Benediction is the beginning of Service

November 23, 2025 Luke 1:68-79 Christ the King Sunday Commitment Sunday Benediction is the beginning of Service Prelude Greeting Call to Worship We gather for worship today to celebrate our gifts. We are celebrating the gifts we give to this church, the pledges we are making for the upcoming year. We gather for worship today to celebrate our community. We are celebrating the love and support that we give to one another; the constant quest that we are on to be united by God’s grace. We gather for worship today to celebrate our future. We are celebrating a future full of outreach, a future full of service, a future full of worship and a future full of growth. We are celebrating a future with hope. We gather for worship today to celebrate our visions. We are celebrating the visions of those who have come before us, the visions that brought us to where we are today and the visions that we see today for the future. Let us gather in celebration! Let us worship God! (Rev. Sarah Weaver) Opening Prayer We come this day, rejoicing, in the presence of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. At his birth the angels proclaimed his name to be Emmanuel, God with us. Today in this place, in this time of worship, may we truly feel the power and presence of Jesus Christ in our lives. May our hearts and spirits be warmed and challenged to proclaim with our lives, "Christ is Lord!". AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Song All Hail the Power of Jesus Name UMH 155 A Sermon for all Ages Object Lesson: “The Flashlight King” Props Needed: • A flashlight (preferably a bright one) • A paper crown (or toy crown) • A small blanket or towel to drape over the flashlight at first ________________________________________ Start With a Question Hold up the paper crown. “What is this? What do kings usually look like? What do kings usually do?” (Let the kids answer.) Say: “Most kings live in castles, have lots of power, and want people to listen to them all the time.” ________________________________________ Introduce Jesus’ Kingship Now hold up the flashlight—but keep it covered with the blanket so it is not shining yet. “Today is Christ the King Sunday, and Jesus is our King. But Jesus isn’t like other kings. Jesus didn’t come with armies or gold or fancy clothes.” Point to the flashlight: “He came to bring something much better than all of that.” ________________________________________ The Reveal: Jesus Brings Light Uncover the flashlight and turn it on. Let the light shine. “Zechariah says in our Bible story that Jesus came to bring light to people who sit in darkness. Jesus is the King who lights the way.” Move the flashlight around so it shines on the children or the wall. “When we don’t know what to do… When we feel afraid… When the world feels confusing… Jesus shines His light to show us the way.” ________________________________________ Compare Crowns Hold up the paper crown next to the shining flashlight. “Most kings rule with a crown and power and thrones. But Jesus rules with light, love, kindness, and peace.” Place the crown gently on the flashlight (symbolically crowning it). “Jesus is the Light King—the King who helps us see. The King who guides our feet into the way of peace.” ________________________________________ Make It Personal Ask the children: “What are some ways we can shine light like Jesus this week?” Let them answer (examples: sharing, helping someone, being kind, saying sorry, praying, listening). ________________________________________ Closing Line “So today, remember: Jesus is our King—our Light—and we can help shine His love wherever we go.” ________________________________________ Prayer “Jesus, thank You for being our King of Light. Help us shine Your love this week and guide our feet into the way of peace. Amen.” Scripture Luke 1:68-79 Sermon Benediction is the beginning of Service There was a sense of anxiety as our seminary classmates gathered that day. To a person they had been surprised when the professor announced that there would be a final exam. Everyone was asking, "How can you have a final exam in preaching?" How could one prepare? What sort of questions might be asked? Throughout the year there had been lectures on sermon preparation and style, but mostly it had been a course of practice and critique. Finally, the professor, who was himself a splendid and engaging preacher, strode into the room and a quiet fell. The familiar blue books were distributed. "Gentlemen," he began, "you may use your Bibles for this exam. You have three hours. There is just one question and it has three parts. Here it is: You have one last sermon to preach in your ministry. It's your last best shot. Choose your text and theme, explain why you have chosen them, and give a full, detailed outline for the development of that sermon." That morning and that question have left lasting marks upon this preacher's life and his ministry! Today brings us that one last shot in this church year. Today the church brings to conclusion all that has been revealed and celebrated in the gospel story of God's work for our salvation since that story began with Advent's hope a year ago. Today it must come together for us into one concluding proclamation about Jesus Christ who is "King of kings and Lord of lords." And today we must address that ultimate question about Christ's lordship in our lives and in our world… I. A Year That Comes Full Circle Today is a strange and beautiful Sunday in the church year. • It is Christ the King Sunday, the grand finale of the Christian year. • It is the Sunday before Thanksgiving—when our tables are almost ready, our travel plans nearly set. • It is also the threshold of Advent, just seven days before candles are lit, hymns begin to shift, and we lean once again toward the manger. We stand today at a crossroads: an ending, a beginning, and a moment of gratitude—all at once. And what better Scripture to stand with us than Zechariah’s song in Luke 1? Because Luke 1 is the beginning of the story, yet Zechariah’s song reads as though he already knows how it ends— with Christ as King, with mercy triumphing over fear, with light breaking into darkness, with a kingdom not made by human hands. On this last Sunday of the year, Luke brings us back to the very first dawn of hope. ________________________________________ II. The Gospel of Luke—What We Learned This Year As we close the Christian year, let’s take a moment to remember what the Gospel of Luke has been teaching us: 1. God’s Kingdom Comes to the Ordinary Luke is the gospel where God comes to: • Zechariah and Elizabeth—older, tired, praying for years. • Mary—a young woman from a small town. • Shepherds—night-shift workers tending sheep. Luke teaches us that God’s kingship does not begin in palaces but in barns, homes, and small corners of the world. 2. Jesus Lifts Up the Lowly and Sets Captives Free From the Magnificat to the first sermon in Nazareth— “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…”— Luke reveals a King who: • blesses the poor, • feeds the hungry, • heals the broken, • touches the unclean, • welcomes the outsider, • forgives sinners, • and listens—deeply listens—to people no one else hears. Luke teaches us that Christ’s kingdom is upside-down: the last are first, the lost are found, the sinner is restored, and the forgotten are honored. 