The Endurance of the Spirit

May 3, 2026 Fifth Sunday of Easter Acts 7:55-60 The Endurance of the Spirit Year A Prelude Greeting Call to Worship (in response to Psalm 31) One: In challenging times, we turn to God, our rock and our refuge. Many: Our lives are in God’s hands – the One who will still our fears. One: We can trust God who blew Spirit into each of us, and guides us to full life. Many: May God’s face shine on us and on all who worship the Lord. One: The Lord provides redemption for each and for all. Many: Thanks be to God, who shows steadfast love to all creation! All: Today we praise God and take courage as we wait for the Lord. (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Opening Prayer Abundant and Generous God, we’ve come to honor you in this hour, grateful for the gifts you pour out on us day by day. Accept our praise. Fill us with your Spirit so we might act in love toward those who stand in need all around us. Renew in each of us the recognition of Jesus as “the way, the truth, and the life.” Turn our hearts to scripture to inspire us, even as we grow into salvation, encouraging us to taste and see that the Lord is good. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Song A Sermon for all Ages The Apostles Creed – Ecumenical Version. UMH882 Prayer for illumination Your Word, O God, is a source of refuge and guidance. Lead us, and inspire our hearts and souls as we engage holy Scripture with our minds and spirits. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Jimmy Hoke) Scripture Acts 7:555-60 Sermon The Endurance of the Spirit The theme for our lesson today is rocks. We can find rocks everywhere. Rocks can be very useful, they absorb water, they can keep weeds from growing. Rocks can also do some damage, if they hit your windshield while driving, or someone throws it at your window. In our scripture for today – Steven, a prophet is killed by people throwing rocks at him. This story is important because Steven is the first Christian martyr. A martyr is someone killed for practicing their faith.. martyrs are our example of how to keep the faith in difficult situations. Remember the book of Acts is all about how the goodness of Christ spread throughout the world the work of the Holy Spirit. In this case, the hs uses death to encourage the disciples to move further out into the world. After Easter, they were couped up in one room. Eventually it became safe to meet in people’s houses. The houses got so crowded that they had to move to public spaces. And even that got crowded. Every time they met, they had a meal. People were coming for the free meal. It got too overwhelming for the apostles to do everything. To cook, serve, cleanup and also prepare a worship service. So they had the first church council meeting ever in order to get more help. 7 men were appointed to be helpers. IT was their job to prepare and serve the meal, while the apostles worked on worship. Steven was one of those 7 men. He became a deacon – literally a server. The word deacon is just a fancy word for helper. So that is how we got our offices of the church – apostle, elder, deacon. Today every denomination uses these words, but they give them different definitions. A deacon is usually a lay person who has been given a responsibility to forward the mission. The story does say that hands were laid on steven, so he may have been ordained. In church we all have a part to pay – whether it is cooking, mowing the grass, visiting, giving, or singing int eh choir, or sitting in the pew. The helpers are the most important part of the church. As I said, steven had hands layed on him – he also felt called to preach. His first sermon was a little long – that is why we don’t read all of chapter 7 today. He was honest with the people – telling him they were not living up to his faith. They were so insulted that they stoned him to death. As he was being killed – he prays for the crowd and forgives them. Just before he dies, he looks up and sees a dove, and he knows the holy spirit is with him. If you ever see a picture of a man crying and looking up at a dove – that is Steven. Also in that moment he says that he sees Jesus standing at the right of God in heaven. Most people see Jesus sitting. Steven’s unique vision of Jesus is our inspiration to not be afraid to stand up for our faith. They don’t stone people anymore. So we don’t have to be afraid to help out. We can live as Christians, to help those in need, to serve the church, to look for the dove in our lives. We don’t have to be afraid to respresent Christ, even if it means giving a tough sermon to someone. Willie James Jennings, Acts: “The church was born in the tight space between faith and fear and forever lives in that space. Only the Holy Spirit keeps that space from collapsing in on us.” Do we feel that tension? Do we fear only the loss of institutional power, or do we fear something more existential, more rooted in God’s justice and shalom? If our only fear is to keep the budgets filled and doors open, then perhaps our fear is misplaced, and we are no longer “The Church,” but a club grasping for relevance in a world that no longer needs us. The holy spirit is still working today. The disciples left Jerusalem and went throughout Europe, the word crossed the ocean and came to America and spread like wildfire – even here to Wilmington. The spirit is leading us to keep spreading the word whereever we go. Evangelism, stewardship, worship and music, aiding society, youth work - these are your ministries, ministries which laypeople can do well. If you accept those ministries, then the same thing that happened to Stephen will likely happen to you. I don't mean you'll be stoned to death - few Christians make such a sacrifice today. I mean what happened to Stephen before his death. Remember? Acts says, "And Stephen (became) full of grace and power (and) did great wonders and signs among the people." So enthused did he become by practicing his faith, he couldn't resist gathering people to preach to them. In doing this he discovered the secret to a vital faith - acting in the name of Christ will lead to a fervent love of Christ. My friends, I give you the same commission Peter gave Stephen. Accept the ministry God offers you. Accept it for the faith-lift it will give you. Accept it for what you can give him, his church, his world. CSS Publishing, Lima, Ohio, Prayer of the Day Our Way: you call us to celebrate your peace in a world which worships war; to celebrate your freedom in the face of oppression; to celebrate