome this man. Each one of those people couldn't wait to tell this tall, thin diplomat from England about the town, about how patriotic it was, about how he or she had a great-aunt in London, about how well the war was going. They all had plenty to say. Suzanne was running around fractiously trying to serve everybody and greet everybody, and make sure everybody had a place to sit, and did they want more of this -- in general, were they having a good time. Finally the British Consul sat down. For a split second he was actually by himself. The hostess had left to get him a drink; all the other guests momentarily turned away. Danny saw his chance. He ran to him. Even though the Consul was sitting, the boy still had to stand to whisper into his ear: "Tell me about Spitfires!" The tall man looked at the eight-year-old. He smiled, he relaxed, and he said, "Spitfires? I'll tell you a story about Spitfires. I flew one early in the war. It was splendid. I shot down a Messerschmidt and I came home alive. The next time I wasn't so lucky. That's why I'm not flying anymore. What is your name? I'll send you some pictures of Spitfires." About a month later a letter came from Minneapolis. Inside was a folder about Spitfires and a note from the Consul: "Dear Danny. I enjoyed talking with you. Good luck." He signed his name. Danny was the only person who didn't barrage the Consul's ears with information about the town and American patriotism. This small boy was the only one who said, "Tell me about Spitfires." He was the only one who actually listened to him -- even if it was just for a few minutes! In today's gospel lesson Jesus needs somebody to listen. He has just begun his journey to Jerusalem where he knows he will travel the bitter road of the cross and he will experience the loneliness of being denied, abandoned, and betrayed by his disciples. Martha may think her tasks have a high level of importance and at another time she would be right but not now. Now, it is time to sit and listen. John G. Lynch, Troubled Journey, The Better Part, CSS Publishing Company. _________________________________________ Sermon Opener – Mary, Martha, and the Martha Stewart Church – Luke 10:38-42 In today’s gospel text Martha, the mistress of the house, rushes around trying to make sure everything is perfect. Martha is like some first century Martha Stewart. She is focused on the food, the house, the drink. Martha seems to be doing for others. At first reading Martha is just being a conscientious hostess. But a deeper reading of the story reveals Martha is really only concerned with herself. How does HER house look? How does HER food taste? How are HER wines being served? Martha is so busy “serving” she completely forgets whom she truly serves… ___________________ Humor: When to Worry Now, I'm your pastor and I am going to give you permission to worry. But, you can only worry if one of these 7 things happens to you: Your birthday cake collapses from the weight of the candles. You turn on the news and they're showing emergency routes out of the city. Your twin sister forgot your birthday. Your car horn goes off accidentally and remains stuck as you follow a group of Hell's Angels on the freeway. The bird singing outside your window is a buzzard. Your income tax check bounces. Your wife says, "Good morning, Bill", and your name is George. Other than that you don't have anything to worry about. Unknown Lord of All Pots and Pans I have only the initials (M.K.H., quoted in the Salvation Army magazine) of the person who wrote this verse, but I suspect that a lot of other initials could be added to it in spirit: Lord of all pots and pans, since I’ve no time to be A saint by doing lovely things, or watching late with Thee Or dreaming in dawnlight, or storming heaven's gates Make me a saint by getting meals and washing up the plates. Carveth Mitchell, The Sign in the Subway, CSS Publishing Company. My Back Yard True happiness is not achieved it is received as in the case of two brothers Rich and Mike, who are complete opposites. Mike is a successful businessman. Rich, on the other hand, takes seasonal jobs at dude ranches, parks and resorts. Mike is always concerned for Rich’s welfare and tries to entice him with the "good life." He sends Rich photos labeled with messages like "My new sound system" or "My new car." But one day the campaign ended when Mike received a poster from his brother showing a breathtaking view of Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. On the back was a message from Rich: "My back yard." Unknown The Dangerous Attitude of Narrowness Some years ago in another church a party was given to recognize a married couple for their outstanding work in the church’s youth program. Let me tell you about this couple. I will call them Betty and Bill. They had very different personalities. Betty was vivacious, out-going, gregarious, affectionate... a hugger. If you gave her a “bow ribbon,” she would jump up and down and squeal with delight and then run around and hug and kiss everybody in the room. Bill, on the other hand, was the opposite. He was quiet, reserved, shy, stable, balanced. If you gave him a Mercedes and a trip to Hawaii, all he could do is say a quiet