3. Jesus Is the King Who Walks Toward Jerusalem Luke’s Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem long before the cross draws near. He shows us that kingship in God’s kingdom looks like: • Courage • Sacrifice • Mercy • Self-giving love Luke teaches us a King who does not sit on a throne far away, but one who walks with us, even into death. 4. Luke Shows Us a King Who Will Not Stay Dead Luke ends with risen life, burning hearts on the road to Emmaus, and a promise: “You will be my witnesses.” Luke teaches us that death is not the final word, because the King is alive. ________________________________________ III. Zechariah’s Song: A Hymn for the End of the Year And so, on this final Sunday of the Christian year, we hear Zechariah sing: **“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.” (v. 68)** This is not a song for kings who sit on earthly thrones. It is a song for a King who redeems, who comes near, who remembers mercy. “He has raised up a mighty savior for us.” (v. 69) But notice—this mighty Savior begins as a child, in vulnerability, in humility, in love. Zechariah sings of: • mercy remembered, • covenant fulfilled, • enemies scattered, • fear lifted, • light breaking forth, • and a path of peace. This is the King he foresees. This is the King we celebrate. ________________________________________ IV. Why Christ Is King On Christ the King Sunday, we do not crown a ruler who: • taxes us, • conquers us, • or commands armies. We crown a King who: • breaks chains, • feeds the hungry, • heals the sick, • forgives sinners, • welcomes prodigals, • touches lepers, • calms storms, • and washes feet. He rules not with fear but with grace. Not with force but with truth. Not with wealth but with poverty of spirit. Not with domination but with mercy. Christ is King because: • He is the light that no darkness can overcome. • He is the love that death cannot destroy. • He is the peace the world cannot give. Kings of this world reign for a season. Christ reigns for eternity. Kings of this world cling to power. Christ gives it away. Kings of this world demand allegiance. Christ invites relationship. Kings of this world sit on thrones. Christ hangs on a cross— and that is where his kingship is revealed. ________________________________________ V. Preparing for Thanksgiving and Advent This week, many of us will gather around tables full of good things. And Luke reminds us: in Christ’s kingdom, there is always room for one more at the table. This week, we give thanks—but not just for blessings. We give thanks for: • God’s mercy, • God’s promises, • God’s faithfulness through this past year, • God’s presence in every high and low, • God’s kingdom breaking in—often quietly, often unexpectedly. And next Sunday, Advent begins. We start again at the manger, at the beginning of Luke’s story, at the small spark of hope. We end today with a King enthroned on a cross, and we begin next week with a baby wrapped in bands of cloth. The Christian year turns like a wheel— from hope to birth, from ministry to death, from resurrection to mission, and back again to hope. ________________________________________ VI. “To Guide Our Feet into the Way of Peace” Zechariah ends with a promise: “…to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (v. 79) Is that not exactly what we need now? • In a world noisy with division. • In a season that can overwhelm us. • In a year that has been heavy for many. • In a nation that aches for healing. • In homes where there is worry and weariness. Christ the King comes to guide our feet— not into comfort, not into ease, but into the way of peace. Peace that forgives wrongs. Peace that feeds the hungry. Peace that shelters the lonely. Peace that seeks justice. Peace that refuses hatred. Peace that whispers hope. Peace that restores community. Peace that begins with us. This is the kingdom. This is the King. This is the way. ________________________________________ VII. A Final Word as the Year Ends So as we close the Christian year: • Look back with gratitude. • Stand in the present with reverence. • Step into Advent with hope. And as we crown Christ as our King today, let us remember: He is not far away. He is not unreachable. He is not finished with us. He is the King who: • hears your prayers, • knows your struggles, • carries your burdens, • strengthens your spirit, • and calls you by name. And he is the King who will come again— not in terror but in love, not to condemn but to heal, not to destroy but to restore. Let us follow him into the new year. Let us walk in his mercy. Let us trust his grace. Let us rejoice that: **Christ is King— yesterday, today, and forever.** Finally, Some of us are uncomfortable with the thought of having a king in our lives. But let us be reminded that Christ is a new kind of King, of a new kind of kingdom. Christ opens up a world which encourages us to serve as well as lead. To bring others to the spiritual table where we are fed. To be grateful for the gifts that God has given us. Christ kingship makes our lives and the lives of those around us better. Our response to Christ’s love is to live in holiness. It was a theologian, that said that following Christ isn’t so much about doing something to make you holy, it is making holy whatever you do in life. Wherever you are and whatever you do, let Christ’s spirit be present also. Christ’s presence opens doors for wonderful things to happen in the world. If Christ comes with you to work, than can you treat your colleagues with anything less than kindness, respect, fairness and love. If Christ comes to the dinner table with you, can we treat family any less than royalty. When Christ is our king, we allow his spirit to flow in our lives. We acknowledge Christ’s sovereignty in every situation. To God be the glory! Say it with me: To God be the glory! Now I want you to repeat that phrase after me, like a refrain. Each time I speak a line, I want you to respond with: To God be the glory! Ok? Let’s try it! “The weather is beautiful today!” [To God be the glory!] The beginning of the season of advent has come upon us! [To God be the glory!] We haven’t met our financial budget this month….we are short about $800. [To God be the glory!] [What? I can’t hear you….let’s try that again…..To God be the glory!] The bathroom sprung a leak, and flooded the tiles. [To God be the glory!.... what? It’s a bit harder this time?] The turkey burned, but there’s plenty of Brussel sprouts and spinach! [To God be the glory! ….] [Come on ….help me now….. what else is going on in your week?....] [allow people to shout out phrases….. followed by “To God be the Glory!”] If we can find the glory of Christ in every situation, then Christ is indeed our King. Let us pray…… Amen. Song Crown Him with Many Crowns UMH 327 Pastoral Prayer (Do not Print) Father of Blessings, As we gather this morning, and as we look forward to Thanksgiving here in a few days, we can't help but pause for a minute and give you thanks. We often think as if we are independent creatures. As if what we have is a result of our own strength. As if we are owed things. But in truth we are deeply dependent. Our simple existence is gifted. The air we breathe, the crops that provide our food, the sun in the sky, the earth beneath our feet – we made none of this. We uphold none of it. All of it is from you who created and sustain all things. We did not knit ourselves together in our mothers' wombs – you did. We do not keep our hearts beating and our bodies working – you do. We take the things you have made and with our hands that you have designed and our minds that you have formed we make of