God is Calling

June 2, 2024 1 Samuel 3:1-20 2nd Sunday After Pentecost Year B God is Calling Prelude Greeting Call to Worship The psalmist declares, “Lord, you have searched me and known me.” Will you open yourselves to be searched by God? Search us, O God, and know our hearts. God searches you, knows you, and loves you, and invites you to search out God in return. Will you seek the heart of God? We will search you, O God, to know your heart. The Triune God who creates all and knows all is revealed in running rivers and fluttering butterflies, in warm sunshine and the smell of the earth. Will you pay attention? We will pay attention, O God, to your fingerprint of love on all of creation. Open our hearts today to encounter your love, holiness, and glory that create and sustain all that was, is, and will be. We come today to enter the dance of the Trinity, the all-knowing Creator and Sustainer of life. (Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, February 2024.) Song Open my Eyes that I May See UMH 454 A Sermon for all Ages how children your headphones and ask, Why do people use headphones? One reason people use headphones is to hear something better. If it’s noisy around you, you can put your headphones in and hear what you’re listening to. That’s kind of what we need to do if we want to hear God speaking to us. In the Bible, there was a little boy named Samuel. He lived at the Tabernacle serving Eli the priest. One night, God called to Samuel. “Samuel,” God said. But Samuel didn’t know it was God calling him. He thought it was the priest, Eli. So, he got up and went to Eli’s room. But Eli said he didn’t call him, so he sent Samuel back to bed. God called Samuel two more times, and Samuel kept thinking it was Eli calling him. Finally, Eli figured out that God was calling Samuel. He told Samuel that the next time God called him, Samuel should say… (Read 1 Samuel 3:9.) “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.” God did call Samuel again and when Samuel said, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening,” God talked to him! In fact, God talked to Samuel a lot after that. But he had to learn to listen to God’s voice first. It’s the same in our lives. If we want God to speak to us, we have to listen for Him. We might not hear a voice as Samuel did, but we’ll hear God speaking in our minds and in our hearts. What do you think are some ways we can listen for God’s voice? We can read the Bible and pray and pay attention in church. God speaks to us through all of those things. And when we read the Bible or pray or pay attention in church, it’s like we’re putting our headphones in to listen to God. (Ministry to Children, Stephen Wilson) Responsive Reading Psalm 139. UMH 854 Scripture. 1 Samuel 3:1-20 Sermon. God is Calling The first event that I attended at General Conference was a briefing that was held by The national Women of Faith group, they wanted to encourage the women delegates to pay attention to legislation that affected women. They started out with the general secretaries giving an encouraging and inspiring speech. One of them asks the crowd to think of the women in their lives that inspired them and encouraged them in life. Who was it that mentored you and told you that you were important, the general secretary asks, as the recognizes me and walks toward me to answer the question in the mike. I look at her and shake my head, and say nobody, I cannot think of anyone who ever encouraged me in life. Now of course, there are many people in my life who encouraged me, mentored me, and helped to open doors for me. But at that moment, I had been up the night before packing, I had to catch a ride at 6am in the morning catch a 9 am flight, figure out how to get to my hotel and it was 3 in the afternoon and my day had just begun. Under different circumstances, I would have been happy to answer her question and name all of the important people in my life, but at that moment, I was just too tired and exhausted to even think about the answer to her question. Unfortunately, it happens a lot in life, when there are things going on in life, but because of the circumstances, we are not able to process the information that is given to us. Our scripture for this morning is a story which clearly demonstrates how God is always speaking to us – but we are not able to listen. The passage starts out by saying this this story takes place at a time when the Lord’s word was rare and visions were not widely known. It was a time of corruption, when the leaders were more concerned about lining their own pockets, then helping the people around them. It wasn’t that God’s presence was not around, but the religious leaders had forgotten about their personal relationship with God. In the midst of all of this chaos and confusion, a young mother had put all of her trust in God. She prayed for a son, when he was born she gave him to the temple priest to raise and to mentor. Even though his own sons had turned out to be very bad individuals, she trusted God to take care of her son. One night her son Samuel hears a voice calling him in the night, - it takes his mentor Eli to recognize the God does indeed still care about this world and God still speaks with a voice of justice, peace and healing. Samuel goes on to become a very well respected priest and prophet for the nation, who does a lot of good for his community. But it was the night that he heard God’s voice – that God became real to him. When he was finally able to listen to God, he understood his pathways and purpose for life. He understood his calling. He say how God was leading his life forward. Unfortunately for most of us – when we think about God, when we think about our calling, about our purpose. God is far more willing to speak, then we are to listen. Over 80 years ago, Jed Harris was a successful producer of plays. One of his successful works was the production of Thornton Wilder’s play, “Our Town.” In the middle of a lengthy season mixed with the intense pressure of many details, Harris began to lose his sense of hearing. He could not even hear what other people close to him were saying and so he was missing crucial details during conversations. As a result, Jed Harris decided to pay a visit to a renowned audiologist who listened attentively as the producer narrated the sad account of his declining ability to hear. After a thorough examination of Harris’ ears, the hearing specialist drew out from his vest an expensive gold-coated pocket watch and placed it against the producer’s ear. “Do you hear this watch ticking?” the audiologist asked. “Absolutely,” the producer responded. The audiologist moved farther away and held the watch up to his office door. Harris focused and remarked, “Yea, it is quite audible.” The physician then walked into the next room and asked, “how about now?” “It’s still audible,” Harris replied. The specialist stalked back into the office and returned the watch to his vest. “This phenomenon is quite commonplace,” he said, “especially among successful individuals. Your hearing is excellent Mr. Harris. You’ve simply quit listening.” (1) God speaks to us all of the time, in so many different ways. The most important lesson of those story is to listen for God to speak to you. This story also tells us that we have to have ears that listen, but we also need a heart that has faith and hands that are obedient. When God calls our name, we have to be prepared to respond. If you know who Eydie Gorme is, you’ll know she is a wonderful singer - what we might call a torch singer. On a television talk show a few years ago, Eydie Gorme told some things about how her career got started. Her inspiration and idol was Judy Garland. So Eydie Gorme studied and tried to copy everything that Judy Garland did - the sound of the voice, the style, the mannerisms. Eydie Gorme’s first big break came at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, where she played to packed houses, and received rave reviews. Her next booking was not so elegant. It was somewhere around Pittsburgh in a not-so-classy nightclub - the kind with beer signs flashing in the windows and a pool table in the back. If that were not a come-down enough, there was a terrible blizzard on her opening night and most people, who might have been there, stayed home. Her second night the weather was even worse. She was there, but there was no audience. The third night she didn’t go either. The owner of the nightclub telephoned her and said, "I pay you to sing, and if you don’t sing you don’t get paid." It made no difference that nobody else had shown up either. She needed the job, so on the fourth night she bribed a taxi driver to get her there through the snow. Besides her there was just the manager, the guy who worked the lights, and part of the band. Some of the players didn’t make it either. When it was time for her to sing, the place was still empty, but the house lights were dimmed, the stage lights came on, she cued the band to play her opening music and she began to sing - to an empty house. She said that she told herself, "If I can sing to a packed house at the Waldorf Astoria, I can sing to an empty house here." Part way through the first song the door opened and in the glow of the lights from outdoors she saw the silhouettes of five people who came in and sat at a table in the middle of the room. So she began to sing to those five people. And again she said to herself that she could sing to these five people as she would sing if this was the largest audience Carnegie Hall ever turned out. She said she sang that night with a richness and a passion and an energy that was as good or better than she had ever sung in her life - to those five strangers. She finished her set, and the spotlight went off and the house lights came on, and she looked out at those five people who had been her audience. Four of them she didn’t recognize, but the one in the middle was Judy Garland, who surely had no idea of the power and influence and inspiration she had been in the life of an aspiring young singer named Eydie Gorme.1 God calls us through one another. God leads us through people who sometimes serve as angels unaware, by simply going about doing ordinary things but with the extraordinary presence of God implicit in what they do. How wonderful that God is not off somewhere ignoring us, but calls us in the common events of every day. That call comes to us in the subtle urgings we glean from things we read or see, in the beauty and wonder of creation. It comes in the simple words and lives of people who point beyond themselves to show us the way to God as John did for his disciples. What a wonderful and awesome concept it is that if we listen God can call us to our own destiny through common people like ourselves, and by that same token can call others through us. We’ve all had the experience of being put on hold. Perhaps that is where we have put the call of God in our own lives. Old Eli’s advice to his young servant Samuel is good advice for us all, to open the communication lines and listen, and say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." 1. With appreciation to Reverend Robert Morley who brought this story to my attention. CSS Publishing Co., Inc., Why Don't You Send Somebody?, by Frederick C. Edwards Yes, we are images for one another. We are influenced by people who may never know it, and others of whom we have no idea may in turn be patterning their life in some small way upon us. Think of those who become a part of you. Think of those who awakened your ideas, and quickened your spirit and encouraged and inspired you. Sometimes we are called to be the Judy Garlands of the world, sometimes we are called to be Eydie Gome. Sometimes in life we are called to be the Eli’s of the world leading the way and encouraging others, sometimes we are called to be the Samuel’s of the world – listening to God’s call. In all that we do in life we are called to have a faithful heart, a listening ear, and an obedient hand. I can’t stress enough how important it is for us to listen for God’s voice in our everyday lives. God leads us, we just have to be able to listen. I may have given this challenge under different circumstances before, but I think that it fits again today. I have don’t this challenge myself a few times over my years of preaching, but I think it is good to do it again. It is a challenge to engage in prayer – to listen for God’s call to us and to watch it unfold in our lives. John Ortberg is a pastor, who used to work for Bill Hybels at Willow Creek Church, he is now a Presbyterian pastor – his wife is also a pastor. She tells one of my favorite stories. Nancy Ortberg tells of going out to dinner with a man named Doug Cole in Washington D. C. years ago. Doug told her about a 30-year old insurance executive he met at a party. Doug learned that this young man, Bob, was a new Christian. Intrigued, he asked how things were going. Have you found a church? He asked. Yes, Bob said. Have you found a Bible Study? Yes, I have one of those too. Finally Doug asked, How about your relationship with God in prayer? Bob didn’t have much going on there, and said that he didn’t know much about that. So Doug laid out a challenge for him: to pick something to pray over every day for the next six months. The prayers could be elaborate or simple, structured or free form, listening to or speaking to God, whatever. But Bob must pray at least briefly every day. “If at the end of six months God has not done something truly significant,” Doug