the seed of faith planted in the doubts of our hearts. Our Life: you would have us celebrate the safe ground of hope emerging from the flood of our tears; celebrate those who love us in the midst of hurt and hatred; celebrate our salvation as we struggle with sin. Our Truth: you teach us to celebrate our new life in the gift of the Risen Lord; to celebrate the grace of your heart which melts our fears; to celebrate that all our moments are cradled in your hands. Our Way, our Truth, our Life, we lift our prayers to you as we pray, saying… (Lectionary Liturgies, Thom Shuman) Lord’s Prayer A Moment for Stewardship As the sun’s presence lengthens in the northern hemisphere, trees burst into full green and flowers blossom in field and forest, we recognize the blessing of these days. Many feel the bubbling up of joy in response to Jesus’ resurrection. Many know the gifts of light, laughter, and love which confirm our growing into abundant LIFE. And we’re eager to taste and see the Lord is good! Sometimes that happens as the foundation of relationships grows more real in our congregation. Sometimes it happens as serendipity when we welcome strangers and find they become dear friends. Sometimes it happens as one gift inspiring another and soon the box is overflowing with what is offered. Today, you’re invited to share what you have already received: your time, your talent, your treasure (including moments of your life translated into the money). Let’s use this opportunity as one way to celebrate the One who calls us into marvelous light! Prayer of Thanksgiving Provider God, Thank you for offering your Realm to us here and now! In the resurrected Jesus, you show us the way, the truth, and the life. With these gifts, we cast our vote for that life: days of generosity instead of fear, hours of hope instead of daily despair. So help us use these offerings, trusting you to show your Way through our congregation, our community and throughout your cosmos. AMEN. (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Invitation to Communion You shape a safe place for us, Imaginative God, as you sent your Child, Jesus, to show us the Way. Born a tiny baby as we are, he showed us how to grow into your people. The cornerstone of your Realm, Jesus uses us to build a spiritual home for all. Committing his spirit to you, he entered the emptiness of death, so we might stand on the solid ground of the resurrected life. Once, we were nobodies, alone and hopeless, but by your mercy, we are now living your Truth, gathered in your love around this Table, where your Spirit shows us the Life of his bread and cup. You lean over to serve us the bread, enveloping us in your grace so we might be filled and sent to be your people. You offer us the cup of hope, which can heal our troubled hearts and strengthen us to serve your world. And when the Way leads us home to you, when your Life gathers us around the Table which is prepared by your Truth, we will sing glad songs of praise to you forever. So we come, eager to share this feast and live fully in you! (Lectionary Liturgies, thom Shuman) Communion Announcements Closing Prayer for YouTube Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in the power of God in you and through you. Do the work of loving God, neighbor, and self. Do the work of holding the complexity of life in tension with compassion and care. Do the work of believing a future with hope is possible. Do the work of nurturing that hope into a vision and vision into reality. Do the work of glorifying God by following the way of Christ and praying with our lives. Do the works. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction May God bless you as you leave this place to follow the Way, to seek after the Truth, and to rejoice in the Life of the Triune God who draws us together and sends us out to be agents of Resurrection life in a hurting world. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, October 2025. Indeed, all our lives we admire people who appear to be strong. At nine that may be the tough little kid who challenges his classmates on the playground. At 17 it could be the guy who has a hot car and breaks all the girls' hearts. At 25 it might be the aggressive young executive already climbing her way up the corporate ladder. But at some point, earlier or later, hopefully we begin to see an inner strength, and appreciate its superiority. Might, the promised gift of the Spirit, is that inner strength and the courage to act upon our convictions. Jews who believed in Jesus as the Messiah still comprised the earliest Christian community as Luke describes it in Acts. But among them were Greek-speaking Jews, and there were complaints that their needs were being neglected. So the disciples chose seven from that group to serve as their designated assistants. One of those seven was a man named Stephen. All we know of Stephen is Luke's description that he was a man "full of grace and power" and that he did "great wonders and signs among the people." And we know the incident that leads up to today's lesson: how the Jews challenged his preaching, had him arrested and placed before the council where he preached passionately and eloquently. They only became more deeply enraged, and dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death. According at least to Luke's account, this then was the first Christian martyr. What had Stephen expected? The seven had been chosen to assist in the distribution of food to the widows. They were to wait on tables in order to free the apostles to devote themselves to prayer and to serving the word. To this end they received the laying on of hands from the twelve. Stephen's gifts were broader than that. So he preached. And his preaching was powerful enough not only to encourage believers but to threaten enemies. Had Stephen heard how Jesus had reassured his disciples the night before his own death? "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me...Peace I leave with you...not as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." Such invisible realities are expressed in more startling language in ancient times and by primitive peoples. A story in the Baltimore Sun about such a primitive tribe deep in the Lacondon Forest on the border of Mexico and Guatemala quoted one of the elders regarding such a truth. The old man observed that long ago his people had behaved properly in the homes of the gods. He told how everyone said -- and knew it was true -- that a person who would desecrate the homes of the gods by breaking a