Mary's Hope for the World

December 11, 2022 Luke 1:46-55 Mary’s Hope for the World Year A Third Sunday of Advent Opening Song Welcome Advent Hymn Lighting of the Advent Candle CALL TO WORSHIP One: Our souls magnify the Lord. Our spirits rejoice in God our Savior! All: We come today with eager hope, awaiting God’s new revelation. One: The mighty One has done great things! God’s mercy covers generations. All: We come today with ready peace, trusting with anticipation. One: The One who lifted up the lowly And filled the hungry, dwells with us. All: We come today with fervent joy, we worship with great expectation. (Inspired by Luke 1:46b-55, The Magnificat) (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Rev. Mia McClain) INVOCATION God of Mary, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Rahab— God of us all, your children here and your children afar— We enter this moment of worship with eager anticipation. We know that even before a child would come to lead the way, You were leading our way. From the valleys of the shadows of death to the tables in the presence of enemies, you have never left us nor forsaken us. You rod and your staff have guided us. Guide us now, O God. Make your presence known as we worship you in spirit and in truth. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Rev. Mia McClain) Song Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming UMH 216 Children’s Sermon Object suggested: Magnifying glass and objects that would be interesting to view when magnified such as a leaf, blade of grass, print in a book, a bug. It is fun to look at ordinary things through a magnifying glass. The magnifying glass makes an object appear larger. We can see details we didn’t know were there. A magnifying glass helps us get a closer look at things. Let’s take some time to see what we can discover. See how the print in this book gets larger as you pull the magnifying glass away from the page? Look at your fingernails and hands through the magnifying glass. Do you see anything that surprises you? (Provide various objects that would interest children.) The word “magnify” has two meanings. It means to make things larger, as when we look through a magnifying glass, and it also means to “praise” or “give thanks.” In the Bible, as we read about the birth of Jesus, we learn that Mary felt joy because she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus and she gave thanks to God. She said, “My soul magnifies the Lord” (1:46). “My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior…” (1:47). The joy that Mary felt, as she prepared for the arrival of Jesus, is available to us as we celebrate his birth. Tonight, Christmas Eve, we have the opportunity to praise God and give thanks for his love. We “magnify the Lord” as we sing Christmas carols, read from the Bible, light candles, pray, and listen to the story of the birth of Jesus. Take a closer look at God’s love that is offered to us through the Christ child. “Magnify the Lord.” Scripture quotations from the World English Bible Copyright 2008, Richard Niell Donovan Prayer of Confession (Isaiah 35, Luke 1, Matthew 11) Upside-down God, you announce your coming with exciting news: the hungry will eat their fill, the oppressed will dance in newfound freedom; you proclaim your mission with hard news: the well fed will go hungry, the powerful will lose their status. We find ourselves squirming as we acknowledge our participation in structures that oppress and marginalize. Help us accept and proclaim the coming of your Son as truly good news. Give us the courage to set aside our privilege, and help bring about this upside-down world, where everyone can sing together for joy. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Laura Bartlett) Words of Assurance (Isaiah 35) The desert shall rejoice and blossom. Waters shall break forth in the wilderness. The burning sand shall become a pool. The God who can transform the dry lands can also transform the desert of our lives. Abundant forgiveness is ours from the God who turns sorrow and sighing into joy and gladness. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Laura Bartlett) Passing the Peace of Christ (Isaiah 35) The coming of Christ turns the world upside down. For folks who are quite content with things as they are, this may not feel like good news! But a greater vision lies before us—God’s vision of real life for all. Comfort one another with these words of encouragement: “Be strong, do not fear.” Respond in kind with these words of hope: “God will come and save you.” Scripture And Responsive Reading Luke 1:46-55 UMH 199 Sermon Mary’s Hope for the World Have you ever imagined that your life was a Broadway musical? And you are just going about your everyday life, say washing the dishes and all of a sudden, you just break out in a song? I bet you think that it would never happen – perhaps you are saying that there is nothing worth singing about in your life, or perhaps you are not that dramatic, or maybe you think that you are not that good of a singer. What if I told you that you do it every week. We come to church, we listen to scripture, we pray, we take it all in, and what do we do – we sing about it. We even stand up and sing songs that we all know (most of the time). We sing about whatever the lesson is for the day. So you see, being a Christian is a lot like starring in a Broadway musical. You probably never realized that the book of Luke is actually written as a musical. Luke loves for his main characters to burst out in song, praising God and celebrating the good things that God has done for them. There is the book of psalms – which are songs of faith for every occasion in life. In the first two chapters of Luke, there are 4 important songs that are critical to our faith. Today, we focus on the Song of Mary. Imagine the scene – Mary has been visited by an angel and told that she will bear a son – this son is the answer to the prayers of the nation. The angel tells her that she does not have to bear the child alone – because she has a cousin (or perhaps an aunt) Elizabeth who also has a special pregnancy. She needs to get a way and process all of this, so she decides to visit Elizabeth. When she arrives, Elizabeth and the unborn baby celebrate Mary. And right on cue – Mary breaks out in the song – My soul magnifies the Lord. She says that she is blessed and special because God has showed her mercy – God will provide for those in need. Before Jesus gives the sermon on the mount and says blessed are those who hunger and thirst, for they will be fed. His Mother said He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away. Now some say Mary was just singing the words of a hymn that she would have known by heart, some say that this song was an impromptu response to the joy of the moment. We are not sure where Luke got this song – but we do know that the broadway moment continues today – not only when we sing, but as we live out our faith and follow her son jesus in everything that we do. Through this song of Mary we feel her expressing her faith and vision, and asking the right questions. In an old biography of Francis of Assisi, the story is told of a night he spent in the castle of an Italian nobleman. The host was curious as to the secret of Francis' remarkable vitality, so he arranged to have Francis spend the night in the chamber adjacent to his own. As soon as they retired, the nobleman watched to see what Francis would do, and it turned out to be quite simple. He knelt by his bed and prayed over and over again, "O Lord, who art thou, and who am I? Who art thou and who am I? Who art thou and who am I?" The biographer concludes that this is one of the clues of Francis' greatness. All his life he continued to ask the right questions, he never tired of trying to penetrate ever more deeply into the core of our existence. After all, the God-question and self-question are the ultimate realities. If we would grow in spiritual intensity, here are two frontiers on which the Magnificat is built. I love St Francis’ questions to God – Who are you and who am I. Advent is our season for asking the same questions. This is sort of the season for questions isn't it? Especially questions about the Christmas Story. There are so many elements that are just barely touched on. We get the smallest glimpse of what they really were. Yet we read them with the familiarity of our favorite children's bedtime story. We know every detail of the story. We know everyone of the characters. And we don't dare leave one out. You know, at the time of her conversation with Gabriel, Mary didn’t think of herself as the mother of God. There are a lot of misconceptions about Mary. Nowhere in the Bible does it say where to worship Mary. Nowhere in the Bible does it say we are to pray to Mary. Nowhere in the Bible does it say she was perfect or sinless. Nowhere does it say that she was God or even co-equal with God. What is so special about Mary is, she was so un-special. God took an ordinary, run of the mill, teenage, peasant girl and used her in an unbelievably extraordinary way. At the time of the conversation, not only was Mary Unspecial, she was also unlikely. But that is why she is singing – God has turned everything upside down. For once – the little guy wins and finds favor with God. The people who were lost in the dessert are now redeemed, those who were exiles are now favored children of God, God is not only the defender of the poor and vulnerable – God gives them justice and gifts. Brayden was about nine years old when he came to the church after school program. He was staying with his grandma who had to work until 6. The principal recommended that he come to the program so that he would be alone at home. Everything changed when he walked in. In Sunday School he would ask questions that were not appropriate for children. He would terrorize the girls in the class by pulling their chairs from under