told him, “I will then pay you $500.” “Hmm,” Nancy told Doug, “That doesn’t sound very biblical.” “No, but I do it all of the time,” Doug answered her. Bob accepted the challenge, but didn’t know what to pray for. Bob and his wife lived in DC. What with the city’s international flavor, they chose a different land to pray for every day. So along those lines, Bob decided to pray daily for Kenya. Not much happened for four or five months. The prayer experiment was yielding little. Then one night he sat next to a woman at a dinner party. She was from Kenya. She ran an orphanage. Bob related that he felt as though ice water was suddenly running through his veins. He had been fantasizing about how to spend the $500 Doug had promised him, but suddenly he had a strong image of a wad of $500 sprouting wings and flying away. He asked for details about the orphanage and listened to her answers for a full intense hour. She told Bob that no one had ever shown such interest. Would he consider flying to Kenya to see it first hand? To make a long story short, Bob ended up providing for the care of those Kenyan children and seeing to the supplying of that orphanage. He made such a splash that the President of Kenya invited him to his palace. There Bob advocated for prisoners of conscience in that country. Later those prisoners were released. The US Secretary of State called Bob and asked him how he did it. The United States government had been unsuccessfully seeking their freedom for some time. It was no mystery to Bob how it came about. God had guided him to pray for Kenya and wonderful things were happening. (6) If you and I were truly listening to God, we would see wonderful things happen in our lives too. If you could think of one thing to pray for six months, what would it be? Without giving it much thought, the thing that comes to mind is probably the area that God is calling you to serve. My challenge is to actually pray that prayer for the next six months and watch how God’s calling unfolds in your life. How is God calling you? Who are the people that encouraged and influenced you in that call? Who are the people that you are influencing, just by being faithful to God? This is the time when God’s words are an every day occurrence and God’s visions are widely known. Listen for God to call your name. Amen. Song. 451. Be Thou My Vision. UMH 451 Prayer A Prayer of Thanksgiving (Ps. 139) God, we cannot escape your love. We can find no place to hide. You search us out wherever we may be. Your love is like a mother’s blanket, protecting us wherever we go. Your love shields us from evil. We may travel to the moon or to the depths of the ocean: your love is there. We may think ourselves to greater levels of sophistication: your love is there. We may fall in the pits of sin: your love is there. Thank you, for steadfast mercy. Thank you for being there, wherever we may be. Lord, on this communion Sunday we come to you to cleanse our hearts and to lay our concerns at your altar. We pray that you will listen to our concerns. Today we pray for conditions, for situations in the world and in our community, we pray for the people in our hearts. We ask for your healing touch upon all that we pray about now. (a moment of silent prayer) Written in part by John H. Danner in Touch Holiness: Resources for Worship, Updated, ed. Ruth C. Duck and Maren C. Tirabassi (Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2012), 277. Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Prayer of Dedication Provider God, we give you thanks for all your good gifts to us: for work and rest, for creativity and play, for this community in which to practice our faith together. Take these offerings that we bring today and use them to meet the needs of those around us. May our work and witness reflect our beliefs in your compassionate care for us and for all you have created. In Christ name we pray. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Ellen William Hensle) Communion Hard hearts have a way of angering Jesus, as we hear in Mark’s Gospel. Just the reverse is recognized when we come to a time of sharing in this simple meal. This communion time is an opportunity to welcome one and all to a feast “in remembrance” of Jesus. He is the host. We are all invited to participate, recognizing the table is large enough for all who are eager to be in fellowship and communion with Jesus. So come, repentant people. Offer your short-comings and your brokenness to the One who is able to forgive and heal. Offer your hard-heartedness to the One who is able to soften our spirits. Offer your yearning for abundant Life to the One who tasted death and was raised up to new life. Come to share in this feast with others who are broken, hard-hearted, full of desire for life. Come, for the table is prepared, and you are welcome. Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook As we prepare to leave this place, turn to a neighbor or, if you are at home, look in a mirror. Now, look into the eyes of the person in front of you and say, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” May this truth be a blessing to you this week: the Creator who knows you better than you know yourself fearfully and wonderfully made you just as you are. Let us go now to speak truth, share love, and recognize the Creator’s fingerprint in all of creation. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, February 2024. Community Time. – Joys and Concerns Charge and Benediction As you go out from this place, remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Make time to savor God’s creation, to rest from work and worry, and to bask in the goodness of all God’s gifts to us. Remember that the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit follow you wherever you go. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Ellen William Hensle)

Signs and Wonders - Repreach of 9/3/17 Encounters with God

September 3, 2023 Exodus 3:1-15 Signs and Wonders 14th Sunday After Pentecost Year A Repreach of 9/3/17 Prelude Welcome Gathering Prayer From all our life’s pathways, you have called us to this place, O Lord. Be with us as we listen for your word and seek your ways. Guide our steps and guard our lives that we may serve you more effectively in this broken world. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Opening Prayer Lord of summer sunshine and autumn harvest, be with us this day as we gather to encounter your word and your way for us. Remind us that we can place our trust in your eternal love. Enable us to be more effective in our witness to that love by word and deed. Guide our steps and pick us up when we falter. Dust us off and place us on the pathways of grace and service. These things we pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Call to Worship We gather hoping to see God, here in worship, we realize that we see God in one another. We can see God when we show one another honor, when we pursue hospitality to strangers, when we live in harmony with one another, when we rejoice in hope. Let us worship the visible God amongst us. (Presbyterian Outlook, Molly Spangler) Song Go Down Moses UMH 448 Children’s Sermon Shoes come in all types and sizes. There are dress shoes like we might wear to church. There are athletic shoes like we wear when we play sports. There are sandals or flip-flops for summer. Show everyone the shoes you have on now. (Pause.) We have all kinds of shoes! But why are we talking about shoes you might be wondering. Well, shoes protect our feet, but they can also serve another purpose. Raise your hand if you wear your shoes inside most of the time. (Pause.) Raise your hand if you take your shoes off when you’re inside. (Pause.) People might take off their shoes to keep from tracking dirt inside. And in some places, people always take off their shoes and leave them at the door when they enter a house as a sign of respect. Respect means to show someone you think that person is important. And that reminds me of today’s Bible lesson. God told a man named Moses to take off his shoes (Exodus 3:5). To get ready to hear about what happened to Moses, let’s take off our shoes now. I think that’ll help us understand why God told Moses to take off his shoes. I'm going to do that. If you wish, join me. Take off your shoes and show children the “bush” paper on the wall. Explain that they’ll make a “burning bush” by adding color and flames. God called Moses from a burning bush to get his attention and talk to him. God had an important job for Moses. He told Moses to take off his sandals because he was standing on holy ground. Let’s hear what happened. Give each child a cut-out flame and a marker. As you read aloud Exodus 3:3-6, have kids write their name or draw a picture on their flame. At first, Moses was confused and wasn’t sure God could really be speaking to him. God wanted Moses to lead His people, but Moses wasn’t sure he was the right guy for the job. But God wanted to get Moses to pay attention. Move kids to the bush on the wall. Have kids choose where to add construction paper flames while you tape. Why did the burning bush get Moses to pay attention to God? You didn’t know how our bush would turn out, but you listened to my instructions. God did the same thing with Moses—he gave Moses important instructions. Just like God spoke to Moses, God speaks to us, too. God, thank You for giving us instructions. Thank You for speaking to Moses and for speaking to us. Help us remember to listen to You. In Jesus’ name, amen. Sermon4Kids Responsive Reading UMH 828 Scripture Exodus 3:1-15 Sermon Signs and Wonders Can you imagine – It is just an ordinary day at work. As a matter of fact, things are going just as expected. You are not really bored with what you are doing, But you are not pretty excited or engaged either. And all of a sudden, something catches your attention. It’s nothing really, but at the same time it is really strange and you become engaged and start paying attention. And then the thing that you are watching, starts talking to you in a most familiar voice and gives you a message that you are not surprised to hear at all – it is God talking to you. When you woke up this morning and planned your day, you certainly didn’t expect this to happen. That is the funny thing about God – you can never plan for the conversation, God just comes and talks to us. I believe that all of us have encounters with God. God comes to all of us in ordinary but strange ways all of the time, the thing is most of us are not paying attention. We are not listening so the message never really registers Usually when God makes an entrance into our consciousness – God usually wants something from us. God never just stops by to say hello, God is calling us to do something – something beyond ourselves and our immediate needs, something that makes a difference in the world. Exodus 3 and 4 are actually the most significant call stories in the world. There are many call stories in the bible, where God calls people like Moses, Jeremiah, Paul and even Peter to be more than they expected. In Exodus, Moses shares his first of many encounters with God. Just an ordinary day, when something catches his attention. When he comes to examine things closer – God says don’t come any closer – you are standing on holy ground take off your shoes. There are many cultures where you take off your shoes when you enter into someone’s space. Taking off your shoes is a sign of respect. Taking off your hat is a sign of equality. As he takes off his shoes and gets closer – God says I have heard the cries of my people, I know their pain. God says I have seen, I have heard, I know, and have to deliver. It is interesting how scripture can always address the issues of today? When you look at the news today – what is it that God has seen, has heard, knows and needs to deliver his people from? And more importantly, how is God calling you to respond? What is God calling you to do? And I think more importantly who is God calling you to be. It is interesting, because as soon as God tells Moses what God wants him to do – Moses makes an interesting response. He says who am I to do all of this work. And God kindly reminds him – well you are Moses, and I am God and I will be with you. And of course that leads Moses to ask the other most obvious question – not so much who are you. He knows that it must be God – not many other beings have the ability to talk English through a burning bush. He asks who am I supposed to tell others that you are. All of those other people who you are asking me to get moving, I need a credible authority to talk to them. Now at the beginning of their conversation God introduces himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Joseph There is an ancient Jewish legend that says: A young man asked his Rabbi "Why does your daily prayer say, ‘God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob? Why does it not simply say, ‘God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?’ " The Rabbi replied, "because, my son, Abraham’s God and Isaac’s God may not have been Jacob’s. Each generation must find God for itself, indeed, each person must find his own God." This legend touches on the passages of our lesson from Exodus 3, but with significant differences, lessons to be learned by the Israelites as they languished in captivity, lessons to be remembered by them throughout their subsequent history. I believe that that is only one God – but we each see and interpret and experience God in different ways. So sometimes we have different names for different experiences. But Moses takes the conversation a little further and says I needs to know you name. God’s name is Yahweh, which because of pronounciation some say Jehovah. I have a whole sermon about the name of God. But today I just want to point out that God says I am who I am. Actually he says I will be who I will be. I will be a deliverer, I will be a provider, I will be faithful, I will be with you. It is important for us to know that old testament because it is a mirror of the new testament. In the book of John, Jesus makes 7 I am statements – I am the bread of life, I am the light of the world, I am the door of the sheep, I am the good shepherd, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the way that leads to life, I am the true vine. That brings us back to our original question, who are you in an encounter with God. There is a Hasidic tale that reveals, with amazing brevity, both the universal tendency to want to be someone else and the ultimate importance of becoming one's self: Rabbi Zusya, when he was an old man, said, "In the coming world, they will not ask me: ‘Why were you not Moses?' They will ask me: ‘Why were you not Zusya?' "6 Moses the excuse-maker becomes Moses the liberator as God's call and support comes clear. Our liberator is Jesus Christ who liberates and frees so we may be exactly what God intends. Joseph Campbell , a great spiritual writer who encourages everyone to find their callng says, "Go where your body and soul want to go, when you have the feeling, then stay with it and don't let anyone throw you off." Federick Buechner puts it this way: "Where your deep gladness intersects with the world's deep need -- there you have a vocation, a calling." Paul Wilkes, in his book Beyond The Walls: Monastic Wisdom For Everyday Life, writes, "If monastic wisdom has anything at all to say to our modern world, it is that our labors, humble or vaunted, are potentially an unending source of holiness, purification, and grace. Monk or mechanic, computer programmer, writer, forest ranger, stockbroker -- all can be worthy, even sacred vocations." God is calling us today – to answer that call. God is Power, fidelity and presence. I will be who I will be – God says this is my name forever, to all generations. God will always be. There’s a lot going on in our world. There is a lot that needs to be done. Where do you fit in. There is, I think it is true to say, something a little bit depressing about Labor Day weekend. For Labor Day weekend signals the psychological end, at least, to summer with its periods of refreshment, and the start again, for many of us, of the more hectic rhythm of life and work at school, in college, at office or, in home. So let me ask you: How is your work? Are you giving of your self at work? Is work a place where you sacrifice for a cause? I find it helpful to remember the story of the little girl who, in the process of growing up, discovered that more than anything else she wanted to be able to mow the lawn. But each season she was told that she was too young. The great day came, however, when her parents decided that, at last, she was old enough to do the task. She did it with surprising skill and great delight, and having finished admiring her work, she began to cast long, envious glances across the fence at the neighbor's lawn, which also needed cutting. The neighbor, seeing her interest, said, "Sally, would you like to cut my lawn?" And the little girl enthusiastically said 'yes.' "Well, let's see...how about $3.00?" said the neighbor. The little girl's face fell, and she turned away, shaking her head. "What's the matter?" asked the neighbor. "I only have $2.00," said the little girl. Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com. Adapted from a sermon by Rev. C. Wayne Hilliker: "Living A Life That Matters" When you go to work tomorrow – expect God’s call. Let us pray…. Song. I Have Decided to Follow Jesus. TFWS. 2129 Pastoral Prayer Stewardship Moment So often Jesus’ words in the Gospels are upside down from what we would expect to hear. In Matthew 16, Jesus teaches his disciples “if you want to become my followers, take up your cross…”, and “if you want to save your life, you’ll lose it.” Such an upside-down world continues when we find our greatest delight in GIVING, rather than in receiving. A woman, traveling alone in the mountains, found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry. The woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his great fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman. He declared, “I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.” The woman smiled, “The joy of giving!” https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/joy-giving-very-short-story-betty-garrett/ Prayer of Thanksgiving Ever-giving God, because we are your beloved creatures, we know you’ve first given us such abundance: air, water, land, love, life. In gratitude, we now offer you a portion of what you’ve given to us. Accept our gifts, Holy One, as signs of our love for you and our desire to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Help us use these resources to share your Good News with those who struggle to live. AMEN (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Communion UMH 13 In the US, this is the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Despite the origins of Labor Day, for many, it is the last weekend of the summer, and offers one more 3 day weekend before the push of school, fall, and a long stretch of routine and rush. Many folks make this a picnic weekend, a last trip for camping, getting to the lake, or going to see Grandparents. Wherever you find yourself, let us also take this as a time for giving thanks, remembering, and sharing together around the table to which Jesus invites his followers. For we gather, in person or on line, in gratitude for the work Jesus has done for us. In thanksgiving, we share in a simple feast of bread and juice, signs and symbols of the life, death and resurrection of the one we claim as Lord. So as we participate in communion, we give thanks for the work of Jesus: healing, teaching, loving and pointing us to God. May we recognize our place in the communion of saints, and commit ourselves once more to life as disciples (followers) of Jesus. The Table is spread, and all are welcome to share the feast. (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Remember, as our time of worship draws to a close and our lives of service begin anew, go out into the world in peace. Return no one evil for evil. Strengthen the fainthearted, support the weak, love everyone. That God’s light and love, justice and joy, might be for you and all people everywhere. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Molly Spangler) Community Time Joys and Concerns Benediction Jesus has called you and placed his trust in you. Go into this world, bearing the words of hope and healing. Reach out to others in compassion. For it is Jesus’ name, that you are sent out to serve. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley)

Living God's Passion in your life (repreach of 8/27/10)

11th Sunday After Pentecost Jeremiah 1:4-10 Living our God’s Passion in your life Blessing of the Back Packs Year C Opening Song Welcome Call to Worship ONE: Calling all children of the Living God: the gospel is good news for every age and every stage. ALL: Let us worship together, the young and the old. ONE: The good news is proclaimed in God’s words, and also with crayons, silly songs, snacks, and rest time. ALL: Let us worship together, every generation. ONE: We come together with different abilities and disabilities, learning in a rainbow of ways and styles. ALL: Let us worship together, with our family of faith. ONE: All are welcome in the arms of Christ who proclaimed, “Let the children come!” ALL: Let us worship together, united in our eternal hope. Opening Prayer Let us pray: God our teacher, who helps us to understand the world around us, Thank you for the privilege of education. You have blessed our communities with teachers who take new skills and concepts and pass them along to each new class of young people. God who came as a child to show us how to be fully human, to show us how to be children of God, You have given our children minds that grow and develop in unique ways, at unique speeds, and we are astounded by that miracle. You speak to us through the words, actions, play, and feelings of children. You call us to listen to the Spirit speaking through our young siblings in Christ. We celebrate the beginning of this school year and ask for your blessings upon the children, the educators, and the families who support them all. But in this celebration of education and learning, we do not forget there are children and families and teachers who do not have the resources they need. When systems are unjust, the outcomes are unacceptable. Today we remember those who are beginning school this year: those who have what they need to learn and grow in safety, and those who lack supplies, teachers, safe buildings, and accommodations for all needs and abilities. We come to worship together, to lift up our young people and all those who care for them and teach them. Open our hearts to what you are saying to us today. Amen Song Lord of the Dance UMH 261 Scripture Jeremiah 1:4-19 Sermon Living out God’s Passion in your life Gordon McKenzie worked for the Hallmark company for over 30 years, one of his ways of giving back to the community was to go into the schools and to give creativity workshops. Over the years he says that he noticed a pattern that never seemed to change. He would work with the first graders and ask who was a artist – and every hand would go up. He would go to the second grade and notice that when he asked that same question, only about half of the kids would raise their hands – by third grade it was down to ten, and in the six grade only about 2 would be brave enough to raise their hand just because they asked. I would think that there is just something about life, about peer pressure, about the way we relate to one another that holds down our creativity. Once we start to get rational and think- we also start to limit ourselves and our opportunities. We start to think that we have an obligation to do somethings, so we put aside that creative side, that exciting side of ourselves, the side that is willing to take risk and to step out of our comfort zone. Because that spirit of being stifled is not just in the schools – it is in the church. If I were to ask you all how many of you are called by God – I would get the same response. We have made up in our minds that those words mean something specific, and whatever it means it does not apply to me How many of you feel that you have a calling from god on your life? Every hand in the room should go up- but it doesn’t for some reason. Why is that, Mr Makenzie concluded that there was a time in our lives, perhaps when we were very young when each of us believed that we could do anything. We were genius at everything and we were not afraid to show it. We were also not afraid to be wrong, to make a mistake, for someone to tell us that we did not know what we were talking about. We were willing to take risk at what we wanted to believe we were called to do. But something happened in life. He said that we were waiting for the authority figures in our lives to validate us – to tell us that we were the best, that we could indeed make our dreams come true – and for some reason the validation never came- no one cared, no one patted us on the back and we gave up on our dreams. We assumed that maybe we were not a genius, and that perhaps the world did not need us – and we gave up on our call. That is devastating for that to happen to anyone in the schools – and perhaps that is a wonderful back to school message to think of as our children go back to school – to do everything that we can to encourage them, to tell them that they are genius – and that the world does indeed need them. We need to give all of the opportunities that we can to express their creativity and their willingness to grow and to learn. We need to do that in the schools and in the homes, but more importantly we need to do it in the churches – where else can you encourage a relationship with the divine, the unknown, the new, the ultimate creator. Where else do we get our inspiration to do anything in the world, if we don’t get it from God. Where else do we get our instructions from God to go out into the world and do anything – unless it comes from God? That’s what I want to talk about this morning – is being called by God – exactly what does that mean anyway? What special qualities do you have to have in order to have that relationship with God? What qualities do we need in order to do the special work of God – to perhaps be a prophet? Jeremiah was a prophet of god – I like him the best, because he seems to be the most grounded. Prophets did a lot of strange things in order to get the attention of the people – Hosea gave his kids strange names like – bad luck or something really unfortunate, Isaiah was willing to die by being stretched apart, Amos constantly criticized the government. People even criticized John the Baptist for wearing strange clothes. Jeremiah got the attention of others, by living with them, by addressing the issues of his time, and by giving hope to the people. I mentioned a few weeks ago that Jeremiah considered himself to be a prophet of