She has to be fed first

Mark 7:24-37 16th Sunday after Pentecost Year B She has to be fed first Prelude Greeting Call to Worship Leader: Welcome, Beloved! Why have you gathered today? All: We have come to worship God, who is the maker of us all! Leader: What do you seek from God, our Creator? All: We seek God’s wisdom to guide us and show us how to live. Leader: Are you ready to follow when God’s wisdom leads down unexpected paths? All: We will trust, and we will follow wherever God’s wisdom leads us. Leader: Well then, Beloved of God, what are you waiting for? All: Come! Let us worship and seek God’s uncommon wisdom together! Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, June 2024. Opening Prayer From the depths of our hearts we reach out to you, God. We offer you our worship, for you are worthy of praise! Thank you for each one present, for each one tuning in, for all who seek to connect with you in this hour. Open the eyes of our hearts, God, that we might see you more clearly, and love you more dearly, day by day. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Song O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing UMH 57 A Sermon for all Ages Children’s Time Baptism Waters Props: Place a clear pitcher of water near the baptismal font. Today we are going to talk about how God uses water to show us how we are cared for, protected and loved. When the pastor baptizes someone, they take a pitcher of ordinary water and pour it into the baptismal font (that’s a fancy word for the bowl) and they say a prayer of blessing. They remember many times in the bible that God uses water as a sign. Sometimes it is a sign of God’s power, as in the beginning God created the water, the water in the sky we call rain and the water below we call oceans and rivers. Sometimes the water is a way God show the people that he is with them, like the time there the people were being chased by some bad people and God made a path through river so the people could get away. Sometimes water is a sign of God’s love – when Jesus was baptized he stood in a river and when he went down under the water and when he came up there was a voice that came from heaven saying that Jesus was God’s son and that he loved him very much. Today we are going to pour this water into the baptismal font, I am going to ask you to help me. Then we are going to say a prayer of thanks for the water that God created. Water that keeps us healthy, water that we use to grow food, water that we enjoy. We will thank God the protector who keeps us safe. We will thank God for all the love God shows us because we are all children of God. Come with me and lets pray together. Baptism of UMH 39 Scripture Mark 7:24-37 Sermon She has to be Fed First We have been looking at the seventh chapter of Mark. For the rest of the year, we will get a lot of the story and lessons of Jesus. This week is a continuation of last week. In chapter 7 – there is sort of a gospel challenge to see who can get the best of the other. It is not disrespectful. In the bible, it is common for people to kinda bargain with God, it’s a form of prayer. If something bad happens to you, you bargain with God, in hopes of changing God’s mind. If it is bedtime, then you banter with you parents in hopes that you can change your bed time. Last week, at the beginning of the chapter the pharisees challenge Jesus – why don’t your disciples wash your hands. Jesus is able to get the best of them, by challenging their faith. We learn a lot about our faith through Jesus comebacks and parables. Jesus is usually the winner in the gospel challenge. But in the second half of chapter 7, Jesus gets into a different challenge – where he doesn’t win. As a matter of fact Jesus’ response gets a little insulting. He intentionally travels in a territory of people who are different, one of them recognizes as a healer and asks for help and he calls her a dog. A lot of preachers make excuses for Jesus, but there is no excuse for calling a foreign woman out of her name. She moves beyond Jesus’ insult. As a matter of fact, she seems to know the rules of the gospel challenge very well. Jesus insults her, she responds with a comeback – it is through her comeback that she gets to best of Jesus. She wins. Jesus loses. Jesus says it is her faith that heals her, her courage to come back at him. It is not so much that she wins, but her love wins. She asks for healing for her daughter, she loves her daughter so much, that she has the courage to stand up in the gospel challenge. She tells Jesus that even the dogs have to eat crumbs intended for the children. A Model of Faith It may come as a shock to most Christians today, but we would do better to use this woman as a model of faith even more than the disciples. After all, we are neither Jewish nor Galilean; we have no familial claim or geographical claim to Jesus. While the woman learns that the power of faith lies internally, the disciples learn that faith can’t be measured by proximity to Jesus. They are right next to the Lord and yet they see the woman as a bother. They don’t lead her to Jesus or attempt to heal her daughter, her faith does that. They are too blinded by their social and religious prejudice to offer miracles to anyone. Jesus words are obviously not meant to cut down the woman (her compassion runs too deep to care if she is insulted). The words of Christ are meant to reprimand the disciples—and us—when our politics and religious agenda blind us to compassion. Which faith most resembles mine? Am I like the cocksure disciples steeped in religious and cultural prejudice, deeply self-assured of my proximity to Jesus? Or, am I like the outcast woman of Lebanon, indentured by compassion and uncaring of insults if I can just save one soul? Jerry Goebel, Even the Dogs Staring Up at the Sky When I re-read this story a few days ago, I couldn't help but think of Anne Lamott, the writer, who tells the story of taking her father on errands one day. His brain cancer had progressed to the point where he was reverting to some behaviors of a three-year old. Just before Anne trotted into the local bank one day, she gave Dad a candy bar and strapped him into the passenger seat of her car. There was a huge line at the teller's window where Anne was standing. So, every so often, she would run over to peek out the bank's front window to make sure that Dad was still there … as if someone was going to kidnap him or something. She writes: "The last time I looked, he wasn't there. The car was empty. I felt like adrenaline had been injected into my heart. I stared … out the window and saw this crazy old man pass by the window. His face was smeared with chocolate. He was just walking on by, holding his candy bar, staring up at the sky as if maybe his next operating instructions were up there." Jesus mysteriously stared up at the sky while massaging the tongue and the ears of a distressed man. We don't know why he was looking up and surveying the clouds. Perhaps it was as if his next operating instructions were up there. Maybe he was looking for power from God, power he did not have apart from God. Maybe God actually spoke to him at that moment and concurred with him that this particular man's bondage - his mental torture - must definitely end. Maybe Jesus was looking for help to shake the crowd