him. The teachers were always on edge with him. The staff would have special meeting, just to talk about what to do with him. Unlike a lot of the children he was there every week. When he saw the staff on the street, he would point them out. He even introduced his Sunday school teacher to his grandma who worked at the local grocery store. One lesson before Christmas, the class was talking about home – they were talking about where they were going to celebrate Christmas. When it came Brayden’s turn he could not talk about the place where he felt the spirit of love. First he said that he had lived a lot of different places. Then he was asked where he felt the most secure. Matter of factly, Brayden said – right here in my church. The person that the teacher felt was the least likely to get the message – understood the best. God comes to us in the least likely people, in the least likely places and the least expected places. – and when he does – we break out in song – or at least Luke’s characters do. Mary’s song is just the beginning of Luke’s story. There are at least 40 songs of faith in the book of Luke. For Luke, when we sing – we are invited into a triangle with God. We are called to live a life of service to bring about a balanced world for all. Just as the birth of the messiah came through the life of an ordinary unspecial young woman, miracles happen every day. When we get together and sing – the world changes. On Christmas Day a small manger scene sat on a table just inside the doorway to a neatly kept home. People hurried past it all day. They barely noticed tiny figures gathered around the infant tucked in the straw. In the morning children raced by it on their way to the Christmas tree. At noon, arriving guests pushed past it to get to the dining room. One accidentally knocked over a shepherd as he took off his winter coat. Later in the afternoon a well-fed group of adults and children moved somewhat slowly by the manger again as they drifted from the dining room back to the living room. Almost none of them stopped to look at the manger. In fact, none of them even noticed it, except two. An elderly woman, walking with a cane, paused in front of the scene. Gently she set the shepherd back in an upright position. Then she looked at the Christ child in the middle of all the figures. As she stood there, she became aware of her small grandson standing by her side. As the voices drifted in from the living room, the two continued to look at the manger scene. At length a smile spread across the woman's face and the child took her hand. In the midst of a day filled with so much busyness, food and opening, the two of them quietly received God's gift. Today we come face to face with a mind-boggling, bumfuzzling, unlikely idea and story. It's a story that is almost incomprehensible in its simplicity and truth. It's a story that is, in itself, a gift. It's a gift wrapped with the most exquisite paper imaginable, a bundle of swaddling clothes. This gift was left for each of us, under the tree of life nearly 2,000 years ago by Him whose birthday we celebrate today. This gift has been offered to everyone. Some have left their packages unclaimed. Others have graciously accepted the gift and carry it around everywhere they go. Unfortunately, they've failed to begin unwrapping and discovering the hidden splendor and grace of God's love. The packages are all alike: in each one is a scroll addressed to us individually, on which is written, "I love you!" and it's signed God. Although it seems like such an Unlikely Gift, born in such an Unlikely Place, to such Unlikely Parents and for such an Unlikely Purpose, it’s really the work of God. All you have to do is reach out and accept the gift which God has for you? Don't leave it under the tree. Find the gift in Mary’s story and her song. Now it is time for us to stand and sing the finale! Amen. Song I want to Walk as a Child of the Light UMH 206 Prayer Lord of delight and surprises, you come to us each day with opportunity, love, support. You pour your blessings on us, reminding us of your compassionate presence with us. Help us to be people of loving service. Help us to see the ways in which you enter our lives and enable us to serve you by serving your people. As we have come to you this day, bringing our concerns for healing and hope, remind us that you are with us all and that your healing mercies are given. Give us the courage to be faithful stewards of your creation and bring us together with one another in celebration and service. Lift us up, bring us forward, give us peace. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook God forth with great expectation Waiting for God’s mercy to fill us Wait for the God’s grace to surround us Wait for God’s child to lead us And in that waiting, May God bless and keep you May God’s face shine upon you May God be gracious to you And give you peace. Amen ( United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Mia McClain) Community Time Benediction Let the love of God flow into your hearts. Believe in the power of God to change your life. Behold the goodness of God in creation and in others. Be at peace and celebrate God’s good news. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Additional Illustrations An eight-year-old girl was showing her preschool sister a picture of Mary and the baby Jesus. The younger girl examined the picture closely and then she asked, "Where's Joseph?" The older sister thought for a moment and then replied, "He's taking the picture." (1) Bruce Larson tells a beautiful and true Christmas story that appeared sometime back in the Denver Post. It seems, a week or so before Christmas, a pastor told his congregation about a needy family facing a bleak Christmas. One young father decided to do something about it. He and his son set out in the family pickup to cut down a fresh evergreen and deliver it to this needy family. They ran into a rock slide and a boulder hit the truck. It was totally wrecked. The windshield was smashed and while the father wasn't hurt, the young boy was cut by the glass and bleeding severely. They tried to wave down a passing motorist to help, but to no avail. Finally, after over two hundred cars had whizzed by, one stopped. The couple in the car took care of the injured boy, returned the two to their home, and then went on. The father and son never got the names of their two ministering angels. I'm sure it was a little bit of Christmas miracle, because in a week's time the truck was repaired and the boy's injury healed. On Christmas Eve, the pastor asked this same man if he'd deliver a basket of food and toys to the needy family he'd set out to bring the tree to earlier. He loaded up his truck and drove to the address he was given and rang the doorbell. Who should answer the door but the couple who'd stopped to help him on the highway just weeks before? (2) Life does not always work out quite that neatly. But the story does point to what Mary teaches us. Life IS Hard but in the midst of all the hardship the world can throw our way, God Is Good. An eight-year-old girl was showing her preschool sister a picture of Mary and the baby Jesus. The younger girl examined the picture closely and then she asked, "Where's Joseph?" The older sister thought for a moment and then replied, "He's taking the picture." (1) This is sort of the season for questions isn't it? Especially questions about the Christmas Story. There are so many elements that are just barely touched on. We get the smallest glimpse of what they really were. Yet we read them with the familiarity of our favorite children's bedtime story. We know every detail of the story. We know everyone of the characters. And we don't dare leave one out. It's right under your nose, so don’t miss it like the editor of that paper did when the Wright brothers made their first flight. In the year 1870 the Methodists in Indiana were having their Annual Conference. At one point, the president of the college where they were meeting said, "I think we live in a very exciting age." The presiding bishop said "What do you see in our future?" The college president responded, "I believe we are coming into a time of great inventions. I believe, for example, that men will fly through the air like birds." The Bishop was indignant and said, "That's heresy! The Bible says that flight is reserved for the angels. We will have no more such talk here." After the Annual Conference was over, the bishop, whose name was Wright, went home to his two small sons, Orville and Wilbur. And, of course, you know what they did to their father's vision.(1) You probably remember that when they were older, the Wright brothers, had a bicycle shop, which was the source of their income for their experiments in flight. They had tried repeatedly to fly a heavier-than-air craft. Finally on December 17, 1903, on the sand dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, they did what no one had never done before. They actually flew under engine power! Elated, they wired their sister Katherine, "We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas." Their sister was so excited, she ran down the street, shoved the telegram with the news scoop of the century, into the hands of the city editor of the local paper. He read it carefully, smiled and said, "Well, well! How nice the boys will be home for Christmas!" And the next day, buried on page 16, underneath the obituaries, was this notice: "Local bicycle merchants to spend holidays at home." Can you believe it? One of the major events of the twentieth century, and the editor completely missed it, even though it was right under his own nose! (2) Why? Because at the time it seemed so unlikely. The Christmas is about the Unlikely as well

Lead us not into temptation this lent