the people, his message was not to the leaders, but not the people, it was not his job to preach gloom and doom to a sinful people who did not listen – but to preach walk with a people in trouble an distress and to give them hope by encouraging them to stand strong until things changed. Most prophets were concerned with only saving the chosen people. Jeremiah realized that in order to save them, that he had to save everybody – he reached out to the rest of the world. Many of the prophets and others talk about how they came to be “called” by god – how god gave them a special task to reach out. Many didn’t start their jobs until they became adults, some as children, Only Jerimiah says that his story started way before he was born. That his relationship with God started with god, and not with his awareness that there was a God. When we read the prophet section of the bible, I will tell you a secret. The books are ordered from longest to shortest. Jeremiah is the first prophet, with the longest book and the most important message. Jeremiah was afraid to speak up, because all of the popular prophets were telling people that no matter how threatening things look that everything was going to get better. Jeremiah’s message was that before things got better, they were going to get worse. But God would be present in both the challenges and the rewards. The lectionary will deal with the book of Jeremiah for nine weeks. I think I only chose it as our scripture for this week. So today, we start with chapter 1 – how he came to have this special relationship. He didn’t do anything t was given to him. He talks of being that young boy – full of ideas and creativity waiting for an adult to validate his call – he talks of being too young to really make a difference in the world. As I read the verse this year, that is one thing that stood out to me – when Jeremiah says I can’t be a prophet because I am only a boy. The Hebrew word that the writer uses is the word for a young boy not old enough to join the army and bear weapons. That would have been a boy about the age of 14. But then I thought about the world of our churches, where many times the youngest person in the room is 40-50 years old and they still don’t feel that they have to power to speak and make a difference. God’s message to Jeremiah – that his age does not matter when God gives him a job. He also talks of god’s response to him and his need and his fear – that he was not to be afraid of what people would say to him, how they would shoot him down and tell him that he was too young to make a difference. God says that if I give you something to do you are not too young to do it, as a matter of fact- you have an obligation to listen and to respond. God calls all of us to do something. We have a calling to do something – to be a prophet, or a writer, or a teacher, or a carpenter, a bus driver, or a preacher or something to further the world and the kingdom of God. But as Christians, we also have a calling to be something in the world – something that the world needs. A doctor speaks of god calling him to be a plastic surgeon, why a plastic surgeon – changing your appearance, what does that have to do with building the kingdom ? most of his clients could care less about God. But he was also called to pray and to start prayer groups for those who worked in the hospital and to reach out to other plastic surgeons to encourage them to live a life of faith. In his call to be a faithful Christian in the workplace – he made a difference in the lives of others. To be called could mean doing a specific job, but it can also be to respond in a Christian way to life, it can be to encourage and support others in what they are trying to do, most importantly it means being willing to listen to God at all times in all circumstances. That is our biggest and more important calling – to obedient to the will of God. And we are all a part of that. Every body is called, not everyone has the ears to listen attentively. If we listen, we may not get that validation from the world – but we always get it from God. The bible is full of the stories of God calling people to a certain task. In each story, God approaches them, gives them a task that they are afraid of, and then gives them a sign or symbol that it is really God talking to them. Most of the stories of being called also have another thing in common, the response that they are not the right person for the job. Moses said that he couldn’t really speak, Isaiah said that he was not from the right family, Jeremiah said that he was too young. Each of them resisted God, and yet God gave each of them the assurance that it could be done. For me, my call was a lot like Ezekiel, I didn’t resist, I accepted the call. But one thing that all calls have in common, they are a challenge beyond anything that you can expect. God always says it is okay – I will help you. The Borden family is from Chicago – the company that makes milk and other products. I do believe that the factory is on the Westside. But anyway – William Borden was being groomed to take over the family fortune. He worked hard, he went to school, and a graduation present was a trip around the world. But as he went around the world and learned the conditions of most of the people in the world – he wrote a letter to his parent explaining that God was leading him to be a missionary to those in need. He wrote two words in his bible – no reserves. Through prayer he realized that he wanted to go to China to work with people there. His parents convinced him to go to graduate school and get more education – he went to yale and started several bible studies. He was offered several high paying positions, but turned them down. He needed to in China - he wrote in his bible – no retreats – and he left. He went to China, he also went to the middle east to learn Arabic to talk with the Muslims. A few months later he contracted spinal meningitis. He died from it at age 25 – a few months before is death he wrote in his bible – no regrets. No reserves, no retreats, no regrets. That was his answer to gods call in his life. What are your responses to gods call on your life? The question is not have you been called, the question is are you listening? Jeremiah want us to know that the need to be creative starts way before we are in the first grade.- it starts before you were born, it starts in the circumstances that you were born into, it starts in your willingness to listen and to say yes. The good news is that when god calls, he commissions – he tells us what we have to do and why – he tells us what we are up against and what we have to overcome. We are also always given validation – an assurance that you can do this, an assurance that others recognize gods call in you. A test that in the midst of circumstance, your work will not be in vain. No reserves, no retreats, no regrets. So what is it that you need to do now? This is a new day for us all – we all have to face challenges in life that we did not expect. None of us have ever faced this moment – and yet we have been called to move forward. The most popular phrase in the bible – is be not afraid. When we encounter the holy – that is the first thing that we hear – be not afraid. If be not afraid is the most popular command of the bible – do you know what the most popular promise is? Be not afraid, because I will be with you. Whatever challenge that you must face, you never face it alone – God is always there with you. As we step into a new day, new challenges you are called to face – know that God is with you. Amen. Song Here I am, Lord UMH 593 Prayer God, we praise You for who You are. We give You thanks because You created us in your own image. Also we pray for knowledge and understanding for us all this new school year. We pray that you will be with each of us at the start a new school year. We pray that you will give us endurance as we seek understanding and new revelations in our pursuits and studies. Father we also pray for families as we support students, by building a closer working relationship with teachers and staff and all those involved in the learning process. This we ask in Jesus Name. (Inspired by Pray Ray Prayer Journal) Lord’s Prayer Blessing of the Back Packs ( See Insert) PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE ONE: With you, every transition and new start is a reminder of your goodness, for you are always creating fresh, amazing things in us and through us. Though we are sad about the summer ending, we are grateful for this school year. We appreciate the opportunity to learn and grow, knowing it is one of the biggest privileges we have. With thanks and love, we now offer everything we are to you, asking for your blessing. ONE: We pray as and for students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. We pray for our hearts and all they hold—excitement and nervousness, disappointment and hope. We give you all our loves and fears. We pray for steady self-esteem and deepening resilience. ALL: Loving God, hold us and our prayers. ONE: We pray for our minds, that they will expand in wonder and celebration, learning not just from the books studied but the people beside us. Open our minds with a willingness to be changed in unexpected ways, and settle our thought loops in peaceful places. ALL: Loving God, hold us and our prayers. ONE: We pray for our hands, that they will reach out to help welcome and care. Bless our hands with patience and dedication as they grip pencils and type on keyboards, swish paint brushes and clap in song, grip monkey bars and lunch box handles, spin wheelchair tires and basketballs. ALL: Loving God, hold us and our prayers. ONE: We pray for our mouths, that they will speak words bringing life and connection. Help us use our mouths to honor the dignity and belovedness of all. Remind us to open our mouths for deep belly breaths when we’re feeling anxious or afraid. ALL: Loving God, hold us and our prayers. ONE: We pray for our feet, that they will move toward those different from us and help others in safe ways. Plant our feet next to those who feel alone, and bless our steps down hallways and sidewalks. We know you are with us wherever our feet go or stay. ALL: Loving God, hold us and our prayers. ONE: We pray for our eyes, that they may see ourselves and others with compassion. Point our eyes toward those who are forgotten or struggling. Grow us in flexibility to see from all kinds of angles. Bless what and how we see, whether we’re looking at a screen, a whiteboard, or the beauty of a person’s face. And help us see with the most important eyes—the eyes of the Spirit within us. ALL: Loving God, hold us and our prayers. ONE: We pray for our ears, that they will genuinely listen to all voices, especially those that haven’t been listened to much. When things get noisy, help us listen extra carefully for your voice. Help us hear with the most important ears—the ears of the Spirit within us ALL: Loving God, hold us and our prayers. ONE: We say a special prayer for parents, as the start of a new school year is always another leap of faith. Wrap them with your reassuring love as they entrust their children and trust in you. When questions remain unanswered, and the realm of control is finite, bless them with peace and the promise you are right there with their child, whether heading to preschool or driving to college. ALL: Loving God, hold us and our prayers. ONE: We also pray now for teachers, staff and administrators. Bless these faithful servants with courage and confidence, knowing you are in their classroom with a steady hand on their shoulder. Give them peace, patience, and balance in the pressures they face, and bravery to build structures and systems which justly serve all your children. Give them delight in the young ones before them, and recognition of the sweet ways children are also teachers. ALL: Loving God, hold us all and our prayers. ONE: We pray for health and wholeness, fun and growth, surprise and amazement, for this school year ahead, knowing you will hold us all the way through. ALL: We thank you, God, and love you. Amen. Blessing of the bench Dear God, We ask for your blessing for this park bench and all who make use of it. We now consecrate it for holy service. May it provide rest to those who are tired, may it be a seat of inspiration for those who sit and seek your presence. May it even be a support for the squirrels and other animals who play upon it. Lord as the rays of the Sun and the drops of rain fall upon it, may your blessings continue to flow upon all who come in contact with this bench. We thank you for the opportunity to do our part in building your kingdom. Help us to use this project and others to do all that we can to clean up the earth and make the world a better place through our service. Let this bench watch over the play of our children, support teachers and parents, and bless our church. Just as Jesus upholds us in all that we do, may this bench uphold all who sit upon it and honor it. Amen Stewardship Moment Luke records the story of Jesus healing a crippled (bent over) woman on the Sabbath, in the synagogue. What a gift! When the one in authority griped about Jesus “working” on the Sabbath, Jesus responded with an appeal to ordinary actions everyone took on the Sabbath (leading animals to water), and an acknowledgement of the woman being set free from bondage as a similar action. Jesus gave what he had: both the capacity to teach, and the capacity to heal. Today, each of us is invited to give what