them objects and hold them up to heaven and say “Look at how great we are.” And in your fatherly grace, you forgive us for even this presumption, although in truth they are all from you. Even more than all of this, we do not deserve salvation. We do not deserve to be Your sons and daughters. We rebelled against You, and by all rights we should have been consumed. But You spare us, You paid the price we cannot pay, and You offer us life that we cannot earn. Every physical blessing and every spiritual blessing flows from You. Forgive us for our ungratefulness, Father. Hear our gratitude: thank You for all that You provide. Even though after all of that we might be chastened, we thank You and still come with our requests. We come believing that You are so unbelievably generous that, even with all You have done, You might give us still more. So, Lord, hear our prayers for those on our minds and hearts this morning. Bring healing to those who are sick or in pain. Comfort and uphold them in the face of life's challenges. Carry them through this broken world and bind up the ways this brokenness has affected their lives. Protect those in dangerous places: those in situations made dark by sin, those who work to serve and protect others, and those who are far away. Make Yourself known to them and wrap Your Spirit around them to keep them safe. Provide for us our daily bread. Give us confidence in life's hard times, a confidence that flows from the knowledge that You are in control. Not a sparrow falls without Your care, and we are no sparrows, we are Your children. Teach us to give thanks, to look at this world not out of fear or out of possessiveness but out of the security that rests in knowing that all of this is from You. We give You praise, for from You and for You and to You are all things. We pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, through whom and in whom we have true blessing. AMEN (Pastor Eric Tonjes) Lord’s Prayer UMH 894 Stewardship Moment Litany Litany of Dedication for Stewardship Pledges L: Almighty and Everlasting God, we give You thanks this day as we gather the pledges of support for Your Church in the coming year. We bring them before You with eager anticipation and hope. P: Hear us, O God, as we give You our thanks and praise. L: For those whose lives have been touched by Your Spirit, who have increased their commitment, P: We give You thanks and praise. L: For those who are responding to Your creative grace by pledging for the first time, P: We give You thanks and praise. L: For those who are tithing, and even exceeding a tithe, P: We give You thanks and praise. L: For those whose lives are in transition or turmoil and who feel they cannot pledge, but who continue to be a vital part of our community, P: We give You thanks and praise and we pray for calm in their lives. L: For committee workers who have labored in this effort to enable Your people to make a pledge of support for Your Church, P: We give You thanks and praise. L: That each one of us, and Your whole Church, become more faithful to the call of service in Jesus Christ, P: We ask Your continuing guidance and care. L: That these pledges may emerge as real gifts, thereby enabling the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ to move forward through this congregation and the Church Universal, P: In the name of Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to this action. Amen and Amen. (Linway United Presbyterian Church) Prayer of Thanksgiving Loving God, you have given us life and freedom. Everything we have and everything that we are is a gift from you. You call us to be stewards of this gift. As caretakers of all that you have provided, we give back now. We dedicate these gifts to you. Bless these tithes and offerings. Help us to always use your gifts wisely. Lead us as we share them generously with others. Help our faithful stewardship to show Christ to others. We pray these things in the name of our Messiah, Jesus the Christ. Amen. (Christian Smith) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Oh Jesus, You are the King of Glory, You are the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings. And we pray that your Kingdom will reign forever in our hearts and in this world. Lord, we pray for your Kingdom to come here now, bringing a kingdom of justice, righteousness, hope, love, peace, mercy and grace for all. Lord, we ask that you rule in our hearts, lead in this world and govern over your kingdom. (Rev. Abi) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Though the days increase in their darkness, the Lord of light and love reigns supreme. May the power of God’s love be in your hearts and reflected in your lives now and always. Go in peace, and may God’s peace be with you. AMEN. Nancy C. Townley, “Worship Connection: November 20, 2022,” Ministry Matters, https://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/4411/worship-connection-november-20-2022. Accepting a Human Messiah In contrast to the theology of the cross and our suffering/dying king. Robert Capon in Hunting the Divine Fox presents a wonderful picture of our typical American Messiah -- and it doesn't look much like Jesus on the cross. . . . almost nobody resists the temptation to jazz up the humanity of Christ. The true paradigm of the ordinary American view of Jesus is Superman: "Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. It's Superman! Strange visitor from another planet, who came to earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American Way." If that isn't popular christology, I'll eat my hat. Jesus -- gentle, meek and mild, but with secret, souped-up, more-than-human insides -- bumbles around for thirty-three years, nearly gets himself done in for good by the Kryptonite Kross, but at the last minute, struggles into the phone booth of the Empty Tomb, changes into his Easter suit and, with a single bound, leaps back up to the planet Heaven. It's got it all -- including, just so you shouldn't miss the lesson, kiddies: He never once touches Lois Lane. You think that's funny? Don't laugh. The human race is, was and probably always will be deeply unwilling to accept a human messiah. We don't want to be saved in our humanity; we want to be fished out of it. We crucified Jesus, not because he was God, but because he blasphemed: He claimed to be God and then failed to come up to our standards for assessing the claim. It's not that we weren't looking for the Messiah; it's just that he wasn't what we were looking for. Our kind of Messiah would come down from a cross. He would carry a folding phone booth in his back pocket. He wouldn't do a stupid thing like rising from the dead. He would do a smart thing like never dying." [pp. 90-91; this book has been reprinted, along with two others under the title The Romance of the Word: One Man's Love Affair with Theology] Robert Capon, quoted by Brian Stoffregen, Exegetical Notes Working for Christ’s Kingdom The application to those of us who love Jesus Christ is clear. What He loved and desired, we should love and desire and work to complete. His work is to see lost men saved and built up. His work is to see this world redeemed. His work is to see this unfinished world be brought to completion. We who love Him are called to complete the task. Hellen Keller once said, "The world is moved along not only by the mighty shove of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker." That's who we are and that's what we are called to do. There was once a farmer