Starting a Family

June 21, 2026 Genesis 21:8-21 Starting a Family Father’s Day 4th Sunday after Pentecost Year A Greeting Prelude Call to Worship Come to God who gathers us in. We come to God who nurtures us like a father. Come to God whose arms are open and waiting. We come to God who welcomes and forgives us. Come to God who journeys with us. We come to God who sees us as we really are and loves us anyway. Come, praise our loving nurturing God! ~ posted on Worship Words. http://worshipwords.co.uk/prayer-of-intercession-for-fathers-day/ Opening Prayer Lord, We gather in Your sanctuary today to praise You, the ultimate Author of life and fatherhood. We thank You for the privilege of calling You our Father, and we praise You for Your perfect love, protection, and grace. Today, we honor the men in our community whom You have called to the vital ministry of fatherhood. We lift up the dads, grandfathers, stepfathers, foster fathers, and spiritual mentors who pour their lives into the next generation. Grant them Your wisdom to lead, Your strength to persevere, and Your patience to guide their households in truth and love. Bless our worship, our fellowship, and the teaching of Your Word. May everything we do today bring glory to Your name. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. (Google) ________________________________________ Song Children of the Heavenly Father UMH 415 A Sermon for all Ages Children's Sermon: God Cares for Families Good morning, boys and girls! Today is Father's Day, a special day when we thank God for our fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, and all the men who help take care of us. I brought something to show you today. (Hold up a family picture.) What do you see in this picture? That's right—a family! Families are important because they help us, love us, and take care of us. Our Bible story today is about a family. In Genesis 21, we hear about a boy named Ishmael. Things became very difficult for Ishmael and his mother, Hagar. They were in the desert, and they were scared and worried. Have you ever been scared or worried? Maybe on your first day of school, or when you were lost in a store for a moment? Ishmael and Hagar felt that way too. But God did not forget them. God heard their cries and showed them where to find water. God took care of them and promised to be with them. Today, as we honor our fathers, we remember that many fathers try to do what God does—they protect us, help us, teach us, and care for us. They may teach us how to ride a bike, help us with homework, or give us a hug when we're sad. No father is perfect, but we can thank God for the love and care they give. The Bible teaches us to honor our fathers and mothers. One way we honor our fathers is by saying "thank you," listening to them, helping them, and showing them love. And just as God cared for Ishmael in the desert, God cares for us every day. Even when our parents can't be with us, God is always with us. God is our Heavenly Father who never leaves us and always loves us. So today, let's thank God for our fathers and for all the people who help care for us. Let's pray: Dear God, thank You for our fathers, grandfathers, and all those who love and care for us. Help us to honor them with kind words and loving hearts. Thank You for always being with us, just as You were with Ishmael and Hagar. In Jesus' name, Amen. Affirmation of faith (from A Brief Statement of Faith) We trust in God, whom Jesus called Abba, Father. In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God’s image, p1 male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community. But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator. Ignoring God’s commandments, we violate the image of God in others and ourselves, accept lies as truth, exploit neighbor and nature, and threaten death to the planet entrusted to our care. We deserve God’s condemnation. Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation. In everlasting love, the God of Abraham and Sarah chose a covenant people to bless all families of the earth. Hearing their cry, God delivered the children of Israel from the house of bondage. Loving us still, God makes us heirs with Christ of the covenant. Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child, like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home, God is faithful still. (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Prayer of Illumination Savior God, your Word is a lamp to our feet on this discipleship road. Walk with us. Guide us with your wisdom and grace. Open us to discerning your will and your way. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Scripture Genesis 21: 8-21 Sermon Starting a Family Two very modern little girls were solemnly discussing the lesson while coming home after church one day. One asked, "Do you believe in the Devil?" The other promptly responded, "No, of course not. It's just like Santa Claus - he's your father." Hmm. Happy Fathers Day. David E. Leininger, Collected Sermons This little girl’s words sets the tone for my sermon for today. For our scripture lesson and and in some ways, for Father’s Day itself. One comedian pointed out that Mother’s Day is ranked as the 2nd most popular holiday behind Christmas – so we honor Jesus first and then mothers. Father’s Day is ranked 20th in popularity. Halloween and Arbor day are both more popular. So goblins and trees are more important than fathers. Even in worship prep, on mother’s day I can always find liturgy – or worship words that are meaningful and inspiring. There are even words that acknowledge mothers for going the extra mile. For Father’s Day I have to be very selective in choosing liturgy. I try to avoid liturgy which mentions fathers who were absent or who were not very nice. I try to avoid that language, because I think Father’s day is a time to acknowledge who fathers are, not who they are not. We have been acknowledging fathers since the beginning of time. But Father’s day was proposed a year after Mother’s day in America. In 1909. A young woman wrote the president proposing a day to honor men like her father – a civil war veteran who raised 6 children alone after his wife died. She held a local celebration for fathers on June 19, 1909. Eight years later, Calvin Coolridge the president, proposed a day on the third June to foster the relationships between fathers and their children. Mother’s day was already a flower holiday, so children were supposed to give their father’s roses. And in turn father’s were to remember their responsibility to their children. So on this day – we remember our earthly fathers, but we also remember the divine parent. __________________________ Don't Eat the Forbidden Fruit Whenever your kids are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God's omnipotence didn't extend to God's kids. After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. And the first thing he said was: "Don't." "Don't what?" Adam replied "Don't eat the forbidden fruit." God said. "Forbidden fruit? We got forbidden fruit? Hey Eve! We got forbidden fruit!" "No way!" "Yes way!" "DON'T EAT THAT FRUIT!" Said God. "Why?" "Because I am your Father and I said so!" said God, wondering why he hadn't stopped after making elephants. A few minutes later God saw his kids having an apple break and was angry. Didn't I tell you not to the fruit?" the First Parent asked. "Uh huh," Adam replied. "Then why did you?" "I dunno," Eve answered. "She started it!" Adam said. "Did not!" "Did too!" "Did NOT!" Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own. Thus, the pattern was set and it has never been changed. Morgan Murray ______________________________ Genesis starts with the story of Adam and Eve, but it continues the story of the human family. With each unfolding chapter, we learn the earthly story of family – but we also see the presence of divine grace and divine intervention I chose this story in Genesis for our lesson today - thinking it was a great transition for us. We have been following the story of Abraham and how God’s promise extends to all of us today. As Abraham starts a family – I thought it was a great story of how the promise become real. I didn’t think about all of the family drama that was involved in the story. According to the bible, Abraham and Sarah went 60 years without any children. Sarah decides to give Abraham her servant girl, so that he would have a descendent. Hagar has a son and names him Ishmael. Abraham invest all of his time and energy into his son. His mother gets a little haughty because she has Abraham’s heir and Sarah does not. 13 years later – Sarah gets pregnant and has a son of her own. Our scripture is the story of Isaac’s weaning from his other at 3. At this point Sarah gets haughty and kicks Hagar and Ishmael out into the desert. Abraham and even God go along with that decision and they are both put into the desert to die. Instead of this being a story of starting a family – this is a story of complicated family bonds and poor parental decisions, of parents who make human mistakes and how God’s grace sustains us in the midst of it all. A little girl came home from Sunday School. "What did you learn today?" her father asked. She responded, "All I heard was that the children of Israel did this and the children of Israel did that. Didn't the grown ups do anything?" Abraham gets the blame, but in this story the grown ups makes decisions that put their children in danger. This is a two part sermon – this week it is Ishmael, next week Isaac is in danger until God’s wisdom intervenes. Ishmael means God hears. Ishmael is left out in the desert with no food and no water. As he is about to die – He cries and God hears him. He survives, gets married and lives a successful life. When he was born the community whispered that he would grow up to be a delinquent. Instead he honored his father and he honored God. In the end, even though he lived away from his brother and father -he honors his dad by coming back to join his brother in burying his dad. The story is told about a Sunday school class in which a particularly effective teacher was relating the story of Abraham taking his son, Isaac, off into the wilderness to sacrifice him. The teacher told the story so well that one child covered his ears and said, "This scares me. I don't want to listen." Another child reassured him, "Don't worry. This is one of God's stories and they always turn out all right." Isn't that the point? You are one of God's stories and things will turn out all right. Things may turn our right, but in life it is not always a happy ending. Ishmael may have turned out right, but he never got to see his dad again. His life like ours was a mixture of successes and failures, gains and failures. But he was able to look back in his life and see that whatever happened, God was present through it all. God intervened at the times that he needed him, God answered his prayer, and ultimately God’s grace carried him through everything in life. Today he is one of the three main religions Jewish, Muslim and Christian that call Abraham the father of their faith. Today the family drama continues. Genesis reminds us not only of God’s providence, but that our livelihood, our wellbeing, our faith heritage, our own wisdom comes from those in the faith who have gone before us. And Father’s Day is an opportunity to honor that heritage, and those giants of faith who have shown us how to live valiantly, and sometimes too how to die nobly and in the peace of Christ. Today, many of us need that kind of reassurance, that kind of steadiness of heart, and faith in God that could move mountains and shake cedars. Those disciples of the faith, those Fathers of Faith who came before you, are there to lift you up, so that someday, you can be that Father to someone else. And we can all recognize God’s grace that leads us all. Let us pray, A Father’s Day Blessing "Loving God, we give thanks for the men of virtue who have touched our lives. Those who have shown us kindness, courage, generosity, truth, compassion, faith, and love. Bless all sons and brothers and fathers and grandfathers who reveal a glimpse of your loving presence on earth. Amen." (Tradition Blessing of United Methodist Men) Song His Eye is on the Sparrow TFWS 2146 PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (just print the title) Let us pray in the Spirit, who helps us in our weakness, interceding with sighs too deep for words. In the Spirit, we pray for the church . . . As we have been united in Christ’s death, let us be one in the joy of resurrection—set free to take up the cross and follow. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. In the Spirit, we pray for the earth . . . Spring up with your surprising grace in the wilderness and wasteland. Be merciful to the earth you have made. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. In the Spirit, we pray for all nations . . . Where old family feuds divide nations and close neighbors are worlds apart, give blessing; put an end to hate and fear. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. In the Spirit, we pray for this community . . . Redeem those who are mocked and mistreated. Restore those who are cursed and cast aside. Hold them in your hands and save them from evil. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. In the Spirit, we pray for loved ones . . . Draw near to those who are in distress; deliver those whose lives are sinking in despair. Answer them with the abundance of your love. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. In the Spirit, we pray to you, O God, confident that all things work together for good for those who love you and are called according to your purpose. Above all, we give you thanks, O God, that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let us Prayer the Prayer He taught us to pray… (Presbyterian Men’s Sunday) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Offertory Prayer Listening God, you hear the cries we whisper and the cries we cannot speak. In a world still marked by fear, abandonment, and unfairness, you remain the one who listens and who hears the voices of the outcast, the wounded, the overlooked. As we bring our offerings today, open our ears as yours are open. Make our giving an act of solidarity with those whose voices rise in need. Use these gifts to reveal your presence, to bring water into desert places, and to remind all your children that they are not alone. Shape us into people who hear because we have been heard. Amen. (Genesis 21:8-21) (United Methodist Board of Discipleship) Announcements Closing Prayer for YouTube Go forth, as God’s beloved children. God’s love surrounds us like a father’s love. Go in the knowledge of God’s comfort and protection. God’s strength empowers us to be the best we can be. Go in God’s grace, We go to share the love of God with all we meet! ~ posted on Worship Words. http://worshipwords.co.uk/prayer-of-intercession-for-fathers-day/ Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction (Based on Psalm 103) God’s love is from everlasting to everlasting, from generation to generation. Just as a father has compassion on his children so God has compassion on those fear him, who listen to his voice, and who do his will. Go out in the knowledge that the everlasting love of God goes with you. Amen. (Re-Worship.blogspot.com) Additional Illustrations God Is Like a Father For many of us the injustice of this world, combined with the love of the Father, is the best assurance we have of a world beyond this one. Someday, somehow, somewhere accounts must be settled. In Marjorie Rawling's beautiful novel, The Yearling, set in rural Florida, there is a scene in which friends and family gather around the grave of a little handicapped boy named Fodderwing. There was no minister present so one of the men of the community offered up this simple but moving prayer: "Almighty God, it ain't right for us to say what is right. But if we had been making this boy we would never have made him with his back bent and his legs crooked. We would have made him straight and tall like his brothers. But somehow you made it up to him. You gave him a way with critters. It comforts us to know that he is in a place where his being bent doesn't matter no more. We would like to think that you have taken that bent back and those crooked legs and straightened them. And Almighty God, if it ain't asking too much, we pray that you will give him some critters to play with maybe a few redbirds and a squirrel or two. Thy will be done. Amen." I don't know what heaven will be like. But I know what God is like. He is like a Father who notices a little sparrow fall from the sky and cares for us much, much more than he cares for sparrows. That means even though we still must face obstacles and crises, we do not face them alone, and someday, somehow all that which is hurtful will be turned into that which is helpful, and we shall live with joy in the Father's house forever.King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com _________________________________________ God Is Like a Father For many of us the injustice of this world, combined with the love of the Father, is the best assurance we have of a world beyond this one. Someday, somehow, somewhere accounts must be settled. In Marjorie Rawling's beautiful novel, The Yearling, set in rural Florida, there is a scene in which friends and family gather around the grave of a little handicapped boy named Fodderwing. There was no minister present so one of the men of the community offered up this simple but moving prayer: "Almighty God, it ain't right for us to say what is right. But if we had been making this boy we would never have made him with his back bent and his legs crooked. We would have made him straight and tall like his brothers. But somehow you made it up to him. You gave him a way with critters. It comforts us to know that he is in a place where his being bent doesn't matter no more. We would like to think that you have taken that bent back and those crooked legs and straightened them. And Almighty God, if it ain't asking too much, we pray that you will give him some critters to play with maybe a few redbirds and a squirrel or two. Thy will be done. Amen." I don't know what heaven will be like. But I know what God is like. He is like a Father who notices a little sparrow fall from the sky and cares for us much, much more than he cares for sparrows. That means even though we still must face obstacles and crises, we do not face them alone, and someday, somehow all that which is hurtful will be turned into that which is helpful, and we shall live with joy in the Father's house forever.King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com _________________________________________ Priceless Scribbles Rev. Richard Fairchild tells about a story that appeared years ago in the Christian Reader. It was called “Priceless Scribbles.” It concerns a father who touched his child’s life in an unexpected way. A young boy watched as his father walked into the living room. The boy noticed that his younger brother, John, began to cower slightly as his father entered. The older boy sensed that John had done something wrong. Then he saw from a distance what his brother had done. The younger boy had opened his father’s brand new hymnal and scribbled all over the first page with a pen. Staring at their father fearfully, both brothers waited for John’s punishment. Their father picked up his prized hymnal, looked at it carefully and then sat down, without saying a word. Books were precious to him; he was a minister with several academic degrees. For him, books were knowledge. What he did next was remarkable, says the author of this story. Instead of punishing his brother, instead of scolding, or yelling, his father took the pen from the little boy’s hand, and then wrote in the book himself, alongside the scribbles that John had made. Here is what that father wrote: “John’s work, 1959, age 2. How many times have I looked into your beautiful face and into your warm, alert eyes looking up at me and thanked God for the one who has now scribbled in my new hymnal. You have made the book sacred, as have your brother and sister to so much of my life.” “Wow,” thought the older brother, “This is punishment?” The author of the story, now an adult, goes on to say how that hymnal became a treasured family possession, how it was tangible proof that their parents loved them, how it taught the lesson that what really matters is people, not objects; patience, not judgment; love, not anger. Richard Fairchild, adapted by King Duncan Is God Like Daddy? Think of a four-year-old coming home one Sunday after a lesson that taught about God as our Heavenly Father. Sound theology would quickly note that God is neither male nor female, but youngsters do not concern themselves with theological niceties. A four-year-old hears "Father;" the only father he knows anything about is the one that lives with him and says, "Pass the biscuits, please;" so he asks..."Is God like Daddy?" Wow! What a heavy load! But a good load to consider on Fathers' Day...and a good one to consider when we realize that what Daddy is can become a role model for our children's concept of God. David E. Leininger, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Especially for Father's Day, here is a short list of things that I believe to be true for dads: That the best way to love our children is to love and respect their mother, That the best gift we can give our children is a sense of safety and security as they grow up. I believe that it’s more important to give them our time, not our money, it’s more important to be respected by them than to be liked by them, it’s more important to encourage them in their interests than to require them to share our interests. That means, dads, that if you were a fullback but your son loves the violin, you better learn to love the violin! And I believe that our responsibility reaches beyond caring for our own children, and Jesus expects us to care for all children, everywhere. It was Dietrich Bonhoeffer who said “The true test of a society is how it cares for its children.” Taken to its logical extension, it means that we cannot just be proud that OUR kids received a great education when other children receive a poor education. We cannot be satisfied that our children get fully nutritious meals when some children go to be hungry at night. We can be proud that our child has a spacious bedroom, but shouldn’t we also be concerned that 4400 children are homeless in our state alone? Steven Molin, Yup, Them are Mustard Seeds __________________________ History of Father's Day Fathers Day occurs on the 3rd Sunday in June. The idea for creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington. A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909. Having been raised by her father, Henry Jackson Smart, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Sonora's father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910. In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Roses are the Father's Day flowers. Staff We Thought You Said Daddy! As we celebrate Father’s Day today, I would like to share the following story about the effect that one father had on his family. This particular family had three small children who were determined to have a puppy. Mom protested because she knew that somehow or other, she would end up caring for the critter. True to form, the children solemnly promised that they would take care of it. Eventually, she relented and they brought their little puppy home. The children named him Danny and cared for him diligently - at first. But, sure enough, as time passed, Mom found herself becoming more and more responsible for taking care of the dog. Finally, she decided that the children were not living up to their promise so she began to search for a new home for Danny. When she found one and broke the news to the children, she was quite surprised that they had almost no reaction at all. One of them even said rather matter-of-factly, "We'll miss him." "I’m sure we will," Mom answered, "but he is too much work for one person and since I'm the one that has to do all the work, I say he goes." "But," protested another child, "if he wouldn't eat so much and wouldn't be so messy, could we keep him?" Mom held her ground, "It's time to take Danny to his new home." Suddenly, with one voice and with tears in their eyes, the children exclaimed, "Danny? We thought you said Daddy!" Traditional When God Created Fathers When the good Lord was creating fathers, He started with a tall frame. And a female angel nearby said, "What kind of father is that? If you’re going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put fathers up so high? He won’t be able to shoot marbles without kneeling, tuck a child in bed without bending, or even kiss a child without a lot of stooping." And God smiled and said, "Yes, but if I make him child size, who would children have to look up to?" And when God made a father’s hands, they were large and sinewy. And the angel shook her head sadly and said, "Do You know what You’re doing? Large hands are clumsy. They can’t manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on pony tails or even remove splinters caused by baseball bats." God smiled and said, "I know, but they’re large enough to hold everything a small boy empties from his pockets at the end of a day…yet small enough to cup a child’s face." Then God molded long, slim legs and broad shoulders. The angel nearly had a heart attack. "Boy, this is the end of the week, all right," she clucked. "Do You realize You just made a father without a lap? How is he going to pull a child close to him without the kid falling between his legs?" God smiled and said, "A mother needs a lap. A father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle or hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus." God was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had ever seen when the angel could contain herself no longer. "That’s not fair. Do You honestly think those large boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries? Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least three of the guests?" And God smiled and said, "They’ll work. You’ll see. They’ll support a small child who wants to "ride a horse to Banbury Cross" or scare off mice at the summer cabin, or display shoes that will be a challenge to fill." God worked throughout the night, giving the father few words, but a firm authoritative voice; eyes that see everything, but remain calm and tolerant. Finally, almost as an afterthought, He added tears. Then He turned to the angel and said, "Now are you satisfied that he can love as much as a mother?" And the angel shutteth up! By Erma Bombeck ______________________________ Here Comes another Preacher Story Fred Craddock, while lecturing at Yale University, told of going back home one summer to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to take a short vacation with his wife. One night they found a quiet little restaurant where they looked forward to a private meal-just the two of them. While they were waiting for their meal they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting guests. Craddock whispered to his wife, "I hope he doesn't come over here." He didn't want the man to intrude on their privacy. But the man did come by his table. "Where you folks from?" he asked amicably. "Oklahoma." "Splendid state, I hear, although I've never been there. What do you do for a Jiving? "I teach homiletics at the graduate seminary of Phillips University." "Oh, so you teach preachers, do you. Well, I've got a story I want to tell you." And with that he pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with Craddock and his wife. Dr. Craddock said he groaned inwardly: Oh no, here comes another preacher story. It seems everyone has one. The man stuck out his hand. "I'm Ben Hooper. I was born not far from here across the mountains. My mother wasn't married when I was born so I had a hard time. When I started to school my classmates had a name for me, and it wasn't a very nice name. I used to go off by myself at recess and during lunch-time because the taunts of my playmates cut so deeply. "What was worse was going downtown on Saturday afternoon and feeling every eye burning a hole through you. They were all wondering just who my real father was. "When I was about 12 years old a new preacher came to our church. I would always go in late and slip out early. But one day the preacher said the benediction so fast I got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. I could feel every eye in church on me. Just about the time I got to the door I felt a big hand on my shoulder. I looked up and the preacher was looking right at me. "Who are you, son? Whose boy are you?' I felt the old weight come on me. It was like a big black cloud. Even the preacher was putting me down. But as he looked down at me, studying my face, he began to smile a big smile of recognition. "Wait a minute," he said, "I know who you are. I see the family resemblance. You are a son of God." With that he slapped me across the rump and said, "Boy you've got a great inheritance. Go and claim it." The old man looked across the table at Fred Craddock and said, "That was the most important single sentence ever said to me." With that he smiled, shook the hands of Craddock and his wife, and moved on to another table to greet old friends. Suddenly, Fred Craddock remembered. On two occasions the people of Tennessee had elected an illegitimate to be their governor. One of them was Ben Hooper. Jamie Buckingham, Power for Living _____________________________ How We View Our Fathers 4 years: My daddy can do anything. 7 years: My dad knows a lot, a whole lot. 8 years: My father doesn't quite know everything. 12 years: Oh well, naturally Father doesn't know everything. 14 years: Father? Hopelessly old-fashioned. 21 years: Oh, that man is out-of-date. What did you expect? 25 years: He knows a little bit about it but not much. 30 years: Must find out what Dad thinks about it. 35 years: A little patience, let's get Dad's meaning first. 40 years: What would Dad have thought about it? 50 years: My Dad knew literally everything. 60 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more. ______________________________ Kids Are Fun Kids are fun. Another one. The new baby came home from the hospital. The three-year-old met her new brother at the door and tagged along like a shadow as he was carried in and placed in the basinet. Big sister stood and watched in fascination and noticed that the new arrival was still wearing his ID bracelet. She asked, "Mommy, when are you going to take off his price tag?" Another Sunday School story. A very committed Christian was desperately ill. She spoke about a recent visit she had with her aged and equally ill brother. She realized that this would probably be the last time they would see one another before his or her death. "In recent years," she said, "I have noticed it really doesn't matter whether we get together for a fun family reunion or for a sad funeral. Both events feel the same. It is not the occasion that makes the day. It is the loving relationship we have. Therefore, a funeral feels the same as a party." That is the bottom line. What makes life go according to plan? Is it accumulating wealth? Achieving worldly success? Getting our own way? No, of course not. What makes life worthwhile are the loving relationships we make with God and one another. Everything else pales by comparison. This is the fact that makes a difference: You are one of God's stories and no matter how badly things seem to be going, you will turn out all right. Life may be unfair. Things may not go according to plan. No matter how many blessings God gives you, life may seem to come up short. You are one of God's stories and you don't have to worry about anything because you will turn out all right. CSS Publishing, Tenders of the Sacred Fire, by R. Robert Cueni Then Ishmael murmurs. God hears his crying. For the third time in this story, the Divine intervenes. Hagar opens her eyes and sees what seems to be an oasis. Could it be a mirage? Perhaps, but waving palm trees in the desert stand out against the stark desert background. Hagar gathers all her strength and goes to see. Sure enough, it is a source of water. She fills the goatskin and takes it back to Ishmael. The water slakes his thirst. His parched lips are healed. He regains his strength. This particular story ends by saying they continue to live in the wilderness. Ishmael becomes an expert archer. His mother finds him a wife from among the Egyptians who travel through the area. There is a tendency simply to conclude by saying, "And they lived happily ever after." We might even want to say things may not have worked according to the people's plan, but they worked out according to God's plan and that is even better. Frankly, that would miss the point. At several junctures in the story, God intervenes. Frankly, that doesn't solve everything. Sarah wanted her husband to have a son. She encouraged him to have one by the maid. God gave her the gift of a son, but she is resentful and bitter. Abraham loved both his sons. He wanted to raise them both. When that plan didn't work out, God promised to take care of Ishmael and to make him the father of another great nation. But Abraham still feels guilty about sending Ishmael away. That boy was his own flesh and blood. Every time Ishmael came to mind, a pain shot through the heart of Abraham. And do you think for a moment that Hagar and Ishmael were totally pleased with the way things turned out? Abraham had promised Ishmael half the family inheritance. They lost that and the life they had known. In exchange, they lived out their days in the desert. Even when God intervenes, life does not always go according to plan. Life is not always fair. Any expectations that it will be otherwise are met with disappointment. We must come to terms with that. Life simply does not come with a fairness guarantee nor with any assurance that everything will work out. We have plans about what we want to accomplish; what we want to accumulate; where we want to go. We may or may not attain those things. But even if we do, in the end, we discover it is not all that important. James Moore recalls a special memory from his childhood. When he was five years old he spent a day with his grandmother, who lived nearby. Toward evening, a fierce storm struck. "Oh, Jim," his grandmother said, "how in the world are we going to get you home in this weather?" And the answer came moments later, as his father walked in the front door. "He had come to get me," Jim recalls. The wind was blowing; rain was pelting down; lightning was flashing; thunder was rumbling behind the clouds. The storm showed no signs of letting up. It was dark and scary that night. "Our house wasn't far away," Jim recounts, "but the storm was nasty and getting worse." Jim's father was wearing a big blue weather coat, and as they prepared to leave, he said, "Son, come under here." He covered his young son with his coat, and out into the storm they went. "Even though it was raining hard, the wind was howling and I couldn't see a thing under that coat, I was not at all afraid," Jim remembers. "Because I knew my father could see where we were going, so I just held on tightly and trusted him. And soon the coat opened and we were home." (4) That's what being a father is all about. The loving father in the story of Abraham and his two sons is not Abraham. Abraham was no great shakes as a husband or a father. No, the Loving Father In this Story Is God. Earthly fathers may disappoint us ” as Abraham disappointed Ishmael. Our Heavenly Father never disappoints us. On this special day some of us can celebrate fathers who loved us and nurtured us. Others of us, perhaps, had fathers who were for the most part absent. All of us, though, have the same Heavenly Father who nurtured and cared for Ishmael. He never forsakes us. He is there for us always. A lady named Judy Harkness tells about being homeless. "I sat in my car with my six children, trying to sleep," she writes. The only home they had was their car. "We had no bathroom," Judy says, "there was no kitchen to cook a hot meal for my family, no living room to sit back and watch TV." Their meals came mostly from garbage cans in the back of markets. They also waited in soup lines for hours for a hot meal. Their only income came from collecting bottles and cans to return for deposit. "I felt so all alone and confused," Judy recalls. "I had no family that would let us stay with them and friends just seemed to disappear overnight...." It was a very difficult time for Judy and her six children. "When I felt myself slipping and giving way to my hate I grabbed my Bible and read," Judy recounts. "I talked to God as if He were sitting beside me." Once Judy heard God speaking words of comfort to her, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Suddenly she felt the love of God in her life. "I saw Christ on the cross and I knew in my heart that He really loved me and my children," she wrote. "There were times I felt His arms around me as I cried and called on His name for help." Judy began attending church and felt the love of God through other people. Her life changed for the better. "I escaped the dark life of poverty," she claims "because people loved me as God loves us all." (3) In moments of despair God hears our cries for help. What a difference it makes in our lives when we realize how much God loves us and that we are never left alone. When people