and sincere “Thank you.” Now, on this particular night Betty and Bill were given a surprise party. The young people jumped out from their hiding places, shouted “Surprise!” and then gave Betty and Bill a present. It was a beautiful plaque. Do you know what Betty did? She read the plaque out loud. She squealed with delight. She cried. She jumped up and down and then ran around the room hugging and kissing everybody in sight. Meanwhile, Bill waited… and when she was through he said quietly: “I want to thank you also!” But that is not the end of the story. Betty turned on Bill. She got mad at him… and she made a scene: “Look at you Bill. You don’t appreciate anything. If you did, you would act like it. You would do like I do!” But, you see Bill can’t act that way. He just isn’t made that way. He is not wired up like Betty is. He can’t act like her, can’t respond that way. If he did, it would be fake, artificial, embarrassing. You want to say: “Betty, Betty, leave him alone. Don’t force your way on him. Let him do it his way. Let him be Bill!” Now, I have to tell you hugs and kisses are great, but I also know that Bill’s quiet “thank you” is just as real, just as genuine, just as valid. In this episode with Mary and Martha, Jesus is saying, beware of the dangerous attitude of narrowness. It can devastate your soul. James W. Moore, Encounters with Christ

Finding the Good in "Bad Luck"

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

Life is Full of Choices

November 8, 2020 Joshua 24:1-3,14-25 23rd Sunday After Pentecost Year B Life is Full of Choices Opening Song Welcome Opening Prayer Contemporary Gathering Words (Matthew 25) (Each line could be read by a different voice.) It is time to wake up, for God is about to surprise us. It is time to prepare, for God's love is about to change the world. It is time to get ready, for God needs us to proclaim the good news. It is time to start planning, for God's invitation will fill our church. It is time to worship, for God is here now! Stewardship Moment Offertory Lord, as you have so abundantly blessed each of us, let us return a portion of these gifts in gratitude for all you have given to us. Let us receive our morning offering. Prayer of Dedication Lord, we return a portion of all the gifts you have given to us in remembrance and in gratitude for these blessings. Use these gifts to support ministries of healing and hope, for we ask this in Jesus’ name. AMEN. Scripture Joshua 24:1-3 Common English Bible What God has done 24 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders of Israel, its leaders, judges, and officers. They presented themselves before God. 2 Then Joshua said to the entire people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates. They served other gods. Among them was Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. 3 I took Abraham your ancestor from the other side of the Euphrates. I led him around through the whole land of Canaan. I added to his descendants and gave him Isaac. What God has done 24 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders of Israel, its leaders, judges, and officers. They presented themselves before God. 2 Then Joshua said to the entire people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates. They served other gods. Among them was Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. 3 I took Abraham your ancestor from the other side of the Euphrates. I led him around through the whole land of Canaan. I added to his descendants and gave him Isaac. 4 To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Mount Seir to Esau to take over. But Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. 5 Then I sent Moses and Aaron. I plagued Egypt with what I did to them. After that I brought you out. 6 I brought your ancestors out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. The Egyptians chased your ancestors with chariots and horses to the Reed Sea.[a] 7 Then they cried for help to the LORD. So he set darkness between you and the Egyptians. He brought the sea down on them, and it covered them. With your own eyes you saw what I did to the Egyptians. You lived in the desert for a long time. 8 “Then I brought you into the land of the Amorites who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They attacked you, but I gave them into your power, and you took over their land. I wiped them out before you. 9 Then Moab’s King Balak, Zippor’s son, set out to attack Israel. He summoned Balaam, Beor’s son, to curse you. 10 But I wasn’t willing to listen to Balaam, so he actually blessed you. I rescued you from his power. 11 Then you crossed over the Jordan. You came to Jericho, and the citizens of Jericho attacked you. They were Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites. But I gave them into your power. 