stone would die. "But now," the old man lamented, "our young people break the stones and shout, 'It is not true! See! I break the stones in the house of the gods and I do not die.' But they do not see that every time they break a stone, they die!" We die too each time we deny our Lord, whether we realize it or not. In so many familiar places, in routine situations, with people we know well, we have an opportunity to give witness to the love of God. Or, we deny, betray, make excuses, fail; then our faith is shaken and we die inside. None of us is fully, consistently faithful. So constantly we seek forgiveness, recon There is an old story about a rabbi who, while in Persia, found a great ruby. This was not just any ruby. It was a ruby that belonged in the emperor’s crown. An official crier was sent out who went about the capital with this message: “Whoever returns the emperor’s jewel within thirty days will be rewarded.” But then he added an ominous warning: “If it be found on him after thirty days his head will be cut off.” On the thirty-first day--a day after the deadline--the rabbi brought the ruby to the palace. The emperor asked, “Did you not hear the proclamation that the ruby must be returned within thirty days or the possessor of it will be beheaded?” The humble rabbi responded, “Yes, your majesty, I did on the first day.” The emperor asked, “Then why did you not return the ruby until now, the thirty-first day?” The rabbi responded, “I did not return it within the thirty days so that you could not say I returned it because I feared you. I returned it because I believe in God.” The emperor was impressed by the rabbi’s witness to his faith and he exclaimed, “Blessed be the God of these Jews.” (1) Clyde Reed, in his book, Celebrate the Temporary, writes, “One of the most common obstacles to celebrating life fully is our avoidance of pain. We dread pain . . . We would do anything to escape pain. Our culture reinforces our avoidance of pain by assuring us we can live a painless life. Advertisements constantly encourage us to believe that life can be pain free. But to live without pain is a myth . . . This is an unmistakable, clear, unalterable fact. Many of us do not realize that pain and joy run together. When we cut ourselves off from pain, we have unwittingly cut ourselves off from joy as well.” t is interesting that a few years ago manufacturers were able to produce iodine that did not sting. They thought this was the most wonderful product that could possibly be offered on the market--antiseptic iodine that had no sting. They began imagining the millions that their innovation would bring them. Unfortunately stingless iodine bombed in the marketplace no matter how effective it was as an antiseptic. Many people seemed to feel that without the sting the iodine must not be working. They refused to buy it. The company had to add an ingredient to their iodine to put the sting back in so that people would have confidence in their product. An old Scottish story tells of a man who feared he was on his death bed. He sent for an acquaintance with whom he had had a bitter quarrel and asked that they put away their feelings of enmity. The acquaintance agreed and started to leave the room. The old man rose up on his elbow and spoke one final word, “But remember, if I get well our old quarrel still stands.” We can understand his attitude. The need for revenge is a powerful emotion. However, compare his attitude with a woman in Florida who was raped, shot in the head, brutally mutilated and left to die. Astoundingly, she survived the ordeal--though she was left permanently blind. In a television interview the host of the show was reflecting on the bitterness she must feel because of the many scars she had from this experience that she would have to deal with the rest of her life. Her astonishing reply was something to this effect: “Oh, no! That man took one night of my life, I refuse to give him one additional second!” (3) Most of us are not as wise as that woman. She realized that forgiveness is more beneficial to the person who offers it than the person who receives it. Bitterness and resentment eat at the soul. Forgiveness is healing and a key to lasting joy. It is very difficult for us to identify with Jesus praying on the cross in behalf of those who had magine the scene. So rapidly had the church in Jerusalem been growing the Christians had long since moved out of the small homes in which they had met each night for dinner. Now they meet in a social hall which strives to be a family-style restaurant, but is degenerating into a soup kitchen. Scurrying about are the waiters - Philip and Matthew, Bartholomew and Nathan and most of the other disciples, juggling stacks of dishes in their fishermen's hands and undoubtedly dropping many of them. In the center stands maitre d' Peter, so busy telling stories about Jesus that he never sees the line of people standing at the door waiting to be seated. In the corner is James, shuffling from one foot to the other. Peter may be the center of attention, but James is the proprietor of the place. As Jesus' brother he's been appointed Bishop of Jerusalem. But he knows no more than the rest how to run a restaurant. Finally comes the explosion. "My widowed mother didn't get dinner!" explains someone in Greek. "We're not charging enough to make ends meet!" says another. "The food's burnt," comes another Greek voice. Leave it to the sophisticates who speak Greek to complain. "Enough!" says Peter, throwing up his hands. "Find someone else to do the cooking and serving. That's not the job of disciples." Then comes the watershed event. Stephen and six other levelheaded laypeople are quickly elected to run the meals. They roll up their sleeves, grab some aprons, and jump in, never realizing they have become the world's first church council. A while ago I attended a three-day seminar at a nearby seminary. While there I stayed with a friend of a friend, a young man my age named Bob. Bob is in his first year of preparing for ordination. For eight years he was a high school history teacher and had established a reputation for brilliance - he could motivate the most intransigent and expand the horizons of the slowest. Bob was also a dedicated Christian layman; he taught Sunday school, served on council, and was adored by all. Therein lay the problem. People could not resist the temptation of telling Bob, "Any young man, as dedicated to the church as you, should be a pastor." Finally he couldn't resist the pressure, and entered the