WE have. Some of us may offer the work of our hands, perhaps on a Sunday, or perhaps on another day of the week. Some of us may offer to share a talent: creating new banners, playing an instrument for worship, visiting in the hospital, reaching out to visitors, cooking for our neighbors (list specifics which are part of YOUR particular setting). And all of us are invited to share from our finances. Whether your gift is $25 or $2500, we invite you to make an offering to support the work of this congregation and to confirm your understanding that ALL we have is a gift from God…so we return a portion of that gift, as our way of saying “thank you”. As we make our offering, may each of us experience being set free from the bondage we’ve known (particularly from the bondage of such addictive attachment to our time, our talents and our treasure that we’re loathe to share). Prayer of Thanksgiving Release us, God, from the bondage of holding too tightly to “our stuff”. Receive these gifts, and help us use them wisely. Receive the intention of our hearts to model our lives on the life of Jesus, who poured out his time, his talents and his love, always seeking to lift up the least, the lost and the left-behind. AMEN (Disciple’s of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Loving God, Coat the year before us with miracles of your mercy and strength, and help us appreciate most of all the bedrock miracle of your presence with us in every single ordinary, sacred moment. Lead us this school year into life-giving rhythms of grace and light, where our regular routines become the framework for worship and blessing. Amen. Community Time Benediction Children, families, and all who love them, go out into the beautiful world that God has made! Go and play! Go and learn! Go and love others! May you be filled with lovingkindness for yourself and everyone around you. May the prayers of your faith community keep you safe, healthy, and full of joy. Amen. Blessing of the Back Pack and Back to School Liturgy provided by© 2022 Illustrated Ministry, LLC. All rights reserved. illustratedministry.com This content is provided under a limited license. May not be reproduced outside of license terms. See copyright page for license terms. Children’s Sermon(not included in service) To emphasize the pencil parables, start by giving each child an unsharpened pencil and piece of paper. Ask them to do something simple, like write their names. Why doesn’t the pencil work? It has not been sharpened! Well, how can that be fixed? Talk about how we can sharpen a pencil quite easily, whether we use a handheld, hand-cranked, or electric sharpener. Then we can use the pencil in various ways—writing, drawing, filling in bubbles on a test sheet… Explain that our lives can be sort of like these pencils. God wants to use us in all sorts of wonderful ways to serve Him and His people. But we first must be “sharpened” for His purposes. How does this happen? Well, most importantly, we can sharpen ourselves through the sword of the Bible and the power of prayer… (Ministry to Children.com by Kristin Schmidt) Additional Illustrations

The Gifts of the Congregation

August 15, 2021 1 Corinthians 12:1-12 The gifts of the congregation 13th Sunday After Pentecost Year B – non lectionary Opening Song Welcome Call to Worship Leader: There are different spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; and there are different ministries and the same Lord; People: Christ is just like the human body—a body is a unit; and all the parts of the body are one body, even though there are many parts. Leader: We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body, whether Jew or Greek, or slave or free. People: We were all given one Spirit to drink. Come, Holy Spirit! All: Let us worship God! Stewardship Moment Every believer has a calling. In order to fulfill our calling to the utmost, God has provided each of us with a unique set of spiritual gifts. Knowing and leveraging our spiritual gifts enables us to be more effective members of the body of Christ. According to 1 Corinthians 12, the Spirit of God, acting in a direct and intentional way, desires to bring fullness and balance to every body of believers. This is His will, and it can only be realized through the sharing of our spiritual gifts with one another. The concept is both profound and exciting. We are commanded by God to be good stewards of the gifts He has given us. Good stewardship therefore compels us to know, understand and utilize our spiritual gifts to better fulfill our calling, and by doing so, bring our unique contribution to the body of Christ. Serving with our gifts is a powerful form of stewardship. You would think that Christians already know everything there is to know about serving. After all, we are taught from a very early age that serving others is the path to pleasing God. While there is a fair amount of truth in that statement, there is also much confusion as to what actions best constitute Christian service. At the basic level, serving is giving—giving of our time, talents and treasures, and giving of our prayers and affections. To think deeply about acts of service is to come face to face with the heart and message of Christ. The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). This knowledge compels us to always seek ways to achieve a fuller expression of our life of service. Ministries and churches have long sought to increase the volume and effectiveness of the service we provide in the name of God. The sobering reality is that, unless each of us accepts and learns to function within the framework of our giftedness, the church as a whole will not maximize its impact. Who will benefit from better stewardship of this collective giftedness? The answer is simple. Everyone we come into contact with. The ripple effect is endless. For our local brothers and sisters in faith, the sharing of our gifts builds them up. Our individual gifts mesh with theirs to produce a rich and beautiful tapestry of service. Leveraging our spiritual gifts, we all contribute to the experience of a healthy and whole family of Jesus Christ. “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God,” (1 Peter 4:10, NASB). Significantly, without each of us serving with the full knowledge and power of our unique spiritual gifts, the Kingdom experience is incomplete, and the resulting outcomes are partial rather than whole. The criticality of spiritual gifts to our collective well-being has been neglected for far too long. It’s time to embrace and be good stewards of the unique gifts God has endowed each one of us—with arms and hearts wide open. Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to understand and use my unique spiritual gifts to glorify you and build up others. Amen. By Diana Myers Prayer of Thanksgiving Almighty God and everlasting Father, we thank You that You are our bountiful Provider and for the many gifts that we enjoy so freely from the fruit of the earth. May we be wise servants and faithful stewards with the many blessings that we have received at Your hand. May we take of what You have given to us with a grateful heart, and cheerfully give back to You a small portion of the abundance of Your grace, that we have received at Your hand. Keep our hearts ever thankful towards You, and give us a tender compassion for those around us that are hurting or in need. May we be willing to share our portion with others and may we show forth the love of God in our lives, with a cheerful and gracious disposition, especially to those who are disadvantaged and needy. Accept our offering of prayer and praise and thanksgiving for all that You have given to us, and receive we pray, these small tokens of our love, knowing that all things come from You and we offer back to You of the bountiful goodness that You have given to us. In Jesus' name we pray Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/prayer/offertory-prayer-for-gifts-and-giving-1134 Song Whom Shall I send? UMH 582 Scripture 1 Corinthians 12:1-12 1 Corinthians 12:1-12 Common English Bible Spiritual gifts 12 Brothers and sisters, I don’t want you to be ignorant about spiritual gifts. 2 You know that when you were Gentiles you were often misled by false gods that can’t even speak. 3 So I want to make it clear to you that no one says, “Jesus is cursed!” when speaking by God’s Spirit, and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; 5 and there are different ministries and the same Lord; 6 and there are different activities but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. 7 A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good. 8 A word of wisdom is given by the Spirit to one person, a word of knowledge to another according to the same Spirit, 9 faith to still another by the same Spirit, gifts of healing to another in the one Spirit, 10 performance of miracles to another, prophecy to another, the ability to tell spirits apart to another, different kinds of tongues[a] to another, and the interpretation of the tongues to another. 11 All these things are produced by the one and same Spirit who gives what he wants to each person. 12 Christ is just like the human body—a body is a unit and has many parts; and all the parts of the body are one body, even though there are many. Sermon The gifts of the congregation So yesterday I started to read this book. Someone gave this book to me as a gift, probably about 3 years ago. The title is called The second mountain – the quest for a moral life. Judging from the title, it did not seem like something that appealed to me. I am still not sure of why the person (another pastor) gave it to me. But it was a brand new book, and it cost $28, so I felt obligated to read it before getting rid of it. It turns out I love the book, once I started reading it yesterday I couldn’t put it down. the author is a writer for the new York times. And basically he says that in life all of us have to climb two mountains in life. First we climb the mountain of establishing our life. Our parents tell us and prepare us what we should be in life, and we set off on our life journey establishing a career, a family, a lifestyle, we get a job, get a car or other transportation, we buy a house of find someplace to live, we start a family – that takes up a lot of our life, - that is the first mountain that we must climb. but once we get there we look around and wonder if that is all that there is to life? Usually once we have climbed that mountain in life, we are still fairly young and we still have a lot of life left and we really start to question our lives and what our purpose is – according to the author that is the second mountain that we must climb. “It all started with two questions put to me by my grandmother during one of our family’s regular Sunday afternoon visits with her in the nursing home where she spent the last 3 years of her life. She was always glad to see us. There were smiles and hugs all around every Sunday. But once in a while she would let her guard down and tell us just how difficult life had become for her. Grandma had outlived her husband and two of her sons, and she was bedridden. One day she said to me, “Why doesn’t God let me die?” That was the first question. Naively, I said what many of us have said in response to questions like that; “Maybe God has something more for you to do.” These words would prove to be prophetic. Years later I would recognize that moment as the beginning of what was to be a great change in my life. “The second question was much less dramatic than the first. Grandma simply asked, “What did the preacher say in church today?” We had to admit that we didn’t know, because we hadn’t been in church that day. We knew that we didn’t dare tell her any stories, because the pastor called on her regularly and she was sure to find out the truth. We went to worship the following Sunday, and every Sunday after that, so that we could give Grandma accurate reports about the content of the services. Sometimes we actually took notes during the sermon so that we wouldn’t forget what the preacher said. “This went on for about a year, and as the Sundays passed we found ourselves more and more drawn to the gospel message. One day, my wife and I both realized that we were going to worship for ourselves, because we wanted to go, and not just so we could give a good report to Granma. We became excited about god and the church. It was a genuine conversion experience for both of us. Christ became real to us for the first time in our lives. Grandma didn’t have to pump us to tell her about church anymore. We shared without being asked, because we couldn’t help ourselves. “That’s how it all started, but that was only the beginning. God wasn’t finished with me yet. A few months later, at the end of the ordination service at Annual Conference, the Bishop invited everyone who felt called into ordained ministry to come forward to the altar. I had a very strong feeling that I ought to go. It felt like someone was tugging at me, urging me to go. I didn’t understand what was happening to me. My father and I had just purchased a business together. It was no time to be thinking of a career change, so I overruled the feeling. I remember literally hanging onto my chair to prevent myself from going forward.” [Lectionary Stories: 40 Tellable Tales for Cycle A by John Sumwalt] Well you can imagine how this story ends. Once God starts knocking on your door for one thing or another, God can be pretty persistent and Stephen Groves, the man in