he could not shake. Or maybe (and this is my best guess), maybe God was reminding Jesus that he should be ready for bystanders there to get a whole lot more excited about the physical miracle than the spiritual miracle of healing. In other words, "Get ready, Jesus, for the people to be much more infatuated by the spit and the ear poke than by the change that will be wrought in this man's spirit and attitude." Peter Marty, It's Time We Open Up! _________________________________ She knew where to go to get her help and healing. She knew that God was present in that moment, and so did Jesus. She didn’t win, love won. Through faith she was able to open up the doors of heaven. Today our lesson is about two stories of healing. They are two different stories, in two different situations. But each of them speak to us today about the power of love and faith. In the next story, Jesus is in Greek speaking part of town. And the friends of a man who is deaf bring him to Jesus. And he does something else a little disgusting, he spits and rubs it on his ears and his mouth and the man is healed. That reminds me of those time when I was little, and my mother would notice that my face was dirty and she would wet her finger with her tongue and wipe off the dirt. There was a time in my life when I was too young to notice what she was doing, and a time when I would walk away and not let her touch me. In this story, Jesus looks up to heaven for his help from God. But he also says Ephaphata – the arimaic word for open up. Jesus encourages those of us who can hear – to open up our ears and to listen. Listen to God’s voice speaking in our lives. Listen to the voice of faith telling us God is here with us. Listen to the presence of love in our lives. It is the power of love that opens up doors that are closed. Setting Lofty Goals Richard Wilkie wrote a book on the Lord's Prayer. In it, he described how Dr. Albert Schweitzer loved to play Bach on the organ. In fact, even while he was serving as a surgeon in the steamy jungles of Africa, he was still known throughout the world for his musicianship. He loved music, but he loved people more. One evening, as one of the nurses was preparing to leave, he stood at the gang plank preparing to bid her goodbye. As he took her hand he said, "Before you go, I want to recall an incident that happened several months ago. One night, you took a sick baby into your own bedroom so that you could care for it even as you slept. All through the night I heard cries coming from your room. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, the tone in the baby's cry changed. Immediately I knew that the fever had broken and that the child would get better. I'm supposed to be something of a musician but I want you to know that was the most beautiful music I've ever heard." Schweitzer sought for excellence as a musician but he also sought for excellence in loving human beings. That would be a lofty goal, wouldn't it - to be the most loving human being in our community? To be the most trustworthy? To be the most generous? The call to follow Christ is the call to set lofty goals. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Love is the real winner in both of these stories, it was love that called God into the healing of a sick daughter, and it was Jesus love that helped the man and those around him to hear. That is what our faith is all about – opening up doors and letting love come in. Today we open to doors of our hearts and of heaven for a little one as she is baptized. Originally, when Martin Luther designed his baptismal liturgy – the priest was supposed to out spit on the babies ears and mouth and says ephaphtha – open up. There was this whole ritual of blowing on the babies face to scare away the devil, then putting spit on the face to open the baby to the spirit, lighting a candle. As a matter of fact, it was Martin Luther who said that if you didn’t have water, then you could use milk or even beer to baptize the baby in an emergency. Luckily, a lot of that symbolism was taken out – today the power of the baptism is in the water and the holy spirit. And yet the lessons of love and faith remain. As the holy spirit opens her life to the presence of grace, may our hearts to be open to the love of God. May we experience God anew. o My church’s prayer of illumination every Sunday: “Holy Spirit, open our hearts to the story of your love, open our minds to new ways of knowing you, open our doors to all whom you would welcome. Amen. Let all of us remember this prayer Ephphatha! Be opened. “Let your ears be open to Christ’s word of forgiveness for your sin. Ephaphatha! Be opened. “Let your eyes be open to see the opportunities God is making available in your world. Ephaphatha! Be opened. Let your mind be open to new ways of thinking that will expand your understanding of God’s will for you and yours. Ephaphatha! Be opened. Let your mouth be opened to share with your friends what God is doing in your life. Ephaphatha! Be opened. Let your life be opened to the movement of the Spirit, open to release from whatever is scaring you stopping you, holding you back, from becoming the person you want to be, the person God wants you to be. Amen. Song He touched Me UMH 367 Response to the Word It is easy to be overwhelmed by the pain of the world. We want to turn off the evening news and tune out the stories of human suffering, but God calls us to pay attention to those around us, to do more than simply give to worthy causes, to do more than pray the situation into God’s hands. Our faith is to be lived out in righteous actions, that we might resist wickedness and avoid condemnation for our lack of compassion. We are challenged to meet the needs of others, to reach out with hand and heart, to provide for the real human needs of others. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, June Boutwell) Pastoral Prayer Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment In the scripture reading from Mark 7 we heard reports of the healing Jesus accomplished in Tyre and the Decapolis. Both in the recovery of the child, and the healing of the man who was deaf and had a speech impediment we hear of Jesus giving new and different lives to the girl and to the man. His healing gift surely affected those directly healed, but also their families and communities as they were freed to engage more fully. As followers of Jesus, we, too, have opportunity to share our gifts with those around us. In this congregation we have some who ___________________ (name one or two ways people engage in your tutoring, food pantry, meals for unhoused…). In this congregation, we have others who _________________________ (name your outreach to the nursing home, your care group leaders, your program planners) What are the gifts you bring today? How can you offer support and engagement? Your financial gifts are one important way to provide life-enhancing and life-changing moments as we help expand the Body of Christ in (your town). With joyful hearts, standing with Jesus, let us offer our gifts in this time of offering. Prayer of Thanksgiving Giver of all good gifts, Thank you for the ways you’ve equipped each one of us with gifts we can share. Open our hearts, our wallets, and our calendars, so we might freely offer our individual and congregational gifts to a world yearning for release from “unclean spirits”, physical challenges and scarcity. Renew in us our desire to be generous followers of Jesus, the Christ. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Go into the world as agents of healing Appreciating the wonder of creation In all forms, expressions, and ways Boldly embracing the fullness of humanity Welcoming the stranger And considering the other as friend. Go in peace. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Community Time Joys and Concerns Benediction Beloved, may God bless you today and all days with wisdom that guides you to notice the needs all around you and to share in the work of nurturing abundant life for all of God’s creation. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, June 2024. Additional Illustrations In ancient Greece it was customary for peddlers who walked the streets with their wares to cry out, "What do you lack?" The idea was to let people know they were in the vicinity, and also rouse the curiosity of the people. Coming out of their houses they would want to know what the peddler was selling. It might be something they lacked and needed, or simply something they desired. What do you lack? We may have sight and hearing, but what do we lack? Take an honest inventory of yourself. Have you found contentment? Are you close enough to God to receive his guidance and strength? Have you secured peace of heart and peace of mind, invaluable assets in life? Deciding what we lack is the first step in securing it. Christ can fulfill our needs -- needs that are to some extent physical, but, more so, the deepest needs of heart, mind, and soul. The man in Mark 7 lacked the physical ability to hear. But many of us lack the spiritual ability to hear. We suffer a kind of a spiritual deafness. The affliction of not listening to people, or, to put it another way, the affliction of physically listening to people, yet failing to comprehend, to understand, and come to grips with what they are saying, is a plague upon the Church. For, you see, it is possible to listen to a person, yet fail to really hear them… The Buzzard, the Bat, and the Bumblebee If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top. The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash. A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself. In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That's the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem! Just look up. Source Unknown _________________ The Kingdom of Heaven Breaks Open Jesus' referring to Gentiles as dogs - clearly this is one of those difficult gospel moments with which Christians must wrestle. Who is this Jesus who is scornful of other nationalities and religions? What kind of savior doesn't want to heal a young girl simply because of who her family is? What are we to do with such an indifferent and despising Christ? Because this passage is so troubling, Christians through the centuries have tried to sweeten or domesticate it, for example pointing out that the Greek word translated here as "dogs" literally means "small dogs," that is, puppies or house dogs. I don't think that mitigates the insult much. I will admit, however, to getting a chuckle out of the images -- such as Sebastiano Ricci's Christ and the Canaanite Woman -- in which a smiling Jesus seems to change his mind because that puppy is just so darn cute! But I think a more productive approach in this case is not to domesticate this scriptural quandary but to embrace it as a moment in which the Kingdom of Heaven breaks opens and becomes more inclusive, a moment in which we are reminded that no one is outside the embrace of God. Karen A. Keely, The Crumbs Under the Table: Bread Enough for All Be Opened When Martin Luther put together a baptismal liturgy in 1523, the actual rite required the pastor to take some of his own saliva and touch the ears and lips of every child getting baptized. At the same instant, the pastor was to repeat the words of Jesus to the deaf man, that one with the speech impediment. The baptizing pastor was to say: Ephphatha - That is, be opened. We don't do this anymore in the Lutheran Church. And I'm not sure I'd be serving my congregation very long if I started using this saliva ritual. But the idea isn't bad. From the very get-go in life, with a lot of help from parents and pastors and adult mentors, we need to find better ways to not be so bound-up with our lives and so tongue-tied with our faith. Have courage. Grab hold to what is good. Loosen up and love a bit more freely. Support the weak. Strengthen the faint-hearted. Honor all people. And for Jesus' sake, keep looking for those ways to open your life to the power of the Holy Spirit … relying on that great prayer of the Psalmist if it helps: O Lord, open thou my lips, and let my tongue declare your praise. Peter Marty, It's Time We Open Up! Success Is Sometimes Measured in Inches Success is sometimes measured in inches. After winning the Pontiac 400 in Richmond, Virginia, several years ago, stock car driver Mark Martin discovered that the spacer between the carburetor and the intake manifold was one-half-inch too long according to NASCAR rules. He was fined $40,000 and penalized 46 points in the season standings. Something that small seemed very significant for Mark. In his book The Range of Human Capacities, Dr. David Wechsler says that if Cleopatra's nose had been just a fraction of an inch longer, the face of Europe might have been changed because Caesar might have shown less interest in the lady. This is another example of how the size of the difference can be small, but the size of the consequences can be huge. A tragic illustration of the crucial importance of little things was furnished a few years ago when a jet crashed shortly after takeoff. All 95 people on board were killed. An exhaustive study of the wreckage determined that it could have been caused by the rudder-control system's losing a bolt that was less than one inch long. For want of a bolt, so many lives were lost. Success can sometimes be measured in inches. Take for example, the distance between the lips and the heart. Jesus was chastising the religious leaders of his day and he quotes the words of Isaiah: "These people worship me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." God on the lips, but not in the heart. A fatal distance of less than 12 inches. King Duncan, www.Sermons.com _________________________________ She Thinks That I Am Real A story is told of a family that went into a restaurant. The waitress walked up and, looking at the young boy, said: What will it be? The boy eagerly shouted back: “I'll take a hamburger, French fries, and a chocolate shake.” The mother immediately interrupted: Oh, that's not what he wants. “He'll take the roast beef, a baked potato, and a glass of milk.” Much to the surprise of both the mother and the boy, the waitress completely ignored her and again asked the boy: “And what do you want on that hamburger?” The boy shouted back, “ketchup, lots of ketchup.” “And what kind of shake?” “Make it chocolate.” The boy then turned to his parents with a big smile on his face and said: “Say, ain't she something. She thinks that I'm real!” Well, let me give you fair warning. If you once, just once, start really hearing people