can think and act in that way, it can make a difference. A certain mother and father had two sons. Both of the parents were exceptionally intelligent people. They both had advanced academic degrees. The mother was a teacher and the father was an engineer. When the first son started elementary school, he excelled just as everyone expected the child of such parents to do. But two years later his brother started school, and he did not do so well. He appeared to be a very mediocre student. People invariably compared the two boys, always to the disadvantage of the second. Some teachers who knew both boys even suggested that the second son needed some special education. But the parents would have none of that. They told everyone who would listen that the two boys were not to be compared. It was not true that one was intelligent and the other was not. They were just different. They learned differently and at different rates. If they were both allowed to learn in their own ways, they would both turn out just fine. In fact, it did turn out just that way. Both boys graduated from excellent universities and did well in their careers -- and they stayed friends all of their lives. That story could have turned out very differently if the parents had not been wise enough to give each son his unique place. Can we imagine God feeling that way about all of God's children? What would it mean for all people to believe that it is the will of God for all people to have a place? What would it mean for us to live as if that is what is really right and to try to live according to it? That could solve many of the problems that tear apart families and schools and businesses and communities, couldn't it? Ishmael -- a Hebrew name meaning GOD HEARS. To be honest, what she hears next might make a woman expecting a child to change her mind. Hagar is told that the child will be a boy of whom God says, "He shall be a wild ass of a man, with his hand against everyone, and everyone's hand against him; and he shall live at odds with all his kin." Delightful. Then follows a scripture verse that became famous in it's King James Bible language - it was posted in cross-stitch on the walls of countless Christian homes, it was carved in wood above the pulpit of the first church in which I regularly preached [St. Luke's United Methodist Church, Pritchardville, SC], and my mother tells me it was the first Bible verse she ever taught me. Hagar listens to the divine voice, realizes that no matter where she might be, she is never beyond the sight of the Almighty, and says those words which have made her immortal: "And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, THOU, GOD, SEEST ME." It is a wonderful affirmation of faith. Obediently, she returns to the tents of mistress Sarah, the baby is born, Abraham's son. Today, I call on all of you to think of that “father” in your own life, who has guided you in times of trouble, has rescued you in times of need, has been present for you when you were lonely, has advised you when you needed direction, who has fed you when you were hungry, who has been there when you needed to know he was there. Send that “father” a message of thanks. And for those “fathers” of the faith who have inspired you, who have motivated you, who have set an example for you, who have led the way for you –pray that they stay well and safe in our current pandemic, so they can continue to lead the way for others. God saved Ishmael that day in the desert for a purpose. He knew, that someday, Ishmael would become a “Father” of nations. God has a plan for each of one of you. For each one of you too has a purpose in this world. Rely on God. Live in faith. Allow God to nurture you and guide you, to reside with you and within you, and you will live out that purpose. You too will someday become a “Father” (or Mother) of the Faith. Blessings to you on this Father’s Day, to you and yours, forever and always. ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., by Lori Wagner

The Ram in the Bush

June 28, 2026 Genesis 22:1-14 The Ram in the Bush 5th Sunday After Pentecost Year A Prelude Greeting Call to Worship When our way seems unclear, and we are surrounded by loud and conflicting voices… God will provide. When we, like Abraham, are trying to be faithful and seem to have no good choices available to us… God will provide. When we, like Isaac, are led by those we trust into unjust and harmful situations… God will provide. Family in Christ, we gather today to worship God, who meets us in places of fear, confusion, and despair. We gather to worship God, who provides a way toward abundant life when no way can be found. Thanks be to God! Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, January 2026. Opening Prayer Lord, the hearts of all turn to You in hope; and You give them what they need. You open Your hand and satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. We, too, turn to You again, longing to be filled— to eat of the Bread of Life, to drink from Your life-giving streams, to taste Your goodness and live. May the time we spend together in Your presence nourish our hearts and minds; may it strengthen our relationship with You, and renew our commitment to live in this world as Your faithful disciples. For You alone are God, the Source and Sustainer of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Written by Christine Longhurst at the re:Worship blog, https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2011/07/opening-prayer-feed-us-lord.html. Song Rock of Ages, Cleft for me UMH 361 A Sermon for all Ages Children's Sermon: "God Loves to Hear You Laugh" Scripture: Genesis 22:1-14 Object: A smiling face emoji, a toy that giggles, or simply your own laughter. Good morning, boys and girls! I have a question for you. What makes you laugh? (Let the children answer: funny jokes, tickling, pets, brothers and sisters, cartoons, etc.) I love hearing children laugh. When children laugh, everyone around them smiles too. Laughter is one of God's wonderful gifts. Today we heard a Bible story about Abraham and his son Isaac. It is a story that can sound a little scary, but it also reminds us of something very important. God loved Isaac very much, and God made sure that Isaac was safe. God never stopped caring for him. Do you know something else about Isaac? His name means "he laughs" or "laughter." Before Isaac was born, his mother Sarah laughed because she thought she was too old to have a baby. Then, when Isaac was finally born, that laughter became laughter of joy! Every time Abraham and Sarah called Isaac's name, it reminded them that God had brought happiness into their lives. So even in today's difficult story, we remember who Isaac is—a beloved child whose very name reminds us of joy and laughter. God wants children to be loved, protected, and encouraged. Every one of you is precious to God. God has given you parents, grandparents, teachers, church members, and friends to help you grow strong, kind, and faithful. You know what else encouragement does? It helps people laugh! When someone tells you, "Great job!" or "I'm proud of you!" or "You can do it!" it makes your heart feel lighter. It helps you smile. Can you think of someone who encourages you? (Allow a few responses.) Now here's another question. Can you encourage someone else? Maybe you can tell a friend, "You're doing great!" Maybe you can thank your parents. Maybe you can make someone who's feeling sad smile or laugh today. When we encourage one another, we share God's love. So every time you laugh this week, remember Isaac. His name means "laughter," and it reminds us that God loves children, delights in their joy, and surrounds them with people who care for them. Let's try something together. On the count of three, everyone give your biggest smile... and then your happiest laugh! (Count to three and laugh together.) That's a wonderful sound! I think God loves hearing children laugh. Let us pray. Dear God, thank You for loving every child. Thank You for giving us families, friends, and our church to encourage us. Help us to make others smile, to share kindness wherever we go, and to remember that Your love fills our hearts with joy. Thank You for the gift of laughter. In Jesus' name, Amen. Prayer of Saint Thomas Aquinas Give us O Lord, steadfast hearts, which no unworthy thought can drag downward, unconquered hearts, which no tribulation can wear out, upright hearts, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God, understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Saint Thomas, Italy, 13th Century) Passing of the Peace Scripture Genesis 22:1-14 Sermon The Ram in the Bush Sarah went without a child for over 73 years. When her son was born she named him Isaac – meaning laughter. She wanted to celebrate the joy that he bought to her life. She also remembered her laughter, when God said that she would have a baby at 90. When she thought of the ways that God works and the surprises that come upon us – she couldn’t help but to name the baby Isaac. In your life, what is it that brings you joy? What is it that makes you laugh? We know that for Sarah, it was her baby boy. But we cannot be sure about Abraham. The scripture for last week and for this week- Genesis 21 and 22 are two parts of the 2nd most difficult story in the bible. These two chapters are the stories of how Abraham tried to kill both of his sons and blame it on God. Our scripture for today is the story of a promise given, a promise taken away and a promise restored. In the Hebrew understanding, this story is a sacred story – it called the binding of Isaac, it focuses on the faith of the son Isaac, not the father Abraham. Young Isaac travels with his father, carrying the wood. He asks his father where is the sacrifice. When he sees the knife pointed at him, I bet he also asks why his father is trying to kill him, and how will he ever be able to move on from this and still love his father. The story is important because in the midst of the trauma, it is a story of love – How God saved Isaac. We are Isaac in our lives during those times when our dreams are threatened and God pulls us through. It is our story of hope when the Lord provides. In the story, as Abraham prepares to sacrifice Isaac, he notices a ram in the bush. And he trusts that God will give him the strength to continue to listen and to follow. In spite of the important lessons, this is strange and confusing. It seems that the people that should have been protecting Isaac, are the people who put him in danger. His mother, his father, and even God cannot be trusted in parenting. Last week It is God who tells Abraham to banish his oldest son, Ishmael. It seems God would rather Ishmael be banished in the desert than put in the family will. And this week it is God who tells Abraham to take his heir, Isaac into the wilderness to be sacrificed. That is not the God that we know. Does God call us to do mean things to people? To hurt innocent children? There are still a lot of people who say that this story was a test of faith. God wanted to see if Abraham would be obedient to an order that he did not agree with. Would Abraham put God’s word above all else, including family. I am not convinced that this is a test, I think it was a moment of discernment. A time to think through what God was really saying. Years ago, Abraham heard to voice of God telling him to step out on faith. God calls us to new places – but very rarely does God give us a road map. We don’t have all of he answers, and we have no idea of what will happen along the way. Sometimes along the way, we may get a clear sign that we are in the right place, but we won’t get a step by step instruction manual. I think Abraham was following God, listening to God, but not always sure of what he heard. At the time, it was pretty common to sacrifice children to the gods. Many people in many cultures believed that sacrificing their children bought them special favor. Child sacrifices were a thing for over 5000 years. It was practiced widely until the 1500’s. I recently heard a sermon that in many ways we still sacrifice our children to a wayward world. Children are exposed to trauma, they are held captive with their parents, they don’t have access to food, shelter and education. In 1965, Bob Dylan wrote a song called Highway 61 – the first verse says Oh God said to Abraham, “Kill me a son” Abe says, “Man, you must be puttin’ me on” God say, “No.” Abe say, “What?” God say, “You can do what you want Abe, but The next time you see me comin’ you better run” Well Abe says, “Where do you want this