the story, did in the end get both a college and seminary degree and become an ordained pastor. But what I liked about his story was that it wasn’t only about his calling. It also was about the struggle his grandmother was having the discern what God was doing in her life and how with a simple question she planted a seed in her grandson that would have an impact on many people. You know it is usually God who encourages us to climb that second mountain – to start to think about how we can use our gifts, our talents, our life in order to help others to make that climb. It is usually that small still voice inside of us that is edging us on, telling us to do more, hinting that there is something more to life. the church is the place where we start to climb that second mountain of meaning and I guess you could say a moral life. The church incidently is also God’s storehouse of good things. It is the place where God cooks up those plans that will change the world. It is the tool shed for tools that will be used to do some amazing things in the world. We are the tools by the way. God has whispered in the ear of each one of us. God has give each one of us a job to do, God has given each one of us special gifts and talents to use in the world. One thing that I like about this book is that the chapters are really short – so that I don’t get bored. But in one chapter he says that there is that one thing in life that as a child we are drawn to, it fascinates us and keeps our attention. And that as we grow older, we may have less and less time for it, but we do not forget it. And as we get older – that is the thing that we are drawn to when we want to wind down and get in touch with our spirits. That is our god given gift Most of us have heard the bible story of Jonah and the whale – and how God called Jonah to do something and he ran away, but God persisted until he finally answered God’s call. Close: years ago in a revival service at Evangel Temple a man stood up and told how at a young age he felt the call to ministry. But his family own a successful business and his dad wanted him to take over that business, which he did. He said, even though I am a successful businessman in Montgomery, I am one of the most miserable men alive, because God won’t uncall me. Tonight, obey God’s call, obey God’s voice, and go dig up that buried talent and use it for God. Paul speaks of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians. Paul says that there are 3 types of people in the world and in the church - those that can hear and talk with God and know what their gifts are, those who can’t hear God directly but still know what their gifts are, and those who can’t hear God and have no idea of what their gifts are – we all fall in one of those categories. And even though Paul says that we have gifts, he also tells us that gifts are not given to individuals but to communities. That is one reason why when we learn what our gifts are – we have to climb that second mountain – be willing to give and help others. God gives each community a gift, so that the community – the church – the congregation can fulfill its mission to reach out to others. In chapter 12, Paul specifically mentions several gifts – words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, the gift of healing, the gift of prophecy, the gifts of miracles, the gifts of discernment, the gift of speaking in tongues, the gift of being able to interpret tongues. When those things are present – you know that the holy Spirit is with that congregation. In 1 Corinthians chapter 13 – one of the most famous bible chapters in history – Paul says that the greatest spiritual gift present in a congregation is the gift of love. This month we have been celebrating the gift of music that is present in this congregation. And today we honor the 50 year ministry of Marcia Mellott. We are truly grateful for her gift of music, of leadership, of creativity and a willingness to give in a kind hearted caring matter. Her ministry has been a perfect example of what it means to climb that second mountain. She worked diligently in the school system teaching music, but also worked diligently in the church and the community – freely giving her talent to the world. She also has that greatest gift – the gift of love. I have been grateful for her cheerful, fun, and loving spirit that comes through in all that she does. Marcia thank you for your service and may God continue to bless you. You are truly an inspiration to all who know you. You have touched us as a community – let each of us be reminded that we are the tools that God will use to make the world a better place. Let each of us check that small still voice that encourages use our gifts each and every day to make a difference. Prayer God of love and of life, let us take time to look deep within ourselves and discover the gifts you have blessed us with. May we take the time to direct our lives in a way that best uses our own unique combination of gifts. May our education help us discover where our strengths and interests lie. May our faith guide us in realizing our gifts. May we always be open to the direction of the Spirit and never forget the love you have for each of us. Give us, O Lord, the perception we need to look within ourselves and discover the beauty and gifts we posses. Give us the courage to show others the talents they have. Help us serve others in the community and in so doing build up your kingdom. We ask this through Jesus, our Lord. Amen. Song Many Gifts, One Spirit UMH 114 Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending the Lord Jesus to live and die for me, and thank You for bringing me into Your family because I have trusted Jesus as my Saviour. Thank You that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and that You have sent Him to indwell my heart and to lead and guide me into all truth. I pray that You would take my life and use every part of me, to Your praise and glory. Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending the Lord Jesus to live and die for me, and thank You for bringing me into Your family because I have trusted Jesus as my Savior. Thank You that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and that You have sent Him to indwell my heart and to lead and guide me into all truth. I pray that You would take my life and use every part of me, to Your praise and glory. Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-about-Spiritual-Gifts Community Time – Joys and concerns Benediction Children’s Time See what this is? It's a gift. You know if you get something covered in pretty paper or the big bow, you're getting something pretty special. We give each other gifts on birthdays and holidays, because we care for that person. They may be a family member or a friend. We love gifts. They're usually something we want. Your family member specifically picks out that gift with you in mind, because they want you to like it. Well when you were born, you were given gifts specifically picked out for you. These gifts were given to you by God. We also like to call them talents. The talents God has given you can be whatever you're good at. Sometimes it involves a sport, maybe you have a musical talent, or maybe you're good at science and math, or maybe you are more artistic and can draw really well. Whatever the case, God made you good at something for a reason. He wants you to serve Him with your talents. The Bible says in Colossians 3:23-24, “whatever you do work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord not for men since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward it is the Lord Christ you are serving.” What that verse says is that with your gift you can serve the Lord. It doesn't matter what other people think of you, as long as you're doing what God wants you to do. So don't be ashamed of your gift, or try to use a different gift that's not yours. Use the talent God gave you and you can bless others with your talent just as if you're giving them a wrapped gift. Additional Illustrations

Are You Listening to God?

January 17, 2021 1 Samuel 3:1-20 2nd Sunday After Epiphany Human Relations Sunday Year B Repreach of January 18, 2009 Opening Song Welcome Opening Prayer O God, you call to us today, just as you called to the boy Samuel so long ago. Gathered here today, we are many different ages, but we pray for the maturity of faith to hear your call and respond to your Word. Open our ears and our hearts as we worship, as we work, and as we care for one another. We ask that you would give us courage and integrity to answer your call with the heart-felt words, “Here I am!” Amen. Stewardship Moment Scripture 1 Samuel 3:1-20 Samuel’s call 3 Now the boy Samuel was serving the LORD under Eli. The LORD’s word was rare at that time, and visions weren’t widely known. 2 One day Eli, whose eyes had grown so weak he was unable to see, was lying down in his room. 3 God’s lamp hadn’t gone out yet, and Samuel was lying down in the LORD’s temple, where God’s chest[a] was. 4 The LORD called to Samuel. “I’m here,” he said. 5 Samuel hurried to Eli and said, “I’m here. You called me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go lie down.” So he did. 6 Again the LORD called Samuel, so Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “I’m here. You called me?” “I didn’t call, my son,” Eli replied. “Go and lie down.” (7 Now Samuel didn’t yet know the LORD, and the LORD’s word hadn’t yet been revealed to him.) 8 A third time the LORD called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “I’m here. You called me?” Then Eli realized that it was the LORD who was calling the boy. 9 So Eli said to Samuel, “Go and lie down. If he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD. Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down where he’d been. 10 Then the LORD came and stood there, calling just as before, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel said, “Speak. Your servant is listening.” 11 The LORD said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of all who hear it tingle! 12 On that day, I will bring to pass against Eli everything I said about his household—every last bit of it![b] 13 I told him that I would punish his family forever because of the wrongdoing he knew about—how his sons were cursing God,[c] but he wouldn’t stop them. 14 Because of that I swore about Eli’s household that his family’s wrongdoing will never be reconciled by sacrifice or by offering.” 15 Samuel lay there until morning, then opened the doors of the LORD’s house. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel, saying: “Samuel, my son!” “I’m here,” Samuel said. 17 “What did he say to you?” Eli asked. “Don’t hide anything from me. May God deal harshly with you and worse still if you hide from me a single word from everything he said to you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. “He is the LORD, ” Eli said. “He will do as he pleases.” 19 So Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him, not allowing any of his words to fail. 20 All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was trustworthy as the LORD’s prophet. Sermon Are you Listening to God? I Samuel 3: 1-10 (11-20) I Corinthians 6:12-20 Year B I think that we would all agree that 2021 definitely has a very strong personality. We have only had 17 days of this story, and I feel like I have been through enough drama for ten years, and in the coming days there is even more to come. But I think that it is more important than ever for us to seek to be followers of Jesus. It is more important than ever to be able to identify the voice of God. And God speaks in so many ways. Last Friday, I was returning home by driving on 53. I felt like I was driving through heaven. It was really foggy and you could look and see the fog all around the horizon, but as I looked around in the fields, it looks like the cloud formations were on the ground. And then I was able to look up in the sky and see the moon. It was truly a surreal moment. But a moment when I knew that God was present here on earth. God comes to us in so many ways everyday. We have to be spiritual enough to recognize those God moments and to be encouaraged from them. Our scripture today is the story of how Samuel was able to hear the voice of God in the midst of the chaos of life. This is the day that Samuel recognized God speaking to him. Scripture points out that not only did God not speak very often to others, but Samuel did not know God either. He was a young man, he didn’t know his own greatness, or his destiny, nor the urgings of his own heart. God calling him was the beginning of his relationship with God Wayne Dyer story Wayne Dyer tells the story of a family with two small children. One very rambumcous 4 year old boy – who was always into everything. When his little brother was born, he was a little happy, but he seemed to think he was a toy to play with. There didn’t seem to be any acknowledgment that the younger child was a human, until one day the mother found the 4 year old sitting over the crib talking with the child. He was asking the baby to remind him of what heaven was like because he was beginning to forget. Children have a special connection to God, as we get older we get more attuned to what is happening in front of us, and we forget to look within ourselves to talk with God. St. Augustine’s quote also St. Augustine went on the say that God is within us, but for some reason as we get older, we start to step outside of ourselves our hearts in