they are suddenly going to become real to you. Staff, www.eSermons.com The Miracle Bridge Perhaps you have heard the story of the Miracle Bridge. (Chicken Soup for the Soul, No. 3) In l883 a creative engineer, John Roebling was inspired to build the Brooklyn Bridge. Experts told him to forget it. He convinced his son Washington, an up and coming engineer to build the bridge. They hired a crew and began to build their dream bridge. The project was only a few months old when there was a tragic accident. John Roebling was killed and his son was severely brain damaged. He was unable to move or talk, but his mind was sharp as ever. He was able to move one finger and touched the arm of his wife. From that point on they learned how to communicate. For the next l3 years he tapped out instructions to the bridge builders who then completed the spectacular bridge. Our ability to communicate is our greatest asset. The best way to be disciples is to be people who are understood and at the same time be folks who are willing to listen. Keith Wagner, Is Anyone Listening? Seeing the Face of God There is a scene in the Hollywood motion picture, Ben-Hur. Ben-Hur is by a well, and he is filthy, stooped in the dirt, and overcome with a fierce thirst. The camera focuses on Ben-Hur's face. His countenance is twisted in misery. Then the shadow of a man crosses his visage. We do not see the man. The camera remains fixed on Ben-Hur's face. The man offers Ben-Hur water. As Ben-Hur lifts his wretched face to behold the merciful stranger, we see a sudden radiance transform his face. We know instantly, by the radical change of his countenance, that when he lifts his head he looks directly into the face of Christ. What a difference it makes when someone is in the presence of Jesus. When someone is in the presence of Jesus he may not regain his physical hearing, but still he hears things he's never heard before--words of assurance and love and hope. He may not regain his physical vision, but he sees things he's never seen before--inwardly he sees the face of God. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Little Annie As a young girl, "Little Annie" was diagnosed as being hopelessly insane, and was locked up in a mental institution. An elderly nurse believed there was hope for the child, and day after day she would visit with her, even though she was often rebuffed. Over a long period of time, Little Annie gradually improved, and was finally released from the institution. Filled with compassion for others because of what she herself had gone through, Anne Sullivan, whose own life had been miraculously opened, was able to open the life of Helen Keller. Kenneth C. Landall, Being Open • The infirmity harkens back to Isaiah 35:6, “Then the lame will leap like the deer, and the tongue of the speechless will sing. Waters will spring up in the desert,and streams in the wilderness” - eschatological implications. o This is the passage of Isaiah that is talking about the one who will prepare the way and make the paths straight. o This is a part of the work of Jesus, which continues with the highway which is the Holy Way. • “Open Up” - United Methodist slogan of “Open hearts, open minds, open doors.” o Many progressive UM’s question the validity of this statement because we continue to be closed to the LGBTQ community. o I read the “opens” as verbs, not adjectives. Instead of the slogan being a description, I see it as a prescription. It is what we are called as a church to do - to go out and open hearts, open minds, and open doors. polis is on the opposite side of Galilee from Tyre. Tyre is far northwest, on the Mediterranean Sea. Decapolis is on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. There has to be a significant amount of time passing between these stories, yet they are tied together. There were other aspects of this service that are not commonly done today. Near the beginning, salt was placed in the mouth of the child with the words, “(Name) receive the salt of wisdom. May it aid thee to eternal life.”[9] Following the reading of Mark 10:13-16, the priest put spit on his finger and touched the child’s nose and ears, saying, “Ephphatha, that is, Be thou opened. But thou, devil, flee; for God’s judgment cometh speedily.”[10] There were also anointings both before and after the baptism. Overall, Luther’s main concern was that the parents and sponsors hear God’s Word and pray for the one being baptized. He mentions that some of the other “external things” were less important.[11] And so when the 1526 revision was published, many of these rites were gone. Gone was the blowing under the eyelids, the salt, the spit, the anointing and even the baptismal candle. Several prayers were omitted. In general, the whole service was shortened. Previously Luther had left many of these ceremonies in because of “weak consciences,” but three years later he was comfortable removing them.[12] In our day, some of these practices have come back (e.g. the baptismal candle). Other new ones have been added (e.g. the welcome by the congregation). In Luther’s day it was necessary to pare back the ceremonies a bit, as they were distracting from the baptism itself. Luther found it necessary to emphasize that the water and the Word of God were the main thing in the baptismal rite by reducing the number of ceremonies. In some places the additional ceremonies have been found to be helpful to teach and emphasize what is happening in baptism. “Each generation trims a little, adds a little (extolling is never finished); but always the actual Baptism itself remains the same: ‘one Lord, one faith, one baptism’ (Eph 4:5).”[13]

The Spirit of the Lord is Upon us

January 23, 2022 Luke 4:14-21 The Spirit of the Lod is upon you 3rd Sunday after Epiphany Year C Opening Song Welcome COVID precautions Call to Worship Call to Worship (based on Psalm 19) The heavens are telling the glory of God May our worship reflect God’s glory. The firmament proclaims God’s handiwork. May we see each other as the handiwork of God. Let our prayer and praise, our singing and proclamation project the love of God. We commune with Christians around the world, with Christians throughout time. With Christians across geography and across time, Let us worship! —from Jesus Sets the Table, resources by the United Church of Christ, posted on their Worship Ways website. Stewardship Moment Moment for Stewardship (inspired by I Corinthians 12:12-31a) Less than a month after Christmas, I wonder if you can name the greatest gifts you received? Writing to the people of the Corinthian church, Paul reminds the believers to “strive for the greater gifts”. Why? Because the gifts we’ve RECEIVED are also the gifts we’re challenged to put to use. Some of us would love to have different gifts, but this scripture in I Corinthians 12 instructs us to recognize it takes many members with many different gifts to make up the whole body. (use specific references to well-known gifts in your own congregation) As we come to a time of sharing our gifts, we recognize not everyone is able to give great plumbing ability, but ______ shares that with us. Not everyone has a gift of welcoming newcomers, yet we’re grateful for _______, who helps first-time visitors find their way. Not everyone is able to lift us to the heavens with music, but we are so often raised up when __________ shares her/his gifts. Here’s the thing. YOU are the body of Christ, and individually members of it. Not everyone can do everything. Not everyone can write a check for $1000 (well, at least one which will not bounce [ 🙂 ] , but if that’s your gift today, we would be delighted to receive such a gift! But each of us, and all of us, are able to share because of the gifts God has given each one. Today, let us offer our gifts with glad and generous hearts, grateful for the ways we’ve received grace upon grace. Prayer of Thanksgiving Generous God, we thank you for instilling each of us, and all of us, with gifts to help build up the body of Christ. Receive what we’ve offered today. Bless each one in our giving. Help us use all these gifts to strengthen the body of Christ known as _______________ Church. AMEN Reception of New Members UMH 33 Scripture Luke 4:14-21 Common English Bible Jesus announces good news to the poor 14 Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news about him spread throughout the whole countryside. 