March 6, 2022 Luke 4:1-13 First Sunday of Lent Year C Prelude Welcome Invocation Call to Worship L: For some of us, it was tempting to “sleep in” this morning. P: But God has called us to this place, to hear God’s word, to open our hearts in prayer and praise, and to seek direction for our lives. L: There are many temptations placed in front of us. We are called to be strong and place our trust in God. P: God is always faithful to us, comforting, guiding, lifting us. AMEN. (Nancy Townley) Opening Prayer Lord, the temptations of the world loom large before us. We are enticed, cajoled, and “sweet-talked” into moving from lives of service to lives of self-centeredness. We need your healing love. As you resisted the temptations in the wilderness, help us to place our trust in you, that we may be strong in our faith and confident in our service to you through serving others. AMEN. (Nancy Townley) Hymn of Praise I Love to tell the Story UMH 156 Responsive Reading Psalm 91:1-2,9-16 UMH 810 Scripture Luke 4:1-13 Luke 4:1-13 Common English Bible Jesus’ temptation 4 Jesus returned from the Jordan River full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. 2 There he was tempted for forty days by the devil. He ate nothing during those days and afterward Jesus was starving. 3 The devil said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” 4 Jesus replied, “It’s written, People won’t live only by bread.”[a] 5 Next the devil led him to a high place and showed him in a single instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 The devil said, “I will give you this whole domain and the glory of all these kingdoms. It’s been entrusted to me and I can give it to anyone I want. 7 Therefore, if you will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered, “It’s written, You will worship the Lord your God and serve only him.”[b] 9 The devil brought him into Jerusalem and stood him at the highest point of the temple. He said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, throw yourself down from here; 10 for it’s written: He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you 11 and they will take you up in their hands so that you won’t hit your foot on a stone.[c]” 12 Jesus answered, “It’s been said, Don’t test the Lord your God.”[d] 13 After finishing every temptation, the devil departed from him until the next opportunity. Anthem Sermon Lead us not into Temptation this lent There are few words that disturb a Christian more than the word temptation. The Lord’s prayer says lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. So we tend to associate temptation with something bad. The story of Jesus temptation is included in three of the 4 gospels. Each has a little bit of a different spin on the story, but in each Jesus goes into the wilderness and the devil tempts him and Jesus comes out victorious and begins his earthly ministry. Jesus has been baptized, he hears the voice of God and that same voice leads him into the wilderness. The devil comes and encourages him to take care of himself and his needs by using his special powers as the son of God. That is the point of this passage, for us to think about what it means for Jesus to be the son of God. The things that the devil tempts him to do are all come from his needs and his thoughts – he is hungry, he is struggling with what a messiah does, he is all alone in the dessert. Why wouldn’t he do all that he can to take care of himself and to survive a difficult experience? – because he realized that being the son of God did not mean having access to the power to do what he wanted, but it meant having the power to back away from our deepest desires. It meant thinking beyond our immediate needs to think about the better cause. Temptations don’t come from the devil, they come from our hearts. And they are not always intended to lead us to the wrong place. The Union Pacific Railroad built an extensive bridge over a canyon in the west. In order to test the bridge, they sent a train across it with extra weight and extra cars. They stopped the train in the middle of the bridge and left it there for 24 hours. People asked it they were trying to break the bridge before it started. No they said, they were just trying to prove that it wont break. In the same way, the temptations Jesus faced weren’t designed to see if he would sin, but to prove that he would not. (Word, March 14, 1991) Life sometimes does the same for us. Temptation doesn’t come to mislead us, but to show us our own strength. Just as the Spirit and the Word led Jesus, they also lead us. Just as Jesus is the son of God, we too are children of God. Thomas Pilgrim, a pastor reminds us that in those times when we feel as if we are in the wilderness, trying to find your way and temptation offers you the wrong answer, the wrong choice, the wrong use of power, the way to popularity, the wrong kind of partnership, then remember that God called us by name. He said of each of us, this is my beloved son, my beloved daughter in whom I am well pleased, and if God calls us by name, God will see us through. Our job is to make sure that in the midst of all of the other noise of life, that we are able to hear God’s voice. That is our job during lent. We too have the spirit and the word to sustain us. We listen to our faith, we read about our faith, but I think most of us learn from singing our faith. . When you think about what you know and remember about your faith – did it come from the bible, from a sermon, or for a song? I am a pastor and I give sermons every week – its my job. But I never know if they make a difference. Of course whenever I try to fudge and give a short sermon – someone always calls me on it. When I was younger – I looked forward to coming to church – I wanted a chance to see my friends. I came to hear the choir sing. When the pastor would get up to preach – that was my cue to tune out and think about something else until the choir started singing again. Yes there were some things that the pastor said that stuck with me – but it is still the songs and hymns that capture my heart and come to mind in the dark corners of life. Unfortunately, for pastors, our brains are wired to sing. There is something deep inside of us that responds to music. Even on the late stages of alzheimers disease – long after people have lost touch with he world- they can remember the songs of their childhood. All those songs that we learned in Sunday school – the words are still there. That is something to look forward to in life. But I want you to think of some of the faith songs that are important to you…… I just finished a book called wintering by Katherine May. The book is about some of the traditions and things that we do in order to survive winter. As she goes through the winter months, she talks about her personal winter moments. One chapter is titles – “Sing”. Where she felt that she was losing her voice in life, and she went to a voice coach to learn to sing again. She said that singing was important to her and to her family. She says “There’s a moment of deep genetic resonance in hitting the exact same not in the exact same way.” She goes on to say that when I sing with my son, I am teaching him something: not just words and lyrics, but how to survive. Like the robin, we sometimes sing to show how string we are, and we somethings sing in hope of better times. We sing either way.” (page 228) Personally, I am not a big fan of contemporary Christian music. Some of it is too simple for the ears of someone with a seminary degree. But what is called contemporary includes a wide variety of music. But I do have to say that within the last two years, Shine.FM out of Olivet has become my goto radio station. In those days where I am searching for hope, motivation, support for the struggle to survive – it soothes my soul in a ways that nothing else can. And in the last 2 years, survival has become an every day issue. What are some of the songs that have become a staple in your faith life? What are your favorite faith songs? Two songs that will be sung at my funeral are Precious Lord Take my Hand and I’ll fly away. Lately as I listen to Shine.FM two songs catch my attention every time they come on – Looking for my promisedland by Toby Mac. And a song, Sunday Sermons by Anne Wilson. The line that resonates with me – “Devil gone try to take me out of the church. But you can’t take the church out of me.” This lent we will look at those songs – those lines that speak to us when we are in the trenches of life. I will let you know what songs we will look at on Sunday. And on March 13th – Bettylou will lead us in a hymn sing. Our guide will be a devotional called “Unrevealed until its season – a Lenten journey with the hymns by James C. Howell. He starts the journey with the song “Hymn of Promise” – the song that we sang. The song reminds us that life is always a work in progress. The future is connected to the present. The flowers of the future lie in the seeds that we plant today. Our Lenten practices will carry us forward. The three pillars of lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. On Sunday I will have a sheet with the things that we will do as a church for lent. But my challenge to us – is to declare this a holy lent. How can we improve our relationship with God in the next 40 days? Prayer of Reflection and Growth God of the Road, we journey together into the wilderness again. In this time filled with new spiritual practices and studies, our minds will be “tested.” Doubts will creep in as we seek your presence. At times, we will slide away from our responsibilities to care for our neighbors. “Keep awake,” you call to us. And so we ask ourselves: Will hurtful words from others taunt us, and inhibit our growth with you? Will negative images in our minds draw us away from our practices? Will we snooze to the needs of this world and ignore the pain in our communities? Deliver us from the temptations of this world and the tests that we impose upon ourselves. Amen. Assurance of God’s Grace When we aimlessly wander throughout this Lenten