who had two mules. One was named Willing and the other was named Able. However, Willing was willing but was not able. Able was able but was not willing. The farmer did not get much done. Christ needs people who are willing and able. And the ironic thing is that when we subordinate our desires to His desire, when we enlist as privates in His army, when we serve as priests in His temple, which is the world, when we give ourselves in His service, it is then that we are lifted up. In losing ourselves we find ourselves. That is the nature of His kingdom. King Duncan, Collected Sermons,www.Sermons.com Scratching God’s Hand Fred Craddock tells about a family that was taking a lovely Sunday afternoon drive, when suddenly the children began shouting, “Stop the car! There’s a kitten by the road!” The father kept on driving, but his children wouldn’t quiet down. He tried to reason with them. The kitten was probably someone’s pet. It might have a disease. The family already had too many pets. It did no good. The children insisted that a loving father would stop the car for a stray cat. So finally the father drove back to the spot and reached for the scraggly kitten. The ungrateful little beast scratched him! Fighting an instinct to strangle the kitten, the father packed it into the car and took it home. Once at home, the children created a bed for the kitten out of their softest blankets. They fed the kitten droppers full of milk. They petted and fussed over the kitten. Soon, the kitten was purring and rubbing on family members, especially the father, as if he were its best friend. The father looked at the scars on his hand left by the frightened and ungrateful kitten. Then he looked at the comfortable, well-fed kitten rubbing against his leg. Had he suddenly become more worthy of love? No. His intentions toward the cat had always been to do it good, not harm. Something had happened to the kitten that made it feel secure, loved, accepted. How often does God try to bless us? And how often do we respond by scratching God’s hand? King Duncan, adapted from a sermon by Will Healy,www.Sermons.com Fallen and Trapped In October 1987, l year old Jessica McClure of Midland, Texas fell down an abandoned well. She was found on a ledge 22 feet below the surface. There she was, crying for her mother, in the cold darkness of this well. Her plight captured the attention of the entire nation. The people of the town gathered to rescue her. Hour after hour for two and a half days they worked. Federal Express here in Memphis, you will recall, flew down a special drill bit to aid in the rescue. I very distinctly remember the hour that she was rescued, because it was on a Friday night and I was home watching TV when they broke in to show the dramatic pictures. Anyone who did not have a tear in their eye when that little child was pulled out is hopeless. Saved, thank God, she was saved. Friends, each one of us are in the same condition morally and spiritually as that litt1e girl. We have fallen into the darkness of sin and there we are trapped. We cannot extradite ourselves, although the tragedy is that we think that we can. Someone must dig and dig until we are released from this darkness and despair. What we need is a Savior. That is what Jesus did for us on the cross. By his death he redeemed us from the consequences of sin. In Christ, God did for us what we would never have been able to do for ourselves. Brett Blair and Staff, Collected Sermons,www.Sermons.com Christ the King This is Christ the King Sunday. We have heard the whole story; we have all the information. So now—how do we recognize Jesus as King? We “independent, stand on our two feet, nobody tells us what to do, rugged individualist” Americans, how do we recognize Jesus as King? In Luke’s story of the crucifixion nobody there seems to recognize Jesus as King. Luke has painted us into his story as well. He describes the people who do nothing except to stand there and watch. “And the people stood by, watching.” That’s us, isn’t it? Grinding poverty is slowly destroying our urban youth and we just stand by and watch, preferably from a distance, preferably from inside a gated community. Watching the world turn secular, we know that there is a spiritual side to life but it just can’t crack our tightly wound schedules. We think about a Bible study but just can’t tolerate the idea of one more thing to attend. We won’t even pull off the road to watch a sunset for fear that we will be late to the next appointment. In trying to do everything, we are doing nothing of lasting value for our souls. When a king passes by in your life, you don’t just stand and watch. You respond. Bill McDonald, How Do You Recognize a King? Several years ago I heard a Scottish preacher share a parable from his homeland. He said that it was a tradition that after Jesus had died on Good Friday and had descended into Hell to set free the sinners therein, he was met by the Devil. The latter said to Jesus, "Now that you’ve left the earth, what plans do you have for your work." The legend says that Jesus responded, "Why I’ve left Peter, and James, and John, and a host of others to carry on my work." To which the Devil replied, "... and if they should fail, what other plans do you have?" Jesus then said, "I have no other plans; I’m counting on them." As Daniel Tiger asks, “Can you find something good in this?” In one episode, Daniel goes to the bakery and chooses the best birthday cake in the shape of a tiger just like him. He helps mold it until it looks stunning. He carries it home, but it gets jostled about a bit, and when he opens the box, the cake is sunken and misshapen. And his friends will be there any moment! Daniel is devastated. His cake is ruined. But his father reminds him, “When something seems bad, turn it around, and find something good!” “Daniel, can you find something good still in this cake?” Daniel at first has a hard time….but then he realizes, it still tastes good! He samples it to see. No matter how it looks, it’s still a great cake, and he shares it with his friends. Sometimes, we too look at the surface when it comes to God. We look at our lives and see only a shrunken cake. We live in a state of shrunken hopes and sullen disappointment that things don’t ever go quite as we hope they will. But God reminds us…..look further. Taste and see that the Lord is good! Take time….ponder, think, pray…..with thanks and praise. Glorify God! Because God has done something in YOUR life that is very, very good!

The Radiance of God