12 I sent the hornet[b] before you. It drove them out before you and did the same to the two kings of the Amorites. It wasn’t your sword or bow that did this. 13 I gave you land on which you hadn’t toiled and cities that you hadn’t built. You settled in them and are enjoying produce from vineyards and olive groves that you didn’t plant. Challenge to be faithful 14 “So now, revere the LORD. Serve him honestly and faithfully. Put aside the gods that your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt and serve the LORD. 15 But if it seems wrong in your opinion to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Choose the gods whom your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But my family and I will serve the LORD.” 16 Then the people answered, “God forbid that we ever leave the LORD to serve other gods! 17 The LORD is our God. He is the one who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. He has done these mighty signs in our sight. He has protected us the whole way we’ve gone and in all the nations through which we’ve passed. 18 The LORD has driven out all the nations before us, including the Amorites who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God.” 19 Then Joshua said to the people, “You can’t serve the LORD, because he is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He won’t forgive your rebellion and your sins. 20 If you leave the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn around and do you harm and finish you off, in spite of having done you good in the past.” 21 Then the people said to Joshua, “No! The LORD is the one we will serve.” 22 So Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD.” They said, “We are witnesses!” 23 “So now put aside the foreign gods that are among you. Focus your hearts on the LORD, the God of Israel.” 24 The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God and will obey him.” Joshua makes a covenant 25 On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people and established just rule for them at Shechem. Sermon I don’t think it is just me, I think it has been a crazy out of control week for most of us. This is the first time ever that there has been a whole week of 70 degree weather in November – to distract us from staying inside all day. And now that we are starting to gather indoors more – the cases of COVID are skyrocketing. Many of my colleagues have been talking about just tearing up their sermons for the week and dealing with the divisiveness in our country in the midst of an election. No matter who would have won, there would have been deep feelings on either side. Many decided to talk about the results of the presidential election. Lucky for me, I don’t put my sermon on paper until Saturday night. But also my message has not changed because of the events of the day. My message is still to love Jesus, serve Jesus, keep the faith in all circumstances. A little boy asked his busy mother to help him find something to do. So the mother found a large map of the United States on a page in a magazine. With a pair of scissors, she cut up the map into small pieces like a puzzle. Then she gave the pieces and some tape to her son and challenged him to put it together. The youngster returned in almost no time with the map together. Mother was amazed and said, "Son, how did you get that entire map of the United States together so fast?" The youngster said, "It was easy. On the back of the map was a picture of a family. So I turned it over and started to work. Once I got the family put together, the country turned out just right." Faith, service, trust brings us together. As long as we all follow Jesus, he keeps us united in spite of who we are and where we stand. The whole point of Christian community is to learn to keep the faith with people that you disagree with and whom you may not even like, but you know God loves. Our scripture for today comes from the book of Joshua. Now you may not realize that Jesus is the latin version of the name Joshua – meaning God saves. Now when Joshua in our story, came from Egypt in the great exodus – his name was Hoshea. Even as a young man, Moses noticed something special in him – a certain kind of holiness. A devotion to God. So when Moses took him in as his confidante and body guard, he changed his name to Joshua. The adult Sunday school is having a 4 week class on Joshua by the way if you want to know more. I love the challenge of Joshua 24 – choose who you are going to serve. I have a sign in my house that says – As for me and my house I choose to serve the Lord. Before learning the story of Joshua now, I always pictured this scene at Shecem where Joshua gathers the people, happening while Joshua was a young strong soldier, challenging the community to serve God. And as head of a household telling people that he had made that choice for his family. When actually, this story happens after Moses death. Joshua has been leading for 28 years, and now he is an older man. As a matter of fact, this is two years before Joshua dies at 110. By this time there was a generation gap between him and the majority of the families he was leading. Back in his day, it was assumed that you were faithful and that you loved God. Your family had no choice but to go to the tabernacle. In the wilderness of course you were faithful to God – you had no choice. But this generation was settled, they did not have to rely on God for survival, and there were other tribes that they could relate to. With this new life came choices – choices of what to do with you time and even of what to believe. It is sort of like in modern times, when