killin’ done?” God says, “Out on Highway 61” In the bible, As Abraham raises a knife in Isaac’s face and angel grabs his hand and says that is not necessary. Isaac probably lived with the vision of that moment for the rest of his life. This story is known as the akedah in Jewish tradition, because this is the moment Abraham realized that God didn’t call parents to sacrifice their children. God did not call people to hurt people. The Hebrews were the first culture in that part of the world to realize that God was not a God of hatred and violence toward children. What could have been a tragedy turned into a moment of grace. The moment where the promise could have disappeared from the world became the moment that the promise lives on today. The promise still lives in the children who make us laugh. I said that this was the 2nd worse story in the whole bible. Can you guess what the worse story is? It is the story of God’s only son being killed on a cross. Isaac was spared, Jesus was killed. Abraham and Isaac travelled 3 days to Mount Moriah, Jesus spen 3 days in a grave. Isaac returned home to his mom and went on with his life. Jesus rose from the dead and changed the life of the whole world. On Friday, Carol Hall and I watched a movie called the Great Awakening. It was how the message that Liberty was a gift from God was spread throughout the colonies. The movie started with a young Benjamin Franklin talking with his dad. He dad explained that he was the tenth child – destined to be a servant of God. His dad didn’t call Benjamin Franklin a sacrifice, he called his a tithe. His dad wanted him to become a preacher, but was willing to support young Benjamin’s dream of becoming a journalist/printer. Andrew Young, former Ambassador to the UN, was talking about his daughter's decision to work in a very dangerous part of Africa. Young said something like, "When we brought her to church and Sunday school, when we had her baptized, we didn't really know that she was going to take all of this religion so seriously! It's sort of scary to realize that you are putting your own child at risk when you bring her to the Lord!" (4) God doesn’t give us a road map to live, but God does give us a glimpse of the future. It unfolds in the eyes of our young people. It unfolds in the moments of grace, it unfolds in the things that make us laugh. When we see God in the situation, we can relax, because we know that God will provide. For twenty-six years my wife was a public school teacher. The last eight years she taught kindergarten in a very tough classroom. She spent more time in social work than she did in school work. It is hard to study even as a little child when you come to school hungry. Her students said to her one day, “Mrs. Olds, you don’t know how lucky you are. You live in a brick house. Bullets won’t go through brick houses. You are a very fortunate person.” On the second day of kindergarten one year, a little boy came up to her and said out of the blue, “Mrs. Olds, why didn’t you come?” And she not knowing what on earth he was talking about, knelt down to him and said, “What do you mean, why didn’t I come?” He said, “Why didn’t you come when my mama died?” She said, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know your mother had died, how did it happen?” He looked up to her and with tears in his eyes said, “Well, everybody knew it, it was on the television. My daddy choked my mama to death. Why didn’t you come?” I can never quite forget the echo of that child’s question in my mind—“Why didn’t you come in my hour of need?” Whatever you do with this story from Genesis, it is no invitation to mistreat children. You see, Isaac trusted his father completely. Can you? Abraham takes all the questions of his young son and answers them with a profound ritual that is repeated throughout this old story. With every question there is this answer: THE LORD WILL PROVIDE. Have you enough faith to proclaim that to your children? The Lord will provide. God will provide faith for the journey. God and Abraham had climbed too many mountains already for him to stop now. And as impossible as it all seems, Abraham gets up early one morning and sets out for Mt. Moriah. Somebody once said that when things get difficult, don’t pray for smaller mountains, just ask for increased climbing ability, because the Lord will go with you when it is difficult. In the end of the story, God is the hero – because God provides. We can be grateful that our understanding of God has evolved over time, and that he sent his Son Jesus to help us to see the meaning of grace clearly. There is a lot that we can get from this story of the binding of Isaac – the promise continues, we can follow even when we don’t have all of the answers, God will provide. GOD WILL PROVIDE AS MUCH HELP AS YOU WILL RECEIVE. So listen carefully, look for grace, trust the God in the process. This is essentially the end of Abraham’s story. Genesis chapter 23 is about the death of Sarah, and chapter 24 is about the death of Abraham and the beginning of Isaac’s family. Before returning home from Mount Moriah, Abraham told his son that they would return to this place, he named the place God will provide. I think I spend most of my life in that place- trusting God to provide. So Abraham called the name of that place, "The Lord Will Provide." Maybe not the way we want. Maybe not the way we desire. But the Lord will provide. The Lord will give life again. Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you." But he also said, "Not as the world gives do I give to you." That means, the Lord will provide, but maybe not in the way that we anticipate. But he will provide at some time, and in some place, and in some manner, that we least expect. Maybe like this. James Angell, a Presbyterian minister, was awakened on Saturday night, in the middle of the night, with a phone call. It was the Saturday before Easter. The phone call was the Highway Patrol telling him that his twenty-one year old daughter, Susan, has been killed in an automobile accident. Susan was on her way home. She was going to spend Easter Sunday with her mother and father. She was killed on the way home. With courage and with faith that I can only marvel at, Jim Angell, just a few hours after receiving that news, entered his pulpit on that Sunday morning, and preached on the victory that Christ has given us over death through his Resurrection. Later he wrote a book about those days, a beautiful little book called, O Susan! It is a book that would be a help to other people as they try to make their way through that same dark valley. He said that there is a long period when the loss is almost more than you can bear. It is like you are at the end of the rope, and you have to tie a knot on the end of the rope so that you have something to hold on to. Then, he said, something happens. He warns that it will happen in different ways and at different times to different people. But for him it happened this way. A dear and trusted friend came into his study one day, and talked bluntly to him. He said, "Jim, you've got to face this. For the rest of your life this is a fact that you just have to live with. You can do two things about it. You can use it, use your fresh depth of feeling to make life finer, or you can let it crush you, and go through the rest of your life whimpering. Angell wrote that those words from his friend reminded him of the words of the hymn, "Shun not the struggle, face it. 'Tis God's gift." Not the accident. That's not God's gift. Not the tragedy. Not the sorrow. That's not God's gift. But the grace, the power to use those events to make life deeper and richer, that is the gift. When Jim Angell finally realized that, he let his daughter go, and found his life again. The end of sorrow comes when we can trust that no matter what happens to us, "The Lord will provide." ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., Collected Sermons, by Mark Trotte In recognizing God’s grace, we find God’s laughter. Let’s pray….. Song Faith of our Fathers UMH 710 Pastoral Prayer Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Offertory Prayer Faithful Provider, we bring our gifts with trembling hands and trusting hearts. Like Abraham on the mountain, we don’t always understand the path ahead, but we believe in your promise: that you will provide. We offer these gifts, not as bargains or sacrifices to earn your love, but as signs of our trust in you. Use them, we pray, to bless others—to meet needs, to heal hurts, to build hope. And as you provide for the world through us, keep us faithful to your calling, even when the way is unclear. May our giving be our “Here I am,” ready and willing to serve. In Christ’s name, Amen. (Genesis 22:1-14) (United Methodist Board of Discipleship) Announcements Closing Prayer for YouTube Be confident that the Holy One will provide For the promise of God is trustworthy And the presence of God is enduring Therefore, show up in the world With boldness and clarity That justice and righteousness will prevail In the name of Holy Love and Everlasting Peace May it be so for you and through you. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction May God go with you, blessing you with divine provision, making paths where there were none before, and leading you into flourishing in the most impossible of places. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, January 2026. Additional Illustrations A man named Victor Fried, in an essay titled “Too Broken to Be Fixed,” tells of how he grew up as an angry child who lashed out at others. His family had taught him that “if something went wrong, it was always someone else’s fault.” He learned to distrust people. And this distrust resulted in anger and alienation and lashing out at the world. The situation only worsened as Victor became an adult. He says of his mindset at that time, “Finally, you ask yourself the question: Why are so many people out to get me? And the only logical answer is that even God hates you. So, if you were like me, you return the favor and hate God right back. My belief that God hated me grew as the years passed, and I perceived each setback as further evidence that my belief was correct.” One thing that gave his life meaning was his job building custom furniture in a wood shop. One day, Victor spotted a man walking down the street carrying an elegant Queen Anne chair. He recognized it instantly as a valuable antique, and he asked the man if he could have it. It only had a broken rung, and Victor knew he could fix it. The man said, “No.” Then he threw the chair into a Dumpster, permanently breaking its frame and ruining it. This moment reinforced Victor’s belief that people are no good and God didn’t care about him. A year later, Victor’s anger and sadness finally drove him to burn out. He drove down to the Missouri River one icy-cold day with the intent to throw himself into the water and either drown or freeze to death. But as he stood on the riverbank, he suddenly recalled the angry man who had thrown the Queen Anne chair into the Dumpster. And he heard a voice say to him, “If you’re going to throw that away, may I have it?” Victor says he knew it was the voice of God. His lifetime of anger and fighting and broken relationships came to mind. And yet, now he could see how God loved him in spite of all these things. He suddenly understood that God is unconditional love and had loved him throughout his life. And now God was asking Victor to turn his life over to Him. So instead of falling into the icy river, Victor fell to his knees on that riverbank and gave his life to God. This moment was the start of healing a lifetime of anger and loneliness. (2) “If you’re going to throw that away, may I have it?” What do we have to believe about God to commit our entire lives to Him? We have to believe, first of all, in His goodness, in God’s unconditional love for us. If God is love, then God doesn’t want appeasement from us. He wants a relationship with us. If God is love, then His goal is not to leave our wounds and heartbreaks and challenges unredeemed. God’s goal is to work all things together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to God’s purposes (Romans 8:28). But if that’s true, how do we explain the sacrifice God asked Abraham to make? God rarely provides us with a road map for our faith journey. When you commit your life to God, you are taking a leap of faith. You have no idea where God will lead you. You have no idea what sacrifices you may be called to make. Like Jimmy, you don’t have to know what to do; you just