Jesus Provides

August 2, 2026 10th Sunday After Pentecost Matthew 14:13-21 Jesus Provides Prelude Greeting Call to Worship As we gather and as we disperse, as we rise and as we sleep, as we eat and play and work, We offer God praise. As we wash our car, scrub the dishes, rinse the grime of the day from our hands, We offer God praise. As we feel the tips of the grass on our feet, the wind against our face, the sun on our backs, We offer God praise. Come, let us worship God who creates, redeems, and sustains us to live out our praise in all we do! We come as people formed by grace to offer God praise with our whole selves now and in all the ordinary moments of our lives! Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, May 2026. Opening Prayer Loving God, out of our fear, our anxiety and our discouragement, we come to you. In our energy, our excitement and our delight, we come to you. Help us recognize your presence in the midst of our own situations, even as we seek your blessing for our own lives, and for the life of ALL your creation. Walk with us in this hour and in each day as we limp and laugh with you. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Song Come Sinners to the Gospel Feast UMH 616 A Sermon for all Ages Children’s Sermon: “Jesus Makes a Little Enough” Scripture: Matthew 14:13–21 Suggested objects: A small piece of bread and a small cup Good morning, everyone! Today’s Bible story begins with a very large and hungry crowd. More than five thousand people had gathered to hear Jesus. When evening came, the disciples said, “Jesus, these people are hungry. Send them away so they can find something to eat.” But Jesus surprised them. He said, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” The disciples looked at what they had. It did not seem like much—only five loaves of bread and two fish. Can five loaves and two fish feed more than five thousand people? It sounds impossible! But Jesus did not ask the disciples to give what they did not have. He told them to use what they already had. They brought their small meal to Jesus. Jesus took the bread and fish, looked up to heaven, thanked God, broke the bread, and gave it to the disciples. The disciples shared it with the people. And something wonderful happened: everyone ate until they were full—and there were even leftovers! This story teaches us that something small can become enough when we place it in Jesus’ hands. A small gift can help someone. A few kind words can encourage someone. A little bit of food can be shared. One child’s loving action can make a big difference. We remember this every time we celebrate Holy Communion. Look at this small piece of bread and this small cup. They do not look like a large meal. Yet Jesus takes this small meal and uses it to feed many people—not just our bodies, but our hearts and souls. Christians around the world come to Christ’s table and receive the bread and the cup. Through this small meal, Jesus reminds us that we are loved, forgiven, and part of God’s family. At Communion, Jesus also tells us what he told the disciples: “Use what you have.” Bring your love, your kindness, your gifts, and even the small things you can do. When we place them in Jesus’ hands, he can use them to bless more people than we could ever imagine. Let us pray: Dear Jesus, thank you for taking small things and making them enough. Help us to use what we have and share it with others. Thank you for feeding us at your Communion table with your love and grace. Take our small gifts and use them to bless many people. Amen. (ChatGPT 6) Responsive Reading Psalm 17:1-7,15 UMH 749 Scripture Matthew 14:13-21 Sermon Jesus Provides Imagine….. We Know How the Disciples Feel You know how the disciples felt when the crowd showed up... The two of you haven't had a night out without the kids in weeks. You finally get away. The waiter has just brought your appetizer when the baby-sitter calls and tells you the youngest has a high fever and has started throwing up. You've been planning this vacation for six months. Your reservations are all made and three days before you are scheduled to go your mother calls and says your Dad is going to have a quadruple bypass as soon as the doctors can get his sugar stabilized. You haven't had a day off in three weeks. Friday morning your sister calls, says her father-in-law has died and wonders if you could take her kids for the weekend. It has been a very long day. You woke up before dawn because your arthritis hurt so much. You had to go to the grocery store and take your dog to the vet and on the way home your car started to act up and you had to leave it at the garage and get a taxi to take you home. All you want to do is go to bed when the phone rings and it's your friend who lost her husband last month and she just needs somebody to talk to. And always, when we think we have given all we have to give there is always more need: the starving people in the midst of a famine; refugees from war; the devastation of floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes; to say nothing of our neighbors who are hungry; the children who need someone to care about them; the youth in our community who have nowhere to go and nowhere to grow. We know how the disciples felt. Matthew doesn't have to tell us. Roger G. Talbott, Good News for the Hard of Hearing, CSS Publishing Company. Jesus takes time out of his personal grief to show compassion Jesus was grieving the death of his closest cousin. He needed time to pay his respects. He went away to be alone, but the people and their needs followed him. He put his own needs aside to listen and to talk. He was motivated by compassion. They say that misery plus mercy equals compassion. And compassion leads us to health and healing. Compassion can take us to unexpected places. But compassion always makes a difference. Dr. Jake find compassion in helping others The doctor has never been to Kenya before and to say he was overwhelmed didn’t begin to hint at his inner turmoil. Five chiorpractors from four corners of the united states had volunteered their time, all costs, and expertise for two weeks. They had been sponsored by a church organization fo the Jake it seemed a little too churchy. They stayed in a colonial era hotel that separated them from the locals. But each day they went to the tent. A white tend, open on all sides, welcomed in all of Africa’s ailing. At least it seemed that way to Jake. There are at least 2000 of them, he stated incredulously to one of the other doctors and he was correct. Outside in the sun, beneath the pepper trees, an army had appeared. They had heard the news – free medical care by American doctors. So they stood in the burnt brown grass waiting for their turn at the benches. Jake used a simple wooden bench and under the head of each patient he placed two books to lift their necks. The bible and Margaret Meades coming of age. Jake, like the other doctors did quick assessments of the patient before him. Then he began his adjustments. But a few thoughts lingered – These people are really ill. Some of them suffer from more than one ailment. Some are HIV positive and I am giving them adjustments. But maybe, I’ll help just one. What else can I do? Each day he and the others worked for hours. Once a fight broke out. Too many needed care. This went on for seven days. On the last day, Jake hammered physically, and emotionally let off some steam by wandering in the street market. Soon he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to face a man. Doctor, doctor please look at me. Jake turned – oh no, I cant do anymore. A muscular Kenyan man faced him. Look what you did, his face radiated a smile. I don’t need my cane. I can stand up straight. Jake thought that he recognized him, but there had been so many. Doctor I have something for you. I have looked for you all over this town. He unfolded a piece of paper and handed it to Jake. It was an old newspaper article. That was me. I ran in the Olympics for Kenya. I couldn’t stand for twenty years. Now I don’t need a cane. Here, you keep this article. I signed it for you. Jake accepted the gift and he didn’t know what to say. But he did know what to think. Maybe it wasn’t too churchy. I asked for one and you gave me one. – thanks. Jake came back from his mission trip a changed man. I was so proud to see so many people volunteering for sharefest yesterday. I am interested in hearing your stories – of the people you helped and the difference it made in our life. Compassion certainly made a difference in Jesus life and mission. He wanted to tell everyone about the value of compassion. He invited everyone, including us to follow his example. The lesson that Jesus teaches us – to compare God’s abundance with the world’s scarcity. We know what scarcity feels like. But we should also know that in the toughest situations, God provides – we know what it means to have enough. The Churches favorite story Our scripture for today is the churches favorite story – the story of enough – the feeding of the 5000. This is the only story in the new testament that is told in all four gospels. Each gospel has a slightly difference version, but the story is the same. Our scripture in Matthew is the only one that is associated with John the Baptist’s death. This is the beginning of Jesus ministry – that takes place in the desert. This is also the comparison of two very different feast. First we have the feast of Herod. It is a gathering of the rich, there is lots of food being served. People are fed, but it is not enough to fill them. John D. Rockefeller was asked at the height of his career by a reporter, "Mr. Rockefeller, how much is enough?" And he responded, "Just a little more than I have." Dan Matthews, "Our Mentality of Scarcity Among God’s Abundance" That was before he became a disciple of Jesus – and he learned that enough is what you give to help others. The feast of Herod leads to death – literally the death of John the Baptist. But also death to all of those who attend – looking for more and never finding it. In his grief, Jesus decides to have his own feast. This is a gathering of poor people, barely making it. They are looking for hope in the word of God. Jesus feeds them the word, but he also feeds them 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. When they are ready to leave, they have enough. Their spirits and their bellies are full. This is s feast that leads to life. God’s abundance is also enough. They understand compassion and generosity. The Loaves and Fishes Still Work Educator Parker J. Palmer was en route to a conference when the plane he was on made an unexpectedly long layover at an airport. A truck that was supposed to deliver the refreshments for the next leg of the journey broke down. Finally the pilot decided that it was more important to get his passengers on their way than to wait for the snacks to arrive, so he took off. As soon as they were in the air the passengers started grumbling. “A ticket is a contract,” one said loudly, “and snacks are part of the contract.” “I ought to sue,” another muttered. A man stood up and said, “I’m a lawyer. How many are willing to join in a class action suit?” A minor mutiny was in the works. Then something interesting happened. A flight attendant came on the public address system. She began with the familiar information on such flights: “Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned off the seatbelt lights. We have now attained a cruising altitude of 30,000 feet.” Then she said something quite extraordinary: “Having served many of you on the first leg of this flight, I know some of you still have your bags of peanuts, which you stuffed in your pocket. How many do we have? Five? Please open them and share them with the people around you. I’m sure some of you have mints. Would you pass these around, also? Those of you with newspapers, you can only read one section at a time. Spread the other sections around for others to read. Some of you are parents or grandparents. Take out the pictures of your children or grandchildren and show them to others.” With that brief announcement she changed the emotional climate of that flight. Later, when the flight attendant came near Parker Palmer’s seat he asked her, “What’s your name? What’s the name of your supervisor? I want to write a letter of commendation. That was the best example of group leadership I’ve ever seen.” To which, she replied, “The loaves and fishes still work.” King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com The loaves and fishes still work today. We too have a chance to learn compassion and generosity. The beginning of faith is in the wilderness In the story, one feast takes place in a palace. Another takes place in the wilderness. Jesus spends a lot of time in the wilderness. Just like the Isrealites who came to know God in the wilderness. The wilderness in the bible is desolate, deserted, a place with no words only silence. But it is always the place to go to find faith. Where are the wilderness spots in your life? Where are the places in your life where you are searching for the meaning of enough? Where are the places where you have found the riches of God in the midst of the sparseness of life? One of the places where Christ finds us in the wilderness if communion. Communion is intended to be our wilderness meal. We come together in the brokenness of the world. The meal does not fill us up- but the sip of grape juice and the cube of bread is enough to feed out spirits. And our spirits feed our mind and out body. The scripture says that Jesus blessed the bread, broke the bread and shared the bread with us. When we have enough, there is enough in us to share with others. Sometimes in life we are the members of the crowd – hungry and willing to be fed. Sometimes we are the disciples feeding others, and sometimes we are the body of Christ – inviting people to come to the feast and experience enough. As a matter of fact, Christ words to us in the scripture is you feed them with what you have. In the hands of Christ, what you share is always enough. Jesus does provide. You Feed Them – Generosity A man was packing a shipment of food for the poor people of Appalachia. He was separating beans from powdered milk, and canned vegetables from canned meats. Reaching into a box filled with various cans, he pulled out a little brown paper sack. Apparently one of the pupils had brought something different from the items on the suggested list. Out of the paper bag fell a peanut butter sandwich, an apple, and a cookie. Crayoned in large letters was a little girl's name, "˜Christy -- Room 104.' She had given up her lunch for some hungry person. Jesus says to us, "You feed them!" This is an incredibly rich world. We are rich people and we serve a rich God. "You feed them!" King Duncan, You Feed Them! She gave what she had and it was enough – we are encouraged to do the same. Let us pray…… Song One Bread One Body UMH 620 Pastoral Prayer Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Perhaps some of you can sympathize with Jesus. He’d been working non-stop, healing, teaching, and responding to the demands of the crowds. When he heard of the murder of John the Baptist, he tried to break away for some time alone. Yet when he looked up from the boat he’d taken across to what he hoped would be a deserted place, a crowd had already gathered! Instead of turning around, or simply dropping anchor out on the water, Jesus came ashore, and “had compassion for them.” Even when we are exhausted, discouraged, uncertain, or downtrodden, we have the model of Jesus standing before us. Jesus engaged, once more, with people who needed food in that deserted place. So he took what was available, gave thanks to God for the bread and fish, and gave the food to his disciples to pass to the crowds. Today, can demonstrate our compassion – our “pity with” others. Not the only way, but one way to respond to the needs of others comes by sharing our morning offering. Will you put compassion to the forefront for this moment? Will you respond, knowing a portion of our offering goes to ____________________ (support the food pantry, provide new underwear for those coming to our free clothing shop, pay our minister as he/she/they counsels with disconsolate folks)? Let us present our gifts as signs and symbols of the compassion we know most clearly from the life of Jesus, the Christ. Prayer of Thanksgiving* As one family we sing while these, our gifts, to God we bring; who in love has made us one in the church of Christ, God’s Son. Use us and use our gifts, good Lord, for holy service in the world. Hope to all your people give as to your glory we now live. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Invitation to Communion Each time we come to this Table, we hear an invitation extended to all who will come. Here there are no tests to pass, no threshold of giving to exceed, no affirmation from some authority to present. Here we find the gifts of God for the people of God, presented in simple bread and juice. Counting on the compassion of Jesus Christ, we recognize our hunger and our thirst may be assuaged here even as we remember in a deserted place, long ago, Jesus took simple foods, blessed them, broke the bread and gave the bread and fish. So, today, knowing these gifts will not fill our stomachs, but can satisfy our soul hunger, we remember Jesus taking bread, blessing it, breaking it, giving it. With gratitude, come to receive the bread of life and the cup of salvation. *Adapted from Gifts of Many Cultures, Maren C. Tirabasi and Kathy Wonson Eddy, 1995, Pilgrim Press, p. 126. (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Communion Announcements Closing Prayer for YouTube Go into a world of abundance, with eyes open for the miraculous workings of our God, and as you go, may the blessing of our triune God, creator, redeemer and sustainer, be with you always. (Presbyterian Outlook, Baron Mullis) Community Time Benediction Beloved, may God bless you with the discernment to stop and notice God at work all around you, the inspiration to offer up praise in the middle of the busyness of life, and the peace that comes from beholding the face of God and knowing deep in your bones that we are not alone—God is with us. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, May 2026. Additional Illustrations It Don't Add Up Perhaps you have heard the story of the football coach who had two quarterbacks. The first team quarterback was gifted, aggressive, and a born leader. The second string quarterback was, let us say, limited. Oh, he was athletic enough but unfortunately, he lacked a mind for strategy. The championship game was in progress, the score was tied, the home team had the ball, and the clock was ticking down. An opposing player broke through the line of scrimmage and slammed the star quarterback to the ground with such force that the signal-caller had to leave the game. Time was running out. The coach had no choice but to put in the back-up. The substitute trotted onto the field, huddled the team, and strode up to the line of scrimmage. Surveying the opposing team, and much to everyone's surprise, he changed the play at the line. The ball was snapped, the quarterback handed it off to the half-back who busted up the middle and sped all the way into the end zone with the winning touchdown! An amazing play. Moments later, in the ecstatic dressing room, the coach grabbed his second-team quarterback by the shoulder pads and said, "Son, that was great! How did you know to call that play?" The boy said, "Uh, well coach, it weren't easy. I got up to the line and looked across at two of the biggest players I've ever seen and I seen their numbers. One of 'em was wearing a six and the other one was wearing a seven, so I just added them numbers together and got fourteen and called number fourteen." The coach hesitated a moment and said, "But son, six and seven make 13." The boy, quite unmoved by the correction, said, "You know what coach? If I was as smart as you, we would have lost the game." Things do not always add up the way they are supposed to, do they? Traditional Stories, www.eSermons.com How Much Is Enough? The Wall Street Journal ran an article some time ago describing the fastest growing business in America today: the development and the construction of mini warehouses, these small storage facilities that you see in every town and in every city. We first fill the closets and the attic and the basement and the garage and then we go across town and rent some space to store our stuff. The reality is that in the midst of all this abundance of stuff, we have a mentality of scarcity. We think we need a little more. We are yearning to buy, if the price is right. In short, we can't get enough of what we don't need. Imagine our present day culture in any historical perspective. We have more possessions than any culture in the history of the world. We think of ourselves and our own personal value in terms of how much stuff we have. And our basic way of seeing the world is by virtue of scarcity. And if we are honest, almost no one of us is free of that yearning to have a little bit more. Oh, we don't want to be accused of being greedy. We simply don't quite have enough. "Maybe other people do," we say to ourselves, “but I don't. I need just a little bit more.” Moving Fences Many years ago, there was a woman who lived in a small village in France. Trained as a nurse, she devoted her life to caring for the sick and needy. After many years of kind and selfless service to the village’s families, the woman died. She had no family of her own, so the townsfolk planned a beautiful funeral for her, a fitting tribute to the woman to whom so many owed their lives. The parish priest, however, pointed out that, because she was a Protestant, she could not be buried in the town’s Catholic cemetery. The villagers protested, but the priest held firm. It was not easy for the priest either, because he too had been cared for by the woman during a serious illness. But the canons of the Church were very clear; she would have to buried outside the fence of the cemetery. The day of the funeral arrived, and the whole village accompanied the woman’ s casket to the cemetery, where she was buried--outside the fence. But that night, a group of villagers, armed with shovels, sneaked into the cemetery. They then quietly set to work--moving the fence. More astounding than Jesus’ feeding of the crowds with a few pieces of bread and fish is Jesus’ transforming the crowd into a community, a community united in their need for one another, in the bread they share, in the love of Christ who has brought them together. Christ empowers each one of us to perform our own miracles of creating community when we "move the fences" to include outsiders, when we welcome the rejected and forgotten to our tables, when we give of what little we have, joyfully and gratefully, for the sake of others, when we welcome one another as we would welcome Jesus. Jerry Fuller, Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes We Have Nothing But . . . Barbara Brown Taylor, an Episcopal priest and college professor, tells the story of nine teenagers from Vermont who went to a Navajo reservation out west for a week-long mission work project. When they arrived, the Navajos pretty much ignored their presence. They didn’t give them much of a welcome, nor did they offer to help them with any of the work. It wasn’t that the Navajos were hostile or rude. They just didn’t believe that the kids would actually show up. And even when they did, they doubted that they could accomplish much of anything in one week. Besides, they had been promised all kinds of things before by previous work crews, but had seen only meager results at best. They had good reason to be skeptical. However, these kids from Vermont and their adult sponsors were different. They didn’t know how to do much -- they didn’t know how to build a sheep pen or put a new roof on a house -- but they were determined to give it their best shot. And they did. About halfway through the week, a funny thing happened. The Navajos, who up to that point had been watching from the sidelines, now began to pitch in. A group of Navajo teenagers decided to help fix up Annie Begay’s hogan. Apparently they figured that, if these kids could come all the way from Vermont to work, they could help, too. At the end of the week, the youth from Vermont, their sponsors, and the Navajos who had joined the effort -- all of them working together had completed forty-two of the forty-six projects they had set out to do. Taylor concludes: "We went into the week skinny, with only five loaves and two fish; but we came out fat, with twelve baskets to spare. That’s because God made good to match our gifts . . . . It’s something to remember when our own resources look too meager. How many loaves have you?" Story told by Barbara Brown Taylor, quoted by Richard Donovan in SermonWriter The Miracle Everyone Was Waiting On Only one miracle made it into all four gospels. It transpired on the grassy hills by the shores of the Sea of Galilee at a time when Jesus' popularity--and also his vulnerability--was cresting. Wherever he went, a throng that included many deranged and afflicted trailed behind. The day before the big miracle, Jesus crossed the lake to elude the masses. Herod had just executed John the Baptist, Jesus' relative, his forerunner and friend, and Jesus needed time alone to grieve. Doubtless, John's death provoked somber thoughts of the fate awaiting him. Alas, there would be no secluded retreat. A huge swarm of yesterday's multitude made the ten-mile journey around the lake and soon hundreds, even thousands of people clamored around Jesus. "He had compassion on them," says Mark, "because they were like sheep without a shepherd." Instead of spending the day renewing his spirit, Jesus spent it healing the sick, always an energy drain, and speaking to a crowd large enough to fill a modern basketball arena. The issue of food came up. What to do? There are at least five thousand men, not to mention the women and children! Send them away, suggested one disciple. Buy them dinner, said Jesus. What? Is he kidding? We're talking eight months' wages! Then Jesus took command in a way none of them had seen before. Have the people sit down in groups of fifty, he said. It was like a political rally--festive, orderly, hierarchical -- exactly what one might expect from a Messiah figure. Unavoidably, we moderns read Jesus' life backwards, knowing how it turns out. That day, no one but Jesus had a clue. Murmurs rustled through the group on the packed hillside. Is he the one? Could it be? In the wilderness, Satan had dangled before Jesus the prospects of a crowd-pleasing miracle. Now, not to please a crowd but merely to settle their stomachs, Jesus took two salted fish and five small loaves of bread and performed the miracle everyone was waiting for. Three of the Gospels leave it at that. "They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish," reports Mark with masterful understatement. Only John tells what happened next. Jesus got his time alone, at last. As the disciples rowed back across the lake, fighting a storm all the way, Jesus spent the night on a mount, alone in prayer. Later that night he rejoined them by walking across the water. Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew, Zondervan, 1995, 175-176. Many Kinds of Bread In the English language, in some contexts, the word "bread" is synonymous with food. In other parts of the world, that's not true. For example, in Eastern Asia, when you say "food," people automatically think of rice. In Malaysia, the same applies to sweet potatoes. For every culture there is a "staff of life." For most it's bread. It's the basic thing you need to stay alive. But all these words - bread, rice, and sweet potatoes - can also refer to the emotional and spiritual basics that keep us alive. There are a few people without whose love and presence in my life, I would find it difficult, if not impossible, to survive. There's one or two I wouldn't mind getting away from a while, just to see how I would do without them, but I need most all of them. And without a faith that receives regular nourishment from the Word of God, all of the Word of God, and all of the people of God, I could not survive. Bread is the biblical metaphor because that was the staple, basic, bottom-line food source of Jesus' day. If Jesus had been from Malaysia, it would have been sweet potatoes, and communion could get a little messy. Johnny Dean, How Much Is Enough? Give Them Something to Eat One billion of the world's richest people consume 80 percent of the earth's resources. The other five billion make do on the other 20 percent. The world has 840 million chronically malnourished people, most of them women and children. Seven million children in the world under the age of five die each year from malnutrition. The Department of Agriculture in our own country, estimates there are 3.8 million families who experience hunger and up to 12 million families concerned about having enough food to feed their families. Hunger is real. The disciples say send them away. Do we not offer similar suggestions? Let the government feed them, let social services take care of them, let the unemployment office help them, let the homeless shelters take them in. Meanwhile, the government is knocking on the door of faith-based communities saying, "When are you going to help?" Leaping from the pages of scripture Jesus exclaims, "Do not send them away. Give them something to eat." J. Howard Olds, Faith Breaks, www.Sermons.com God Lets Us Help Ethan Allen was a big, voluble, rather flamboyant Vermonter, Colonial patriot, a somewhat controversial hero of the American Revolution. He organized a rag-tag army of freedom-lovers known as the Green Mountain Boys. On May 10, 1775, Allen and his "Boys" captured from the British the strategic Fort Ticonderoga. Having returned from this successful venture, Allen did something which he was wont to do sometimes as the mood suited: on Sunday morning he attended church. During the service the pastor offered a long prayer, a great deal of which was an offering of praise to God for the liberation of Fort Ticonderoga. How great was God, and how good, to have wrested that fort from the enemy! Ethan Allen, having sat through as much of this as he could endure, interrupted the pastor, saying, "Parson Dewey ... Parson Dewey, please mention to the Lord that I and the Green Mountain Boys were there!" The plain fact is, of course, that wherever God has done things in the world somebody has been there helping him do them. Yes, perhaps Jesus could have fed that multitude without the five loaves and two fish which the disciples brought to him, but he didn't. He let his disciples help, and he used what they brought. Leonard W. Mann, Life-Size Living, CSS Publishing Company Contrary to What We KNOW The chief objection that modernists have with the story of the Feeding of the 5,000 was answered by St. Augustine over 1500 years ago. Augustine said, “Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we KNOW about nature.” The miracle here was that a weary but compassionate Jesus understood the true power of the Creator God – the Father of the universe. And He acted in accordance with that knowledge: with miraculous results. John Bedingfield, Do You Believe in Miracles? ________________________________________ At Least One Dollar Dr. H. King Oehmig tells a story of the time that a church congregation from Cartersville, Georgia wanted to begin a Habitat for Humanity group. It was in the early days of Habitat, so the group went to Americus, Georgia to meet with Millard Fuller, the founder of Habitat for Humanity. The group toured the Habitat facilities and saw a presentation on how groups operate. Then Mr. Fuller took time from his busy schedule to go and talk to this group. During the course of their conversation, one of the folks from Cartersville said, “Mr. Fuller, we think this is what God’s calling us to do. But before we begin, how much money do you think we should have in the bank to get us off the ground?” Fuller leaned toward the man and in a very low and serious voice told him, “It would be wholly irresponsible, completely negligent, totally feather-brained if you started an affiliate without at least one dollar.But you have to have one dollar. Don’t dare make a move without it!” King Oehmig says that that day, the Cartersville group learned, “as the disciples discovered with Jesus that evening, when He told them to feed the masses themselves – that faced with the Gospel imperative, we were searching for a reasonable alternative to faith.” Just like modern America searches for a reasonable alternative to a miracle. John Bedingfield, Do You Believe in Miracles?