seminary. He's not wildly enthused about his preparation for ordination, but he'll make a good pastor. The tragedy is, he was a great teacher. Peter did not ask for the appointment of Stephen and the others to do things the disciples simply did not have time for - unimportant things not worthy of disciples. Peter wanted them to perform functions which the disciples could not do well. They had bungled the administration of the church's welfare system; they didn't know how to feed the hundreds of people who came for dinner each night. So they turned to a group of people who could offer a ministry better than the disciples - laypeople. Things haven't changed greatly in 2000 years. There still are many ministries for laypeople to perform; many of them still can be done well only by laypeople. Consider some of the ministries laypeople can do better than pastors. The value of the laity's personal speaking of faith was recognized in the book The Total Image: Selling Jesus In The Modern Age. Author Virginia Owens writes, "It really is a very simple and obvious proposition I make: A person, whether human or divine, cannot be known - as a person rather than an image - except by immediate presence. If we want to project an image, either of Christians or the church, we can do that by means of television, magazines, books, billboards, movies, bumper stickers, buttons, records, and posters. If we want people to know Christ, we must be there face-to-face, bearing Christ within us." Our lesson from Acts says Christians were multiplying daily. There were not enough disciples to lead many people to Christ so quickly. Only laypeople could have done it. Stewardship is another ministry depending almost entirely on laypeople. A sanctuary for worship, books for Sunday school, professional musicians, newsetters - almost all of the programs of the church are possible only when funds are available. The more you give, the more programs of ministry we can offer. Many people consider the giving of money an embarrassing subject which should not be mentioned from the pulpit. They're often the same tight-fisted people who should be embarrassed by such a discussion. The Bible is very forth-right in its mention of money. It claims we own nothing and hold all we have as a trust from God. The instinct to acquire that makes America tick made the prophets furious. Jesus, whom the Bible records more often talking about money than about prayer, said wealth always is one of two things - dangerous or damnable. To soft-pedal stewardship is to concede the field to mammon. There are no luggage racks on hearses, goes the old adage. You can't take it with you. And why should we want do? After all, we are never more like God than when we give.

Hospitality

4th Sunday After Pentecost Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 Hospitality Year C Opening Song Welcome (Personal note to self – mention communion and financial report) Call to Worship L: Praise be to God who has freed us from oppression! P: Praise be to God who has healed our wounded souls! L: Let our hearts rejoice at God’s redeeming love. P: Let our voices raise in songs of thanksgiving for all that God is doing for us. L: Come, let us worship the Lord with our whole hearts! P: May our praise and voices resound with joy! AMEN. (Nancy Townley for United Methodist Ministry Matters) Opening Prayer: Gracious God, mend our brokenness and our sadness. Give us spirits of joy and enthusiasm for service to you by serving others. Lift us and place us on your pathways of peace and hope, that with our lives we will witness to your redeeming love. AMEN. (Nancy Townley for United Methodist Ministry Matters) Song – America the Beautiful UMH 696 Passing the Peace of Christ (Luke 10) Jesus sent forth his disciples with a word of peace. We too are bearers of that peace as we greet others in Christ’s name. Please greet your neighbors with the blessing: “The peace of Christ be with you.” (Hans Holznagel – United Methodist Ministry Matters) Scripture Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 Sermon - Hospitality "Under God" and the Pledge of Allegiance The words "under God were taken from Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address, "…that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth…" and were added to the Pledge of Allegiance on June 14, 1954 by a joint resolution of Congress, 243 (Public Law 83-396). (The Pledge was initially adopted by the 79th Congress on December 28, 1945, as Public Law 287.) On June 14, 1954, President Eisenhower signed into law the pledge: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which is stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." President Eisenhower gave his support to the Congressional Act, which added the phrase, "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance, saying: "In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource in peace and war." President Eisenhower then stood on the steps of the Capitol Building and recited the Pledge of Allegiance for the first time with the phrase, "one nation under God." French writer Alexis de Tocqueville, after visiting America in 1831, said, "I sought for the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, and boundless forests--and it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world commerce, her public school system, and in her institutions of higher learning--and it was not there. I looked for it in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution--and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great!" Alexis de Tocqueville - He was a political scientist, historian, and politician, best-known for "Democracy in America," 4 vol. (1835–40), a perceptive analysis of the political and social system of the United States in the early 19th century. Today, we honor America as a great nation, but we also have to acknowledge that America is a divided nation. It seems that daily, there is an issue that comes forth. And there are varying ways of looking at the issue. And there will never be agreement about the right side of the issue will be. And yet the pledge reminds us that we are one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Our unity is in Christ. So, since on July 4th we celebrate our nation, it is good that on July 3rd – we spend time in church being reminded of the source of our strength- to be in mission with Christ. Our scripture for today comes from Luke. In this story – Jesus is on a mission to unite his nation, and to help people realize the love of God. In order