15 He taught in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. 16 Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been raised. On the Sabbath he went to the synagogue as he normally did and stood up to read. 17 The synagogue assistant gave him the scroll from the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed, 19 and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.[a] 20 He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the synagogue assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the synagogue was fixed on him. 21 He began to explain to them, “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled just as you heard it.” Sermon The Spirit of the Lord is Upon You There is a Facebook post that circulates for a while, that ask you to explain your job in very simple crude terms. I finally came up with a good answers. I set people free. Well actually it is not me who sets them free – it is the spirit, but I get to be the one to proclaim the good news to everyone. Jesus actually gets up in front of the congregation and says this exact thing. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to set the captive free. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus is on his way home from being baptized. He has been traveling around in Southern Palestine, and now he is returning home to the North. Only Luke says that he is in Nazareth his home town. When a hometown hero returns and reads scripture at first they are proud of him. Until they realize that Jesus is not just talking to them, but talking about them. They are the captives who need to be set free. In his book 40 Days, Alton Gansky relates this story: "Harry Houdini made a name for himself by escaping from every imaginable confinement -- from straightjackets to multiple pairs of handcuffs clamped to his arms. He boasted that no jail cell could hold him. Time and again, he would be locked in a cell only to reappear minutes later. It worked every time -- but one. He accepted another invitation to demonstrate his skill. He entered the cell, wearing his street clothes, and the jail cell door shut. Once alone, he pulled a thin but strong piece of metal from his belt and began working the lock. But something was wrong. No matter how hard Houdini worked, he couldn't unlock the lock. For two hours he applied skill and experience to the lock but failed time and time again. Two hours later he gave up in frustration. The problem? The cell had never been locked. Houdini worked himself to near exhaustion trying to achieve what could be accomplished by simply pushing the door open. The only place the door was locked was in his mind. Faith is not a complex process. It is not the result of years of education, pilgrimages, or flashy supernatural experiences. The door to belief is ready to open and is locked only in the minds of those who choose to believe it is. Faith, Salvation; Works At some point I think all of us become prisoners to our habits, our thoughts, our expectations. And we get stuck there. Jesus came to open the doors for all of us. Liberation theology is a theology that strives for freedom of all people. It addresses the systems in our world that depend on the mental cultural prisons which say this is how life is and this is how it needs to stay. As Jesus told his hometown that it was time to change, they got so mad at him that they threw him off of the cliff. But that is the rest of the story. But that is not the scripture for next week. They did not get mad at him for quoting Isaiah. They got mad at him because he called them captives of their own beliefs. He had the nerve to say that gentiles and strangers were closer to God and would get to heaven before them. They were mad because Jesus challenged them to accept other people. That is like saying that a person who never goes to church, who doesn’t believe in God, who chooses to sleep in on Sunday is just as much a child of God as the person who comes to church every Sunday. It is sort of like saying that the person who chose to stay at home, stay out of the cold, and watch the service in their pajamas is just as much a part of this congregation as those of you who got up, got dressed, fought the weather to be present in church. And yet Jesus says that the spirit of the lord is upon me to each of us who hears. When Jesus quotes this scripture in Isaiah, he is talking about the jubilee year – every 50 years when the system was supposed to reset itself and all debt cancelled, starting all over again. But of course it has never happened – those who had the power were never ready to give it up, those who had money never gave it up. Imagine what the world would be like, if Jesus has never proclaimed freedom for all in our world? Once there was a church that decided to have a work day, on which members showed up to do heavy cleaning and light maintenance on the church building. A general call went out for volunteers. The usual suspects showed up – the ones who show up year after year. There was one other person who showed up as well – a new member, she brought with her the mop and bucket that all had been asked to bring. She even announced that she was here to work. No one payed attention to her, because they all had their assigned duties. They all laughed together, they socialized. No one bothered to talk with the newcomer. No one, or even make her a part of their activities. She went home that day wondering if she even belonged. There was a happy ending, with persistence she was able to get beyond the social understandings and become a part of the group. She soon realized that that cool reception was just a fluke. She was able to get beyond those ties of familiarity and friendship which served as a unintentional barrier. But what would have happened if she did not bring her broom and her persistence to church with her that day? Jesus came to set the captives free and sometimes we are the captives. I thought it was interesting that the scripture says that Jesus stood before the congregation and read the scrolls. I have to do a little more research- Jesus was a carpenter by trade, I was not under the impression that he could read or write. But my point is that Jesus did not really give a big speech, he just