Sent out into the Wild World

June 14, 2026 3rd Sunday after Pentecost Matthew 9:35-10:23 Sent out into the wild world Year A Prelude Greeting Call to Worship God meets us in surprising yet ordinary places—under a tree, in the smile of a stranger, in a refreshing breeze that comes at just the right time. God, open our hearts to notice your presence all around us. God speaks to us in surprising yet ordinary ways—in a well-placed word from a friend, in a prayer that comes at just the right time, in a song that resonates through our entire being. God, open our minds to recognize your voice all around us. God fulfills God’s promises in surprising yet ordinary ways—in an unexpected act of kindness, in providing just what we need at just the right time, in sending someone to listen when we feel alone. God, open our hands to receive your blessings all around us. Beloved, in the surprising and ordinary ways that God shows up among us, may we meet God and our neighbors with open hearts, minds, and hands, ready to encounter God’s miraculous work. God, open our lives to receive your blessings, that we may share together in the joy, wonder, and laughter of God’s miraculous works all around us. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, December 2025. Opening Prayer God, as you met Abraham in an ordinary moment of hospitality, meet us today in the ordinary moments of our lives. Open our minds to recognize your presence among us; open our hearts to receive your promises; open our arms to embrace your miraculous works with joy, wonder, and laughter. As we gather to worship, help us find the courage to hope, the wisdom to trust, and the perseverance to cooperate with you as you fulfill our promises as you work for abundant life for all creation. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, December 2025. Song Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life UMH 427 A Sermon for all Ages Children's Sermon: Looking Through Jesus' Eyes Object: A pair of binoculars (or pretend to use your hands as binoculars) Good morning, boys and girls! I brought something with me today. Do you know what these are? (Hold up binoculars.) That's right! They're binoculars. What do binoculars help us do? They help us see things that are far away. If I were looking for birds in a tree or a boat on a lake, binoculars would help me see them better. Let's all pretend to look through binoculars. Can you do that? What do you see? In today's Bible story, Jesus was looking at people. He didn't use binoculars, but he saw something very important. The Bible says that when Jesus looked at the crowds, he had compassion for them. Compassion is a big word. It means caring so much about someone that you want to help them. Jesus saw people who were sad, lonely, sick, worried, and confused. He said they were like sheep without a shepherd. Have you ever seen a lost pet? A lost puppy or kitten doesn't know where to go. It needs someone to guide it and care for it. Jesus saw people who needed help, and because he loved them, he wanted to help them. Then Jesus did something surprising. He told his disciples to go and help people too! And guess what? Jesus tells us the same thing. We don't have to go far away. We can help people right where we are. Maybe there's a new kid at school who needs a friend. Maybe someone in your class feels left out. Maybe a neighbor needs help carrying groceries. Maybe your parents need help around the house. Maybe your grandparent would love a phone call or a picture you drew. Jesus asks us to look through eyes of compassion and notice the people around us. The good news is that we don't have to help everyone in the whole world today. We can start with one person. This week, I want you to ask yourself, "Who needs kindness from me?" Maybe Jesus will help you notice someone who needs a smile, a helping hand, or a kind word. When we do that, we become part of Jesus' mission. Let's pray. Dear Jesus, Thank you for loving us and caring for us. Help us see people the way you see them. Help us notice those who are lonely, sad, or need a friend. Give us kind hearts and willing hands. Help us share your love wherever we go. Amen. Call to Reconciliation If you are looking for proof of God's love, here it is: at the very moment we realize we cannot help ourselves, that is the time we discover God has saved us in Christ Jesus. Join me as we pray to our God, saying, Unison Prayer for Forgiveness How easily we pat ourselves on the back, Listening Love, for the lives we lead. We welcome the praise of others, but have little compassion for those who have failed us. We assume that a comfortable life is our birthright, yet believe poor choices produce suffering for those around us. We boast of the good we do, but forget to thank you for all that you have given to us. Forgive us, Companion of Compassion, for breaking your heart, and disappointing your hopes for us. As we seek to follow your Child, may we be found with those whose lives are barren, with those who know little laughter in their day, with those who have received no love from others - for in their presence, we will find Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen. Assurance of Pardon Listen to the good news - the kingdom of God is very near. As close as a child's laughter, as embracing as a father's love, as enfolding as a mother's caress. We are God's people: called, that we may follow; gifted, that we may serve; forgiven, that we might bring hope. Thanks be to God. Amen. (Lectionary Liturgies, Thom Shuman) Passing of the Peace Scripture Matthew 9:35-10:23 Gracious and loving God, Open our eyes to see the world as Jesus sees it. Open our hearts to feel the compassion of Christ for those who are hurting, lonely, hungry, frightened, and lost. Open our ears to hear your call and our hands to do your work. Remind us that we are not spectators in your kingdom but participants in your mission. Give us courage to follow where Jesus leads, wisdom to recognize the needs around us, and faith to trust that you will provide all that we need for the journey. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Shepherd and Savior, we pray. Amen. Sermon Sent out into a Wild World Our scripture begins with a simple but powerful description of Jesus: "Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness." Jesus was paying attention. He was looking. He was listening. He was noticing people. He saw what others overlooked. He saw the sick, the poor, the struggling, the grieving, the forgotten. He saw the crowds not as interruptions but as beloved children of God. Then Matthew tells us something very important: "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless. Different versions of the bible use different words – like distressed and dispirited, weary and scattered, worried and helpless. Whatever the word, Jesus goes on to say that they were like sheep without a shepherd." Everything begins with compassion. Jesus basically told the to have compassion for the people around them. Before Jesus sends disciples, before he commissions workers, before he gives instructions, before there is a mission, there is compassion. The mission of Christ does not begin with a strategy meeting. It begins with a heart that breaks for people. Jesus looks at the world and sees sheep without a shepherd. Does that image sound familiar today? We live in a world full of people searching for direction. People are anxious. People are lonely. People are divided. People are overwhelmed by problems they do not know how to solve. Many are looking for meaning, purpose, hope, and belonging. Many are still sheep without a shepherd. And Jesus sees them. The good news is that Jesus is not only talking to the twelve disciples in this passage. Jesus is speaking to us. Just as he commissioned them, he commissions us. Sometimes we think mission work means traveling to another country or going somewhere far away. Those ministries are important, but Jesus reminds us that there is plenty of work right where we are. There are people in need in our neighborhoods. There are people in need in our schools. There are people in need in our workplaces. There are people in need in our families. There are people in need sitting next to us in church. Jesus says, "Pay attention." Look around. Notice people. See them. Listen to them. Love them. The mission field is often closer than we think. Jesus tells the disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few." That statement is just as true today as it was two thousand years ago. There are countless opportunities to share God's love. There are hungry people to feed. Lonely people to visit. Children to encourage. Seniors to care for. Neighbors to help. Friends to support. People searching for hope. The harvest is plentiful. The need is great. The laborers are still few. The question is not whether there is work to do. The question is whether we will answer the call. Notice that Jesus does not simply ask the disciples to admire the harvest. He sends them into it. Faith is not just something we believe. Faith is something we do. Each one of us has been called to something. God has given each person gifts, opportunities, relationships, and abilities that can be used for the kingdom. Some are called to teach. Some are called to serve. Some are called to encourage. Some are called to lead. Some are called to pray. Some are called to give. Some are called simply to show up and be present with people who are hurting. Not everyone has the same assignment, but everyone has a mission. Jesus sends all of us. One of the beautiful things about this passage is that Jesus sends a group. The disciples were not identical people. They had different personalities, different backgrounds, different strengths, and different weaknesses. Today we often find ourselves divided into groups, factions, coalitions, political parties, generations, and competing viewpoints. We spend a lot of energy focusing on what separates us. When we think of factions, we think of tiny groups of people who are united together for a very small purpose. But in reality the church started in factions, very small groups taking care of a small purpose. Jesus was able to call these small factions together to work for a common cause. Jesus reminds us that the mission is bigger than our divisions. The disciples did not always agree with one another, but they shared a common purpose. The church does not have to think alike about everything to work together for Christ. We can still feed the hungry together. We can still visit the sick together. We can still share the gospel together. We can still care for our community together. We can still work side by side in the name of Jesus. The mission unites us. Jesus also teaches the disciples something important about receiving help. He tells them to depend upon the hospitality and kindness of others. That can be difficult for many of us. We like being the helpers. We are less comfortable being helped. Yet Jesus reminds us that God's work is often accomplished through mutual care. Sometimes we are the ones giving. Sometimes we are the ones receiving. Both are acts of grace. When we accept kindness from others, we acknowledge that God is working through them too. No disciple serves alone. No Christian walks alone. God provides companions along the way. Finally, Jesus speaks about urgency. The mission cannot wait forever. There are people hurting today. There are people struggling today. There are people searching for hope today. Jesus does not tell the disciples to wait until conditions are perfect. He sends them now. The church has often waited for the perfect plan, the perfect budget, the perfect leadership team, or the perfect moment. But Jesus says the harvest is already ready. The time is now. Someone needs encouragement now. Someone needs a phone call now. Someone needs forgiveness now. Someone needs hope now. Someone needs to hear about God's love now. The mission of Christ begins with compassion and continues through ordinary people who are willing to answer God's call. We do not have to travel far. We do not have to have all the answers. We do not have to be perfect. We simply have to notice what Jesus notices and care about what Jesus cares about. The sheep are still looking for a shepherd. The harvest is still plentiful. The laborers are still few. And Jesus is still calling. May we hear his voice. May we see the world through his compassionate eyes. And may we go wherever he sends us, serving those around us in his name. Ministry to People in Need There's a wonderful legend about Saint Francis, the kindly thirteenth century monk, who one day informed his brethren that he planned to go into the nearby village on a preaching mission. He invited a novice to go along. On their way, they passed an injured man and Francis promptly stopped, saw to the poor fellow's needs and arranged medical care for him. They went on and soon passed a homeless man who was near starvation. Again, Francis stopped his journey and ministered to the hungry, homeless man. So it went, through the day: people in need, Francis lovingly caring for them as best he could until the sun was low in the sky. He told his novice friend it was time for them to return, now, to the monastery for evening prayers. But the young man said, "Father, you said we were coming to town to preach to the people." Francis smiled. Then he said, "My friend, that's what we've been doing all day." That's evangelism at its most faithful. Ministry to people in their need. Not worrying about numerical growth, or adding to one's own conversion record, or winning acclaim within the denomination. Evangelism is sharing the love of God in concrete form among God's people. E. Carver McGriff, Times of Refreshing, CSS Publishing Company. Amen. Song Fill My Cup Lord UMH 641 – sing twice Prayers of the People – Do not print Let us pray. God of Laughter and Joy, we give thanks for the everyday miracles around us. For the laughter shared between friends, for the love shared in