Morning Prayers
Call to Reconciliation
We close our heart's eye, and wonder why we cannot
see Jesus. We wander down the same old paths, and
are amazed that Jesus is not ahead of us. We speak
and live in ways which keep us from being God's children.
Let us come to the One who offers us grace and mercy,
as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Love that knows no boundaries: we crowd our lives
with so much activity, that it is hard to find time for you.
We become so focused on ourselves, we can overlook
those around us who are searching for hope. We fill
our spiritual emptiness with junk, rather than feasting on
your Word.
Abundant Mercy, forgive us. Open our eyes, that
we may see your new covenant written in plain sight
on our hearts. Open our hearts, that we may join you
in serving the broken of the world. Open our love, so
we may pour it out as abundantly and graciously as
your love is given to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Like a parent tenderly washing her child, God bathes
us in the warm waters of forgiveness, cleansing us, and
restoring us to new life.
Through Christ, we are made whole; through Christ,
we are loved; through Christ, we become new people.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
The Pastoral Prayer
O Lord - when we contemplate the sacrifice of Jesus - your Son - we are
overwhelmed. Your mercy and your love know no human limitations. Your
grace and your forgiveness are greater than all we can tell. Help us,
O Lord, to declare your compassion and to give all praise and honor to
your most holy name. Put in us the willingness to follow where-ever you
may lead us.
Lord we pray for all those who do not understand you this day -
especially we pray for those who would blame you for the suffering that
they or others must endure. Show them, O Lord, your will is entirely
good -- that you take upon yourself our pain, our guilt, our death, so
that we may live in wholeness and in eternal peace. Show them O God, and
relieve their distress.
We pray, O Lord, for those who bear the cross of Christ this day, for
those who give of themselves without regard to the cost.... We pray for
parents who care so deeply that they forget themselves for the sake of
their children; for brothers and sisters who give up what is theirs so
that their siblings may prosper, for those of faith who sacrifice their
time, their energy, and often their very lives, so that those around them
who are in need may be satisfied.
Father, we pray for those whom have been lifted up before you today in
our updates - and we ask your blessing upon them.
Lord, we pray today for things we dare not speak aloud. Hear us in our silence.
O Lord, accept all our prayers this day. We ask it in the name of Christ
Jesus, he who died that we might live, and who lives that we may never
die. Amen
John 12.20-26
20 ¶ Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
23 Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24 Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
25 Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
“Why We Use the Saint Andrew’s Cross”
The denominational symbol of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a red chalice with a St. Andrew’s Cross.
It was drawn on a placemat by my late friend Ronald Osborn, and officially adopted as our church’s symbol in 1971. Since then it has become a recognizable representation of belonging. Anywhere you travel in the U.S. or Canada--and in many other parts of the world-- this chalice with the cross serves to let you know that this is your church.
But why is this “X” shaped cross called St. Andrew’s? And what does it have to do with our scripture for today?
Today, we examine the life of Andrew--at least what we know of it. Some of which is more reliable than others, but all of it germane to our point. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Andrew is simply a name on a list. Where we learn a little something about Andrew is in the Gospel of John, which is our text for today.
In the first chapter of John, Andrew is the first to be a disciple of Jesus, after apparently being a disciple of John the Baptist. Andrew and another disciple were with John when Jesus walked by and John shouted out, “behold, the Lamb of God!”
They asked Jesus where he was staying and Jesus said, “Come and see.”
They spent that day with Jesus, and while we don’t know where they went or what they did or even what was said, we know it had a profound impact on Andrew. Andrew went right away to his brother Simon, later to be known as Peter, and told him, “We have found the Messiah!” Andrew then introduced Peter to Jesus.
And this is evangelism at its very best and in its most basic form--introducing someone to Jesus.
And that is primarily what we know of Andrew--he introduces people to Jesus.
He does it again in the sixth chapter of John, at the event headlined in your bibles as the feeding of the five thousand.