journey, God follows us – even into the depths of the wilderness. May we see God’s presence, knowing we are never alone on arid days and in barren lands. Amen! (Rev. Michelle L. Torigian) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Moment for Stewardship This is the first Sunday in the season we call “Lent”. In earlier years, this 40 day season (in which every day counts except the 7 Sundays from today through Easter) was a rigorous time of fasting, which began with Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”) as a time to clear the house/kitchen of meat, oil, butter and sugar. Today, Christians are encouraged to use these 40 days to practice three acts: 1) prayer, 2) giving to the poor and 3) fasting (stepping away from some act, practice or thing you ordinarily would consume). I don’t believe it meets that practice to declare you’ll pray for lima beans to disappear, offer cans of lima beans to the local food pantry and promise not to eat any lima beans from now until Easter (I wouldn’t touch a lima bean for ANY reason, in any season!) [use your own example of something you detest] Rather, I want to challenge each one of us to a three-fold, season-long practice: “prayer, share, care”. Will you start today? Will you pray for this faith community, share your finances to help ________ (name your particular recipients or organization you’ll bless with a financial gift at the end of this Lent), and care for your mind/body/spirit by taking on a new discipline or giving up something separating you from living as you believe God intends you to do? (if you want to encourage this more strongly, create for each person present a 2 part card: 1 piece for the offering plate, the other to take home and post in a prominent place – refrigerator door or bathroom mirror — as a reminder of their intent.) Will you share your intention? Please sign the card, then tear off that part and add it to your morning offering. Remember to take the other card home to remind you of this 40 day challenge. May you find this Lent to be a power-packed season as you take these three steps! Prayer of Thanksgiving Loving God, you filled Jesus with your Holy Spirit before his 40 days in the wilderness. We thank you for inspiring (“in-Spirit-ing”) us as we step into these forty days of Lent. Now, receive these gifts and these cards of our positive intentions for this season. Please use these resources to build up your Realm on earth, and your Church in this place and around the world. AMEN (Center of Faith and Giving) Hymn of Dedication O God our Help in Ages Past Communion Invitation to Communion In the first temptation, described in Luke 4:1-4, Jesus had fasted for forty days! While we don’t know the specifics, most of us can hardly imagine fasting from bread, dessert, or coffee, for 40 days! Jesus, however, after fasting in the wilderness, was able to turn aside from the suggestion/temptation of the devil to create bread from a stone. Using scripture as his piece-de-resistance, the famished man quotes from Deuteronomy 8:3; “one does not live by bread alone.” At this table, we are all invited to participate in a simple meal which Jesus instituted on the last night of his life. It is not bread alone, but it is a small piece of bread, and a sip of juice, which help us remember Jesus’ body and blood. These elements bind us to God and to each another, renewing our identity as one part of the body of Christ on earth. Together, let us share these gifts as signs of our decision to be disciples of Jesus, the Christ. (Center of Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Benediction (Psalm 91:9-12) God will command the angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear us up. Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High will be your dwelling place. No evil shall befall us. Go in peace, in the provision and protection of the Lord. Thanks be to God! Amen. (Matthew J. Packer) Community Time Benediction The journey has begun. God is with you. Go forth to learn, to teach, to serve. Go bringing peace and hope to all in the name of Jesus Christ. AMEN. (Nancy Townley) Choir Postlude Children’s Sermon from Sermon4Kids I would like you to help me with something today… I have this bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies (again, this could be another treat, or a toy or other item). Would you like one? Well, I am going to give each of you a cookie to hold…but DON’T eat it! You can touch it, you can feel it, but don’t eat it. Why don’t you smell it? Does it smell tasty? Do you think you would like to eat it? Don’t eat it, though! Is your mouth watering yet? You might be getting tempted to take a bite… Have you ever heard of the word “temptation”? Do you know what it means? Being tempted means you want to do something you are not supposed to do. Right now, you might be tempted to take a bite of that cookie. Well, eating cookies is not necessarily wrong, but if I specifically told you not to do it, then you should probably not be doing it, right? Sometimes it’s tempting to disobey, or to not listen well to our parents. What are some rules you might have at home? (Allow kids to share examples of rules. Optional: hold up list of rules or procedures for something.) Now, you might be tempted to skip some of those rules, or to do something other than what you should be doing. Maybe one of the rules doesn’t sound fun, and you’d like to do something else. It can be hard to be obedient. In fact, on our own power, it’s downright near impossible! But guess what? We don’t have to obey everything perfectly on our own power. Jesus took care of that, and we can rely on HIS power! Did you know that Jesus faced temptation? It was in our Gospel lesson today, as a matter of fact! He went out into the desert, and for a long time He didn’t have anything to eat. Well, that made Him pretty hungry, and Satan picked that time to try to make Him do things He knew He was not supposed to do. These were things that might not have been bad if God instructed it, but Jesus knew He couldn’t listen to Satan for directions. Being tempted is not a sin, but giving in to temptation is. Jesus did not give in, though. Do you know what He used to get rid of the Devil? He used Bible verses! He told Satan that He was not just going to rely on His physical body, but on the Word of God. He threw out Scripture like arrows, and it hit those temptations and eventually made Satan run away! Now, it can be hard to do the right thing. But we know that Jesus lived a perfect life, and died for us so that we can live. Jesus faced temptation, so He knows what it’s like when we are having a tough time trying to obey. What do you think we can do when we are tempted to do the wrong thing? (Take suggestions.) Yes! We can pray to God for help, and we can read our Bibles. And we can also focus on positive things in our lives. The best way to fight off a negative temptation is to focus on something wonderful instead. Why don’t we pray for help with that right now? Oh, and afterwards, you may eat your cookies… (Optional: after prayer, let kids enjoy their treats.) Additional Illustrations A Collapse of Concentration We have all gone through times of testing – times which tried our patience and tested our faith. Christians are not immune from troubles. I played in nationally-rated chess tournaments for years. The one thing all tournament chess players had to guard against was making a mistake when your position was under attack. The pressure of defending a difficult position would often cause careless errors. I’ll never forget a game I was playing against a much-higher ranked player than myself who was from Fresno. Even though the position was relatively even, I was applying a lot of pressure. Every time he parried one threat I seemed to find another way to continue the attack. Finally, he made a blunder and lost a knight and the game. Afterwards I was analyzing the game with some other Fresno chess players. Their attitude was: you only won because our player made a mistake. They didn’t realize that fatal mistake was preceded by a series of pressure-creating moves that finally resulted in a collapse of concentration. All tournament chess players face that – they have to try to not emotionally respond to a tense situation on the chessboard and allow their game to fall apart. This is why God allows testing to come our way. He wants us to learn how to not respond to the pressure, and learn how to go through the difficulty without being crushed emotionally. David Humpal, Overcoming Times of Testing Temptation in Tough Times In tough times, we are tempted not to believe in God. I remember when Old Man Lunde was alive so many years ago. I remember him telling about the Depression in the 1930s and the dust storms of North Dakota. I remember how Al Lunde was broke and didn’t have a dime to his name. He, his wife and kids moved out here to the Pacific Northwest, and Al’s face stuck into my face, as his finger wagged at my eyes, “And where was God in all of that?” Al was still mad at God for what happened to him in the Depression. The years passed, and his wife, Cora, ultimately had a stroke. As she came closer to death, Al was wrestling with loneliness and depression. He was again angry with God and me and again wagged his finger into my face, “How could a good God do something like this to my wife, Cora?” … How nice it would be in the primary temptations of life had to do with sugar cookies, ice cream and popcorn, but the temptations of life have to do with the gut issues of life such as the temptation not to believe in God. The temptation not to believe that God knows your name. The temptation to not believe that God counts the numbers of hairs on your head. The temptation not to believe that God is good. The temptation to not believe that God is not watching our every action and is close to us. Edward F. Markquart, Sugar Cookies, Ice Cream and Popcorn Settling for