to do that, he realizes that he must get to Jerusalem. But he also realizes that he cant do it alone. By this time he has already recruited 12 disciples, but there are so many people who need to hear the good news. This story is only told in Luke – but he also recruits 70 or some say 72 more deacons to do the work that must be done. Jesus does what Moses did centuries before. When Moses realized that he couldn’t do the work of God by himself, God told him to find 70 men and to commission them for service. The number 70 is significant – it represents completeness, it represents all of the nations of the world. But the number is not all that important, what is important is what Jesus wanted these people to do. He wanted them to spread the love of God, bring peace to the community, accept and give hospitality. As love and peace spread, the mission expands. They are sent our 2 by 2. They return to Jesus to tell him that there were some who listened and some who didn’t. But when they gave peace, it truly made a difference to their faith. During this commissioning service – Jesus hits upon one of our major complaints of the church. The harvest is plenty, the laborers are few. Since its beginning, the church has been one generation from disappearing. We are always complaining that there is not enough of us to do the work, but we forget that Jesus says that there are plenty of people out there who want to come to church if they just knew about it and felt welcome. When I hear this story, I wonder – where did Jesus find 70 people. There are only ---- here today – how do we get to 70? Where did Jesus find 70? The first thing that Jesus says during the commissioning service – appeal to God for the resources that you need. Prayer is the first step in the mission. I will start my illustration of this point with a childhood memory of my own. When I got old enough to use the phone and communicate on my own – my mother would always insist that I call or visit my older relatives. Today I cherish those moments with the older generation before they passed away. But at nine years old – keeping in touch with older relatives was just a chore. As a kid Elizabeth was required to visit a great-great aunt who lived nearby, every Sunday evening. The Rennies would take her a plate of cookies or some other treat. In return Auntie would always exclaim, “Oh, aren’t you just an answer to prayer.” My wife says she didn’t feel like an answer to any prayer. She felt like an impatient kid, still sweaty from playing ball in the yard, and wanting to get back to it as soon as possible. But for her shut-in, ninety year old Auntie, Elizabeth was, in all her imperfection, an answer to prayer. “I now know that her prayer was not for cookies. Her prayer was for family, for fellowship, for the touch of love and compassion to come into her life.” All of us in attendance here today are an answer to an ancient prayer. That prayer is two thousand years old. It was a prayer uttered and answered in today’s gospel lesson. In that ancient prayer Jesus prayed that his Father would send him workers to “help bring in the harvest:” The harvest is plentiful, but he laborers are few, therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest (Luke 10:2) The fact that we are all here today is God’s answer to that prayer Jesus prayed. Do you get it? You are an answer to a Jesus prayer. Our presence is an answer to his prayer. Each of us is this generation’s sent “seventy.” Each of us that the Father has “sent” has been given special powers and projects. But our individual gifts are not the answer to prayer. The gift of building or baking, the gift of music or management, the gift of humor or horticulture, those are not answers to prayer. YOU are the answer. Your presence, your response to the call for “laborers” for the harvest, is the answer. All those who “labor” are, with every word and action, announcing that “the kingdom of God has come near.” That is why whether the prayer is for more rain in a drought-stricken plain, or drying sunshine for a flooded community - we are the answer to prayer. That is why whether the answer to prayer is for a cooling breeze during a scorching heat wave or for a warm shelter on a frozen winter night - we are the answer to prayer. That is why whether the answer to prayer is the community of companionship or for the silence of solitude - we are the answer to prayer. That is why whether the prayer is for a breath of fresh air or for the peace of stillness - we are the answer to prayer. That is why whether the answer to prayer is a purpose and a project or for the fullness of fallow time - we are the answer to prayer. We can always be “the answer to prayer” as long as we realize the real “prayer” we are answering is Jesus’ call for “laborers to bring in the harvest.” We are answers to prayer whenever we are working to reveal to the world that “the kingdom of God has come close.” We are not called to “build” the kingdom of God. As laborers enter the field to gather the crop, we are called to enter into the kingdom that is already here, to receive that kingdom, and to reveal its presence to others. And what is the kingdom? The kingdom is Jesus the Christ. That is the good news for us – all of us sitting here together today are an answer to prayer of those before us. Someone prayed for our church, for our mission, for our faith. And it was God who answered the call to send laborers. It is important for us to keep praying, keep pleading, so that God will provide in the future. We have to keep trusting on God to provide, keep going out, keep spreading peace. Every new day brings a new challenge, but it also brings a new opportunity to spread God’s love. The scripture is called the commissioning of the 70. Commission means to prepare for service, to give a job, to go on a mission. Com – means together and mission means work. Literally Jesus co missioned us. As Jesus set upon his mission, he invited us to work and walk with him. Not so much to go to Jerusalem, but to work and spread peace in our own community. God loves everybody – but there are only --- of us here? Where is everyone else? There are a lot of people in other churches today – but there are a whole lot more in bed, watching tv or doing some other mindless task this morning. They need to know about God’s salvation. Some will listen if we talk to them, others we have to listen to them, or sing a song, or feed them, or teach them a lesson, or bake them a cake, or show that we care. We have to do something to speak to their