young families can decide between church, sleeping in, or sports. True story – Chris, a young lady was in the confirmation class. In order to be confirmed they all needed to meet with the church elders. Chris did not show up for that meeting because she had a soccer game at the same time. Everyone else attended. When it was time for them to have class, everyone but Chris showed up. Her family had planned a trip for that Sunday, and they would not reschedule. When it came time for her to be confirmed, the elders chose not to allow her. They said that given the choices that she was making with her time, that perhaps she was not ready to become a member of the church. Being long time members of the church, of course the family was furious that this decision had been made. Life is full of choices, sometimes the choices that we make are not so much about right and wrong, good and bad. Sometimes both choices are good. But many times one of those choices doesn’t involve God. Joshua was giving the message that we should chose God in all that we do, But he also warned not to choose God lightly. God takes our choice very serious. Every choice that we make has consequences, every choice that we make has responsibilities, every choice that we make involves change. As I said, as a young man, Moses saw that Joshua was a man of faith. When Joshua became a soldier, and worked with Moses – He had to take a personal vow to be a servant of God. That personal vow made all of the difference in the world. Now as he is trying to get the community to be united under God – he realizes that the community has to take that same vow to put God before the world. In the midst of all of the choices that they had to live, He wants them to choose God. Interestingly, this is the first time that the people have been given a choice to serve. In all of the Hebrew Bible stories, It is God who makes the choice, and the people who follow along. That is not a real personal choice. I taught confirmation class for many years. And I always stressed to parents that I was trying to get the child to make a choice for themselves. When my son went through confirmation, I told him that it was his decision to make, as long as he made the right choice. In which case we would have to resort to other measures. He chose to be confirmed, so all is well that ends well. But of course as an adult, he does not attend church on a regular basis. Joshua wants to make sure that the people stay faithful long after he is gone. Joshua’s challenge was not a beginning, it was an end. He knew he couldn’t lead them much longer. There was not an obvious leader to pass the mantle on to . He was not giving direction on what the future holds for them. He didn’t give them any answers about what comes next. All he did was to challenge them to choose whom they were going to serve in the midst of the uncertaintly. A lot of times, when we are uncertain about the present, we look into the future, and we don’t see God anywhere. We start to panick and think that God has abandoned us. Have you ever noticed that in those times, the only way that you can regocnize God’s presence is to look back at the past, and see that God was there all of the time. Some years ago, I heard the poignant story of a woman struggling to reestablish a relationship with her father.2 "When I was a child," she recalled, "my dad and I were as close as we could be. And the times I knew it best would be at those family reunions, when after the big meal, they'd move all the furniture, crank up the stereo, and start playing polka records -- one after another. Eventually, someone would put on the 'Beer Barrel Polka.' It was our special song. And my father would come over with outstretched hand and say, 'Come on, girl, let's roll them blues away!' And we'd dance -- my father and I -- we'd dance. "As a teenager, however, I started to despise the silliness of those family get-togethers. I remember one occasion in particular when, for reasons known only to adolescents, I sat moping on the sofa in one of those don't-associate-with-anybody moods. As the 'Beer Barrel Polka' began to play, my father came over with outstretched hand. But I glared at him with icy indifference. 'Just leave me alone,' I muttered under my breath. Startled, he turned, and never invaded my privacy again. He danced with my mother, he danced with my sisters, but not with me. "I'd come home from a date, and he'd be waiting for me in the old chair -- his bathrobe loosely tied at the waist, an opened book in his lap, half asleep. 'What are you doing up?' I'd say. 