Less? Do not bother looking for Lent in your Bible dictionary. There was no such thing in biblical times. There is some evidence that early Christians fasted 40 hours between Good Friday and Easter, but the custom of spending 40 days in prayer and self-denial did not arise until later, when the initial rush of Christian adrenaline was over and believers had gotten very ho-hum about their faith. When the world did not end as Jesus himself had said it would, his followers stopped expecting so much from God or from themselves. They hung a wooden cross on the wall and settled back into their more or less comfortable routines, remembering their once passionate devotion to God the way they remembered the other enthusiasms of their youth. Little by little, Christians became devoted to their comforts instead: the soft couch, the flannel sheets, the leg of lamb roasted with rosemary. These things made them feel safe and cared for -- if not by God, then by themselves. They decided there was no contradiction between being comfortable and being Christian, and before long it was very hard to pick them out from the population at large. They no longer distinguished themselves by their bold love for one another. They did not get arrested for championing the poor. They blended in. They avoided extremes. They decided to be nice instead of holy, and God moaned out loud. Barbara Brown Taylor, Settling for Less, article in the Christian Century, February 18, 1998, page 169. How Do Needs Become Sinful? Jesus was really tempted. By definition temptation is something that appeals to us. But how can the Spirit-filled Son of God be tempted by something that is potentially sinful? Spirit-filled, sanctified, spiritually vibrant Christians are still subject to temptation. Jesus was hungry. There was nothing wrong with craving bread after a forty-day fast. All of us have certain desires, wants, needs, both physical and emotional. We crave food when we are hungry. We need companionship, acceptance, approval of others, love and appreciation. These are legitimate needs. And even our wants are not necessarily sinful. How then do they become sinful? The devil is often viewed as the source of our temptations. But we need to understand something about ourselves. It is doubtful whether the devil would have suggested that Jesus turn the stone to bread had Jesus not been hungry. The source of our temptations is almost always our own legitimate, normal, natural desires. The desire for food, sexual intimacy, approval of others is not from the devil. These are wholesome, normal, legitimate desires. How do they become sinful? Jirair Tashjian, Lectionary Commentary and Preaching Paths Christ Lives Here The sure antidote to temptation is to be focused on Christ, to be so filled with his power, his salvation, his life and service, that there is no room for temptation. Shortly after the Reformation, some young followers of Martin Luther wrote him (kind of like an original Ann Landers) with a question, saying, "We are harassed by many temptations which appeal to us so often and so strongly that they give us no rest. You don't seem to be troubled in this way and we should like to know your secret. Don't temptations bother you? Are you somehow immune to sin?" Luther wrote them back in reply, saying, "I, too, know something of temptation. But the difference is that when temptation comes knocking at the door of my heart, I always answer, 'Go away! This place is occupied. Go back where you came from, for Christ is here.' " Lee Griess, Taking The Risk Out Of Dying, Lee Griess, CSS Publishing Company Commentary and Devotional This passage (4:1—11) is often appointed by lectionaries for the first Sunday of Lent. The presumption is that the narrative is of direct relevance for Christians as they enter a period of penitence. Ordinary Christians are unlikely to perceive it so, and with good cause. The story does not correspond with our experience; we do not hold conversations with a visible devil, nor are we whisked from place to place as Jesus is in the story. Moreover, the temptations that Jesus faces are peculiar to him; they seem very remote from those we face day by day. This passage may in fact prompt some to doubt the validity of Hebrews 4:15: “For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” What did Jesus know of the temptations that are faced daily by the recovering alcoholic and substance abuser? The lonely divorcee? The struggling business owner? The teenager who covets peer acceptance above all? There is, however, a common denominator that links all of these with the temptations ascribed to Jesus. The basic, underlying temptation that Jesus shared with us is the temptation to treat God as less than God. We may not be tempted to turn stones into bread (we are more apt to turn butter into guns, but we are constantly tempted to mistrust God’s readiness to empower us to face our trials. None of us is likely to put God to the test by leaping from a cliff, but we are frequently tempted to question God’s helpfulness when things go awry; we forget the sure promise, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9). Pagan idolatry is no more a temptation for us than it was for Jesus, but compromise with the ways of the world is a continuing seduction. It is indeed difficult for us to worship and serve God only. We should be continually grateful that we have a great high priest who, tempted as we are, was able to resist all such temptations by laying hold of Scripture and firmly acknowledging that only God is God. Douglas R. A. Hare, Interpretation: Matthew, John Knox Press. God's Testing As the Union Pacific Railroad was being constructed, an elaborate trestle bridge was built across a large canyon in the West. Wanting to test the bridge, the builder loaded a train with enough extra cars and equipment to double its normal payload. The train was then driven to the middle of the bridge, where it stayed an entire day. One worker asked, "Are you trying to break this bridge?" "No," the builder replied, "I'm trying to prove that the bridge won't break." In the same way, the temptations Jesus faced weren't designed to see if He would sin, but to prove that He couldn't. Today in the Word, March 14, 1991. Sermon Closer Harry Emerson Fosdick was one of the greatest American preachers of this century. He described his preaching as counseling on a large scale. Few people knew that as a young seminary student he reached the breaking point after working one summer in a New York Bowery mission. He went home and was overcome by deep depression. One day he stood in the bathroom with a straight razor to his throat. He thought about taking his own life. And then -- and then he heard his father in the other room calling his name, "Harry! Harry!" It called him back. He never forgot it. It was like the voice of God calling him. So I want to remind you today that in those times when you are in the wilderness, trying to find your way through, and when temptation comes and offers you the wrong answer, the wrong choice -- the wrong use of power, the way to popularity, the wrong kind of partnership -- then you remember that God has called your name: "This is my beloved son, my beloved daughter, in whom I am well pleased." And, you remember that because God has called your name He will see you through. Thomas A. Pilgrim, The Man From Galilee, CSS Publishing Company The Savior Is There I think of Mother Teresa, ministering to those often left by others to die. I think of the press coverage on Mother Teresa's long dark night of the soul, as she wrote with weary familiarity of an arid landscape from which, seemingly, the Deity had disappeared. Is that the more convenient time? Or is it the senior years, when the reality of age rudely intrudes into your personal fantasyland? When the temporary exuberance of youth has surrendered to the inexorable advance of old age with its cynicism, if not possible disillusionment? When the fumes of yesterday’s zeal and vision may be all that is left in an empty spiritual tank? As I sort through all that, I arrive at the inescapable conclusion, to know that opportune time might be helpful, but what you and I really need to know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, is not the “when.” The focus of our attention ought to be, whenever the enemy’s opportune time—despondency, sickness, failure, waning stages of life, whenever—the victorious Savior is there. Benjamin Reaves, What You Need to Know

Christmas Message