February 27, 2022 Transfiguration Sunday The Radiance of God Year C 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 Opening Song Welcome - A Mountaintop Experience Call to Worship One: Something drew us together this morning All: Something we can’t name but which we experience in worship One: Some holy mystery we call God All: Some sacred calling we hear in the life of Jesus One: Some indescribable hope we feel when we gather in the Spirit All: May our experience of the Divine transform our doubts and fears and prepare us to love the world. (Rev. Dr. David Bahr) Opening Prayer Mighty God, in the long winter slog it’s easy for us to drift along. Short days, still getting dark so early, seem to dampen any enthusiasm for discipleship for so many of us. Wake us up! Help us rejoice today as we recall the brilliance of Moses’ face on Mt. Sinai, and the dazzling wonder of Jesus on the mountaintop. Renew in us the eager anticipation of disciples, eager to celebrate having seen Moses, Elijah and the metamorphosis of their teacher, Jesus. Shine in us! AMEN (Center for Faith and Giving) Stewardship Moment One: The needs of our world are too numerous to name. Shelter, food, clean air and water… Our gifts touch these needs, but the biggest gift we can give is to love the world so much that we give of ourselves. Nothing will transform need more than sacrificial love. So as you place money in the offering (plate, basket, etc.) today, don’t let your giving be done. Start planning to go deeper. May God now bless our hopes and dreams. (Rev. Dr. David Bahr) Prayer of Thanksgiving Giving thanks to you, God of all Creation, we ask you to receive these signs of our love. Accept these gifts, knowing we offer them as symbols of the life you give us. Help us utilize this money, and each of our lives, to show your GLORY to a hurting world. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN (Center for Faith and Giving) Scripture 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 Common English Bible 12 So, since we have such a hope, we act with great confidence. 13 We aren’t like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the Israelites couldn’t watch the end of what was fading away. 14 But their minds were closed. Right up to the present day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. The veil is not removed because it is taken away by Christ. 15 Even today, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But whenever someone turns back to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom. 18 All of us are looking with unveiled faces at the glory of the Lord as if we were looking in a mirror. We are being transformed into that same image from one degree of glory to the next degree of glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 4 This is why we don’t get discouraged, given that we received this ministry in the same way that we received God’s mercy. 2 Instead, we reject secrecy and shameful actions. We don’t use deception, and we don’t tamper with God’s word. Instead, we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God by the public announcement of the truth. Sermon The Radiance of God Sermon Opener - Face to Face - 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 The 2010 drama film “The Social Network” portrayed many interesting features of Mark Zuckerberg’s development of his online creation. But they missed a big one: the name he chose for his baby --“Facebook.” Let’s face it: humans are obsessed with the unique, defining nature of our faces. The arrangement of our eyes, nose, mouth, chin, cheeks, forehead, never ceases to amaze and fascinate us. More than 5000 distinguishable facial expressions have been identified, and that is probably just a start on the human face. The 18th century German satirist Georg Lichtenberg called the human face “the most entertaining surface on earth.” How could we possibly resist pursuing and endlessly perusing an online site called “Facebook?” We recognize friends — and enemies — by their face. Bank robbers wear masks to hide their faces, knowing full well that, no matter how clear the pictures of their bodies might be, without a full view of their face, they cannot be accurately identified. When the Protestant Reformers came across images of the saints and the Virgin Mary, they defaced them on paintings and had their faces gouged out of carvings and sculptures. Babies look at faces — learning how to put the pieces together and how to recognize and trust the familiar, and reject and be fearful of the unfamiliar. It is in our human DNA to look into the face of others for critical, life-preserving, information. “We find ourselves in the faces of others” says Siri Hustvedt in her novel The Summer Without Men (2011). We become human through our relationships with others. In short, long before “virtual life,” human beings were walking, talking “Facebooks.” Our language reflects this fixation. We speak of taking things at “face value,” or of doing an “about face,” or of “facing off” against opponents. We “face the music,” make “face time,” and when dishonored we “lose face.” “Face cards” carry the most value and to stand “face-to-face” with another signifies being in the most valued of positions. One of the most advanced new computer identification techniques is the science of “facial recognition” — computer programs that can scan and identify individual faces without any other physical information. In the “transfiguration” scene described in this week’s gospel text (Luke 9:28ff), Jesus’ face shines… So you can imagine how much of a problem wearing a mask has been for so many people. This is not a political statement about mask wearing, but for many it stands in the way of being able to relate to people. If you cant see their face you cant relate to them, for many reasons. We are all looking for those little cues about their reactions. With a mask on your cant read lips, but you also can’t see a person’s genuine smile. Often you can’t hear them but you also cant relate to them. Now I am going to ask you to hold that thought. That gives us a modern example of Paul’s message in Corinthians. When Paul talks about a veil that stands in the way – he is talking about our relationship with God. Paul has a tendency to use certain concepts all throughout his writings. He likes to talk about our relationship with God in cosmetic terms. Earlier, I think even in 1 Corinthians he talks about our relationship with God being like looking into a very dull mirror. We could bearly see an image, but when we looked in the mirror we could see just a little bit that there was an image there. The closer we got to God and the more our relationship improved, then the image in the mirror Got clearer. But the image was not ours, it was Gods. Now in order to understand Paul’s reference to a veil in this passage, we have to go back to the book of Exodus. Moses had a special relationship with God, and would talk to God often. He would especially go to God when his community had a problem. God would always tell Moses to hide himself so that he would be protected. On earth, God was an actual presence – a gaseous prescence that would burn you if you got too close too it. You did not touch the ark of the coveneant from fear of death. I think God revealed himself to only two living people. Moses and Elijah. And both times God told them that they could not look at God’s face and live, they had to hide and look at God’s shadow – just a glimpse of God. Only Jesus Christ has a face to face relationship with God. So back to our story within a story – Moses is concerned that people have gotten out of hand, so he goes to God and gets the ten commandments. Obviously, deep in conversation, they are not paying attention to the present moment. When Moses returns to the people, his face is burned. The people are fascinated to look at his face, but it is also kinda scary. So in order to protect the people – Moses wears a veil in public. For Paul, this is kinda of a funny image- Moses walking around in public with this veil on, glowing because he had gotten too close to God. For us, who have been and continue to wear mask for the last two years – it is not so strange. As a matter of fact, Paul kinda switches the image up a little bit. Paul says it is not Moses that wears the veil, it is the people. Remember Paul liked to use cosmetic terms to talk about our relationship with God. So Paul says that the veil in not on the person telling us about God, the veil