heart. We have to let them know that God loves them and that there is a place for them to use their gifts here. If we use our gifts, then God will do the rest. The mission of the church is God’s mission, not ours, we are just commissioners. We are commissioners with a lot of power. Jesus said that he saw the devil falling out of heaven because of the work of the 70. He said that we have the power to step on snakes and scorpions for the sake of the mission. We have the power to change the world, to spread peace, and to create a great nation. How will we use that power today? Song – America UMH 697 Prayer for the 4th of July God of all tribes and every nation, on this day of cookouts and fireworks, parades and pool parties, we pause to remember the best of our nation’s aspirations and values .We give thanks for those who made great sacrifices for the sake of the principles of equality and liberty, life and the pursuit of happiness. We lament the many ways and countless times that we have fallen short of the hopes of not only the founders of this nation, but of you, Lord of all. Forgive us for not fulfilling the great aims this country sought to represent to the world. Send your Spirit to help us become the country you call us to be. When we rest and play, eat and celebrate today, do not let us forget those unable to do likewise. Inspire in us a zeal for the equality in which you create all people, a passion to seek abundant life for all people, a relentless drive to provide liberty for all people, and a pursuit of happiness, not only for ourselves and those like us, but for all people. May our country truly be a refuge for the tired, the poor, and those yearning to be free — free from fear, free from poverty, free from oppression, free from exploitation, free from violence, free from war, free from suffering and hopelessness. May our nation truly be a place of justice, tranquility and welfare for all people. Amen. (Jill Duffield – Presbyterian Pastor) Children’s Sermon (Do not print)Hello, children of God! Happy Fourth of July!!! It’s Independence Day! What does that mean, do you think? What are we celebrating on this holiday, anyway? (Allow for responses) Well, when we honor the independence we have as a nation, we usually talk about how awesome it is that America is its own country, not ruled by another country. We have freedom in the United States to make choices. We can choose how we worship, where we attend church, where we go to school, what we want to wear…we have rights to live as free people. Well, what do you think it means to have freedom in Christ? There are a couple of very important things that we celebrate when we discuss our freedom as Christians: For one thing, God gives us choices. He loves us and He wants us to love Him, but He doesn’t force it. He gives us the free will to obey or disobey Him. Yet, it really makes a lot more sense to choose to put our trust in Him, because in Him we have freedom from sin! When we do things that our wrong, it sort of tangles up our lives. God offers to set us free from that, and give us joy instead. You see, Jesus wants to help us and make our lives better. He promises to give us rest and peace, if we will allow Him to. Have you ever carried a backpack? Maybe you have one like this (hold up bag or backpack, if using) for school. This one is pretty heavy. It can be quite tiring to carry this around all day. Now, let’s say I had a teacher who offered to carry it for me. If my teacher gave me the choice of hauling the big backpack, or letting someone else do it, wouldn’t it make sense to choose the lighter load? Why would I insist on doing it all myself, if someone was willing to help? Well, that’s what Jesus does for us. He offers to carry our burdens. We can get tired out because we worry, and we think that we need to do things all on our own. We try to carry our own struggles, or we think that we somehow need to earn our salvation from God. But Jesus gives it freely. There’s nothing we have to do, except trust Him and willingly let go of our cares. He won’t make us do it. We are free to continue carrying the weight of our guilt and sin and shame, to feel fatigued by our stresses. That doesn’t sound like a great way to live, does it? Isn’t it a blessing that we can let Jesus take care of things and bear our burdens for us? He promises rest, and gives us free lives, now and forever. That’s even better than fireworks! Why don’t we say a prayer of thanks to God, and let Him know that we trust Him to carry our burdens? Children’s Prayer Moment Dear God, Thank you for giving us freedom from sin Thank you for carrying our burdens and giving us life Help us to trust you and cast our cares on you Remind us what it means to be free in Christ Thank you for your love We love you, God! In Jesus name, Amen! (By Kristin Shmidt) Stewardship Moment All you need to print is the Prayer of Thanksgiving Moment for Stewardship (inspired by Galatians 6) As we in the northern hemisphere move into full summer, we recognize the growing crops in farm fields and home gardens. Paul’s words echo: “you reap whatever you sow”. We cannot sow corn and expect to reap beans. We cannot sow stinginess and expect to reap generosity. Rather, when we sow generously with our tithes and offerings, we can expect to reap generosity at harvest time! Do you know the story of Hattie May Wiatt? In 1886 she lived near a church in Philadelphia where the Sunday School was very crowded. Despite wanting to attend, she could not find a seat. When the minister saw her, he assured her one day they would have buildings big enough to allow every child to attend who wanted to come. Later, Hattie May Wiatt became sick and died. After the funeral, the girl’s mother told him Hattie May had been saving money to help build a bigger church. She gave him the little purse in which Hattie had saved 57 cents. That minister turned into gift into 57 pennies, told the congregation the story of Hattie May and sold the pennies for a return of about $250. Some of the members of the church formed the Wiatt Mite Society, dedicated to making Hattie May’s 57 cents grow as much as possible. A house nearby was purchased with the $250 that Hattie May’s 57 cents had produced and the rest is history. The first classes of Temple College, later Temple University, were held in that house. It was later sold to allow Temple College to move and the growth of Temple, along with the founding of the Good Samaritan Hospital (Now the Temple University Hospital) have been powerful testimonies