December 24, 2019 Christmas Eve Service Psalm 96 Luke 2: 1-20 Christmas Message Year B Luke 2:1-20 Common English Bible (CEB) Jesus’ birth 2 In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. 2 This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. 3 Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. 4 Since Joseph belonged to David’s house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David’s city, called Bethlehem, in Judea. 5 He went to be enrolled together with Mary, who was promised to him in marriage and who was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn child, a son, wrapped him snugly, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guestroom. Announcement to shepherds 8 Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. 9 The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. 11 Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. 12 This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, 14 “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.” 15 When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.” 16 They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. 18 Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. 20 The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told. Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible The most important line of this story - Do not be afraid, good news of great joy for all people! Sermon So here we are at another Christmas Eve celebration. Every year we sing the same songs, and hear the same old story. If we are not careful, when we hear this story of a baby born into a manger who grew up to become the savior of the world – we can start to believe that this story has no meaning for us. when we think about all of the things that is going on in the world today, all of the challenges of the coming year – we can ask what difference this story makes. Sort of like Jerry Turner, a ten year old on his way to rehearsal for the Christmas play with his mother. Do I have to be in another Christmas pageant he asks. No his mother replied but it is a good reminder for us of what Christmas is all about, besides, it is tradition in our church. Well, Jerry goes on, it is the same old thing every year. And why do I have to be a shepherd anyway. I don’t like having to wear a bathrobe in front of all of those people. Why are shepherds even important to this story. His mother explained that the shepherds were the first to witness and to see the miracle of Christmas. The angels delivered a message from God.- and what are angels anyway. Messengers from God – explained his mother, messengers, why didn’t God just put it in the newspaper? His mother went on that God speaks to us in ways that we understand – God always delivers the message of love in a timely and relevant way. A way we can understand. Jerry still didn’t really understand, but he went along. I will be a part of this story for at least one more year – but I still don’t understand why we make such a fuss about a little baby. One pastor said that some stories that we hear are true to fact, and some are true to life. This is the story of life, of life that Goes on and on, and that reveals itself in unexpected ways time and time again. It is not about looking back at Bethlehem, it is about looking forward to today in our world. And in each revelation is a story of love. God needs us just as much as we need God, but God has such a problem getting through to us. We get so caught up on the news, on the mail, on facebook – that we forget to listen to God, and we miss that message of God’s love for us. But who doesn’t listen to little babies speak - can our children ring our bells…. This year as we here the story of Jesus birth – I thought that we should focus on the psalm. We read psalm 96, there are three readings for Christmas . Psalm 96, Psalm 97 and Psalm 98. All three of these psalms are known as enthronement psalms. They all honor God on the throne. Each of them encourages all of us to sing- song a new song. Joy to the world is based on psalm 98 which says that all of creation, should sing and celebrate that Jesus Christ is born. Psalm 96 says sing, sing, sing, acribe, come ascribe, ascribe, come worship, tremble. We sing three songs three different times Sing a new song in the morning, sing all of the earth in the daytime as we witness creation and sing at night the God is faithful and steady and will hold us together no matter what. We ascribe to God that God is king – king of us all whether we are hear or not, God loves all people. If God is lord of all creation, heaven and nature – that opens the door to our understanding – beyond ourselfs, beyond our family, beyond our community, to all of the world. That is a very wide door! And we worship – worship is not just about gathering in this sanctuary – worship is the life we life anywhere, at the grocery store, at the family table, in the hospital room, in a manger. God is with us in all of our lives, and worship is just acknowledging God’s presence. Someone said that God and our modern politicians have something in common – they make a lot of promises – God is King because all of those promises come true. That is why we are encouraged to sing, sing our faith, sing our Christmas songs, sing for a life full of hope and joy. This is the night we celebrate Christ is with us, Christ has come to us in a brand new way, so we can sing a new song. Bishop Sprague once said that Christ coming is not about the first coming or the second coming. Christ has come into the world a 3, a 4th a 20th time. Every day we can wake up is a new day, and a new day always calls for a new song. If we can sing a song in a new way – we can have hope that things will change, things will be different this time. Who is it that brings joy and good news to the situation of today? – that is God coming to us in human form – Jesus Christ. Where is Christ breaking into our world anew today? Where does joy seep into the darkness? It is in our singing, in Christ born anew. (Can our children ring bells to remind us of Christ presence). Amen. Stewardship moment Each line if psalm 96 gives us a directive, something that we should be doing. We are instructed to sing, sing, sing, tell, declare, ascribe, ascribe, bring an offering, come, worship and tremble. Whenever we are in the presence of God it is important for us to remember to tremble. To stand in awe of the power of God. But the psalm also says that we should bring an offering to God. It is time for us to bring that offering to God, an offering of our gifts, but more importantly our lives, our gratitude, our hearts our worship, our lives. In this season of giving, I want us not to focus on what we give, but what we receive. What have we received from God, this may have been a hard year, but we could not have done it without God. the greatest gift we receive in this season, is the ability to say thank you. Our offering is a part of our total worship of a loving, peaceful, joyful, hopeful God. Christmas Blessing Happy Holidays. This Christmas let hope warm your heart, love warm your family, and the Holy Spirit warm all mankind. May the harmony of Christmas stay in your heart all year round and may the Lord send his blessings. May God bless you and let this Christmas season bring comfort and joy to you and your family.Sep 5, 2018 Additional illustrations……… 6. KIERKEGAARD'S STORY OF THE PRINCE We affirm a belief in the Son, Jesus Christ. We say that God took on human form, came and lived among us, suffered the same trials that we suffered, experienced the same Feelings that we experienced. Jesus was purely human and purely divine. Jesus was not God. Jesus was God incarnate. There is a difference. Jesus never drew attention to himself but always pointed to God. Soren Kierkegaard, the great Danish theologian of another century tells a story of a prince who wanted to find a maiden suitable to be his queen. One day while running an errand in the local village for his father he passed through a poor section. As he glanced out the windows of the carriage his eyes fell upon a beautiful peasant maiden. During the ensuing days he often passed by the young lady and soon fell in love. But he had a problem. How would he seek her hand? He could order her to marry him. But even a prince wants his bride to marry him freely and voluntarily and not through coercion. He could put on his most splendid uniform and drive up to her front door in a carriage drawn by six horses. But if he did this he would never be certain that the maiden loved him or was simply overwhelmed with all of the splendor. As you might have guessed, the prince came up with another solution. He would give up his kingly robe. He moved, into the village, entering not with a crown but in the garb of a peasant. He lived among the people, shared their interests and concerns, and talked their language. In time the maiden grew to love him for who he was and because he had first loved her. This very simple, almost child like story, written by one of the most brilliant minds of our time explains what we Christians mean by the incarnation. God came and lived among us. I am glad that this happened for two reasons. One, it shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is with us, that he is on our side, and that he loves us. Secondly, it gives us a first hand view of what the mind of God is really all about. When people ask what God is like, we as Christians point to the person of Jesus Christ. God himself is incomprehensible. But in Jesus Christ we get a glimpse of his glory. In the person of Jesus we are told that God, that mysterious other that created the stars and the universe, is willing to go all of the way, to be one of us, talk our language, eat our food, share our suffering die on a cross. Why? So that a single person, you, me, might be redeemed. And, grow to love Him. 7. GET THE JOB DONE -- OPENER It's a startling fact but true -- Jesus and politicians have a lot in common. This no doubt comes as a surprise to those who regard politics as a dirty business, or who think of politicians essentially as liars, and who believe steadfastly that politics and religion don't mix. Nonetheless, Jesus and the politicians have a lot in common. When you think of it, politicians get elected by promising us something better. Twenty years ago President Reagan was elected and then re-elected by asking the public, "Are you better off now than four years ago?" The first time, the people answered, "no," and elected Reagan for the promise of something better. Four years later they responded "yes" to the question and elected Reagan for another term in hope for an even better four years. Jesus and politicians do have a lot in common. Not always, however. A little girl asked her mother whether all fairy tales began with, "Once upon a time." "No," replied the mother. "Today most of them begin with 'If I'm elected.'" Jesus made promises, but not like that. Was Jesus, 2,000 years ago, promising something better? Indeed he was. He said he had come to bring in the kingdom of God, the rules of God's righteousness in the world. For 900 years, Jews had been hoping for a restoration of the glorious kingdom of David and Solomon. For 500 years they had been longing for an end to foreign tyranny and a return to prosperity and freedom. And in Jesus' time the longings and