is on our hearts. We don’t listen to God today, not so much because of the masks – but because we are just closed minded and hearted people that don’t like to listen to things we don’t want to hear. We get far away from God, and God’s ways because like the people in Moses times, we just shut down. We don’t listen to what Jesus would want us to do – because it would seriously disrupt our lives. Transfiguration Sunday – is our call during the Lenten season to get closer to God. We all know that effect of mask on our relationships – and I guess I can say that in a sermon now that the mask mandate has been lifted. But we are being challenged to think about the veils that we wear in our hearts. What is standing in the way of us listening to God. More importantly, what stands in the way of us reflecting God’s glory in everything that you do. Life got in the way of one young lady seeing the glory of God in life. Her aunt had died, and she insisted on having a small funeral for her aunt. Afterall she was older, and she had no family or kids of her own. The niece just knew that her aunt would not want a big fuss. So it was just the niece, the minister, the funeral director and all of the graves at her funeral. The next Sunday, her church was filled to standing room only. The minister just assumed that there was a family reunion in town, until it came time for joys and concerns. Aunt Mae’s best friend stood up to talk about the relationship with her childhood friend. Mae and her husband had a restaurant just across the street from the college. The college kids went to the restaurant – but they bought their problems with them. Whenever aunt Mae could tell that ta child was suffering, from a test they had flunked, from a lost love, a unexpected pregnancy, whatever, aunt Mae was there. When she suspected something was wrong with a young adult, she would tell her husband to take of the restaurant while she took the college student to the back table to talk, and to pray. She woiuld listen to them, but she also made sure that their problem was handled, she would send them to a professional to get the help they needed. There were thousands of kids who would not have graduated college without her. Her best friend went on and on about the Christian witness of Mae. The church was full of many of those kids who returned to honor her for her ministry to them. They were truly grateful when they thought of her. They were all smiling. They went out into the cemetary to pray and sing over her grave. Even her niece who had stayed in town after the funeral was there with them – smiling and crying over the life and ministry of Aunt Mae. Her life was truly a reflection of God’s glory on earth. Her niece was able to remove the veil on her heart, and to let the love of God in. In our lives how do we reflect the love of God in our lives, when people see us, do they see the glory of God in the world? How do we remove our veil, but keep our mask on? In Corona virus terms life is about people being able to see our smile underneath the mask. A Kind of Glow Most of us, at some time another, have had transforming experiences, times when we recognize clearly that our lives are about to be, or have been, forever changed, times when we absolutely glow. How else would you explain people's uncanny ability to ask the right question at the right time, if we didn't emit some kind of glow: Are you in love? Are you expecting? Did you get a raise? Did you finally break par? Have you ever watched a child open a card and find $5.00, Have you ever watched a senior open an acceptance letter from their first pick school, Have you ever watched a teenager open the door after their first goodnight kiss, Have you ever watched a golfer after they search around the green only to find the ball in the hole, Have you ever watched a mother or a grandmother when they hold a new baby, Have you ever watched a dad when he walks his daughter down the aisle? No words are needed, the look says it all, the glow speaks volumes......joy, disappointment, awe, disbelief, completeness, loneliness...every word is written on the face. This morning's texts are woven in such a way that we are given a glimpse as to what it means to have a life forever changed by the knowledge and presence of God. Author unknown Prosopagnosia Our ability to recognize faces is partly the responsibility of the temporal lobe of the brain. Certain neurons in the temporal lobe respond to particular features of a face. Some people who suffer damage to the temporal lobe lose their ability to recognize and identify familiar faces. This disorder is called prosopagnosia. Not being able to recognize people isn’t just a neurological problem. For every person with prosopagnosia there are thousands who don’t take the time to see what the faces of others may reveal. Like James and John and Peter we are weighted down with our concerns. ”But since they stayed awake” James and John and Peter witnessed an amazing event. This Lenten season instead of giving something up perhaps we should commit to doing more. Perhaps we should commit to staying awake to see the holy moments and transfigurations that happen very near us. This Lenten season let us strive to recognize better the face of Jesus. Brent Porterfield What is it that lights you up and helps you to reflect the light of God in our body, your face and your smile? What is it that gets you to take off the veil in your heart and experience life to its fullest? What is it that makes you glow? People tell me that I glow when I wear purple. But I also glow in being with God’s people and recognizing God’s glory burning brightly in the world. Some scholars say that eventually Moses face healed from his encounter with getting too close to God. They say that he still wore the veil in public, but this time no so much to hide the glow, but to hide the fact that he had lost his glow. That is why Paul encourages us to take the veil off, and to let the glow shine for all of the world to see. There is a story of a trio of gold miners who worked a claim in the Montana territory. One of them found an unusual looking stone one day. Breaking it open, the prospected was thrilled to discover gold! He called his partners over and they joined him in digging. In no time at all they had discovered a whole new vein. Overcome with joy they began dancing and shouting, slapping each other on the back and crying out, we found it, we are rich. Then a more sober thought occurred to them, they had best keep this secret so there would be a stampede of other prospectors. On their next trip into town to buy supplies, not a one of them breathed a word to anyone about their miraculous find. Yet they discovered upon packing up to leave, that hundreds of men, pickaxes in hand, were lined up to follow them. When they asked who squealed, the reply came back, no one, we could read it on your faces. When you have a genuine encounter with God – what can people read on your face? Perhaps our theme for this lent – is find your smile. – and loving it enough to keep it! I can guarantee that means that you have found the key to your relationship with God. Happy Transfiguration Sunday! Let us pray…… Prayer We picture the mountain top experience of the disciples, Peter, James and John, chosen to go up to the mountain top with Jesus, to receive a new vision. But it wasn’t what was expected. They were awed and frightened. They didn’t know what to do. One wanted to build special festival booths for Moses, Elijah and Jesus, where