announced that the spirit of the lord was upon him. The message that he did give – is that those were not just ancient words – but living words. He said that the scripture had been fulfilled today. He opened the doors of the church, he gave us an opportunity to be in mission. How are those words being fulfilled here today? We have accepted new members in our midst, we will have an opportunity to support Methodist women in ministry to the community. But what else? What else needs to be done? Each year we follow the life of Christ, every year we learn about Jesus call to ministry, we think about our call to ministry, to follow jesus to be children of God. The spirit if the Lord is upon each of us. How do we fulfill this scripture in our lives today? Let us pray…. Prayer for others (I know it is long, but I am hoping with spacing that all of it can be included) Prayer for Others (inspired by Psalm 19:14) Creator God, we come before you asking prayers for those who lead nations cities churches homes. As you poured out your love in the Word may we hear your word and follow; may the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts lead us to you. Holy One, we come before you - a people broken into shards of lives sick, poor, hungry hidden by the limitations of our eyes. Help us to see as You see as you poured out your love in the Word. May we hear your word and follow may the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts lead us to you. God of Mercy, we come before you – seeking to live as you command, but often failing, and thus we are torn by cries of despair anger power control lost to foolishness and stumbling blocks despite your love in the Word Help us to hear your word and follow May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts lead us to you. Gentle God, we come before you giving thanks for all our blessings the gift of life hope faith love family friends all we care for this day. Help us to be Your hands. Incline Your heart, O gracious God, and teach us to love O Christ, our rock and our Redeemer. Amen. ~ written by Terri C. Pilarski, and posted on RevGalBlogPals. http://revgalblogpals.org/2012/03/11/sunday-prayer-lent-3b/ Lord’s Prayer Song Oh For a Thousand Tongues to Sing UMH 57 Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook The Spirit of God is upon you. We go forth proclaiming God's love and liberation. The Spirit of Christ is upon you. We go forth to live lives of justice and freedom. The power of the Spirit is upon you. We go forth as one body, one spirit, one witness to the promises of our God. From The Abingdon Worship Annual edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu, Copyright © Abingdon Press. Community Time Benediction You have been called and anointed. You have been strengthened and enlightened. You have become one body in Christ. Now go to spread joy and liberation in word and in deed to all the world. From The Abingdon Worship Annual edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu, Copyright © Abingdon Press. Children’s Sermon People make promises every day. Sometimes we give something to another person as a sign of our promise, sometimes we sign our name to seal our promise, other times we just give our word to another person that we will do something. I'm sure you have all seen a ring like this. (Show the wedding ring.) When a man and woman get married, they usually make promises to one another. They say something like, "I promise to love you for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health as long as we both shall live." Then they exchange rings as a symbol of that promise. This is an ordinary letter like the ones we receive in our mail box every day. Right in the middle is the name and address of the person for whom it is intended. What do you see up here in the corner of the envelope? Right! It is a stamp. When the Postal Service sells you this stamp and you put it on a letter, it represents their promise to deliver it to the person to whom the envelope is addressed. It doesn't matter if it is cloudy or sunny, raining or snowing, hot or cold, the mail gets delivered. That is the promise that this stamp represents. You are too young to have a credit card, but one day you probably will. Most adults have a credit card which they use to buy things. When you buy something using your credit card, you have to sign a ticket. When you sign the ticket, you are promising that you will pay for the items you purchased using the credit card. Your signature is your promise. People make promises every day. Do they always keep their promises? Unfortunately, some people don't. God makes promises too. The Bible is full of God's promises. Does God always keep his promises? Yes he does! One of my favorite verses in the Bible is one that says, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. (2 Cor. 1:20) That is what our Bible lesson teaches us today. Jesus was in the city of Nazareth on the Sabbath day so he did what he always did on the Sabbath. He went to the synagogue. He stood up and began to read the words of the prophet Isaiah from the scripture. He read where it says, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come." When he had finished reading, he sat down. All eyes were on Jesus. Then he began to speak to them. "The scripture that you have just heard read has been fulfilled this very day!" Jesus came to earth to fulfill the promises of God. All of God's promises are fulfilled in him. Wouldn't it be great if you and I were as faithful in keeping our promises to God as he is in keeping his promises to us? Our Father in heaven, thank you for your faithfulness in keeping your promises. Help us to be faithful in keeping our promises to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Additional Illustrations He Came to Help Us See Besides freeing us from fear and guilt, Jesus came to help us see. He wasn’t talking about physical blindness, but rather, spiritual blindness. We can’t see because we are trapped by habits, addictions and illusions of happiness. Therefore we are trapped, oppressed by our own choices and situations. Some of us are in denial. Others of us are reinforced through the enabling of other people. Consequently, we are not free. One night a tiger trainer was performing at a circus. He went into the cage with the tigers and a huge hush came over the crowd as the doors were locked behind him. Skillfully, the trainer put the tigers though their routine, entertaining the crowd. But, suddenly there was a "pop" and the all the lights went out under the big top. The trainer was locked inside the cage with the tigers in complete darkness. They could see him with their night vision, but he could not see them. All he had was a chair and a whip for protection. Finally the lights came back on and the trainer finished his performance. Later in a TV interview, the trainer admitted how scared he was. Then he realized that the tigers did not know that he could not see them. "I just cracked my whip and talked to them," he said, "until the lights came on." (from "Tigers in the Dark," God’s Little Lessons on Life for Dad, Honor Books) Keith Wagner, Liberated and Free Fulfilling Others? And the marvel is this: Jesus somehow fits the void in all the far flung instances of human longing. When medieval European artists painted