to Hattie May Wiatt’s dream. (https://www.truthorfiction.com/hattiemaywiatt/) Eager to sow, and eager to reap, let us share our tithes, gifts and offerings. Prayer of Thanksgiving Generous God, thank you for all you provide for us day by day. Receive these gifts and help us transform them into opportunities for generosity as we share Good News here and beyond our congregation. Inspire us to sow well and eagerly anticipate all we will reap in the Life you offer us. AMEN Invitation to Communion (Do not Print) Many health-focused individuals seek ways to eat wisely. Perhaps you have experienced the positive change in your life when you were able to choose healthy food, good exercise and adequate rest, leading you to sense you had a whole new lease on life. Paul encouraged the believers in Galatia to recognize the power of a new creation which we experience when we focus on, and become avid followers of, Jesus Christ. He eagerly declares his intention to never boast of anything except the cross, by which the world was crucified to him, and he was crucified to the world. As we come to this Table, we find simple elements: a tiny piece of bread and a thimble-full of juice. Yet in these gifts, we find a whole new lease on life! We step into the new creation as we claim our identity as disciples (learners) of Jesus Christ. You are welcome at this Table. May sharing in this feast give you reason to boast: you are a disciple of Jesus! Come! Take your place, and receive the peace of Christ! Communion UMH 13 Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Do not grow weary in doing what is right, for you will reap a great harvest if you do not give up. Sow in the Spirit and reap the blessings of God. Go in peace. (Hans Holznagel for United Methodist Ministry Matters) Community Time Quarterly Financial Report Benediction Lord, as we go from this place, surround us with your peace and love, that we make take healing and hope to others in your holy name. AMEN. Nancy Townley for United Methodist Ministry Matters) Additional Illustrations Relationship Evangelism There is an old story told about a man by the name of Ali Facid. He had a small farm and a family. One day, the story goes, a Buddhist priest came by and said to Ali Facid: You know, there are valuable stones called diamonds, and if you get one of these you could be a wealthy man." Ali Facid went to bed that night, but the words of the old priest haunted him. He was so obsessed that he felt that he must find him one of these diamonds so that he could become a ruler. He sold his farm, put his family out to neighbors and went out to find his acres of diamonds. Months passed. He was broken in body and spirit. His funds were gone. And at the Bay of Barcelona, he threw himself into the water, never to walk this earth again. Meanwhile, the man who bought his farm bent over one day and picked up a little stone. He laid on the mantle that night not knowing what it was. A few days later the old Buddhist priest came by and saw it and exclaimed: Ali Facid must be back from his search. No, came the response. Then where did that diamond come from? The farmer replied: I was out plowing in the garden and found it there. And friends, did you know that from that very garden, for this is not a legend but a true story, came the jewels and diamonds that today adorn the crown heads of Europe and Russia. In Ali Facid's own back yard there were acres of diamonds and he knew it not. My friends, I know that the [your church's neighborhood] is not like [name two neighborhoods in your area that are experiencing growth] in terms of extensive growth. But, I also know that there are acres of diamonds right here in our own back yard. There are people right here in our area that do not have church families, who are not committed to Christ, and who are waiting to be asked. We don't have to look to other areas of the city. All we have to do is pick up the diamonds that are right beneath us. Staff, www.Sermons.com Evangelism An executive hirer, a "head-hunter" who goes out and hires corporation executives for other firms, once told me, "When I get an executive that I'm trying to hire for someone else, I like to disarm him. I offer him a drink, take my coat off, then my vest, undo my tie, throw up my feet and talk about baseball, football, family, whatever, until he's all relaxed. Then, when I think I've got him relaxed, I lean over, look him square in the eye and say, "What's your purpose in life?" It's amazing how top executives fall apart at that question. "Well, I was interviewing this fellow the other day, had him all disarmed, with my feet up on his desk, talking about football. Then I leaned up and said, 'What's your purpose in life, Bob?' And he said, without blinking an eye, 'To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can.' For the first time in my career I was speechless." Josh McDowell Jesus and Moses Both Delegated Delegation is more difficult than it sounds. Delegation is especially difficult for talented and extraordinary leaders, and even more difficult for leaders who seem to have a special calling from God. That was the case with Moses some 13 centuries before Christ. After successfully leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt toward freedom in the Promised Land, Moses had problems with a somewhat rebellious and cantankerous group. So he complained to God, "I am not able to carry all these people alone, the burden is too heavy for me" (Numbers 11:14). In fact, Moses was so discouraged he asked God to kill him unless he helped him. So God asked Moses to gather 70 men whom he knew to be natural leaders and officers and to bring them to the tent of meeting, where God manifested his presence. God said, "I will come down and talk with you there; and I will take some of the spirit which is upon you and put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone" (Numbers 11:17). So God's spirit did come upon the 70 and Moses had people to whom he could delegate responsibility and leadership. Thirteen centuries later, Jesus uses the same number -- 70 -- to recruit men to help him spread the word about the new kingdom of God. If Moses and the 70 elders were developing the Old Israel, Jesus and the 70 were about to develop the New Israel. Maurice A. Fetty, The Divine Advocacy, CSS Publishing Company The Ignored Task of the Church: Evangelism "Evangelism" is a beautiful word that has lost its winsomeness [or effectiveness]. Somehow on its journey from the Jerusalem of yesterday to the Jericho of today it has fallen among thieves that have wounded it and stripped it, departed, leaving it half dead. It takes a rather rash Samaritan, therefore, to dare turn aside to set this poor chap upon his beast and take him to an inn and take care of him. This is especially true because a veritable procession of Priests and Levites are passing by, not only refusing to lend a hand, but, we fear, inwardly chuckling at the plight of the poor fellow, and secretly hoping that they are soon to see the last of him. Clovis G. Chappell, Evangelistic Sermons of Clovis G. Chappell, Abingdon 1973, p. 40. 