community, for the beauty of the world that leaves us speechless with joy. But even as we give thanks, we are aware of those who struggle to see a bright future, a world full of blessings, a reason to laugh. We lift up the concerns of this world. We pray for the travelers in our midst, for immigrants finding their way in a new place far from home, for refugees fleeing instability and war, for those forced to leave homes because of violence and intolerance. Journey with them, Lord. Lead your children to places of safety and welcome. Make us as quick to offer hospitality, opening hearts and homes to those in need, until all live in safety and peace. We pray for the hungry, for those who have no idea where their next meal will come from, for those who struggle to scrape together a simple meal for their family, for those who go to bed with grumbling stomachs. Bring an end to hunger, Lord. Lead your children to tables of plenty. Make us as quick to share our abundance, setting tables and feeding each other, until all are fed by your great abundance We pray for the lonely, for those whose relationships with family are frayed, for those on standing in shadows, yearning to be seen, for the divisions between neighbors born of fear and greed. Mend the threads of community, Lord. Lead us into places of beloved community, where our diversity is seen as a gift, where our uniqueness is valued, where dignity is respected. Make us quick to be peacemakers, breaking down barriers and building bridges, until this world is the way you want it to be for us. We pray for those who hardly dare to hope, for those whose dreams seem woefully out of reach, for those whose lives have been turned upside down by illness and loss, for those who suffer from depression, addiction, or patterns of self-harm. Embrace them, Lord. Lead them to places of comfort. Make us quick to reach out, offering a loving presence when all seems lost, until all know your peace. Holy God, birth a sense of laughter and joy within this world. Help us to trust what you can do and call us into the dance of reconciliation and healing. Strengthen our hands and feet for service and our hearts and voices for proclamation. (Presbyterian Outlook, Rae Watson) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Psalm 116 asks, “What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?” The psalmist answers, “I will lift up the cup of salvation…I will call on the name of the Lord…I will pay my vows to the Lord…I will offer you a thanksgiving sacrifice.” Does this sound like what happens in worship? Here the Psalmist provides a cup, a promise made and honored, an offering! Today, we’re reminded to give back to God a portion of what God has given us. Together, let’s offer a portion of our praise, a portion of our thanksgiving, a portion of what we recognize as coming from the blessings of our lives. The psalmist offers these things to God “for the Lord inclined his ear to me.” We present our gifts to God, who not only notices us, but embraces and blesses us. With what we’ve received and what we’ll give, we find ourselves anointed as agents of God’s remarkable love. With our gifts of time, talent, and treasure, we’re equipped to act in love for siblings right here and across the world. There’s no telling what positive actions are possible when we step up as partners working to build up God’s Realm on earth. Please join God’s active community as we share our tithes and offerings! Prayer of Thanksgiving Loving God, You have called us into the mission fields right here and around the world. We’re willing to show our brothers and sisters what your love looks like, so may these gifts we offer today be fuel for the fire that burns because of your Spirit at work within us. Ignite our desire to work with one another, with other people yearning for love and peace, and with you! Help us use these gifts as one way to live out our promises as followers of Jesus the Christ. Amen. (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for YouTube Friends, we cannot stay here. There is work to be done out there. Go, be the church in the world. Love boldly. Speak bravely. Laugh joyfully. And trust in what the Lord can do. May the love of God, the grace of Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit uplift and uphold you now and forever. Amen (Presbyterian Outlook, Rae Watson Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Go now, in the blessing of God who meets us where we are and surprises us with new life where none seemed possible. May we be a people who embody God’s miracle called laughter as we work for the flourishing of all creation as the family of God. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, December 2025. Additional Illustrations

Salty Light

February 8, 2026 Matthew 5:13-20 Salty Light Fifth Sunday of Epiphany Year A Prelude Greeting Call to Worship (Isaiah 58) One: Welcome to worship! Here we seek to let our light break forth like the dawn. Many: Here we come to call, trusting the Lord will answer. One: Here we’re welcome to cry for help, believing the Lord will respond “Here I am!” Many: We’re gathered, eager to gain courage to do as God directs: to share our bread with the hungry, One: to bring the homeless poor into our homes, Many: to provide clothing for those who are uncovered. ALL: As God’s own beloved children, let us worship God in this time, and in our actions toward “the least” of our sisters and brothers, siblings all. (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Opening Prayer God of Community, we rejoice in this time to worship you in this holy place, and through the wonder of technology, which gathers us from many places. Help us reach beyond the walls of this building, eager to see LIGHT emerging as we share bread and clothes, and welcome others to safe spaces. Inspire us always to open our hands, our hearts, our minds, that we might truly be followers of Jesus, the Christ, who shows us “The Way.” AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Song A Sermon for all Ages Have you ever been in a grocery store when, as you did your shopping, they offered samples of different food items to try? They do this to entice you to buy those items. If the samples didn't taste good, you probably wouldn't buy any, would you? This morning we are going to do a taste test. You will taste two different samples of a food item, and you will tell which one you liked the best. The first taste test is crackers. We have two saucers with one cracker on each saucer. Johnny, taste a cracker from each saucer and tell me which one you liked best. (Hopefully, Johnny will pick the salted cracker!) The cracker that Johnny liked best is actually called a saltine. Why do you think it is called a saltine? You are right, it is because it has salt sprinkled on top. The other cracker doesn't have salt. Do you know what else it doesn't have? Taste! The cracker really needs the salt to give it a good flavor. The second taste test we are going to do is popcorn. We have two small bowls of popcorn. The popcorn in one bowl has been salted and the other has not. Mary, come and taste the popcorn from each bowl and tell me which one you like best. (After she tastes it, ask Mary which one she liked best.) As you might guess, Mary liked the salted popcorn better than the unsalted. I agree with Mary. In my opinion, popcorn without salt is about as tasty as those Styrofoam peanuts they use to pack items when they ship them in a box. I'm sure you all knew that many foods taste much better with a little salt. It doesn't take much. In fact, when you are cooking, a recipe often calls for "a pinch of salt." Not much, just a pinch, but that little pinch of salt makes a big difference in the flavor. In our Bible lesson today, Jesus said to his disciples, "You are the salt of the earth." What do you think that means? I think Jesus means that he wants us to improve the quality of life of those we meet each day. How can we do that? We can do that by introducing them to Jesus and by showing them that having Jesus in our life is like having salt on our food. Everything is better when we have Jesus in our life. There is a lot of hatred and bitterness in our world today. If you and I will show the love of Jesus in all that we do, we can be the salt of the earth like Jesus called us to be. Just a pinch of salt can do much to reduce bitterness and bring peace to our world. Heavenly Father, our prayer is that we may be the salt of the earth by showing the love of Jesus in all that we do. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. (sermons4kids.com) Affirmation of faith (from The Confession of 1967) We believe: The life, death, resurrection, and promised coming of Jesus Christ has set the pattern for the church’s mission. His human life involves the church in the common life of all people. His service to men and women commits the church to work for every form of human well-being. His suffering makes the church sensitive to all human suffering so that it sees the face of Christ in the faces of persons in every kind of need. His crucifixion discloses to the church God’s judgment on the inhumanity that marks human relations, and the awful consequences of the church’s own complicity in injustice. In the power of the risen Christ and the hope of his coming, the church sees the promise of God’s renewal of human life in society and of God’s victory over all wrong. The church follows this pattern in the form of its life and in the method of its action. So to live and serve is to confess Christ as Lord. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Owen Gray) Prayer for Illumination Gracious God, the words we read are ancient and true. On this day, may we hear them anew. Grant us hearts to discern your Spirit within them, and grant us courage to follow them in our lives this day. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Owen Gray) Scripture Matthew 5:13-20 Sermon Salty Light Once upon a time, (which means this is a fairy tale, a made up story from long ago, containing great truth) – Once upon a time, there lived a rich man who had three daughters. He was a little insecure and needed some reassurance one day so he called each of his daughters into his counting house (where he counted all of his money, of course,) and asked each one of them, “Dearest daughter, how much do you love me.” The first to visit his counting chamber was his oldest daughter and she replied, “O Father, I love you more than all the gold in the world.” The father knew that there was a great deal of gold in the world so he was happy with this answer and he gave her some gold coins to spend as she wished. The second daughter came in and was asked the same question. She replied, “O dearest most loving and special Father, the best father ever, I love you more than all of the silver in the world.” And the father was pleased with this answer. He gave her some silver coins so she could order some new dresses which she had been wanting. The third daughter came in and when she was asked the question she paused and then replied, “Father, I love you more than fresh meat loves salt.” The father exploded in a rage and ordered that the daughter be thrown out of the great house and not allowed to return. The servants threw her out of the house with nothing but the clothes on her back and she was left to wander in the woods. She decided to disguise herself so she made clothing out of the rushes she found in the nearby swamp. She knocked on the back door or a large mansion, owned by one of her father’s friends, and asked the servant who answered the door for a job so that she could eat. She would not tell them her name so they called her “Cap O’Rushes” because of her clothing. She was given a job washing the pots and pans and keeping the house clean. She worked very hard and everyone liked her work, but she seldom spoke. One day the servants were all abuzz because a great party was to be given. There was food to prepare, room to clean, silver to polish and lots of other things to do. Cap O’Rushes discovered that her own father was invited. She convinced the cook to let her prepare the meal for her own father, though of course they did not know he was her father. She prepared all of his favourite dishes, but did not use any salt at all. (Remember, this was back when people used a lot of salt and well before blood pressure had been invented.) When the food was brought to him and he began to eat he was most unhappy with the meal and the host ordered the cook be brought to apologize to his guest. The cook brought Cap O’Rushes and explained that she had cooked the meal for this particular guest. “What is the meaning of this”, he demanded. “You have embarrassed me. He says his food is bland and tasteless. Why have you done this to me and to him?” She turned to her father and said simply, “I love you as much as fresh meat loves salt”. He father recognized her and wept in sorrow as he asked for her forgiveness. His other daughters had been nothing but a trial to him and were always wanting more and more fine clothes and jewellery and he realized that this daughter had really loved him a great deal. I think that story is a good demonstration summary of the entire gospel of Jesus Christ. The heart of the gospel is God’s love for us. God loves us more than fresh meat loves salt. The challenge for us in our loves is always how we demonstrate our love for God. Our scripture is the second half of Matthew 5- In the first half Jesus is preaching to the people helping them to understand what it means to be blessed by God. Our lesson for today is intertwined – to be blessed by God is to be loved by God, but it is also to give God’s love to others. Jesus is stressing to us how important it is for us to make a difference in the world, without our strength and determination the world would be a very different place. • Not Enough Salt Contributed by David Ward on Sep 12, 2019 (message contributor) Dennis Kinlaw, former Asbury Seminary professor and Asbury College president, tells a