order to please others. This puts us out of touch, with the one thing that we are looking for – our relationship with God. The point is that Samuel as a young child, was beginning to look within himself – to be quiet to learn to listen to what God was telling him. Samuel went on to become the greatest prophet God ever knew, leading them into a new era. His Journey Started with addressing the situation. He Addressed the sinful nature of his life and the world. Eli was well intentioned, but his sons had forgotten what it meant to serve God and were literally taking advantage of others, by being priest. We are good at addressing sin in others, but we are not good at identifying the sin in ourselves. Paul helps us with that. This is not my favorite verse, but I think one of the most important – summarizes our life at a Christian. As a Christian, I can do whatever I want, there is nothing wrong, but there are some things that are not in my best interest. Our bodies are a temple of God, honor it. But not just our bodies, but our minds and our souls. It is our thoughts that determine the state of our minds and souls, and it is the state of our minds and souls that determine what we do with our bodies. Sin, missing the mark, not doing what is in your best interest is what stands in the way of our relationship with God, our call in the world. Can’t get rid of sin unless we address it honestly and we realize that our bad behavior is only a stand in for good intentions. We all mean well, we just don’t always do well. Why we need to be willing to listen to God’s call to us. Paul makes one more important point about the Christian life. Being called by God is not about you- or what you think is right. Being called by God is about God. A lot of us misunderstand that. If you find that you are the hero to your own story – you are not being called by God. If you are convinced that you have all of the right answers to someone else’s life you are not being called by God. If you are more concerned about taking away the pain of others – not called, if you need to build yourself up by intentionally discrediting others you are not called by God. Living the Christian life is never about you – it is about the good of the community. Salvation is being reminded that you are absolutely nothing without being connection to the entire body of Christ. Mother Theresa’s call Mother Theresa speaks of her call to go out into the streets of India to help people who had literally been thrown away by society. There was a voice who told her that it would be much easier to just go back to her convent and live in peace for the rest of her life. But she listened to the voice which told her these people needed her, and that she needed to be there for them, to help and heal them and make sure that they knew that no matter what their circumstance they were children of God. Borden’s call story William Borden graduated from a Chicago high school in the 40’s. as a graduation present, his parents gave him a trip around the world. He was heir to the borden dairy fortune. While on the trip, he was introduced to the living conditions of others around the world – and he decided that the had to become a missionary. When he went to seminary, he wrote in his bible about his call – no reserves. He had given his life to God. As he graduated, he started bible studies all over America, and still travelled throughout the world – he wrote again in his bible – no retreats. No matter who hard things got, he was not turning around. He served all over the world – in Egypt he acquired spinal mennengiitis. Months before his death at 25 he wrote again in his bible – no regrets. He call led to sacrifice, pain and eventually death- and yet he knew he was willing to follow Christ wherever it led, even to death. Being called by God is never an easy job. Called by God there are a lot of days when you don’t have all of the answers, lots of people who are convinced that if they were in your shoes they could do ten times better than you, lots of days when you find that you fail more often then you succeed. All good indications that you are following God. But through it all – you know that no matter what – you will be faithful and continue to God calling in your heart. When we live life for others, when we answer their questions, when we take away pain instead of giving them the tools to live for themselves- we deprive them of listening to their call. Of their relationships, and from coming up with the answers for themselves. God calls us all to be – our best selves, in our best relationship with God. A journey we take together, but we can only take walking on our own two feet. Final word in this verse is – not said by God or by Samuel – but Eli – the sinner, the one blind and unable to hear He says: It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him. The Lord is here – doing what seems Good to him –How are we responding. Prayer Patient and Wise God, you have called this church into being to serve you in this world by helping others. We rejoice in the many ways we are able to be of help. We offer our prayers for each other, for those near and dear to us, for the situations of difficulty and strife in community and world. You hear our voices cry out and with your eternal compassion you respond in loving care to each of us. We gather here this day, meeting and greeting each other, celebrating fellowship and friendship, welcoming each other in your name. You remind us that you are with us always. What have we to fear? But we fear far too often the unknown tasks that lie ahead of us. We always want to be assured of the happy out come of our efforts. Help us to trust your guidance and presence, Lord. Help us remember that there is no time in which we are out of your care. Enable us to be in serving ministry and mission with joy and confidence. Heal our wounds, bind up our bruises and broken spirits. Put us on a pathway of peace. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN. Lord’s Prayer Song for Reflection Here I am Lord UMH 593 Announcements Benediction Go into God’s world, aware of God’s call in your life. Follow our Lord Jesus Christ who will lead you in paths of service and hope. Lean on the power of the Holy Spirit to give you courage and strength. May peace, joy and love flow through you to others, in God’s name. AMEN. Children’s Sermon Object: A watch (Would be helpful if you had one from which the back could be removed to show the inner workings) Good morning boys and girls: A little girl came home from school one day crying because she had been given only a small part in the school play. She had hoped to get the leading part. After drying her tears, her mother took off her watch and put it in her hand. Opening the back of the watch, her mother asked her what she saw. The little girl answered that she saw many tiny wheels. "This watch would be useless," her mother said, "without every part--even the ones you can hardly see." The little girl suddenly understood that even though she did not have the leading role in the play, her part was just as important as any of the others. Our lesson from the Bible today is about young Samuel. God came to Samuel and called him to be a great priest. God calls people do many different kinds of work. Some are called to be farmers, some truck drivers, some doctors or nurses, some teachers. But all of us are important in God's kingdom. We can all serve Him--even if our calling is to go to kindergarten or school and be His boy or His girl there. We are all important in God's work. Dynamic Preaching, Collected Sermons, by King Duncan Additional Illustrations

Marching in the Light of God

McGilvary Seminary Chiang Mai Thailand January 2015 Teach the song – We are marching in the light of God Alexander the Great threatened people in submission, not by fighting but by marching. He would tell people to surrender, and then tell his soldiers to march. They would march near a cliff, but he would not tell them to stop – the soldiers would just keep marching over the cliff. With an army that dedicated, people would surrender without having to fight. People have been marching for a cause ever since. The song that we sung is from south Africa where during apartheid and beyond, people marched to be recognized. I participated in marches as a child, African americans in the 60’s and 70s asked for their civil rights. And recently I have been watching the news are the marches continue. America – in my community marching is important for civil rights. It appears that young men are not given a chance. There are marches every where all over the nation. As I arrived in Thailand there seems that news from France has dominated the airways. People are carrying signs saying we are Charlie –it is a unity march. Just as marching is not new, the reasons that we march are not new – injustice, freedom, to let your voice be heard, to correct a wrong, to show solidarity. Injustice and oppression go back a long time. The book of Isaiah show injustice for the Hebrew people. Injustice has taken over – slavery and injustice. I preached this text for Christmas. This Christmas season has been filled with marches, fighting for justice. Advent starts in Isaiah – the place where God speaks clearly. This is one of the few places in the bible where God speaks himself. God says I have heard the cry of my people. God will comfort my people – god will correct the injustice of te world. God will create a better life for those who are marching. As I watched the marches on tv, I ask what will it take to make a better world? How long will we have to march before the world is a wonderful place for all of those who are crying out. As we identify the pain of the world. Who has the authority to make it better, who will bring justice? Listen to prophecy – God says that he will intervene. But will intervene by sending a strong leader – a man of God who speaks with authority. he will speak and do the world of the lord. I cannot help but to ask – where is that leader today – who is speaking for God in all of these marches – how do you see God in these marches? Is the prophecy about Christ? Christ is the suffering servant who will die to save the people. He endures pain so that all can have a better life. I was very young during the marches for civil rights of African Americans – former slaves – who are free, but still not respected. The church was a very important part of the history of marching. Many pastors were leaders of the movement – they trained people to protest and march and still be obedient to God. Unfortunately many leaders were killed for their leadership. As a child, my mother was very active in the movement – she worked for the community action agency. I was a part of the day care – I learned to march with her. When I was 3 years old – Robert Kennedy an important leader was killed. I went to school that day – the adults in my life were sad and devastated. Everyone was quiet – no wanted to talk to us kids to help us understand what was going on. Finally the lady in the cafeteria explained that the adults were sad and disappointed, every time that thought justice was on the way – the door slammed. Someone doing the work of the lord was killed. She explained that we were the generation to make a difference – it was up to us to bring about justice Where there were hatred bring peace, in violence peace. As the world has lost leaders – we were to ones to step up. I will never forget that day and the lunch ladies words. On that day – at 3 I pondered what it meant to be a leader. How to stand up and do the work of God. Samuel in our scripture was a young man. The story says that he heard a voice calling his name. He couldn’t figure out who was calling him. Finally his master explained that it was God, and that the next time who heard the voice to say - speak Lord your servant is listening. Hear God, Listen to God, obey God’s calling. I think it is an important lesson for us to hear – listen to God’s voice. We are leaders of the church. We are the hands and feet of Christ in the world today. God appoints each of us to be at the forefront of the march for justice, for peace, for unity. As I watch the news, every march, every protest, Where is the voice of God. but the response comes in the form of a leader. A suffering servant who will sacrifice so that his people can have what they need. It is important to remember that as leaders of the church – you and I are those leaders. We cannot be afraid to stand up and speak what we know about God, justice, love and peace, A pastor tells a story of her son, who asks what does God’s voice sound like? When you hear it you will know. You may hear God’s voice as a young child is being bullied and no one does anything – you go home and hear god’s voice speaking telling you to speak up and to make a difference. The son kew God’s voice and heard what it said. He finally spoke up and said I am gonna listen to God’s voice no matter what Today, God speaks to us in so many ways – scripture, teaching, television, world events, friends, suggestions. It is important to recognize God’s voice. Know what he is saying, know what to do. It is so important as a leader to know God’s voice. Pray, read scripture, stay close to god you cant go wrong. As we watch the marches on tv, what will happen? When will justice finally arrive? Most importantly who will speak for God. who will bring about the kingdom of God where all will be treated well, all respected, all just. God still speaks You are the leaders of the church. God’s people need strong leaders. Speak so others know, Act so others see. Have you heard God’s call? Is God calling your name? Will you go forward for God? Christ is the suffering servant – the messiah. But he asks you to follow, to understand the prophecy in scripture. People will continue to march. The need new leadership to connect their lives to God. May you be the leadership as we march to a brighter future! Let us sing! Amen