expectations were at an all-time high. For Jews of that time, the hopes of a better life were often focused on a Messiah, a new King David who would come and restore their good fortune. Others spoke of a messianic age about to arrive, the coming of the kingdom of God, a time when God would reign supreme over his people, and freedom and prosperity and the good life would be enjoyed. It would also be a time when righteousness and justice and peace would prevail. Had there been people who claimed to be the promised Messiah? Indeed there had been, and the Romans, then occupying Judea and Palestine, promptly disposed of them. But now Jesus appears on the scene, announcing far and wide that the kingdom of God is at hand, and that he is God's agent to bring in his kingdom, the new and better life. Not only is Jesus like politicians in promising a new and better way, he is like them in his struggle to get the word out to all the people, to announce the kingdom is coming, to raise expectations and to prepare them to receive Jesus' message. Without newspapers, radios and television, how do you get the job done? You do it in person and you delegate emissaries, advance men, to prepare the way and to excite anticipation for Jesus' arrival and for his message of hope. The sermon goes on to develop the idea of how Jesus got the job done and poses the question: How do we get the job done in our time? The sermon uses Jesus as our model and goes on to answer this questions with the following outline: 1. To get the job done we must delegate 2. To get the job done we must discover new opportunities 3. To get the job done you must dedicate yourself to the task

Don't Sing When you are Mad

October 6, 2013 Psalm 137 Luke 17:5-10 20th Sunday After Pentecost Year C Don’t sing when you are mad A few years back, I went to a talk – it was a Rotary meeting in which one of my high school teachers talked about his trip to Russia. He told us a Russian folktale, and as you know I love stories. I don’t think that I told you this one yet, but if I have, it is in a different context and meaning. It is the story of a little bird – a little bird who loved to sing. One day a peasant was walking done the road, and he noticed this little bird singing his heart out. He was so happy to listen to the bird. But he also noticed that it was getting cold outside and the bird was cold. He tried to think of a way to keep the bird warm. Being a peasant, who relied on the simple solutions of life, he covered the bird in cow dung to keep him warm. As the bird got warmer, he sung even louder. And soon another peasant came down the road, and he too was impressed by the birds singing. He stopped to admire the bird’s singing, but he felt sorry for the bird. Somebody had covered him in cow dung. How cruel. So he set about cleaning the bird up and setting him free. Unfortunately, with the changing temperature from being covered up, and sweating, and then exposed to the cold – the little bird died. The moral of the story – sometime it does not always matter who it was that put us in the mess, sometimes it doesn’t matter who it was that got us out of the mess. The one thing to remember, is that when you are in the mess up to here, don’t sing. Don’t sing? Isn’t that what we do as Christians – we sing our faith in God. Is there ever a situation in our lives when we don’t sing. I am sure that you can see – coming from Russia – a country that was once communist and did not believe in God. It is a political statement about faith. Saying that in the realities of life that sometimes our faith, our need to sing, to pray, to have faith in God can sometime get us in trouble. 3786 No Singing At His Funeral When the noted agnostic Robert Ingersoll died, the printed funeral notices said, “There will be no singing.” Look not for hymns, anthems, oratorios, carols, and spiritual songs among infidels, agnostics, or skeptics. Without God, without Christ, without redemption, without a divine revelation and without hope, what have they to sing about? —Sunday School Banner 85 Two Singing Religions Judaism and Christianity are singing religions. Atheism is songless. It has nothing to sing about. The funeral notices of Robert Ingersoll, the noted agnostic, stated, “There will be no singing.” The psalm-singing of Christian martyrs going to their deaths in the arena alerted the Roman Empire to the fact that a new and revolutionary force was coming into being. When the pleasure-bent populace saw the Christians singing as they fearlessly entered the amphitheater where hungry lions awaited them, they were filled with awe. Heaven is vibrant with song: “And they sing the song of Moses … and the song of the Lamb” (Rev. 15:3). —Walter B. Knight 3786 No Singing At His Funeral When the noted agnostic Robert Ingersoll died, the printed funeral notices said, “There will be no singing.” Look not for hymns, anthems, oratorios, carols, and spiritual songs among infidels, agnostics, or skeptics. Without God, without Christ, without redemption, without a divine revelation and without hope, what have they to sing about? Atheist have grief, pain and suffering in their lives just like we do – but they don’t have a relationship with God. With no connection to God – there is no need to sing. People of faith sing all of the time, we sing when we are happy, we sing when we are sad, we sing when we feel blessed, we sing when we are in need. Singing is at the heart of our faith, and at the heart of God. October is domestic abuse month, I went to this workshop on the causes of abuse and how to stop abuse. It was sponsored by the salvation army. One of the director’s started out the program by talking about the scripture that you should not sing when you are angry. But for some reason, he did not quote the scripture that he was referring for. Don’t sing when you are angry, or perhaps when you are in it up to here – don’t sing – where is that in the bible? I spent all last night searching for a scripture that talks about singing when you are angry. And wouldn’t you know - I couldn’t find one. As a matter of fact – psalm 137 is an angry psalm. The Isrealites have been taken from their land and forced into slavery. And if that isn’t bad enough, their captors torment them by forcing them to work and expecting them to sing while they are working. And to sing not just any songs – but the sing the songs of God. I love that question – how can we sing the songs of God in a strange land. Or some of us who are truly in a painful situation, who are truly in a hopeless situation, in a situation where there is no way out – may truly begin to ask – how can I sing when I am angry, or hurting, or sad, or grieving or in pain or discouraged? I remember going to annual conference one year, feeling deeply discouraged by the church, feeling like my faith had been betrayed, and that there was nothing that the bishop could possibly say that would make me trust him or this conference, again. I remember him looking at me and noticing my anger at everything that happened. There wasn’t anything that he could say to make me feel better. But after his sermon, we stood and and sang amazing grace. And somewhere in the midst of the song – it became more important to sing than to be mad. By the time the song was over, the situation was the same, but my feelings about the situation disappeared. The song that had deeply touched my heart, took to another place and allowed me to go on. I don’t think it is so much that we should sing when we are angry, but we shouldn’t sing and stay angry. Because it is our singing that brings us to the heart of God and the source of our faith. There are 150 psalms in the bible – psalm means song – and they run the gamit of human emotion. Some are songs of triumph, some are pleading for vindication, some are thankfulness for what God has given, some are praise for when God has done, some are a celebration of community, some are a plea for health. Anything that happens in our live, is mentioned somewhere in one of the psalms. As a matter of fact, when I think of singing in anger – psalm 137 is an angry psalm. Not only does the person say I really feel like singing right now, but it is also a request that their captors be killed, and that their babies be killed – how angrier can you get than that? There is not peace in this psalm, no resolution, no forgiveness, just anger and a request for vindication. And yet even in the midst of the anger – is a need to praise God. To be faithful to God, and a promise that they will never forget the home that God promised them. A psalm is a praise of God in the midst of all of the circumstances of life. Serving God begins with how I feel. In order to be honest with God about how we feel, we have to have a relationship with God. God is God all by himself. Faith is where we are in our lives in relationship with God. And sometimes, in order for us to get right with God, we first have to deal with how we feel. In order to make peace with the situation, we have to make peace with God. Faith is not about God – Faith is about us, and our feeling and our lives. It is how we feel about God. Faith does not have to do with God, heaven, or anything else spiritual. On the contrary, faith changes the landscape of this world. It moves mountains and transplants trees. It is not a passport to heaven nor is it a belief about God. Faith is not even belief in God. It is a new understanding of the way this world can be. Faith sees with amazing clarity a reality that others do not yet see. Sometimes we long for a faith that can move mountains, uproot trees, heal the sick, or raise the dead, when sometime all we really need is faith to get us through the day. Luke chapter 16 talks about having that faith to move mountains. We all know the story of the faith of the mustard seed. But before we think about that kind of mountain moving faith, I want us to think about the rest of the story. Jesus starts to talk