have to be ready to do it. What would it take for us to be ready like that? We have to trust in the goodness of God and that God is working out His eternal purposes through our obedience. We will never see the end result of our commitment in this lifetime. We may never see how God works through our sacrifices to bring about His kingdom. But we can trust, as Abraham did, that the Lord who Provides will provide what we need to remain faithful to Him until the day we see God face-to-face. Until then, we will keep our eyes fixed on the cross as our guarantee that God so loved us that He gave His Son, His only Son, that whoever believes on him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Both of Abraham’s sons had to go through a “passing of age” ritual. In the chapter before, we read about Abraham’s firstborn son, Ishmael, through Sarah’s handmaid Hagar, and his desert “christening.” In that story, Abraham is pained for Hagar and Ishmael to be sent off into the desert, presumably to die. But God reassures Abraham and calls upon his faith. Abraham allows for them to be sent away, and God rescues both Hagar and Ishmael from the glaring heat, training Ishmael to be a “leader” of other nations. Ishmael today is known as the father of Arab nations. Abraham had to first sacrifice his son Ishmael to death by desert banishment in faith that God would take it from there. The scriptures tell us that “God dwelt with Ishmael from that time onward.” A farmer was out driving his tractor one day when he rolled onto a stretch of gopher mounds. The earth crumbled beneath one tire and the tractor rolled over on its side. Luckily, the farmer escaped the situation with only a few bruises. He went home and told his wife. She breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Honey, the Lord sure was with you." The farmer surveyed his bruises and answered, "Well, if He was, He sure got a rough ride." In 1958, America's first commercial jet air service began with the flight of the Boeing 707. A month after that first flight, a traveler on a piston-engine, propeller-driven DC-6 airliner struck up a conversation with a fellow passenger. The passenger happened to be a Boeing engineer. The traveler asked the engineer about the new jet aircraft. The engineer was wildly enthusiastic about this new, improved way to travel. He began speaking at length about the extensive testing Boeing had done on the jet engine before bringing it into commercial service. He recounted Boeing's experience with engines, from the B-17 to the B-52. When his traveling companion asked him if he himself had yet flown on the new 707 jet airliner, the engineer replied, "I think I'll wait until it's been in service awhile.'" Even enthusiastic talking about our faith doesn't mean much if we aren't also willing to put our lives where our mouth is. (3) The question for the day is: How much do you trust God? Abraham learned that behind the clouds of uncertainty God awaits. He placed his total trust in God and his trust was not misplaced. My guess is that Abraham was a different person when he descended from the mountain. From that moment on Abraham realized that God would take care of his son, Isaac. From that moment on he realized God would provide whatever was necessary for the fulfillment of His promises. Let us first of all consider this story through the eyes of Isaac. This dream child of Abraham and Sara is raised with love and unusual devotion. His name means laughter and he brings great joy to his parents. His mother even manages to excommunicate Isaac’s half-brother, Ishmael, into the wilderness so that there would be no sibling rivalry. Isaac had it all. When his daddy drags him out of bed before daylight to make this mysterious, frightful trip into the unknown, I can only imagine the kinds of questions that had to be on the young adolescent’s mind. The first question I would have asked is, “Where are we going? It is summer time. Years ago, about this time of the year, I remember loading our two boys into a borrowed station wagon and heading for Florida for a week’s stay in a loaned condominium. We were about 50 miles away from home when the questions started from the back seat. “Are we there yet? How much further? Can we stop now?” That is when our oldest son (back in the days before seat belts) leaned over the back seat and put his arms around my shoulders and said, “Dad, when we get to where we’re going, where will we be?” Inquiring children always want to know. “Is this a camping trip, Dad? Why isn’t Mother coming? How long will we be gone?” Questions like these had to come from Isaac’s lips. Teddy Roosevelt once said, “It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly... who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat.” [2] A pastor was making a wooden trellis to support a climbing vine. As he was pounding away, he noticed that a little boy was watching him. The youngster didn't say a word, so the preacher kept on working, thinking the boy would leave. But he didn't. Pleased at the thought that his work was being admired, the pastor finally said, "Well, son, trying to pick up some pointers on gardening?" "No," he replied. "I'm just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer." (1) That's a tricky position to be in, isn't it? Would you or I pass that test? I hope so. Sometimes, we don't even know when we're being tested. But that's not the case in today's Bible passage. Here is the second truth: The most important help he provides is for our greatest need—forgiveness and salvation. Because all of us are tainted by sin, there is no way we can spend eternity with a perfect God unless our sin problem is resolved. That requires someone able and willing to pay for our sin. That requires someone who has no sin problem of his own. That requires someone perfect and full of love for us. Indeed, that requires God himself. And so, Jesus, God in human form, went to a cross as the perfect sacrifice for the sin of all believers. The saga of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah was a preview of the cross of Calvary. The eternal Christ-Spirit, probably said to God the Father, “Father, we will come back to this same mountain one day, won’t we?” And God the Father said, “Yes, Son, we will return here.” And the Christ-Spirit said, “And when we return, I will be the sacrifice on the altar, isn’t that true?” And God the Father, who would not allow Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, was willing to sacrifice his Son for us, so great is his love for us. And so, many centuries later when John the Baptist saw Jesus, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) God not only provides forgiveness and salvation, but also grace sufficient for every need. To call on God is to make the ultimate 9-1-1 call. God is instantly available to all believers to help in wise and wonderful ways. As one stands to the West of the temple area in the old city of Jerusalem and gazes upon the remains of the Temple of Herod now spoken of as the "wailing wall," then looks beyond to the domineering Dome of the Rock, it is to recall the great epochs of history and tradition associated with the place called "Mount Moriah." How much of human history and the traditions of the "people of God" is linked to that spot! One of the most moving and poignant of those traditions is the story of Abraham’s ultimate temptation recorded in Genesis 22.

Sent out into the Wild World

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

Ride or Die Faith

June 7, 2026 Genesis 12:1-9 Ride or Die Faith 2nd Sunday After Pentecost Year A Prelude Greeting Call to Worship Like Abram and Sarai, God calls us to go into the unknown, trusting that God’s promises are true. Whether we are certain or full of doubts, God blesses us that we may be a blessing. God sends us into the world to journey by faith, believing that God’s blessings are greater than anything we can imagine. Whether the path is straight or winding, God blesses us that we may be a blessing. God gathers us today with trusted companions, those who also follow God’s call, even when it does not make sense to the world around us. Whether we journey with friends or feel all alone, God blesses us that we may be a blessing. As we gather to worship, may we remember that we are God’s people, blessed by God to be a blessing to our world that is hurting and desperately in need of good news. God, form us today as a family of faith, that your blessings might flow out of us and into our world, drawing all people into your promise of abundant life and flourishing. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, December 2025. Invocation Wonderful God, we delight in your presence. We find shelter in your abiding and enduring love. You humble us, Holy Love, by gathering us as a people. Thank you for being our Companion and Guide on this journey. Receive our songs, prayers, and openness. Nourish us from the fountain of your word and the hospitality of your table. May we find hope and inspiration, courage and direction, community and resolve as we worship you. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Song I Come with Joy UMH 617 A Sermon for all Ages There are 3 faithful people. The first likes sports and has athletic ability. The person joins several teams, eats foods that build a strong body, exercise regularly, watches sports events on tv, and reads about sport heros. The second person likes to draw and draws well. This persob belongs to the art club at school, takes painting lessons, spends birthday money on paints, pays more attention to the pictures that the words in books and reads about great artist. We can see that these two have god given gifts, have accepted those gifts and are enjoying and developing them. They are faithful to their gifts. A third person believes that god made him or her a part of a family that includes everyone in the world. So this person treats everyone with kindness, stands up for other kids, refuses to laugh at jokes about people’s color or nationality, and contributes Christmas money to build a house for a family living in a shack. This person is faithful to God’s gift and promise that we are all one family Responsive Reading Psalm 33:1-12 UMH 767 Scripture Genesis 12:1-9 Sermon Ride or Die Faith Another legend: Abraham as a boy saw the multitudes of flocks surrounding his father’s tents, and he asked his mother, "Who is the Lord of these?" She answered, "Your father, Terah." Then the boy asked, "And who is Lord of Terah?" She responded, "Nimrod, the King." Then the boy pushed the quest one step further: "And who is Lord of Nimrod?" His mother answered, "Don’t push questions too far." But the lad, Abraham, "was already reaching out to the God who is the God of all." No one really knows why Abraham walked away from a successful life in search of something more. Why he listened to the voice of a God that he didn’t even know in search of something different. But we can all be glad that he did. Abraham is considered the father of our faith. In his hometown Ur, they worshipped the sun and the moon. And judging from the names of his family members, his family who all have moon related names, their family was deeply religious. Their family was held in high regard and well established. His family had many animals and servants. His dad had concubines who had many children. We know that Abraham had 2 other brothers. More than likely he was the youngest. His older brother Haran dies. Haran’s son Lot adopted his uncle Abraham to be his father figure. To Abraham, his father Terah was everything. His world. It was the father, Terah who got the vision to break away from the family and to travel to a new land. To his dad, traveling to a new land meant traveling to the next town. When Terah left – he took his younger son, Abraham, his daughter (now married to Abraham, Sarah, and his grandson Lot. As they were living in his father’s house – Abraham heard a voice of a new god – telling him that there was something else out there. In Genesis 1-3. God calls Abraham to walk away from his country, his relatives, and his father’s house. In those days – you had no reason to leave your father’s house. Your livelihood was there, you would marry a spouse from there, your mother was there, everything. As a younger brother, however, he must have realized that his father’s house would never be his. And even though he was doing well, he had no kids beside his nephew who was determined to carry on his own father’s name. So in the prime of his life, aged 75 – he hears the call of Yahweh, the