the Holy Family, they usually painted them with typical German, Italian, or Flemish features. It was not imagination or prejudice which made them do so, but the instinctive feeling that Jesus belonged to them; he was one of their people. In our time, Christian artists in Africa and Asia paint the Holy Family with features and coloring appropriate to their world. Again, it is because they feel that Jesus belongs to them. The mountain church, where a duet twangs out country-western music on a guitar, may seem to have little in common with a Bach rendition from a four-manual organ; but each is seeking to show its adoration of Jesus in its own best way. Here is the common bond between a ghetto storefront church and the massive Gothic structure some miles away: they both bear the name of Jesus Christ; and they each seek, in their own way and setting, to fulfill the human longing. What about you and me? What is the longing in our lives which Christ has filled? "Today," Jesus said, "this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." For you, for me? To what degree are we in the business of fulfilling the scripture in the lives of others? J. Ellsworth Kalas, Sermons on the Gospel Readings, Cycle C, CSS Publishing Company Hope Do you remember the story of Pandora's Box in Greek Mythology? The lovely Pandora was sent by Zeus to be the bride of Epimetheus. One of Pandora's more endearing charms was her curiosity, but that quality also proved to nearly be her undoing. One day Mercury, the messenger, sent a box to the young couple. It was meant for them to enjoy, but under no circumstances were they to open it. Well, of course, it is the old story of the forbidden fruit. Told that she could not do it, it became the thing that she desired to do the most. So one day she pried it open and peeked inside. Suddenly out flew swarms of insects that began attacking them. Both lovers were stung with the poison of suspicion, hatred, fear and malice. Now the once happy couple began to argue. Epimetheus became bitter and Pandora wept with a broken heart. But in the midst of the quarreling, they heard a tiny voice cry out: Let me out, to sooth your pain. Fearfully they opened the box again, and this time a beautiful butterfly flew out. It touched the couple and miraculously their pain was healed and they were happy again. The butterfly we are told was hope. It is hope that sustains us; it is hope that sooths our pain. Staff, www.eSermons.com.

Does God take a Vacation

Does God Take a Vacation September 6, 2015 Mark 7:24-37 Year B It’s Labor Day weekend. The last holiday of the summer, time to get back to the routine. Labor day is one of our most misunderstood holidays of the year. No one knows really why we celebrate it, we just take it off, But know nothing about it. I am talking about it, but still don’t know why it is a holiday. My point is that it is a vacation. We all know that we love our holidays. As humans, we love our vacation days. We actually need them in order to keep functioning. But let me ask you this question – does God ever take a vacation? Does God ever just get tired of all of the prayer request and just stop answering us. In our greatest time of need, especially on the weekends or on a holiday – does God ever respond and say I am out of the office right now, I will return your call during normal business hours. Our response to that would be of course God does not take vacations. God is available always to answer our calls. But I would say that perhaps you have not really read the gospel for today – Mark 7. The scripture clearly says that Jesus got tired of healing and helping people and he needed a retreat. He needed a vacation so bad, that he was headed south to Jerusalem – cause that was where all of the action was, on his journey, and he decided to head North, far away from the action, far away from jews, far away from anyone that might want anything from him. He is on vacation, and a woman comes up to him asking for healing. When she asks him to heal her daughter, he very politely tries to explain to her that he is on vacation and not in the healing business today – and yet she persist. He came up north to get away from jews, and this lady is not even a jew. But did Jesus just call this lady a dog? Most modern day versions of the bible try to clean the story up and say the Jesus endearingly called her a puppy. But a puppy is still a dog. As a matter of fact, as the story goes on, she acknowledged being a dog – but even the dogs are able to eat the crumbs from the children’s table. Jesus grants her wish, and calls her persistence to ask faith. And it is her faith that makes her whole? Does God ever get tired of our prayers, apparently sometimes he does. But what I find interesting about the story of Jesus, is that the gospel is full of stories of Jesus getting tired and needing a break. Jesus getting worn out from helping people and needing a break. I can attest to that, because Sunday after church is always the lowest time of the week. Being in this position and bringing the word, and leading worship drains all of my human energy. Most Sundays I spend the rest of the day staring at the tv, or letting the tv stare at me, until Monday morning comes and I am in charge of my spirit again. But what I have noticed is that in each of these stories, where Jesus is tired and ready to rest – that seems to be the time when someone needs him the most. We gloss right over the parts of the story that say that Jesus is tired and taking a retreat, because in each instance – it leads to a story of how he helped someone in their greatest hour of need. In each story he tells the person that he is tired, but he gives them what they need anyway. In this story not only does he heal the woman’s daughter, but a deaf man is bought to him and he heals that man also. He makes him hear, but he also makes sure that he speaks. Being able to hear, and being able to speak is not just important for his physical health, but also for his spiritual health. If you read Isaiah chapter 6 it tells us all about why it is so important to hear and to speak. In Isaiah chapter 6 God touches the lips of Isaiah so that he can speak the word of God. In verse 9 God says be ever hearing, but never understanding, be ever seeing, but never perceiving, make the heart of this people calloused, make their ears dull, and close their eyes, otherwise, they might see with their eyes hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed. Let me ask you a second question. If we know that God never takes a vacation from us, do we take a vacation from God? Now we have heard the story of Jesus getting tired of being Jesus and needing to take a break. Do you ever get tired of being a Christian – and wake up and say I am going to go out in the world and be around people and deal with situations – and decided that you are going to let your Christianity sleep in? You are going to take a vacation from being a Christian and just be a normal person for the day? The reality is a lot of us do – we have to be in a really good mood to be a true follower of Jesus Christ. The Buzzard, the Bat, and the Bumblebee If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top. The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash. A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself. In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That's