people could come to receive healing and blessing. It would have been so easy to stay up on the mountain and never again to descend to the hungering valley below. But Jesus has work for us to do. We are called to receive the blessing, not for ourselves alone, but to give it to others; to offer healing, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, hope and peace. These are difficult things to do in the face of the anger and hostilities that seem to abound in the world. We are not alone. God is with us. Just as we have asked for God’s healing mercies in the prayers we have offered for others, so we are recipients of God’s love and strength. Feel the power of God’s love flooding over you, coursing through your veins, encompassing your spirit! Let God’s strength and hope abide in you. Then be prepared to go and bring that blessing to others, in the name of Jesus Christ. AMEN. (Nancy C. Townley Lord’s Prayer Song - Be Thou My Vision UMH 451 Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook May God now send us back down the mountain of our worship. We have been changed. We can’t be silent anymore. We have seen the Light of the World. Go and share the radiance of love! (Rev. Dr. David Bahr) Community Time Benediction Open your ears to God’s Chosen Son Open your minds to understanding. Open your hearts to transfiguration. And may the grace of our God the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer be with you now and always. Amen. (Rev. Terri McDowell Ott) Children’s Time Additional Illustrations Even the Darkness Can Dazzle To lead our exodus, Jesus had to die like we do: alone, with no particular glory. Otherwise he would have been an anomaly instead of a messiah, and it would have been hard for us to see what he had in common with the rest of us. As it was, he died very much like those who died on either side of him, one of them begging to be saved from what was coming, the other asking to be remembered when Jesus got where he was going. Jesus could not do anything for the one who wanted to be spared, but he did a great favor for the other. He told him that the darkness was a dazzling one, with paradise in it for both of them. I think it was something he learned on the mountain, when light burst through all his seams and showed him what he was made of. It was something he never forgot. If we have been allowed to intrude on that moment, it is because someone thought we might need a dose of glory too, to get us through the night. Some people are lucky enough to witness it for themselves, although like Peter, James and John, very few of them will talk about it later. What the rest of us have are stories like this one, and the chance to decide for ourselves whether we will believe what they tell us. It is a lot to believe: that God’s lit-up life includes death, that there is no way around it but only through, that even the darkness can dazzle. Barbara Brown Taylor, "Dazzling Darkness," article in the Christian Century, February 4-11, 1998, page 1-5 You Can't Stay on the Mountain Top A little boy was out in his front yard, throwing a ball up in the air. An elderly passerby asked the boy what he was doing. He replied, “I am playing a game of catch with God. I throw the ball up in the air and he throws it back.” I am in no position to comment on God’s ability to play ball, but I do know that whatever goes up must come down. There may be exceptions, such as Charlie Brown’s kite! But as a rule, whatever goes up must come down. The process is so predictable that you could refer to it as a scientific law. The same process applies to our religious lives. It is a good thing to “go up” to a great experience with God, but we will become greatly disillusioned if we do not remember that eventually we have to “come down” again. John Thomas Randolph, The Best Gift, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. Gladdening the Valleys Below God never meant us to live on the mountaintop. I wish the gospel story told you the next Biblical story after the Transfiguration. This next Biblical story is never included in the lectionary series, and I feel badly about that. Because the next story is the key to the transfiguration story. The disciples and Jesus came off the mountain, and they came right down to the bottom of the valley. They came off the mountain and they came down into the valley and they found a boy who was having epileptic seizures. The mother and father were enormously upset and worried about the desperately sick boy, and the little boy fell into a fire and burned himself. In other words, the disciples came down off that mountaintop right into the problems of real life. Home from a mountaintop vacation and into the real world at home. And the disciples discovered that God is also down in the valley and does not live only or even primarily on the mountaintop. I like the quotation by Henry Drummond, the Scottish theologian when he said, “God does not make the mountains in order to be inhabited. God does not make the mountaintops for us to live on the mountaintops. It is not God’s desire that we live on the mountaintops. We only ascend to the heights to catch a broader vision of the earthly surroundings below. But we don’t live there. We don’t tarry there. The streams begin in the uplands, but these streams descend quickly to gladden the valleys below.” The streams start in the mountaintops, but they come down to gladden the valleys below. You and I experience the valleys of life. You and I both know what happens the next day coming down from the mountain. It is the real world and the real life. After Sundays of life, there are always Mondays. You know, the tough ones of life. God is with us there. Edward F. Markquart, Mountains, Valleys, and Plains _______________________________ It Will Be Better Higher Up The American evangelist Dwight L. Moody told the story about a Christian woman who was always bright, cheerful and optimistic, even though she was confined to her room because of her illness. She lived in an attic apartment on the fifth floor of an old, rundown building. A friend decided to visit her one day and brought along another woman – a person of great wealth. Since there was no elevator, the two ladies began the long climb upward. When they reached the second floor, the well-to-do woman commented, "What a dark and filthy place!" Her friend replied, "It’s better higher up." When they arrived at the third landing, the remark was made: "Things look even worse here." Again the reply: "It’s better higher up." Finally they reached the attic level, where they found the bedridden saint of God. A smile on her face radiated the joy that filled her heart. Although the room was clean and flowers were on the windowsill, the wealthy visitor could not contain herself about the stark surroundings and blurted out: "It must be very difficult for you to be here like this!" Without a moment’s hesitation the shut-in responded: "It will be better higher up." She was not looking at temporal things. With the eyes of faith fixed on the eternal, she had found the secret of true satisfaction and contentment. She had been transformed because of what she knew was yet to come… Joel Leyrer Well, You Can't Just Sit There There is a true story of a 33-year-old truck driver by the name of Larry Walters who was sitting in his lawn chair in his backyard one day wishing he could fly. For as long as he could remember he had wanted to fly but he had never had the time nor money nor opportunity to be a