story about growing up in rural Lumberton, North Carolina, during the depression. It was Dennis’ job, as a young boy, to rub salt into the meat his father brought home from hunting. He would rub salt into the meat until his young muscles were sore. Finally, when it was thoroughly salted, he would hang it up in the storehouse. One day company arrived, so Dennis’ mother asked him to get some pork out of the storehouse. Dennis ran out, got a big piece of pork off of a hook, and brought it into the kitchen. He laid it on his mother‘s cutting board and left. He was just about out the front door when heard his mother yell, “Dennis!” Young Dennis knew from experience that whenever his mother screamed his name like that he was in trouble, so he slunk his way to the kitchen and stood in the doorway, afraid to go in. Looking up at his mother from the doorway, he noticed she was not glaring at him but rather staring down at the meat. Dennis looked and noticed something unusual. He would say that it was the first time in his life he ever saw meat move. Stepping closer, he noticed maggots pouring out of the slice his mother had made into the pork. Dennis thought for sure he was going to get it. But all Mom said was, “Not enough salt, Dennis. Not enough salt.” Now it's easy to want to blame Hollywood, or TV, or liberal schooling, or the government for the decay of our culture. But maybe, just maybe, the real problem is “not enough salt.” If we feel the world is decaying around us, the problem may very well be “not enough salt.” Salt had as many uses in Jesus’ day as it does now and we who are on this side of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount have ventured all kinds of guesses as to what Jesus had in mind concerning comparing salt to those who were listening to him that day. Probably, more mysterious, did Jesus intend for us, in our day, to make some kind of personal connection with salt? For example, salt is used as a preservative. Could it be that the presence of Jesus’ followers in this world slows down the decay and disease of a sin-infested world? Salt is used as a disinfectant. Maybe Jesus’ followers are to be bring health and healing to the wounds of this world and its people. Salt is used as a seasoning, making food taste better. Maybe Jesus is saying that Christianity is to be to life as salt is to food, lending flavor to life. Salt is valuable or at least it was. The Greeks called salt divine. The Romans had a jingle of sorts that said, “There is nothing more useful than sun and salt.” Salt was used to pay the wages of the Roman soldiers. The word “salary” comes from the word “salt.” We use the phrase “salt of the earth” as one of the greatest compliments we can make of an individual, stressing their worth and usefulness. Jesus could be stressing the value of his followers contributing to the goodness and integrity of the world. Salt is used as a de-icing agent. Here’s a stretch. Maybe one of the tasks of Jesus’ followers is to melt the hard hearts of men and women who have turned away from God and their fellow human beings. Salt was connected with purity. The Romans said that salt was the purest of all things because of its connection to the sun and the sea. So then, if the Christian is to be the salt of the earth he or she must be an example of purity. The Christian sets the standard for the world instead of the world setting the standard for the Christian individual. Salt was an important part of the sacrificial system of the Old Testament. Reference is made in the book of Numbers to the “salt of the covenant.” Many of the offerings given to the Lord were to be sprinkled with salt as a sign of the covenant between God and the people. Is it possible that Jesus was saying his followers must be a living sign to this world of the loving relationship of God to its people? Just before preaching this sermon the first time I was taking a respite at my seminary in Kentucky. I was doing research in the library when I discovered another use for salt I had not heard of before. In Jesus’ time, and since, salt has been used as a fertilizer. In fact, British farmers did just that during the Second World War when other fertilizers were in short supply. That makes a lot of sense, especially as Jesus used it in the phrase “salt of the earth.” Jesus may have been saying that his followers are to be the fertilizer that nurtures and furthers the growth of God’s kingdom in this world. Did you know that back in the Bible times and I’m sure at other times as well when one group of people conquered another group of people they would sow salt into the soil of the conquered people so that nothing would grow - thereby punishing them through starvation? Jesus never intended for his followers to use their salt as a weapon. And yet, too often throughout church history … even today … maybe even us … we stand back judging, criticizing, maybe even punishing, those whom with whom we disagree or we deem as sinners, instead enhancing and encouraging and nurturing. In the gospel lesson for today – Matthew 5 – Jesus has just went up on the mountain to talk with all of the people below who are following him and listening them. This is a mixed crowd, some are his committed disciples, some are his fair weather disciples, and some are just interested parties. But the point that Jesus us trying to make to all is what it means to be a righteous person. He is telling what it means and the gifts that God will give to those who are faithful. In verses 13-20 which we read for today he is continuing that conversation, and speaking more about the character of a Christian. It was said that in WWII that in some cities, people were asked to make black curtains to put on their windows, so that when the enemy planes flew overhead, they would not be able to distinguish towns and cities to drop bombs on them. Washington DC was of course very vulnerable to attack, so workers got to work making black curtains for the white house. One of the workers commented however, that it did not make sense to try and camouflage the white house. The white house was such an icon for America, it was so clear to everyone in the world where the white house was, it was such a distinctive house, and was so well advertised, that if someone was looking for it, they would have no problem finding it. There was just no way to hide its identity. In the Isaiah, Jerusalem is called to be the city on a hill. Jerusalem is built on Mount Zion, there is one road up and one road down. it is the city which all people would flock to in order to learn the ways of peace. God calls the church to be the city on the hill, the place where people look for light in a very dark world. Light transforms the situation. Light changes the situation. Light illumines. Light doesn’t hide, but is present. Jesus has the same message for us as Christians. Christianity should be so much a part of who we are, following God should be so much a part of our character, that there was no mistaking who we are. You are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world. Salt, light, water, fire, are all key ingrediants for our lives. Today, we are told that we are to cut down on our salt intake, but salt is still an important part of our lives. What are some uses of salt ?........ (Doug Diehl, DugDeal’s Wordshop) Sodium is an extremely active element found naturally only in combined form; it always links itself to another element. Chlorine, on the other hand, is the poisonous gas that gives bleach its offensive odor. When sodium and chlorine are combined, the result is sodium chloride--common table salt--the substance we use to preserve meat and bring out its flavor. Love and truth can be like sodium and chlorine. Love without truth is flighty, sometimes blind, willing to combine with various doctrines. On the other hand, truth by itself can be offensive, sometimes even poisonous. Spoken without love, it can turn people away from the gospel. When truth and love are combined in an individual or a church, however, then we have what Jesus called "the salt of the earth," and we're able to preserve and bring out the beauty of our faith. David H. Johnson. In our scripture, Jesus combines salt with the power of light. We are to be salty and bright. We can shine our lights in so many ways. When you go to Menards, there is always a section of the store that is sectioned off at the front of the store that contains all kinds of lights. Each light has a different purpose, each light shines from a different source, each is a different color. Who knew that there could be so many different shades of a white light bulb. But when they shine- they make the lighting section the brightest place in the store. Each of us is called to shine with what we have, where we are – to reflect the light of Christ in our lives. Today we live in a world where the church seems irrelevant to people and people do not see the need of being close to God. It is more important that ever that we be the salt of the earth. Excerpt Emily Potter got a call from her sister, and it made her heart sink. “It’s cancer,” said her sister, talking about the report that their mother had just received. “Not my mom,” thought Emily. “Please not my mom.” Cancer had already devastated their family once before, and they had lost friends to it as well. The only way that Emily knew how to express herself was to create something. So, she made a sweatshirt that contained the word “salty.” She showed up to her mother’s first round of chemotherapy wearing the sweatshirt. And why did she choose that particular word? Emily says that being salty “means that I am extremely bitter, angry and resentful towards her cancer.” But it also sends the message that her mom is “tough and aggressive.” According to Emily, people with cancer are some of the toughest and most courageous people on earth. She wears her “salty” sweatshirt as a kind of armor, one that strengthens and preserves her bond with her mother. When she puts it on, she is saying, “I love you. I’m here for you. Let’s be salty. Together.” Sometime salt has to combine with anger, frustration, concern, even compassion, Summary Christians are salty when they work for the justice and inclusion for all. They are bright when they behave in ways that are good and right and true. (Proclaimsermons.com) Whatever we combine our salt with – sassiness, determination. We are called to season our lives with our devotion to God. Finally – there is a saying that children will become whatever we name them. If we name them trouble makers, they will make trouble, if we name them smart – they will become smart. Conclusion: This Is Our Calling Jesus doesn’t say, “Try to be salt.” He says, “You are.” He doesn’t say, “Create your own light.” He says, “Let it shine.” This is the calling of disciples: To live so faithfully, love so clearly, and serve so consistently that our community experiences the presence of God through us. May we be salt that makes a difference right where we are planted. May we be light that cannot be hidden. And may everything we do—here, at home—give glory to God. Amen. (Chat GPT 5.2) Song Pastoral Prayer Lord of bright and abiding Light, you have shown us, in the person of Jesus your Son, a new way to live. You have poured your light into the world and have asked us to live in the light rather than run and hide in the darkness of doubt and despair. You promise to be our light all of our days and ask us to place our trust in you. The journey in this light is risky. It means that we will have to be very serious about our service to you, giving you our best and offering hope and light to others. In this new year, we bring to you the names and situations of others for whom light seems to be a stranger. They struggle with ill health, economic hardship, broken and damaged relationships, loss of loved ones, and anxiety. We place them in your care. Let your light shine on them, bringing healing and hope. Help us to be bearers of that light in all that we do; for we ask this in Jesus’ Name. Amen. (written by Nancy C. Townley from Worship Connection): Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment In a world in which we can so easily turn on a light, it may be challenging to remember Jesus was speaking to his disciples out on the mountain side, with no electric lights, no lighted pathways, no flashlights. When the sun went down, everyone knew it would be DARK! So describing the disciples “light of the world” would have had a deep significance. What about for you? If you can, imagine how YOU are “the light of the world.” How do you let your light shine? What good works can be seen when you’re around? What happens because of you that allows others to give glory to God? Each week, we provide an opportunity for each one of us to shine some light as we share our financial offerings. With our gifts, this congregation is better equipped to _________________________ (Provide food for the food bank? Bring children and youth into community through youth groups? Help people claim their identity as followers of Jesus?) Imagine how bright the light shines when we all provide resources! Let your light so shine so we are not hidden or under a bushel basket, but so others from all around can see and rejoice in the Light! Prayer of Thanksgiving Illuminating God, thank you for the ways you encourage us to let our light shine. Please accept these gifts, multiply them, and make possible the vision for us to use them wisely, that we might let our good works be seen and celebrated, day by day. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Song Announcements Closing Prayer for YouTube Go, dear friends, to love and serve the Lord. Go shine light into darkness. Go be salt of the earth. Go enjoy the wonders of our world, which God has made. Go stand beside those on the margins. Go form faith. Go have your faith formed. And go to share God’s love, knowing that you are uniquely beloved. Amen (Presbyterian Outlook, Owen Gray) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction To those huddled in the shadows of fear and worry, God sends us to be light. To those whose lives and hopes have lost all flavor, Jesus sends us to be salt. To a society where love is tossed aside as easily as a food wrapper, Spirit sends us to be faithful carers of everyone we meet. (c) Thom M. Shuman Additional Illustrations Consider our lesson for today. Jesus says to his followers, "You are the light of the world. . . ." Can you imagine that? Here was a motley crew of farmers and fishermen and tax collectors and housewives in a tiny and remote village in an obscure part of the world and Jesus was saying to them, "You are the light of the world." Talk about a statement of faith! Let's go farther than that. Talk about a crazy idea! Light of the world? That bunch? It must have sounded absurd at the time even to them. Only Jesus could have seen that through this motley crew God would indeed change the world forever. At the time, however, it probably sounded like so much idle chatter. "You are the light of the world," he said and so they were. Now do you want to hear something really absurd? So are we. Jesus says to us this morning that WE are the light of the world. Think about that for a moment. Sink your teeth into it savor it. You and I are the light of the world. What does it mean? Well, let me suggest some possibilities. The Temptation We Face Everyday "One night at the end of a special Saturday night worship service," writes Warren Hudson of Ontario, Canada, "a thunderstorm unleashed a bolt of lightning that plunged the church into darkness." With the congregation seated in total darkness, the pastor felt his way to the kitchen to find some candles. The pastor handed out the candles to everyone present. Persons lit their candles in much the same way as many churches do on Christmas Eve, each person lighting the candle of the person next to them. The worshipers then made their way through the church's winding hallways to the front door. "Peering out, we could see the rain coming down in sheets," Warren remembers. With traffic snarled, people were running for the nearest shelter. Looking around they realized that the entire city was in darkness. "There in the darkness we stood," Warren writes, "a little band of Christians, each clutching a light, not sure whether to venture out into the storm or stay inside the church in hopes that the storm would soon blow over." There in the darkness the light of truth struck him. In this most dramatic way he realized what it means to be the "light of the world." He writes, "It occurred to me then that this is the temptation I face every day. It is easy to play it safe and be a good Christian in church. It is a lot harder to venture out in faith into the storms of the world." Warren Hudson, adapted by King Duncan, Collected Sermons,www.Sermons.com Changing the World It was during the early days of television. A workman was placing television transmitters at the very top of the Empire State building in New York City. Seeing him at work up there, so far off the ground, a reporter thought this would make a fascinating human interest story. So, when the workman had completed his task and had returned to the ground, the reporter approached him and asked, “Aren’t you frightened to work under conditions like that that? Isn’t it dangerous to work so high off the ground?” The workman replied, “Yes sir, it is dangerous.” Then he added, “But then, how many people can say that they have changed the skyline of a city like New York!” God offers us the privilege of changing the skyline not of a city, but of the world. We can help make this world healthier, more humane, more harmonious, and more blessed. God made a good world. Now He wants us to help Him make it good again. We can do that. By God’s grace, we really can do that. If we can, surely we must. James McCormick, Selected Sermons, www.Sermons.com What’s your favorite color? Is it more 450? Or do you tend towards 600? Maybe even 700? In case those numbers don’t immediately mean anything to you, on the visible spectrum scale for light 450 nanometers means “blue,” 600 is yellow, and at 700 nanometers you are seeing red. But we don’t “see” numbers, do we? We see the beautiful, variable, illuminating colors that light takes on as it is refracted and reflected before our eyes. We don’t experience nanometers. We bask under a blue sky? Or we bath in wonder at the beauty of a sunset that melts from orange to red to crimson and purple. Whether we catalogue light as 550 nanometers or perceive it as “green” is all a matter of perspective. Are we dissecting the idea of “light” into its most basic components (measured nanometers)? Or are we responding to the expression of that light as we experience it in the world (colors)? In Matthew’s account of the “Sermon on the Mount,” immediately after Jesus lays out his “blessed be” Beatitudes, he lifts up two metaphors of how disciples of the kingdom will be known to this world. They will be the “salt of the earth,” they will be the “light of the world,” a light that will “shine before others.” Salt sharpens flavors. Light sharpens both sight and insight. Jesus is calling would-be followers of the kingdom to sharpen lives by living on the sharp, the cutting edges, the places where new perspectives, new tastes, and new visions are embraced. Light does not just banish darkness and illuminate corners and crevices. Light also works to provide a new perspective… A Light in the Darkness Let me tell you a story about one of the most remarkable young men who ever lived. This young man had been left blind in both eyes by a childhood accident. In nineteenth-century France, when this young man lived, blind children had little help and few hopes. But then a kindly priest, Father Jacques Palluy, took an interest in the lad. He was amazed at the boy's intelligence and eagerness to learn. With his parents' permission, Father Palluy enrolled the boy in the Royal Institute of Blind Youth in Paris. Thrust into a new and frightening environment, the boy was lonely and depressed. In time, however, he found friendship and encouragement. Unfortunately he was frustrated by the institute's lack of books in raised print. He also found the symbols in raised print confusing. So he set out, at twelve years of age, to invent his own system. After three years he perfected the method, but he encountered indifference and hostility when he tried to convince the world that his system was better. Even with the support of the institute's director, he was told again and again that he was too young to have created a workable alphabet for the blind. Years passed. This young man grew older, was made a teacher at the institute, and became a fine organist, always hoping that his method would find acceptance. But his health was frail. It was not until he lay in bed, dying of tuberculosis, that he heard that the first steps were being taken to popularize his system. Though he did not live to witness it, Louis Braille's alphabet became the universal method of reading for the blind. His courage and hunger for knowledge enabled him to triumph over disability and disease and open new worlds to future generations. He found a way to become light for those who lived in darkness. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Salt has the properties of flavor, of preserving, of healing, of preventing germs, of cleansing, and many other things. In Jesus’ day salt was also used in cooking. Every house or neighborhood would have had a stove in front of it. The fuel for these stoves would have been animal manure. In order for the manure to burn, they would add salt to it and make it into patties. Once all of the salt burned from the patties, they were no good. The Hebrew word for earth is the same word for an earthen stove. We are the salt used to burn the manure of life. In other words, we have a mission and a purpose as the people of god. As the church we are the body of Christ for the world. Our challenge is to not just be Christ, but to be Christ crucified and resurrected. this is the last sentence of Matthew and it will be my last point. The scribes were professionals, usually priest who had been given the task of putting God’s word into writing. The Pharisee were committed lay people, who committed every part of their lives to God and doing what God said was right. Jesus was saying that they were pretty good people, they were faithful and righteous. Jesus set the bar pretty high for us. They were the best of the best, and we are being called to be even better. They were extraordinary, but we are called to be even more. As Christians we are to give the world an unheard of amount of generosity, love, and understanding. Such as the world has never seen. Your are the salt of the earth, the light of the world. The good news is that we don’t have to do anything or know anything. All we have to do is to love God. From Basement to Craft Fairs Doris was most comfortable when she was busy at work in her secluded spot in the basement of her parents' home. She had been born with a deformed left arm which wasn't of much use to her; hence, she had chosen not to participate in sports nor in the school band. But she had studied art and in that she excelled. Her quiet personality stemmed partly from her physical impairment and partly because she hadn't received much encouragement to excel in anything. But she did have her little workshop in the basement, where she spent a good deal of her time. She cherished the hours spent there because she was doing the one thing she felt confident she could do well -- painting. Yet even her parents weren't much aware of -- nor appreciative of -- her growing artistic ability. During her last two years in high school and the two years following graduation, she devoted increasing time to oil and acrylic still life paintings. As she looked out of the basement half windows at the familiar Wisconsin countryside, she captured ever more vividly the seasonal changes and the varieties that nature offered. The completed unframed canvasses were standing in ever thickening rows beyond her little nook in the basement. Doris' secret talent was clouded by only one fact -- she was the only person who knew about it. That is, until her favorite cousin Denise came to visit. Denise was quite the opposite of Doris -- a bubbly personality, outgoing and adventurous. She hadn't seen Doris since her high school graduation and now Denise had come to spend a week with her. Doris would not have shown her cousin all those canvasses stacked in the basement, but Denise's inquisitive nature soon led her to the dozens of paintings that stood facing the walls. "Doris, where did these paintings come from?" Denise asked, remembering that Doris had taken a few art classes in high school. "Did you do this wonderful work?" Denise asked with her hands on her hips. "They're nothing special," Doris tried to apologize. "Wrong! They're marvelous!" Denise argued. She spent the next half hour quickly going through one stack after another, while Doris stood by a bit embarrassed. "Doris, you need to get these paintings out where people can see them and buy them," Denise pleaded. "People will buy good paintings like these." Doris demurred, offering timid apologies for the paintings and her talent. But Denise would have none of it. "There's arts and crafts shows everywhere during these summer months, and I'm going to help you get these paintings out where people can see them," Denise challenged. And for the next few weeks there was no stopping Denise. She extended her visit beyond her original plans. "I don't have a job yet anyway for the summer," she rationalized. "I want you to sign your name to every one of these paintings," she instructed Doris. After four weekend arts and crafts shows, more than two dozen of Doris' paintings had been sold. As she and Denise headed back to Doris' home on a Sunday evening, Doris reflected the warmth of her feelings as she admitted, "I guess people do like my stuff." "Well, like I said, you have to get it out where people can see it," Denise commented as she gave her cousin a hug. Merle G. Franke, Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit, Cycle A Ann Landers printed a story a few years ago from a lady who had attempted suicide. She lay unconscious for three days before the police found her and took her to the hospital. But they went above and beyond the call of duty by calling her every day and once she returned home they would visit her and bring her cards and flowers on a regular basis. They went out of their way to show kindness and love. We are not all called to be police, or nurses, or firemen. We are not all called to have to faith of the scribes or Pharisees. But Jesus point is that whomever we are, and whatever we are doing, we are called to show compassion and to go out of our way to express it. That is what being a Christian is all about. God loves you, how to you show the love of God in your life? Let us pray….. Weekly Sermon Illustration: The Salt of the Earth Monday February 03, 2014 "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid." The following is an excerpt from Buechner's sermon "The Church" (originally published in The Clown in the Belfry and later in Secrets in the Dark). Jesus calls us to show this truth forth, live this truth forth. Be the light of the world, he says. Where there are dark places, be the light especially there. Be the salt of the earth. Bring out the true flavor of what it is to be alive truly. Be truly alive. Be life-givers to others. That is what Jesus tells the disciples to be. That is what Jesus tells his church, tells us, to be and do. Love each other. Heal the sick, he says. Raise the dead. Cleanse lepers. Cast out demons. That is what loving each other means. If the church is doing things like that, then it is being what Jesus told it to be. If it is not doing things like that-no matter how many other good and useful things it may be doing instead-then it is not being what Jesus told it to be. It is as simple as that.