400 Advisers I read the following in a church newsletter: A preacher in the Midwest tells of a woman who called him to speak of her dissatisfaction with the program of the Church. He invited her to come to his office and talk the problem over with him. She accepted the invitation and brought to his attention some of the things that were needed and could be done. He gratefully acknowledged the wisdom of her ideas. He then said, "This is wonderful that you are so concerned and interested in this. You are the very person this Church needs to head up this program. Will you take the job?" Her reply was just as immediate. "Oh, no, I don't want to get involved. With my club work and the hours that I put on some other things, I just don't have the time. But I will be glad to advise you any time." The preacher's answer was classic and well put: "Good, gracious, lady, that's the problem now. I already have 400 advisers. I need someone who will work." Almost everyone in a congregation says that they want it to grow. (Some put a limit on the growth, "I'd like to see us have about 500 members and then stop.") If people want growth, if God promises a good harvest, why aren't more congregations growing? What is stopping the growth God wants to give? Brian Stoffregen, Exegetical Notes "The Paradox of Our Time" The paradox of our time in history is that: We have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less. We buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness. We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years! We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We’ve done larger things, but not better things. We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. Author Unknown "In reading over the Constitutions of all fifty of our states, I discovered something which some of you may not know: there is in all fifty, without exception, an appeal or a prayer to the Almighty God of the universe…. Through all fifty state Constitutions, without exception, there runs this same appeal and reference to God who is the Creator of our liberties and the preserver of our freedoms." - D. James Kennedy It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." - George Washington The Inscription on the Statue of Liberty, written by Emma Lazarus Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me; I lift my lamp beside the golden door. Sermon Opener - Liberty and Civility - Galatians 5:1-15 The United States of America will be 243 years old on July 4. That’s a long time for a nation to remain free. But, when you look at our history in the context of world history America is just a CHILD among the nations. Egypt, China, Japan, Rome, Greece all make America’s history seem so short. Consider what a brief time we’ve really been here as a nation: When Thomas Jefferson died, Abraham Lincoln was a young man of 17. When Lincoln was assassinated, Woodrow Wilson was a boy of 8. By the time he died Ronald Reagan was a boy of 12. There you have it. The lives of four men can take you all the way back to the beginning of our country, 243 years ago. We are so young. And yet we stand tall among these nations because of the principles on which we were established: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Thus begins the Declaration of Independence, which we celebrate every year. And do not let anyone fool you. Freedom ought and need be celebrated. So many churches and ministers today loathe patriotism in the pulpit. I am not one of those. I celebrate today with you the freedoms which God has blessed this great nations of ours. Now I cannot tell you whether God has blessed us with liberty and therefore we are free or we have wisely and simply built our liberty based on biblical principles. In any case our freedom is from God. Now let me temper our celebrations with a caution: With freedom comes great responsibility. We are not free to live excessive lives. We are not set at liberty to pursue selfish ends. Our independence should not make us infidels. As Paul so eloquently puts it: “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature.” What is true for the church is true for the nation: Liberty demands civility. Freedom requires righteous behavior. On July 4th let’s celebrate Freedom and Civility. 1. First Let’s Celebrate Freedom 2. Second Let’s Celebrate Civility. The young salesman was disappointed about losing a big sale, and as he talked with his sales manager he lamented, "I guess it just proves you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink." The manager replied, "Son, take my advice: your job is not to make him drink. Your job is to make him thirsty." So it is with evangelism. Our lives should be so filled with Christ that they create a thirst for the Gospel. Preaching, November-December 1985 A True Reference One of the best letters of reference ever received at the University of Alabama Medical School, according to the Director of Admissions, came from an old mountaineer. The letter read: I’ve known this kid from the day he was born. He played with my kids, helped me with the chores. I don't know if he has sense enough to make it in medical school, but I know he will be the kind of man I'd like to come here to take care of me and my folks. (Don Shelby, Final Evaluations) Isn't that beautiful? And it hints at what I am saying. We can be so at one with Christ that Christ will live and act through us. Maxie Dunnam When Disney World opened in 1971, Walt Disney was not present to witness the grand opening of his greatest dream come true — he had died five years earlier. Dur¬ing the spectacular opening ceremonies, the host of the festivities introduced Walt's widow, Lillian Disney, who would say a few words on stage for the occasion. "Mrs. Disney," the host beamed with reverence, "I wish Walt could have seen this." Lillian stood up, walked over to the podium, adjusted the microphone, and said, "He did." And then she sat down. That simple statement said it all.2