God knows you better than you know yourself

September 8, 2013 Jeremiah 18:1-11 Psalm 139: 1-6; 13-18 Year C 16th Sunday of Pentecost God knows you better than you know yourself Are you a salmon or a jellyfish? ((This jellyfsh and salmon illustration was borrowed from another Sermon Central contributor, Joel Smith) This will sound like a strange question to start off with, but let me ask you: Are you more like a salmon or a jellyfish? Okay maybe you don’t know much about them. I’ll describe each one and then you can decide. Salmon begin their lives in the fresh water rivers of the frigid Northwest. Not long after they’re born they begin a long swim down stream. Their destination is the ocean. It is here that they spend the majority of their adult lives. Then something strange happens. Scientists don’t even understand how, but at some point the adult salmon begins to swim back home. Though they may have swum thousands of miles from that original river location they head back home. That’s right! They swim upstream, against the current of the river. You’ve probably seen nature programs on TV that show them leaping out of the water to overcome waterfalls and other barriers impeding their progress. They face predators like bears and people. Incredibly, though they’ve been gone for years many of them return to the exact spot where they were born. I saw a documentary on one determined salmon that even swam through a maze of pipes and nudged open a grate to re-enter the hatchery where it was born. After an incredible effort the fish spawn and then does it and how He chooses to do it. God’s will is a way beyond our understanding, yet it is a way in which we are called to think and live. die. The new salmon are soon born and repeat the process. Does that describe you? Does your life have a destination? Are you going in a specific direction and are you willing to face all the obstacles to get there? If so, you’re like the salmon. Then there’s the jellyfish. There are numerous species of these yucky-looking little creatures. Some of them are tiny. Others have tentacles that can be measured in feet. Jellyfish are born in the ocean and die there too. They have limited movement, but never really use that ability to go in any particular destination. They’re moved along primary by the wind and waves and tides. They drift about stinging and surviving. Occasionally one will wash up on the beach and, if you’re not careful, you’ll step on it and mess up your vacation. circumstances or other people’s plans, but you really have no particular destination of your own. The difference between salmon and jellyfish is the same as the difference between people. Some have a direction. Most just drift. Which one are you? A salmon or a jellyfish? Someone who lives out your call or someone who just goes along with what is going on? The world expects us to be jellyfish It is not as easy as you think to live a life being called my God. As a matter of fact, the world encourages us all to be jellyfish. To wallow on our desires, abilities. Freedom means doing what we want and depending on ourselves for everything. A sense of call in our time is profoundly counter cultural.. the ideology of our time is that we can live an uncalled life, one not referred to any purpose beyond one’s self. Walter Bruggeman A man on tin roof prays for salvation until… A man was fixing his roof, a tin roof that had nothing to hold onto. He made a wrong move and started to fall off of the roof. And of course he called out to God to save him, until his pants got caught on a nail, and he was saved. He called out never mind God, I got it, I saved myself. Never even realizing that God can provide the nail, it was not just a coincidence. But that is how the world wants us to think- things just happen, they have nothing to do with God’s will. And unfortunately, the church does not make it any better. When we talk about being called, we save that term just for clergy. We think that there are special requirements to being called. Being called is something that applies to certain people. Bing called means living a life in the presence of God. It means living faithfully according to your relationship with God. God is present with everybody in the church, everybody has a calling, a meaning, a purpose. Martin Luther was one of the first to rediscover the ancient, biblical doctrine of vocation. The medieval world drew a sharp boundary between the sacred and the secular, but Luther said no, it isn’t meant to be that way. It isn’t just priest and monks, and nuns who have a vocation, but every Christian. Curiuosly, Luther uses the word vocation more often in his writing to refer to things like marriage, and familu then it does to paid employment. Vocation to him has to do with all of life, with it living it faithfully. We can have a calling to do anything, so long as it glorifies God. 1. 3446 “We Are Everywhere” 2. The growth of Christianity in the early centuries was phenomenal. By mid 2nd-century, an apologist said, “We are everywhere. We are in your towns and in your cities; we are in your army and navy; we are in your palaces; we are in the senate; we are more numerous than anyone.” 3. By AD 300, the church was spreading so fast that it appeared the entire civilized world could be evangelized by AD 500. 4. But Constantine decreed that every one in the empire was already Christian. And slowly the idea prevailed of a division between laity and clergy, for pagans could not evangelize nor did they know how. And Christianity’s movement was checked. When we started to put the presence of God in the church and not in our lives, we changed to definition of what it meant to work for God. More importantly we forgot that God is everywhere, in everything and in everyperson. It is like the young boy who was moving from Kansas to Minnesota. On the night before he moved, he prayed – God when we move we are going to miss you, but we will always remember what you have done for us while we were here. Not realizing that God was in Minnesota, long before he was. God is in Kansas and Minnesota at the same time. God is omnipotent and everywhere. Psalm 139 – reminds us that God is everywhere – where can I go that your presence is not already there?- nowhere because God is everywhere. It also reminds us that God knows everything. But more importantly, God knows you, God knows your purpose. in Psalm 139:1-6 You Examin You Know You Know You See You Know You Know You Go You Place 5. God Examins Your Heart Psalm 139:1 A. What is it to examin? B. What will God Find in Your Heart? 6. God Knows You Psalm 139:2 A. Your Actions B. Your Thoughts C. Your Words 7. God Sees Psalm 139:3 A. Your Travels B. Your Rest 8. God Goes Psalm 139:5 A. Before You B. Behind You 9. God Places Psalm 139:5 A. His Hand on You B. His Blessing My favorite verse in psalm 139 is that I am wonderfully and fearfully made. That is a reminder of God’s love for us. In a world that would like to tell us that we are uncalled. That we are unworthy of God’s service. That what we do is nothing special, and that work that we do is not sacred. There's a Great One Inside You During a practice session for the Green Bay Packers, things were not going well for Vince Lombardi’s team. Lombardi singled out one big guard for his failure to "put out." It was a hot, muggy day when the coach called his guard aside and leveled his awesome vocal guns on him, as only Lombardi could. "Son, you are a lousy football player. You’re not blocking, you’re not tackling, you’re not putting out. As a matter of fact, it’s all over for you today, go take a shower." The big guard dropped his head and walked into the dressing room. Forty- five minutes later, when Lombardi walked in, he saw the big guard sitting in front of his locker still wearing his uniform. His head was bowed and he was sobbing quietly. Vince Lombardi, ever the changeable but always the compassionate warrior, did something of an about face that was also typical of him. He walked over to his football player and put his arms around his shoulder. "Son," he said, "I told you the truth. You are a lousy football player. You’re not blocking, you’re not tackling, you’re not putting out. However, in all fairness to you, I should have finished the story. Inside of you, son, there is a great football player, and I’m going to stick by your side until the great football player inside of you has a chance to come out and assert himself." With these words, Jerry Kramer straightened up and felt a great deal better. As a matter of fact, he felt so much better he went on to become one of the all-time greats in football and was recently voted the all-time guard in the first 50 years of professional football. God often uses the least gifted people when some great service is neede. Because people who know their own weakness are fully open to the power that God offers God uses the least likely. A practical application of this is right here in the church. We are all gifted, we all have something that we can give to help the church, and there is a place in the structure of the church for us to be a part. When we see people participating, and helping, I think that we still place a value on that person, and what church they are from. It is not that individual who is doing a certain job, but a representative. As God is reshaping us, remolding us into a new church with a new mission, it is important for us to remember that we all have gifts, and the church is the place for us to explore and grow in those gifts. And it is our job as church members to honor the gifts of all people. We wouldn’t be here, if God was not using us. It is our collective gifts that do the work of the church. That is the message of Jeremiah – as God called him to go into the potter’s house. God often does not speak in words, but in images. Jeremiah saw that his nation was being remolded and reshaped for a new time and a new mission. God did not give up on them for their sins, God took the time to give them a new life. But many of us don’t want to be touched by God, we don’t want to be reshaped. And yet God sees the best in us, and prepares us for our destiny. I thought this poem said it best….. Written by Irenaues from the 2nd Century. From God’s Hands It is not you who shape God; it is God that shapes you. If then you are the work of God, await the hand of the Artist who does all things in due season. Offer the Potter your heart, soft and tractable, and keep the form in which the Artist has fashioned you. Let your clay be moist, lest you grow hard and lose the imprint of the Potter’s fingers. He is the potter; we are the clay. He is the shepherd; we are the sheep. He is the Master; we are the servant. No matter how educated we are, no matter how much power and influence we may think we possess, no matter how long we have walked w/ Him, no matter how significant we may imagine ourselves to be in His plans, none of that qualifies us to grasp why He does what He does when He God takes our sin and turns it into service, God takes our weakness and uses it as a strength. God takes what is least, and makes it into the most important. God calls clergy, but God calls laity also. Remember when 5000 people on the beach needed to be fed. Jesus asked his disciples to feed them, but they were too stuck in their doubts and what makes sense with the world that they couldn’t do it. God used a little boy with 5 loaves and 5 fishes. When God needed someone to take care of his son as he came into the world – he didn’t send an angel to an older woman, but to a young girl. A young girl who willingly accepted his word, that she would be the mother of Jesus. She didn’t think about the consequences, she just accepted God’s word for her. We all have value in God, God knows us, God knows what we are capable of, God knows what we have trouble with, he knows what we cant do. And he uses all of that to shape us into a faithful servant, who can answer God’s call. It is in our willingness, our obedience, that we respond to God’s touch. Amen. Whither shall I go from Thy Presence? From thee is there some hiding place? The deed is a thing so private, so inside the prefect working of desire that its inward part seems known to me, to me alone. The ebb and flow of thoughts within my hidden sea, the forms that stir within the channels of my mind, keep tryst with all my hidden hopes and fears. The ties that hold me fast to those whose life with mine makes one, The tangled twine that binds my life with things I claim as mine, are held in place by folds of my embrace. The sealed stillness that walls around the heartaches and the pain, is held against all else that would invade. Awe-filled contrition emptied clear of violence and sin, seeps slowly from the wilderness of my deserted soul. Almighty joy mounts to the brim and overflows in wild array, with music only ears attuned can hear. And yet, always I know that another sees and understands every vigil with me keeps watch. The door through which He comes no man can shut, He is the Door! I cannot go from Thy Presence, there is no hiding place from Thee.