Hebrew name for God. He follows God’s voice wandering throught the desert, with no idea of what his future would be. One night as he is camping in the sand, he looks up at the countless stars and God makes a promise that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars. That his house will be bigger than anything that his father ever dreamed of. With that promise and no guarantees he steps out in search of his destiny in an unknown land. Thousands of years later, another son will leave the realm of his father’s house. Jesus comes to earth to teach us to listen to the voice of God and to trust God’s plan for us. We are told to follow God on a journey, to form a new family, to love and care for one another, to build a world on earth just like the Father’s house in heaven. Jesus gives us a new promise – in my Father’s House there are many mansions – enough for all of us to live happily. When I think of Abraham’s story I also think of my stepfather. Who is not much older than Abraham when he embarked on a new journey. As he has to discern a new way of life and a move into an unknown future. Presently he is contemplating moving our of his house of 53 years and going into assisted living. He is not happy about leaving the life that he built for 53 years, the memories of family, the familiarity to enter into a new life. It is a very hard and painful decision. And just like for Abraham – there are no guarantees only faith and promises. It is not faith until it is all that we have to rely on In our scripture – God made 7 promises to Abraham The seven promises God made to Abraham are: 1. "I will make you a great nation": God promised to take a childless man and grow his descendants into a vast, distinct nation (Israel). Christ Over All +1 2. "I will bless you": God promised to provide Abraham with divine favor, protection, and provision throughout his life. GospelBells Radio 3. "I will make your name great": God promised Abraham an enduring legacy of honor across generations and cultures. Christ Over All +1 4. "You shall be a blessing": God chose Abraham not merely to receive blessings, but to actively be a channel of divine favor to others. Christ Over All +1 5. "I will bless those who bless you": God promised His favor to anyone who supported or aligned themselves with Abraham and his descendants. Christ Over All +1 6. "I will curse those who curse you": God promised to bring judgment upon anyone who opposed or oppressed Abraham and his family. Christ Over All +1 7. "In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed": The ultimate promise, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, declaring that the lineage of Abraham would eventually bring salvation to the whole world. Christ Over All +1 Abraham trusted those promises. But it didn’t become faith – until it was all that he had to rely on to step into the future. The truth is we all have those moments in life. When we have to move forward. We have no guarantees that things are going to turn out the way we expect. We have no guarantees that things are going to get better. All we have is Abrahams faith. We all have those moments in life, when we have to leave what we are comfortable with, and embrace our faith. Sometime it is a big step in our lives, but in reality no matter what stage of life we are in, moving forward everyday is a choice. Our Faith opens the door in the human spirit that allows an individual to step from one dimension of living into a higher dimension of living. Dr. Charles Allen tells of a desperate layman who called him one morning over the phone and urgently requested him to come to his office. The businessman continued, "Would you tell me what it means to be a Christian? I have got to know." We ministers are challenged by such a request, but how do we answer the question? It all begins with faith. Faith is a personal response to an inner glimpse of God. Faith is risking all of my life on what I believe about God. Once I was visiting in the home of a young adult couple. The husband asked: "When do I become a Christian when I believe or when I become perfect?" I had to answer, "Neither." You can believe and do nothing about it, and if you wait until you are perfect, you will never get there. You become a Christian when you launch out on a life pilgrimage committed to what you see of God in Jesus Christ. Faith is not being trapped in a static definition of life. It is a launching out in a new direction which you believe will unfold as you go. What do I believe in so much that I am willing to live by it? What is the basis of my decision-making? Whether it is true or false, good or bad, that is my faith. The scripture tells us they "journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb" (12:9). In that sense, we are always moving through some stage of life. Living is a continual journey. It is futile to think we can arrive at a certain place where everything will be safe and secure. We are on a pilgrimage from birth to death to eternity. We never get it all together. We never solve all the problems or remove all the dangers. Even if you arrive at a place called, "I got it made!" you soon discover it is not a permanent residence. It is only a rest stop on the road to whatever comes next. Even if we somehow attain a goal of making life safe and comfortable, it is an empty, meaningless victory. For life at its best is an on-going spiritual journey toward loving God. They say that the universe is constantly growing, that the number of stars continues to grow, may we take our place in the heavens among the stars- working to increase the children of Abraham through love and kindness. Song Rescue the Perishing UMH 591 Prayer for the Day Long before the change of name, before the first signs of new life showed the beginnings of promises fulfilled, You asked Abram to make his home among foreigners, and share the blessing that was to come. And now, O God, you ask the same faith of us: The faith to count ourselves among the least, to find our place alongside the poor and broken; The faith to trust in your mercy and your promises, and to share what we have received; The faith to wait expectantly for your reign of justice and equity, together with those who most need its gifts. Teach us to be children of Abram, sharers of the blessings we enjoy: The blessing of plenty shared with those who have need, The blessing of healing shared with those who are sick and wounded, The blessing of joy shared with those who celebrate and of tears shared with those who grieve, The blessing of friendship shared with those who are excluded, and of solidarity with those who fight injustice, The blessing of peace shared with those in conflict, and of confrontation shared with those who bring harm; And in some small way, may our faith and our sharing, help to bring your promises into being in our world. Amen. Written by John van de Laar on his Sacredise blog. Reposted at the Pilgrim WR Uniting Church website at https://pilgrimwr.unitingchurch.org.au/?p=11174. Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment The Gospels tell us story after story of Jesus as “healer.” The Matthew 9 text today tells of healing the daughter of a leader, and a woman who had bled for 12 years. He healed with a word, a touch, his own spit and dirt of the earth. In many cities around the world, we see hospitals, nursing homes, churches, and therapy offices where followers of Jesus use their gifts to bring healing today. Here, week by week, we invite you to share your gifts to help heal the hurts of the world through the work of this congregation and the work of the wider church. Time, talent, and treasure all are needed. Will you share your gifts this morning? You can do that by… [Describe several ways giving can happen – the offering plates, a note to offer help for a specific need, speaking to a leader.] We are one part of the body of Christ, still in the healing business! Prayer of Thanksgiving Blessed are you, Lord God, for the ways you inspire and encourage each of us to follow Jesus. We offer these gifts to you, grateful for the varied ways each and all are contributors to the health and well-being of the world you continue to love. Help us utilize each gift to the max, enabling Good News to be embodied here and now. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith ad Giving) Communion Invitation to Communion Do not Print just title Matthew reports (Mt. 9:10) that Jesus shared dinner one evening in a house where he sat with his disciples, tax collectors, and sinners. I wonder what a reporter might describe about us? That is, if someone could identify the activities of each and all of us, what might show up? How marvelous to have Jesus’ response: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” ALL of us are welcome to share in this meal. Our identities, both those visible and those that are invisible, do not demand that we should be excluded. Rather, we are each welcome and invited to share in bread and juice, remembering Jesus and gaining strength To see thee more clearly, Love thee more dearly, Follow thee more nearly, day by day. (lyrics from “Day by Day,” 1971 Godspell) The table is prepared and there is a place for you. (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Sending Prayer for YouTube Like Sarah and Mary, Abraham ad Aaron, we take those steps of faith offered by our God. With Jesus, as well as foolish and fallible followers, we dare go into those unknown places where hope is absent, where grace is empty. With Paul, with Phoebe, with people we know, we are willing to follow the Spirit on adventures into justice and compassion. (Lectionary Liturgies, Thom M. Shuman) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Go now as the people of God, a family. (United Methodist Board of Discipleship) Additional Illustrations One never knows what's beginning and what's ending. Looking back we may, or we may not, be able to recall the insignificant little events -- a passing comment, a glance across a room, words on the page of a book, a thought as we stared out a window -- minor events which were the beginnings of something which shaped a significant aspect of our lives. What loving gesture, repentant prayer, word spoken or purposely not spoken, what discipline exercised, might indicate a new beginning in your spiritual life this week? Once, an elderly couple, hearts quickened by the promises of a living and gracious God, packed their belongings and set out with their family for a promised future. God works wanders! CSS Publishing, Caught In The Acts, by Gerald Whetstone It has been reported that there are some 33,000 promises in the Bible that God has made to his people. Would we not be wise to find the ones that apply to our present needs and situation and claim them for ourselves in the name of our Faithful Promiser? While it is unclear exactly what prompted Terah's initial move from Ur to Haran, there is absolutely no ambiguity about what inspired Abram's move. The Lord's directive to Abram is straightforward, both in its demand and in its promises. Genesis 12:1 does not try to sugarcoat or soft-pedal the things Abram is asked to give up. In fact, the text itemizes them. God commands Abram to leave his country, kindred and father's house - everything, in fact, that gave Abram his personal identity. In the tight-knit family/clan-oriented culture of this people, leaving family meant leaving not just personal or sentimental attachments. Abandoning the clan meant leaving one's only source of law, morality, safety, security and identity. For Abram to leave the enclave of his family was to put his future survival - both psychological and personal - very much at risk. This call from the Lord is unique in grammatical structure as well as in content. The phrase invoked by the Divine in 12:1 is lech lecha - literally an emphatic "Go, you!" There are only two instances in the entire Bible where God addresses anyone with direct personal command. The second occurrence of lech lecha, "Go, you!" is also spoken to Abraham - this time in Genesis 22:2. Although English translation almost invariably fails to reflect this parallelism, both God's initial call to Abram in Genesis 12:1 and God's shocking command to Abraham that he offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice are phrased with this lech lecha, "Go, you!" directive. This parallelism is significant. In both cases, Abram/Abraham is being asked to give up his own identity as a symbol of his commitment to the Lord Yahweh. In Genesis 12:1, Abram is asked to give up his entire past - his family, his land, all that has shaped him into his own self. In the case of Genesis 22, Abraham is asked to give up his future - the new identity he has carved out for himself but which is intimately tied to his beloved "miracle" son Isaac. God's command, "Go, you!" severs Abram/Abraham from everything human he would cling to for security and identity. In both cases the lech lecha order leaves Abram/Abraham solely with God - no past, no future, no family, no land, no people. Just God. This is not to suggest that Abram was emotionally detached from old family ties the moment he responded to God's covenant-command. The very aged Abraham orders his servant to find Isaac a wife among his own people - his old clan - not from among the Canaanites (Genesis 24:4). But after his call from God, the old loyalties, the old ways, the controlling definitions of family and culture failed to dictate Abram's life any longer. The covenant relationship God established with Abram began the process of creating a world of free but ethical behavior between God and all creation. Unlike the capricious or whimsical behavior of the gods in other ancient Near Eastern religions, the constancy of Yahweh's pledged word gave Abram and his followers a standard of security and a basis for living with enduring faith and ethical commitment. ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., Collected Works, by Leonard Sweet Abraham and his nephew Lot had prospered in the land of Canaan. They had many flocks and herds and their herdsmen had begun to quarrel among themselves, and the two owners were in danger of becoming involved also. But Abraham said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between us for we are kinsmen." Then very generously he told Lot to make his own choice of the land where he would like to go and find pasture for his cattle and sheep. How greatly is the spirit of peacefulness needed in our world today. Quarreling, fighting, and killing seem to be the order of the day. Within the past two weeks the radio reported three such horrible events right within the families where there should be peace and harmony. "Be ye kind to one another, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:31, 32; 5:1) Young Ben's family was quite active in a church that emphasizes a personal commitment to Christ. Even though he was quite young, Ben had heard more than one sermon about the importance of surrendering one's life to Christ. And so, one morning as the family sat around the kitchen table eating Cheerios, little Ben announced that he, too, was ready to give his life to Christ. He then got up from the table and went upstairs. His mother and father looked at each other and then decided to follow Ben. They thought they might find him on his knees in prayer. They didn't. Instead, they found him folding his Star Wars pajamas into his Sesame Street suitcase. They asked, "Ben, what are you doing?" He answered, "Packing." "Why?" they asked. "To go to heaven," he said. In Ben's young mind, giving one's life to Christ was no small step. It meant the willingness to leave his family and travel immediately to be with Christ. (1) As I read this story told by Ben's mom I thought of that old Testament figure, Abraham. The picture we get of Abraham is of a man with the same kind of complete and unreserved faith in God that little Ben had. Booker T. Washington was a dreamer who backed up his dreams with action. Abraham must have been a man like that as well. We don't know how God spoke to Abramfor that was his name before he accomplished his dream. Could it have been an audible voice? Perhaps. A still small voice within the heart? Maybe. Somehow Abram knew that God was telling him to leave his homeland and to move to land which God would show him. There he would found a new nationa great nationa nation that would be a blessing to the world. What a dream! What a vocation! I don't know about you but most of my dreams seem inadequate and pathetic compared to Abram's dream. I believe in airplanes, but if I do not ever fly, it is probable that I have no faith in airplanes. Only when I fly do I have faith in planes. My life is defined by my faith. The one certain controlling thing at the center of my consciousness is my faith. I live by what I believe in. The questions are: What is truth? What is reality? What is the true purpose of life? What is God really like? What is God calling me to be? All of these questions have to do with faith. Others had asked questions: but Abraham acted on his questions. This is when faith becomes real. He put his life on the line. He dedicated his life to finding this God whom he had glimpsed. "And he went out, not knowing whither he went ... for he looked for a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." (Hebrews 11:8,10 King James) This God revealed himself to Abraham throughout the journey. And the Judeo-Christian faith was launched and became the most creative stream of life that has flowed through human history. What was there about the promise of this God, Yahweh, that attracted them? What would motivate a 75-year-old man whose family had lived in the area for generations to pack everything and move to an unknown place called Canaan? We must conclude something significant was missing in their lives. Old Testament scholar, Walter Brueggemann, suggests the family of Abraham must have felt as though they had no viable future in Mesopotamia.2 Their barrenness was more than childlessness. Their lives were empty. They were cut off from real meaning and joy. They had no foreseeable future, and cut off from God, they were without potential. They may have felt safe and comfortable in the Tigris-Euphrates River valley, but their lives were barren. To pump meaning into an empty existence they had no alternative but to step out in faith and go to Canaan. They had to leave security behind. They had to abandon the familiar. They had to trust God and step into the unknown. If they wanted a future, that was the only possibility. It was frightening and it was risky, but faith is always a scary, risky business. The story of Abraham and Sarah is also our story. If you want to get out of this life all it has to offer, you need to risk leaving what seems safe, secure and comfortable in order to trust God and step out in faith. loving people and serving the needs of others. To live any other way is to come up short. Robert Bly in his poem, "Snowbanks North Of The House,"3 uses the image of the "great sweeps of snow that stop suddenly six feet from the house." Unless we risk and keep striving on this journey, we become like the boy who never reads another book after high school graduation or like the child who loses contact with the family and quits calling home. We are cut off from the past and have no tools to open a future. For others, some event shatters the comfortable cocoon. The children are grown. They want nothing more than to settle back and enjoy life. Then one of their children dies. She was 33, but still their child. No pain surpasses that of burying one's child, no matter the age. They move through their grief in different ways and at different paces. They lose touch with one another. Before they emerge from the pain, they have lost their marriage as well as their child. For others, it can happen differently. One night at a party, the wife sees her husband across the room and realizes she loves him no more. There was no problem, no crisis. The caring simply left. They took their marriage for granted and the warm glow of love drowned in neglect. We are fellow travelers on this pilgrimage that goes from birth to death to eternity. We always move from place to place and stage to stage. It can be a frightening journey. Certainly it always involves risk. The alternative, however, is not promising. To fail to take a risk can make us like the woman who puts down her rolling pin and bakes no more. We know people like that. For reasons not fully clear, they run out of enthusiasm in mid-life. By the age of 40 he has no other work-related goal than retirement. She no longer even dreams of an exciting vacation in a faraway place or even relishes a simple task like cooking a meal. Life comes up short. They failed to grasp that life is a spiritual journey requiring risk to move from stage to stage, step to step. What a terrible thing when people give up on life. What a shock it can be to think you have it together only to discover there is always one more hill to climb, one more problem to face, one more crisis to endure. What a terrible thing to exist even for 70 or 80 or 90 years, but not to know the abundance of life. To live to the fullest means accepting that we are on a spiritual pilgrimage. We don't have the option of comfort and security. God always calls us out of the present moment to risk moving into the future. Like Abraham, we always go by stages toward the Negeb. We don't know what comes next. We only know that our security is in our relationship to this God who will not abandon us. This is the God who is in Christ Jesus calling us over the tumult of life's wild restless sea saying, "Christian, follow me." ________________________________________ 1. Gibson, Volume 2, p. 6.2. Brueggemann, p. 116.3. From The Man In The Black Coat Turns, (New York: Doubleday, 1981). CSS Publishing, Tenders of the Sacred Fire, by R. Robert Cueni It happened a couple of months ago. I was struggling with personal direction issues, but had also begun to think of the assignment of preaching on this occasion. The words of a young man named Nicholas in The Magus, a novel by John Fowles, popped into my mind. I went back into my files and retrieved it. “It poured rain the day I left. But I was filled with excitement, a strange sense of taking wing. I didn’t know where I was going, but I knew what I needed. I needed a new land, a new race, a new language; and although I couldn’t have put it into words then, I needed a new mystery.” (John Fowles, The Magus, (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 965, pg. 150) The Promises of God Are True Tom Long says that while he was at Princeton, he went to a nearby Presbyterian church that prides itself on being an academic, intellectual church. Early on, he said, he went to a family night supper and sat down next to a man, introduced himself, told him he was new, and said, "Have you been here long?" "Oh yes," the man said. "In fact I was here before this became such a scholarly church. Why I’m probably the only non-intellectual left. I haven't understood a sermon in over 25 years." "Then why do you keep coming," Tom asked? "Because every Monday night a group of us get in the church van and drive over to the youth correctional center. Sometimes we play basketball, or play games. Usually we share a Bible story. But mostly we just get to know these kids and listen to them. "I started going because Christians are supposed to do those kind of things. But now I could never stop. Sharing the love of God at that youth center has changed my life." And then he said this profound statement. "You cannot prove the promises of God in advance, but if you live them, they’re true, every one." During this Lenten season how are you living the promises of God? Where is it that God is calling you to go? Our ancestors came from a very long way for us to get where we are – but we still have a long way to go – especially in our hearts and souls. The seven promises God made to Abraham are: 1. "I will make you a great nation": God promised to take a childless man and grow his descendants into a vast, distinct nation (Israel). Christ Over All +1 2. "I will bless you": God promised to provide Abraham with divine favor, protection, and provision throughout his life. GospelBells Radio 3. "I will make your name great": God promised Abraham an enduring legacy of honor across generations and cultures. Christ Over All +1 4. "You shall be a blessing": God chose Abraham not merely to receive blessings, but to actively be a channel of divine favor to others. Christ Over All +1 5. "I will bless those who bless you": God promised His favor to anyone who supported or aligned themselves with Abraham and his descendants. Christ Over All +1 6. "I will curse those who curse you": God promised to bring judgment upon anyone who opposed or oppressed Abraham and his family. Christ Over All +1 7. "In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed": The ultimate promise, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, declaring that the lineage of Abraham would eventually bring salvation to the whole world. Christ Over All +1