'Why don't you just go to bed?' He'd look at me with sad, pleading eyes and whisper, 'I was just waiting for you, that's all. I was just waiting for you.' "I was glad to leave that house when I finally graduated high school. My father and I had a distant, formal relationship, but not much more. Eventually, though, I began to miss what we had once enjoyed -- only I wasn't quite sure how to bridge the gap. Until one day, when I happened to be home for a family reunion, somebody put on the 'Beer Barrel Polka.' As my father walked across the room, I went up to him with outstretched hand and said, 'Daddy, I believe this is our dance.' He looked at me and smiled, 'I've been waiting for you. I've been waiting for you.' " "As for me and my household," Joshua proclaims, "we will serve the Lord." Are there any other takers? The choice is ours. The time is now. And all of heaven waits .... Some people say that all of us give attention to at least four basic relationships throughout our lives: our relationship with God, our relationship with ourselves, our relationship with others, and our relationship with what’s around us, or in other words, our relationship with things. Each of these relationships takes some of our time and demands a certain portion of our energies. Figuring out which relationship matters most can be tricky. Of course, in those 4 relationships, there are 4 types of choices to make. Joshua’s message to us in the modern area, facing an uncertain future, is that when we choose God first – everything else falls into place. I tell that story to let you know that there will be times when we will Forget, Neglect and Turn Away. But hear the Good News. God will not forsake us or leave us. Hear the Good News, God will continue to call us and remind us of God's promises. Hear the Good News God will continue to offer forgiveness and a way home; if we will turn to God and Remember, Remind and Recommit. CSS Publishing Company, Inc., From the Pulpit, by Billy D. Strayhorn Let us pray……. Prayer Knowing we won’t know and sitting in the not knowing are not the same. We are in this together, for the short term and the long haul. We see each other, and we know that the only path to wholeness is through the rough terrain of truth-telling and repair work that will be required no matter the outcome of this election. We will feed each other and care for one another, meeting despair with tender compassion and anxiety with deep peace. We will reach for the visions and dreamcasts of our ancestors and conspire for a kind of peace and liberation that will set us loose in ways our opponents can’t even imagine. Breathe now, so you are restored for the resistance. Breathe deep, so you are grounded in love. Take courage, and remember, you are not alone. Rev. Shawna Bowman Lord’s Prayer Song for Reflection The Battle Hymn of the Republic Announcements Benediction Community Time Benediction Closing Prayer/Sending Forth Hold back and wonder what might have been; choose God and rejoice in the many ways you will see God’s love in the world. It’s all about choices — which will you choose? This answer can make all the difference in your life. Go in peace! AMEN. Children’s Sermon Additional Illustrations An old Reader's Digest story told of a man who flew his own plane but got tired of the long auto trip from the airport to his country place which was situated on a lovely lake. So he equipped his plane with pontoons so he could land right in front of his cottage. However, on his first trip up to the country with his newly-equipped plane, he headed for a landing at the airport just as he always had done in the past. Old habits are hard to break. But just as he was going in for the landing it dawned on his wife what was happening and she hollered, "What do you think you're doing? You can't land this thing on the runway. You don't have any wheels, you've got pontoons on it!" Fortunately, her warning shout was in time and he pulled up from his landing pattern, swung the airplane around, and headed the plane for a landing on the lake. After the plane landed safely on the lake he heaved a really big sigh of relief, turned to his wife and said, "That's about the stupidest thing I've ever done!" And then he opened the door, stepped out and fell directly into the lake." I tell that story to let you know that there will be times when we will Forget, Neglect and Turn Away. But hear the Good News. God will not forsake us or leave us. Hear the Good News, God will continue to call us and remind us of God's promises. Hear the Good News God will continue to offer forgiveness and a way home; if we will turn to God and Remember, Remind and Recommit. CSS Publishing Company, Inc., From the Pulpit, by Billy D. Strayhorn Another issue just as important as the generation gap has to be brought up before we dive into the story told in Joshua 24. The issue in mind has to do with the relationships we nurture across the years. Our nation will stand strong or feebly fall on the foundation of its homes. If moral and spiritual decay continue to nibble away at the fiber of American family life, then the downfall of this country is approaching rapidly. But if you and I, as Believers, will set an example by constantly working to create strong Christian homes for our families, there may be hope for the future. How true that is! The strength of our nation depends on the strength of our families. Let us be challenged today to work hard to make our houses into homes,... where positive Christian values are transmitted from one generation to the next;... where friends are welcomed and children are more valuable than furniture;... where undesirable pressures are kept out, and where Jesus Christ is kept centralThat's how you make a house a home! C.S.S. Publishing Company, HOME IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD, by R. E. Lybrand