Different Types of Pray-ers

October 26, 2025 Luke 18:9-14 Different types of pray-ers 20th Sunday after Pentecost Year C Prelude Greetings Call to Worship (inspired by Psalm 65) Leader: From the east and from the west, we come to praise God! People: Today we celebrate the ways God is at work in our world. Leader: From the fields ready for harvest to the majesty of the mountains, People: from the abundance of gentle rains to the blazing color of fall leaves Leader: God crowns the year with good blessings! People: And today we gather to praise God, Creator and Sustainer of life! (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Opening Prayer Bring us to deep silence, God, as we give thanks for the gifts you pour out on us and on all creation. Help us focus on you, and on the ways you sustain us in this life, even as we offer you our praise. AMEN. (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Song Lord I Want to be a Christian UMH 402 A Sermon for all Ages The Problem with Keeping all of the Rules Object: Picture of a camel Good morning, boys and girls. What is this picture I have in my hand? That's right, it's a picture of a camel. Today, I'm going to tell you a story by Rudyard Kipling about the problem of pride and how the camel got its hump. When God first created the earth and all the animals, He gave each of the animals a different job. All of the animals did their work, except the camel. Whenever the other animals asked the camel to do some work, the camel just said, "Humph!" and walked away. Whenever the other animals asked the camel to play with them, the camel just said, "Humph!" and walked away. You see, the camel thought that he was better than all the other animals. He had too much pride. So whenever the other animals talked to the camel, he just said, "Humph!" and walked away. Well, God didn't like for the camel to have so much pride. Because of his pride, the camel was not nice to the other animals. So God put a heavy hump on the camel's back to remind him of the time when he had too much pride and said, "Humph!" to all the animals instead of being nice. Of course, this is just make-believe. That is not really how the camel got its hump, is it? But it makes an important point. Our Bible story today is about two men who go to church to pray. The first man says his prayer very loudly. He acts like he is better than everybody else. He has too much pride. The second man prays quietly and asks God to forgive him of his sins. God listens to the prayer of the second man, because this man is not proud. God wants us to be like the second man. When we go to pray, we shouldn't act like we are better than others, and we shouldn't be a show-off about our religion. God likes us to be humble, and to glorify Him, not ourselves. Dynamic Preaching, Collected Sermons, by King Duncan Call to Reconciliation When we pray to God, do we do so with pride in what wonderful people we are, or with that humble hope which recognizes how we have not lived as God’s children, and how we need God’s forgiveness and grace in our lives? Join me as we pray to our God, saying, (Lectionary Liturgies, Thom Shuman) Unison Prayer for Forgiveness Watching God, like the Pharisee, we think we can stick our thumbs into life, pull out a prayer, and congratulate ourselves for being such good Christians. Then, we remember the harsh words we have spoken this week, the hurt we have inflicted on someone we loved, the lack of compassion we failed to offer to someone who needed our help. Forgive us, God of Grace, and deal gently with us. May we become more like the tax collector - humble, penitent, acknowledging our faulty lives to you. Then, may we receive the mercy promised to us through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen. (Lectionary Liturgies, Thom Shuman) Silence is kept Assurance of Pardon Forgiven and healed, we open ourselves to the grace, the peace, the hope offered to us through our loving God. This is the good news we have received! Graced and blessed, we are able to live our lives for others, taking them by the hand to reach that finish line called the Kingdom. Thanks be to God. Amen. (Lectionary Liturgies, Thom Shuman) Passing of the Peace Scripture Luke 18:9-14 Sermon Different types of Pray-ers Are You Really Listening? In his book Directions, author James Hamilton shares this insight about listening to God: "Before refrigerators, people used icehouses to preserve their food. Icehouses had thick walls, no windows, and a tightly fitted door. In winter, when streams and lakes were frozen, large blocks of ice were cut, hauled to the icehouses, and covered with sawdust. Often the ice would last well into the summer. One man lost a valuable watch while working in an icehouse. He searched diligently for it, carefully raking through the sawdust, but didn’t find it. His fellow workers also looked, but their efforts, too, proved futile. A small boy who heard about the fruitless search slipped into the icehouse during the noon hour and soon emerged with the watch. Amazed, the men asked him how he found it. I closed the door,'' the boy replied, “lay down in the sawdust, and kept very still. Soon I heard the watch ticking.'' Often the question is not whether God is speaking, but whether we are being still enough, and quiet enough, to hear. Yes, Jesus assures us that our heavenly Father always listens to us, but do we really listen to God? Do we follow the instructions of Psalm 46, "Be still, and know that I am God"? Eric S. Ritz, The Ritz Collection,www.Sermons.com Prayer is listening for God’s voice in our lives. When we pray we are connecting our lives to the source of all life. Prayer is at the heart of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Discipleship is connecting our lives and the world to the God. Prayer also lies at the heart of the gospel of Luke. Luke is intended to be a training manual for disciples. Luke demonstrates the power of prayer in all 24 chapters, from the birth of Christ to the resurrection – Luke shows the power of prayer, he tells us stories of Jesus praying, he models what prayer looks like, shoe shows ordinary persons praying, and he even shows how God answers prayer. In chapter 18, he gives us examples of three types of prayer in the mouths of three different lay persons. We didn’t look at the first part of chapter 18 – but it is the story of a faithful widow praying for justice and God hears her prayer. Our text for today is about 2 very different men with 2 very different prayers. When our children were small and we were trying to teach them to pray, we had three kinds of prayer: "Please prayers," Thank you prayers," and "Sorry prayers." S. Briscoe, Getting into God, p. 55. So the widow’s prayer was a please prayer, the pharisee’s prayer was a thank you prayer, and the tax collectors prayer was a sorry prayer. Actually in spiritual life there are five kinds of prayer. The five major types of prayer, intercession on behalf of others, adoration, confession, petition and thanksgiving. Luke gives models of all of them.As a matter of fact, there are 3 models of prayer in chapter 18. Last week we heard of the woman persistent in her prayer. – prayers of petition. You could say that the Pharisee was praying a prayer of adoration – even if it was adoration of his own faith. And the tax collector prayed a prayer of confession. Which is a better prayer? Which is better for us to pray? There is no comparison. There are times in our lives when we need to pray all five prayers. The comparison is not with the widow, the Pharisee and the tax collector. The comparison is with Jesus Christ – does the prayer draw us closer to Jesus. Luke gives us an example of all 5 types of prayer and I would encourage you to use them all at some point in your daily life. So when Jesus tells this parable, it is probably not based on a real story – Jesus is just using examples of people that he knows are in the crowd that day. Another major them of Luke is bridging the gap between insiders and outsiders. Jesus wanted to encourage the beloved community to understand those that they didn’t know so that they could open the door of acceptance. Tax collectors would have flocked to Jesus, because they didn’t feel accepted by the community. Tax collectors were nothing like IRS agents of today. They were considered traiters, because they would take money from their own people. Some time it made it to the government, most of the time it did not. They pocketed it. In a crowded room people would have felt uncomfortable around a tax collector. They were outsiders On the other hand, the pharisees were considered the ultimate insider. They were well respected and were looked up to as leaders. The pharisees were haters, they were in the crowd just to stalk Jesus and find something to criticize. Not only were they insiders, they were the authority for who was in, and who was out. When Jesus uses them in his parable, he is actually giving them a compliment. He is helping his followers understand their role in religious society. Pharisees were the first lay leaders – they studied the bible constantly, they did all that they could to support the congregation, they prayed for themselves and for others, they were expected to always go above and beyond. They were supposed to be better than anyone else. When he says thank you God that I am not like the other people, he is actually praying • Pharisee prays Psalm 17:3-5 “If you try my heart, if you visit me by night, if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress. As for what others do, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.” His prayers are sincere – yet Jesus points out that prayer is not just words, it is also attitude and actions. The pharisees words were close to God, his attitudes and actions were not. Being a better Christian is about connecting to others – reaching out, not looking down on people. C. S. Lewis once said, "A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and of course, as long as you are looking down, you can't see something that's above you." • The tax collector on the other hand prayed Psalm 51 - Tax Collector prays Psalm 51:1 "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions” In Jesus eyes, the pharisee’s prayer wasn’t wrong, and the tax collectors prayer was not right. Both are equal in God’s eyes. They are both children of God. The pharisee is a model of faith, and the tax collector is closer to the ordinary guy. Jesus knows that in our minds, we tend to look for the good guy and the bad guy. Jesus is counting on us finding good and bad in the story. We like to stalk out the bad, the wrong, the problem. There is a story of a famous well liked knight who was a dragon hunter. He took is task very seriously. Everything that he did during his day, was geared toward making him a better dragon hunter. He thought about dragons night and day. He spent every available minute practicing hunting dragons. For him, in order to catch a dragon, you have to think like a dragon, you had to understand their motivation. His every thought was directed toward hunting dragons. One day, after years of discipline, he happened to see his reflection while looking at a river, and he was horrified at what he had seen. After years of focusing on hunting dragons, he discovered that he had become the thing that he hated the most – he has become a dragon. If we leave the sanctuary this morning focusing on the faults of the pharisee – thinking that he is the bad guy – then the lessons of Jesus has failed you. Jesus wants you to see the self- righteousness in yourself. Our text actually stars out by saying – there were certain people in the audience who had become self righteous. Those people he is talking about is you and me. As soon as we start to draw the line between us and them, between right and wrong, between good and bad, between insider and outsider – Jesus can automatically be found on the other side than us. Humanity is constantly trying to order ourselves regarding power and worth. The challenge of the Gospel is all people are beloved and that challenge is lived out in the Beloved Community (& the Kingdom of Heaven). In what ways are we humbling and exalting others or ourselves in appropriate (leveling) ways and inappropriate ways? Sometimes our greatest gifts, can become our greatest burden to listening to God clearly. The pharisee prayed a genuine prayer of thankfulness, but he focused on his gifts, and didn’t mention his faults. Discipleship is seeing others as beloved children of God- balancing love of God and love of other That is why prayer is so much a part of our discipleship. All 5 types of prayer ( intercession on behalf of others, adoration for God’s grace, confession of our sins, thankfulness and petition) need to be a part of our daily life. God hears the prayers of both the saints and the sinners. Our prayer life shapes our attitudes and our actions. May the grace that we receive from God be the grace that we pass on to others. Let us pray……. Song Leaning on the Everlasting Arms UMH 133 Pastoral Prayer We know that you listen to the prayers of the faithful, looking in our lives, and looking upon the world. Ask that you be with each and every person here and their concerns. Many things for us to pray about. • Pray for peace within the wars and disagreements in the world • Pray for the tensions in our country. We pray for people who are demonstrating and that you hear their concerns. • Pray for people in danger, and separated form families • Pray for many people and places that have been affected by hurricanes and horrible weather • People who are dealing with loss help in their grief • People who are dealing with illness of themselves and family members • Farmers who are working in the field, keep safe and not let labor be in vain • Violence and crimes unsolved. • Grace, peace, mercy Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment So the question still remains, who do you see yourself as in the story of the pharisee and the tax collector. Are we the model of what it means to be faithful to God, or are we just the ordinary person just trying to be faithful. Most of us are probably somewhere in between. And the next question is which of these two people would Jesus want us to model on our own faith journey? Does Jesus really want us to cheat those around us, and to hoard money for ourselves, and then ask for forgiveness without any thought of repentance. Jesus would probably want us to be more like the pharisee – the pharisee studied the bible, he served his church, he reached out to others, he was in constant communication with God, and he was very intentional about tithing. He took what he gave to God very seriously. If the bible called for him to give 10% of everything to God, he did that. Those are all of the lessons that we are reminded of during our stewardship campaign – giving our gifts, our prayers, our talents, our service and our witness. Jesus wants us to be like the pharisee - like a pharisee who has a little humility and an awareness of the prayers of others. Jesus does not discourage giving 10% of our income back to God. But the good news for us is that Jesus gives us grace. In today’s economy, when we look at our income. 10% may be way too much to give on a regular basis. He encourages us to pray and consider the cost and to give in a way that helps us to feel good about our gift. If 10% is too much, then perhaps we can consider 5%, or 2% or 1%. In a few weeks, we will be asked to consider our gifts to the church. I hope that we can all use our skill in prayer and connection to God as we commit our pledge for the year. God loves a cheerful giver, which is why we usually ask for a pledge and not a straight tithe. Jesus also stressed that when we give, that we consider the mission – what needs to be done and how much does it cost to do it. If each of us gives what we can – we can fulfill that mission. The mission of our church is to grow as disciples of Christ and to create a space for others to have a relationship with God, whether they are a pharisee or a tax collector. As we come to a time of sharing our tithes, offerings and gifts, Today, I invite you to look deep within your own self. What can you offer? What WILL you offer in gratitude for the ways Jesus lifts you up in his love, and God’s Spirit draws you close? Prayer of Thanksgiving God, we want to know, deep down, how we can live into the person you’ve created each of us to be. Receive the gifts we’ve offered here: the finances, the time, and the talents of each of our lives, but also the vulnerable recognition of our individual souls. Today, send us from this time of worship eager to be true followers of Jesus, who ate with sinners; crossed racial, social, and gender restrictions; and called ordinary folk to be his disciples. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook May we leave this house of worship today, quick to listen, slow to speak, open to hearing and responding to God’s truth. May God bless you and keep you, be kind and gracious to you, may God look upon you with favor and bring you peace. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction What greater joy can we know that to go home justified because of our humility before God who redeems? Let us leave this place to live as we came in – openly and desiring to praise God and witness to a saving love. Go in humble grace. In Christ’s name. Amen. Derek Weber, March 2025 Additional Illustrations An Absolute Standard One rabbi said, "If there are only two righteous men in the world, I and my son are these two; if there is only one, I am he!" –Reminds me of two friends talking, one said, "We're the only two honest people left in the world, and sometimes I'm not so sure about you!" With a human measure, righteousness is relative, you can always find someone better and someone worse. Take the right point of comparison and you feel pretty good about yourself. A little boy announced to his mother, "I'm like Goliath. I'm 9 feet tall." "Why do you say that?" asked his mother. "Well, I made a little ruler and measured myself with it; I'm 9 feet tall!" Human standards don't count. The only evaluation that counts is by an absolute standard! The righteousness of God Himself; with that measuring stick, we all come up short! Lee Compson, Holier Than Who? ___________________________________ What Impresses God - Luke 18:9-14 There was a very lost, wicked, rebellious man who decided it would be good for business if he went down to the church and joined it. He was an adulterer, an alcoholic, and had never been a member of a church in his life. But when he went down to the altar to join the church, he gave public testimony to the church that there was no sin in his life, and that he had grown up in the church, and they readily accepted him as a member. When he went home he told his wife what he had done, and his wife, a very godly lady, exploded. She excoriated him for being such a hypocrite, and demanded that he go back to the church the next week and confess what he really was. Well, God used his wife to really break him, and he took it to heart. The next Sunday he went back to the church, walked down to the front again, and this time confessed to the church all of his sins. He told them he was dishonest, an alcoholic, an adulterer, and he was sorry. They revoked his membership on the spot. He walked out of the church that day scratching his head and muttered to himself: "These church folks are really strange. I told a lie and they took me in; and when I told the truth they kicked me out!" The Lord Jesus told a story of two men in a similar situation who had totally different results. One man tried to talk himself into God's kingdom, but he didn't make it. One man tried to talk himself out of God's kingdom and he did make it. Now Luke makes it plain who Jesus told this parable to. For he says in v.9, "Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." I promise you, every one of you will find yourself somewhere in this story. Because at one time or another all of us are guilty of trying to impress God. You are going to learn, surprisingly, what does impress God, and what doesn't. I. The Pharisee Who Fooled Himself II. The Person Who Faulted Himself III. The Principle That Fulfills Itself _________________ Pride I heard about a fifth grader that came home from school so excited. She had been voted "prettiest girl in the class." The next day she was even more excited when she came home, for the class had voted her "the most likely to succeed." The next day she came home and told her mother she had won a third contest, being voted "the most popular." But the next day she came home extremely upset. The mother said, "What happened, did you lose this time?" She said, "Oh no, I won the vote again." The mother said, "What were you voted this time?" She said, "most stuck up." Well this Pharisee would have won that contest hands down. He had an "i" problem. Five times you will read the little pronoun "i" in these two verses. He was stoned on the drug of self. He suffered from two problems: inflation and deflation. He had an inflated view of who he was, and a deflated view of who God was. His pride had made him too big for his spiritual britches. James Merritt, Collected Sermons, ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc. Can You Hear the Music - Luke 18:9-14 Who doesn’t like an “attaboy!” when they do something good? It’s why we have “honor society” in school. It is the reason we have scholarship awards as we head into college. “Attaboy!” stands behind all those accolades high achievers get throughout life — Rhode’s scholarships, purple hearts, Silver stars, gold statues, merit raises for school teachers, making partner in a big firm, getting re-elected (in any organization, at any level). “Attaboys!” reward the gracious, good, above-and-beyond behaviors we see in others. Good persons deserve good things. The problem is that our vision of “good behavior” can get extremely myopic, extremely near-sighted. We only are able to see the good in those who stand closest to us. Those far off become, if not “bad,” at least “other.” “Otherness” is perhaps the most insidious form of prejudice. Why? Because “otherness” makes close closed. “Otherness” disassociates our close family and other loved ones from outsiders and strangers. As soon as we identify some people as “others,” the game is over. We have drawn up “us” vs. “them” battle-lines. In this week’s gospel parable the good-living, well-meaning Pharisee and the ne’r-do-well tax collector are set up as ideal types of the “acceptable” vs. the “other.” The contrast could not be sharper. The Pharisee examines himself, and finds no fault with himself. The tax collector lets God examine him, and throws himself on the bar of God's justice (receiving mercy as God does).Ironically, the Pharisee treats God as a debt collector and the Tax collector, who IS a debt collector, treats God as a Savior…. The Best Treatment for Loneliness Dr. Karl Menninger, the famous American psychiatrist, once gave a lecture on mental health & was answering questions from the audience. One man asked, "What would you advise a person to do if that person felt a nervous breakdown coming on?" Everyone there expected him to answer, "Consult a psychiatrist." To their astonishment he replied: Leave your house, go across the railroad tracks, find someone who is in need, and do something to help that person. Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com Everything He Says Is True When you read the story about the Pharisee, a number of specific statements are made about his piety. Please note this. Everything the man says about himself is true. For instance, when he says, “I thank you that I am not like other men,” indeed he wasn’t like other men. He had a standard of morality that was far above the standard of that day. When he said, “I fast twice a week;” it happens to be literally true. The Pharisees fasted on Monday and Thursday of every week. When he says, “I give tithes of all I possess,” he means he tithes on the gross and not on the net. He went beyond the Law of Moses. That’s no big deal; all the Pharisees did that. And when he says, “I am not a crook,” he really isn’t a crook. When he says, “I am not like this filthy tax collector,” he’s really not like that guy. When he says, “I do not commit adultery,” he really doesn’t commit adultery. He is faithful to his wife. When he says, “I am honest, I am faithful, I am zealous for my religion,” he means it and every word of it is true. He truly is a genuinely good man. When I read his prayer, I am reminded of that country song that says, “Oh, Lord, it’s hard to be humble, when you’re perfect in every way.” What we are to understand is this. When he prayed he was telling the truth. When he said, “Lord, you’re lucky to have a guy like me, because I’m one of the best guys I know,” it was really true. He really was a wonderful guy. While he prayed, people would be standing around watching. And they would say, “He’s a fine man.” While he prayed, they probably applauded. He was the kind of guy you’d want living next door to you. A good citizen. A law-abiding man. A good, religious kind of person. If he were to come to this church today we’d love him because he would be faithful, loyal, and give us a lot of money. We’d probably make him an elder or a deacon. He’s just that kind of guy. He looks really good on the outside. Everything he says about himself is absolutely true. Ray Pritchard, How to Be Right with God ___________________________________ The Cunning Craftsman In her play, "The Zeal of Thy House," Dorothy Sayers imagines a stonemason working on an intricate carving for the chancel of Canterbury Cathedral, who clumsily lets his tool slip and spoils the whole great piece of stone assigned to him. It is a sad moment as the valuable and custom-cut stone stands misshapen. The architect, however, takes the tool out of the artisan's hand and although he remonstrates with him for his clumsiness, begins to enact forgiveness. He redesigns out of the spoiled carving a new and different figure which has its own part to play in the ensemble of the Cathedral, and then permits the blundering mason to complete it in all its glory. "So works with us," concludes Dorothy Sayers, "the cunning craftsman, God." On reading it, I could not shake the phrase from my mind: "The cunning craftsman, God." As used, the word cunning does not mean some kind of craftiness which might be our modern interpretation. But taken in its pure sense it indicates skill, wisdom and ability. The phrase then really means that the Master artist God can take our blundering efforts and still make something useful out of them. He takes our mismanaged lives, our failed efforts, our missed marks, our shameful deeds, our alien attitudes, our sinful lives and out of his divine resourcefulness he saves the day by creating something new, worthy and wonderful that still has usefulness and beauty in the divine plan of things. It is a reassurance that we desperately need, but one on which we cannot presume. Allan J. Weenink, Only The Wounded Can Serve, CSS Publishing Co., Inc. ________________ What Kind of Sinners Can Be Members Samuel Colgate, the founder of the Colgate business empire, was a devout Christian, and he told of an incident that took place in the church he attended. During an evangelistic service, an invitation was given at the close of the sermon for all those who wished to turn their lives over to Christ and be forgiven. One of the first persons to walk down the aisle and kneel at the altar was a well-known prostitute. She knelt in very real repentance, she wept, she asked God to forgive her, and meanwhile the rest of the congregation looked on approvingly at what she was doing. Then she stood and testified that she believed God had forgiven her for her past life, and she now wanted to become a member of the church. For a few moments, the silence was deafening. Finally, Samuel Colgate arose and said, "I guess we blundered when we prayed that the Lord would save sinners. We forgot to specify what kind of sinners. We'd better ask him to forgive us for this oversight. The Holy Spirit has touched this woman and made her truly repentant, but the Lord apparently doesn't understand that she's not the type we want him to rescue. We'd better spell it out for him just which sinners we had in mind." Immediately, a motion was made and unanimously approved that the woman be accepted into membership in the congregation. God accepts us as we are. There's not a sin too black, not a deed too awful, not a thought too horrible for him to forgive. Larry R. Kalajainen, Extraordinary Faith for Ordinary Time, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. I Used to Be an Intellectual Albert Schweitzer was laboring one day, under the hot African sun, building his hospital at Lambarene. A large timber had to be raised into place, and try as he might, Schweitzer couldn't manage it. He looked up and saw a well-dressed African man standing in the shade of a tree, and asked him to lend a hand. "O, no," the man said, "I don't do that kind of work. I am an intellectual." And Albert Schweitzer, with five earned doctor's degrees, said, "I used to be an intellectual, but I couldn't live up to it." When we are Christians we don't have anything to live up to, no pretenses to maintain, no privileges to guard. We can't be too low in the eyes of the world. We can't be losers enough. There is a wonderful peace and freedom in that. William R. Boyer, Sorry, Thank You, Please _________________ Bent to the Ground A city boy visited his cousin who lived on a farm in the country for the first time. The city boy had never seen wheat growing in a field. It was an impressive sight for him, the wheat golden brown and ready for harvesting. He noticed that some of the wheat stood tall in the field, whereas some of it was bent low, touching the ground. The city boy said to his cousin, "I bet the ones standing tall are the best ones, aren't they?" His cousin smiled knowingly and reached over and plucked the head of one of the tall-standing wheat stalks and one that was bent to the ground. He rubbed each of them and the city boy saw that the tall one was almost empty of seeds. But the one bent to the ground was full of the promise of a rich harvest. R. Curtis Fussell, Deadly Sins and Living Virtues, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. Learn To Empty Yourself A martial arts student was meeting with his master and teacher at a table, having tea. The student said to his master, "I've learned all you have to teach me about defending myself. I want to learn one thing more now. Please teach me about the ways of God." The master took the teakettle and starting pouring the student's cup full of tea. Soon the cup was full and began to spill over onto the saucer. But the master continued to pour the tea until it spilled over the saucer and then onto the floor. The student finally said, "Stop, stop, the tea is spilling over. The cup can't take any more." The master then looked at the student and said, "You are so full of yourself that there is no room in your life for God. It is not possible for you to learn the ways of God until you learn to empty yourself." R. Curtis Fussell, Deadly Sins and Living Virtues, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. Worshipping Who She Used To Be Girolamo Savonarola was one of the great preachers of the fifteenth century. He preached in the great cathedral of Florence, Italy, which contained a magnificent marble statue of the blessed virgin Mary. When Savonarola started preaching at this great cathedral, he noticed one day an elderly woman praying before this statue of Mary. He then began to notice that it was her habit to come every day and pray before the statue. Savonarola remarked one day to an elderly priest who had been serving in the cathedral for many years, "Look how devoted and earnest this woman is. Every day she comes and offers prayers to the blessed Mother of Jesus. What a marvelous act of faith." But the elderly priest replied, "Do not be deceived by what you see. Many years ago when the sculptor needed a model to pose for this statue of the blessed Mother, he hired a beautiful young woman to sit for him. This devout worshiper you see here everyday is that young woman. She is worshiping who she used to be." The first and perhaps the deadliest of the seven deadly sins is pride. R. Curtis Fussell, Deadly Sins and Living Virtues, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. ____________________ They Only Ironed The Parts That Showed Mike Cope, in his article "Righteousness Inside Out," tells of inviting a college student and his girlfriend back to his home after church, to have lunch with him and his wife. "When we got to the house, I took off my suit coat and invited him to do the same. The boy hemmed and hawed for a long time until he could pull me aside, and what he whispered to me then reminded me of the way I used to live when I was in college." It seemed he had only ironed the cuffs and collar of his shirt. If he took off his jacket, his girl would see the rest of his shirt and know what a slob he was. He had only ironed the parts that showed. That was one of the major, ongoing complaints Jesus brought against the Pharisees, the religious leaders of his day. That they were phony. That they were not what they seemed to be. That they were hypocrites. That they only ironed the parts that showed. William R. Boyer, Sorry, Thank You, Please ______________________ Our Own Vices Dwight L. Moody and Charles Spurgeon were great preachers of the nineteenth century. Moody admired Spurgeon from a distance and looked forward to the opportunity of meeting him in London. On that historic day, Spurgeon answered the door with a cigar in his mouth. Moody was aghast. "How could you, a man of God, smoke that?" Spurgeon took the cigar from his mouth, put his finger on Moody's rather inflated stomach, smiled and said, "The same way you, a man of God, could be that fat." Because we are usually blind to our own vices, we are hardly qualified to judge others. Eric S. Ritz, The Ritz Collection,www.Sermons.com ____________________________ • Ask your congregation who they are- the tax collector or the Pharisee? Why do they think that? Who do they view as the other? Why? Do they feel they deserve to be exalted or humbled? In some ways this could be thought of as a modern day version of the old parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
A Pharisee was a lay person, who committed to following the law to the letter. He did what was right all of the time. He tithed, the prayed, he studied the scripture, he lived right. The tax collector of Jesus day, was not the IRS man of today. The tax collector was thought of as a thief and a traitor. He stole from his own to give it to the government. Sometimes the money made it to the government, most of the time it did not. He kept it in his pocket. Jesus understood the plight of the tax collector very well – he had lunch with them all of the time. Jesus did not get along real well with the Pharisee.