about the role of a slave, he says that a slave should not expect a place at the table, when they are expected to serve. He says that we are worthless slaves, we have done only what we have ought to have done. Jesus is reminding us that we are the slave and that God is the master. More importantly he is reminding us that we can never have any claim on anything that God does. In other words, no matter what happens in life – we can never tell God that he owes us. He is the master – and he doesn’t owe us anything. I will always remember the words of Job 1:21 – the lord giveth and the lord taketh away – blessed be the name of the lord. Whatever we might be feeling about life right now – God is always worthy to be praised. Life could always be worse. Our anger is not about God, it is about how we feel about God. How can I praise God when I am angry? In Luke 17:5 the disciples ask Jesus – how can I have more faith? If I am angry, or hurt or discouraged and need to get right with God, then that must mean that I need to have more faith. Because if I had more faith, I wouldn’t have negative feelings? Right? In this life that is wrong. Jesus reminds us – trusting in God is not so much about how much faith we have in God – it is whether we have any faith in God at all. A little faith does just as much as a lot of faith. How many times in our life, have we truly believed that if we think hard enough, or pray hard enough, or fast enough that things will get better, and they don’t. and the reality is they wont. Because our faith doesn’t change anything – it is only the grace of God that changes things. A seeker once challenged a faithful servant – “convince me of the existence of God.” Knowing that the man had traveled in the seas, the preacher asked him, “Have you ever been caught in a fierce storm in the middle of a voyage, your rudder gone, your sails torn, your vessel in danger of capsizing, and no land in sight? The man replied yes. The Iman then asked him, “Yet was not there always, despite your black despair, a glimmer of hope in your heart that someone, somewhere – some unnamed and unknown power- could still save you? Yes, the man answered again. To which the faithful servant replied, “that power is God”. We don’t have to have great faith in God, we have to have faith in a great God. Someone asked the question Why do we sing? When we lift our hands to Jesus What do we really mean? Someone may be wondering When we sing our song At times we maybe crying. And nothings even wrong I sing because I'm happy I sing because I'm free His eye is on the sparrow That's the reason why I sing Amen. ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Homework Is a Duty by WESLEY T. RUNK Passage: Luke 17:1-10 • Lectionary: Proper 22 Item 1 of 12 | Back to Results "So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.' " Objects: Some homework papers. Lesson: Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you are glad to be in school? (Let them raise their hands.) Most of you like to go to school, but some of you are not too happy about it. Not all of us like the same things, but I am glad that most of you like to go to school. School is really very important, because it is there where we learn to read and write and work with numbers. All of those things and many others are really very important, and school is the place where we learn them. How many of you have homework to bring home with you after school is out? (Let them answer.) Do you like to do homework? Most boys and girls like to play outside, or watch TV, or do something else when they come home instead of doing their homework. But still we must do it. It is our duty. How many of you know what the word "duty" means? (Let them answer.) Most all of you know the word "duty." It is when we have something to do that is our responsibility, something that we do not receive special thanks for doing. It is something that is expected. I think that there are things like that between us and God. There are some things that are our duty to God, and we should not expect God to send us a special message of thanks, or have one of his workers pat us on the back, for doing it. I know some people who think that they are doing God a favor when they come to church or Sunday church school. That is not a favor, or something that you should be thanked for doing. That is your duty. Some people think that they should be thanked for telling the truth or helping someone who needs help. If you see someone who needs you, then you should help them because you are a Christian. We don't need to be thanked and patted on the back for doing good things, because that is what we are supposed to do. No one thanks you for doing your homework. Doing homework is your duty. No one should thank you for doing Christian things, either, because you also have Christian things to do. That's what Jesus thought, and he told the disciples that very thing one day when they asked him about doing special things to be special people. Do what is right, and you will be doing your Christian duty. The next time that you do some homework and you think about it, I hope that you think about your Christian duties, and then remember to do them. CALL IN THE CLOWNS!, WESLEY T. RUNK, C.S.S. Publishing Co., 1988, 1-55673-071-3 Back to Results | Item 1 of 12 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Acts, Not the Dreams The sales manager of a large real estate firm was interviewing an applicant for a sales job. "Why have you chosen this career?" he asked. "I dream of making a million dollars in real estate, like my father," the young man replied. "Your father made a million dollars in real estate?" asked the impressed sales manager. "No," replied the young man, "but he always dreamed of it." Have you ever noticed that the Bible never mentions the dreams of the apostles? It doesn't even mention the ideas of the apostles. However, it devotes an entire book to the "Acts of the Apostles." Chane M. Hutton, Jesus Says, 'Just Do It' One day the great Michelangelo attracted a crowd of spectators as he worked. One child in particular was fascinated by the sight of chips flying and the sound of mallet on chisel. The master was shaping a large block of white marble. Unable to contain her curiosity, the little girl inquired, "What are you making?" He replied, "There is an angel in there and I must set it free." Every Christian at their confirmation or conversion is handed a large cold white marble block called religion. We must then take the mallet in hand and set to work. Religion is not our goal but we must first start there. Now there are many names for religion. At times we do call it religion but we often use other words and images to describe it. Sometimes we call it our faith. Jesus spoke in terms of the Kingdom of God. We say we are the Church, Christians, or Disciples. There are many names with varying nuances of meaning but in the end they all describe the same thing. We are a people of Faith, faith in Christ to be sure, but faith nonetheless. We are not a business or institution. We do not sell or produce anything. We advocate no earthly cause. We serve no worldly authority. We come to a church building made by men. And to do what? Practice our faith. But we just as well could have met on a hillside or cave… 3787 She’d Rather Sing PARABLE OF THE CANDLES There was a blackout one night. When the lights went out, I fumbled to the closet where we keep the candles for nights like this ... I lit four of them. I was turning to leave with the large candle in my hand when I heard a voice, "Now, hold it right there." "Who said that?" "I did." The voice was near my hand. "Who are you? What are you?" "I'm a candle." I lifted up the candle to take a closer look. There was a tiny face in the wax. "Don't take me out of here!" "What?" "I said, Don't take me out of this room." "What do you mean? I have to take you out. You're a candle. Your job is to give light. It's dark out there." "But you can't take me out. I'm not ready," the candle explained with pleading eyes. "I need more preparation." I couldn't believe my ears. "More preparation?" "Yeah, I've decided I need to research this job of light-giving so I won't go out and make a bunch of mistakes. You'd be surprised how distorted the glow of an untrained candle can be..." "All right then," I said. "You're not the only candle on the shelf. I'll blow you out and take the others!" But right then I heard other voices, "We aren't going either!" I turned to the other candles, "You are candles and your job is to light dark places!" "Well, that may be what you think," said the first one, "You may think we have to go, but I'm busy ... I'm meditating on the importance of light. It's really enlightening." "And you other two," I asked, "Are you going to stay, too?" A short, fat, purple candle with plump cheeks spoke up. "I'm waiting to get my life together, I'm not stable enough." The last candle had a female voice, very pleasant to the ear. "I'd like to help, "she explained, "but lighting the darkness is not my gift ... I'm a singer. I sing to other candles to encourage them to burn more brightly." She began a rendition of "This Little Light of Mine." The other three joined in, filling the closet with singing. I took a step back and considered the absurdity of it all. Four perfectly healthy candles singing to each other about light but refusing to come out of the closet. Here is a question for you--when was the last time you shared the gospel to someone? This world is full of darkness, with many people stumbling around trying to find their way. You can be a light for them, and believe me, there's a light waiting for you. It can all happen with something as sharing the faith, to just a smile across the room, to a quick hello to a forgotten friend. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS, AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN." Matthew 5:14-16 - Author unknown