the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem! Just look up. Source Unknown There are times in our lives when our souls are closed for business – for various reasons. If you read today’s scripture – Jesus has one word for us -Ephphatha. They did not even bother to translate the word into English – it is a direct quote from Jesus. Ephphatha is a aramic word which means open up. When Jesus sees that the man ears and mouth are closed up – he speaks directly to the ears and the mouth and tells them to open up. And it is time for our spirits to open up- and to be present in life. Have you ever noticed that using your Christianity is not about you, it is a reaction to the people around you. Sometimes you may truly wake up and not feel like being a Christian. But it is the people around you that force the Christianity out of you. People will try you and you have to be intentional that your response to them is a Christian response. Just like Jesus was ready for a retreat and the syrophenecian woman came up to him demanding healing. Do the next time someone gets on your nerves, you can respond to them – it is your faith that has made you whole. Because I am a Christian, I am going to respond to you in the right way – and not in the way that I really feel. But remember Jesus’ words to you – open up- open up your spirit to the spirit of God in that situation. Our minds and our bodies get to take a vacation. But our soul doesn’t. It is when we are the most tired that the world needs us the most. And when we give them our Christianity, we are giving them God not ourselves. I love the ending of this scripture. It says that people were overcome with wonder. Saying he does everything well. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak. Some years ago Winston Lloyd, who later became one of our top foreign policy experts, was an aide to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. One day he brought to Kissinger a longawaited report on conflicts in South America. Without even glancing at the report, Kissinger asked, "Is this the very best you can do?" Lloyd stammered for a few moments and said, "There were a few informational gaps." "Take it back," Kissinger said and dismissed him. Two weeks later, after working night and day, Lloyd again entered Kissinger's office and held out the report. "Is this the very best you can do?" Kissinger asked, without looking at the document. Lloyd hesitated and admitted that there were some parts of the report that were incomplete. Kissinger told him to take it back. Three weeks later Lloyd asked for another meeting. For the third time Kissinger asked, "Is this the very best you can do?" Lloyd replied, "Mr. Secretary, this is my very best effort." Kissinger smiled and said, "That's all I ever ask. I'll be happy to read your report." You and I are not saved by works, I want to make that clear. We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. Still I wonder if we will not someday stand before the throne of God and be asked that most terrifying of all questions, "Did you do your best?" I realize that we are only human. We are not Jesus. None of us are going to do "all things well." Having said that, though, I believe that it behooves us not to live as Tacitus once described Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Tacitus said about Tiberius, "He feared the best, was ashamed of the worst, and chose the innocuous middle." Do you live in the innocuous middle? The angel said to the church at Laodicea, "Would that you were hot or cold, but because you are lukewarm because you have chosen the innocuous middleI will spew you out of my mouth." That is all that Jesus asks of us to give our best. Even when we are tired and ready to take a vacation – we can still give our best to God. God does not take a break from you – so when you need to take a break from everything else – don’t take a break from God. Amen…. Children’s Sermon PREPARATION: None OR be prepared with the song and actions, "Deep and Wide." LESSON: Have you ever played the game, "I love you more?" I know some children who would say "I love you more" when their parents told them they loved them. Or sometimes they would say, "I love you double!" And the battle would be on as to who loved the other the most! It's hard to say how much we love, isn't it? One of the things that impresses me is how much Jesus loved people who had a disability-the blind people, the people who could not hear or who were sick. Jesus healed them every one. Jesus loves everybody, doesn't he? His love is wide (motion with your hands for each descriptive word), long, high and deep. We can experience God's love but we can never really understand it because God's love is so awesome. (Option: Sing the song Extra illustrations Setting Lofty Goals Richard Wilkie wrote a book on the Lord's Prayer. In it, he described how Dr. Albert Schweitzer loved to play Bach on the organ. In fact, even while he was serving as a surgeon in the steamy jungles of Africa, he was still known throughout the world for his musicianship. He loved music, but he loved people more. One evening, as one of the nurses was preparing to leave, he stood at the gang plank preparing to bid her goodbye. As he took her hand he said, "Before you go, I want to recall an incident that happened several months ago. One night, you took a sick baby into your own bedroom so that you could care for it even as you slept. All through the night I heard cries coming from your room. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, the tone in the baby's cry changed. Immediately I knew that the fever had broken and that the child would get better. I'm supposed to be something of a musician but I want you to know that was the most beautiful music I've ever heard." Schweitzer sought for excellence as a musician but he also sought for excellence in loving human beings. That would be a lofty goal, wouldn't it - to be the most loving human being in our community? To be the most trustworthy? To be the most generous? The call to follow Christ is the call to set lofty goals. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com She Could Not Speak Because She Could Not Hear There is a beautiful hearing-impaired actress named Marlee Matlin who won an Oscar for the poignant movie Children of a Lesser God. In the movie she consistently communicated via sign language, though her leading man knew she could speak. In a riveting scene near the film's conclusion, she finally verbalized in his presence. Her words were intelligible but not articulate, slowly formed just well enough to be understood, but not clearly. The character could not speak well because she could not hear. Apparently such was the case for the man in Mark's story. Before Jesus unlocked his tongue, first he had to open his ears. Only when he had heard a message did he have anything to say. So it is for most of us. We cannot share with others what we have not found ourselves. We cannot teach what we have not heard. We cannot articulate a truth to others that we have not appropriated in our own lives. Michael B. Brown, Be All That You Can Be, CSS Publishing. "Deep and Wide" and do the actions.) PRAYER: Thank you that you love us wide, high, long and deep. AMEN