pilot. Hang gliding was out because there was no good place for gliding near his home. So he spent a lot of summer afternoons sitting in his backyard in his ordinary old aluminum chair - the kind with the webbing and the rivets, the kind most of us have. One day Larry hooked 45 helium-filled surplus weather balloons to his chair, put a CB radio in his lap, tied a paper bag full of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to his leg, and slung a BB-gun over his shoulder to pop the balloons when he wanted to come down. He lifted off in his lawn chair expecting to climb a couple of hundred feet over his neighborhood. But instead he shot up 11,000 feet right through the approach corridor to the Los Angeles International Airport. When asked by the press why he did it, Larry answered: "Well, you can't just sit there." When asked if he was scared, he answered, "Yes...wonderfully so." Peter, James, and John might answer the same. Were you scared? "Yes...wonderfully so." Adapted from Robert Fulgum, "All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." It's A Lot More Fun If You Open Your Eyes What do you think about roller coasters? When I was a kid, I was deathly afraid of them. We didn’t live too far from Great America, which was the big amusement park in our area. So we would go down there about every summer, but I would never go on a roller coaster with my brother or sister. They would always say, "Come on, you have to try it to see if you like it," but I was happy riding the bumper cars and the merry-go-round. The psychologists call that having a type B personality. Type A personalities are those folks who love roller coasters. That’s what my sister Susan is like. She’s a definite type A. Type B personalities like me tend to shy away from anything too exciting. But then my senior year in high school came. I was on the student council, and the student council always went to Great America at the end of the year. I hadn’t been there in quite a few years, and so I was looking forward to it. But still I had never ridden on a roller coaster, and for some reason I admitted that to my friends. They couldn’t believe it. "You’ve never ridden on a roller coaster? Well, you’re going to ride on one now." So I did, and I really did enjoy it. I was excited and terrified at the same time. After that first ride, my friend sitting next to me had one piece of advice. He said, "You know, it’s even more fun if you open your eyes." You’ve probably heard it said before, "If you don’t keep your eyes open, you’re bound to miss something." That was me on the roller coaster. It’s a good encouragement that we all need to hear once in a while: Open your eyes. That’s the encouragement that our God is giving us this morning. He says to the disciples of Jesus – you and me – Open your eyes and look at the glory of Jesus. Peter Prange Fog-Clearing Moments Most of us have had fog-clearing moments. A recent Gallop Poll reported that eighty-five percent of the people interviewed said that they had had a “mystical” experience with God. This is a high percentage! But, when you think about it, there have been those moments in life when we experienced God’s presence and purpose in ways that are deep, profound, and real. So great is that certainty that we would stake our lives upon its reality. Perhaps we cannot explain it, but it is real beyond the shadow of a doubt. Joe Pennel Jr., From Anticipation to Transfiguration, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. p. 122 _________________ A visitor to Albert Schweitzer’s mission station in equatorial Africa saw a battered old piano. Extreme heat and humidity had almost destroyed it. The ivories on the keyboard were fastened with screws. A dozen or more strings were missing. It was capable of clattering only music marred with tinniness of tone and horribly out of tune. That is until Albert Schweitzer sat down to play. He was not only a skilled physician, but a renowned master of Bach’s music. Only he could bring alive in even a pitifully ravaged instrument the glorious chords of Bach’s great music. As only God’s infinite grace can restore the worst of us to usefulness, even beauty! He shares his glory. And, once redeemed and continually blest, we with whom God shares his glory become agents by whom that glory is further spread. This is how the Christian mission operates. So the Apostle Paul could insist, "What we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake." Christians do not proclaim their own brightness. They only let it shine for the sake of others. As servants. Often it’s a costly servanthood. Always it’s sacrificial. "Nurse, bring me a candle." "A candle?" she said. "Why do you want a candle?" "Because," he answered grimly, "I’m afraid to go home in the dark." Sometimes the experiences of life are dark circumstances involving us in difficult trial. Saint Paul was sure, however, that God says, "Let light shine out of darkness." This is God’s eternal promise. This is the Epiphany given through Christ. Nothing I can think of describes the Epiphany experience better than an Englishman’s account of a day in Switzerland. He wrote: "I recall we set out upon a day’s excursion, when on holiday, to reach, by tunnel railway, the Junchfrau-Joch. For a large part of the journey we travelled in darkness, through the tunnelled mountain railway, and at times we wondered about the wisdom of our journey. We rumbled through the darkness, stopping twice to look through observation windows, built into the side of the mountain. It gave us a respite, and also enabled us to adjust our breathing to the rarer heights. Then we stopped at the summit. Going out into the fresh mountain air, we held our breath, the view was awe inspiring, from the Black Forests of Germany to the Bernese Oberland, and down to the Italian Alps. The higher we climbed the better the view. The sun and snow nearly blinded our eyes, but the sheer loveliness of the view was breathtaking." Awe, wonder, glory! These are still God’s gifts to believing hearts. CSS Publishing Co., Inc., Splendor Of God's Glory, by William F. Dunkle a little girl, who was afraid to go to sleep in the dark, wanted her mother to stay with her. Her mother told her God would be with her, so she did not need to be afraid. "Yes, I know, Mama," the girl said, "but I want someone with a face." The message of our text, the message of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany is just that. The gift of Christ to us is Emmanuel -- "God with us." Jesus is "God with a face," a face turned toward us in love and good will. Recall the remarkable answer Christ gave when Philip requested, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." Jesus responded, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:8, 9). In essence he was saying, "If you want to see God, look at my face. All that you ever need to know about God, and all of life, you will find in me." Look again, Philip, look again! A pastor friend was greeting his congregation at the close of a morning service. One young woman, after shaking his hand, drew closer and said softly, "Please keep telling us how very much we mean to God; it has changed my life!" Yes, and it will keep changing the lives of any who will believe it, so we keep on sharing. Without question, it is the most important news our world has ever heard! This is the message brought to us by the "face that launched a thousand lives." It is ours to hear, to believe, and to share with any who will lend a listening ear.