A big crowd had followed Jesus out into the countryside. By the way, the number five thousand didn’t count the women and the children so this crowd was probably closer to 20,000! It was time to eat, and Jesus asked Philip how they might buy enough food to feed the people.
Philip answered, “two hundred denarii would not buy enough for each of them to get a little.”
What Philip was actually saying was that it was impossible--since a denarius was a day’s wage, and the idea that the disciples and Jesus would be carrying around two hundred of them was absurd. Feeding the crowd would simply not be possible.
But, then, something amazing happens. Andrew introduces a young boy to Jesus--a boy who was willing to share his lunch. Even Andrew is skeptical about the prospects, but Jesus blesses the food and the crowd is filled and there is food left over.
We don’t know exactly what happened there, but I do know this: miraculous things happen when we share what we have, and miraculous things happen when we introduce someone to Jesus Christ. Let me repeat those things: miraculous things happen when we share what we have, and miraculous things happen when we introduce someone to Jesus Christ.
The last appearance of Andrew takes place in our scripture for today. This occurs just after the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, during the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. Some Greeks came to Philip asking if they could see Jesus. Philip told Andrew, and together, they took them to Jesus. Once again, Andrew was the willing go between, introducing first his own brother, then a boy with a lunch basket, and a Gentile group to Jesus.
Remember, Jesus said he had come only for Israel, and he had told his disciples to go nowhere among the Gentiles. It must have taken some nerve for Andrew to bring these Greeks to Jesus.
Where the other disciples were willing to just go along to get along, Andrew stuck his neck out and took chances because he knew the power of bringing people to Jesus.
What do we know of Andrew outside the bible? Well, it’s pretty fanciful, but interesting.
Tradition has it that Andrew made his way to what are now known as Romania, Ukraine and Russia and preached the Gospel there. He was crucified in Patras, a city in Northern Greece. The legend has it that he deemed himself unworthy to die on a Roman cross as did Jesus, and requested that he be executed on and “X” shaped cross, now known as a Saint Andrew’s cross.
Some of Andrew’s remains, or relics, were taken to Scotland where Andrew became known as the patron Saint. The flag of Scotland bears an “X” shaped cross in his honor.
And here’s where the Disciples of Christ come in. Two of our church’s founders, Thomas Campbell and his son Alexander Campbell, were natives of Scotland who came to America by way of Ireland.
The Saint Andrew’s cross was chosen for the Disciples symbol because of those ties to Scotland, but also for our historic emphasis on evangelism.
And there lies the rub.
Our emphasis on evangelism is primarily historic and not contemporary--in other words, we used to introduce people to Jesus, but not so much, anymore.
And this is tragic--not only for the diminishing number of us, but for the whole church.
Who knows if the family member you could invite to First Christian might be the next Peter--the rock of the church?
Or what about your neighbor who doesn’t have a church home? Who knows what example of sharing she might set for us?
And what about the stranger you meet in the store, or the person who cuts your hair, or mows your lawn, or the guy on the next treadmill at the “Y?” Who knows what might come out of a simple invitation and an opportunity to meet Jesus?
Some in our church want to emphasize the Scottish connection to our church when they see the “X” shaped cross, but I hope that it takes us back to Andrew--the original evangelist.
Evangelism means Good News, but it can’t be Good News if it’s not shared.
Sharing Jesus is indeed Good News for us, Good News for Mansfield, and Good News for the world. Amen.
Offering
Invitation
A seed is completely useless unless it is planted. Then it can become the beginning of a great harvest—producing many seeds, which will produce more grain. This is a lot like our money here on earth. One dollar is not a large amount of money, but combined with other dollars it becomes a powerful tool. We must use our resources today to ensure that there is a strong ministry for tomorrow. As we present our offerings, please consider how much more powerful our gifts are when combined.
Prayer
Dear God, help us to be like the wheat seed that has been planted. Help us to use your resources to grow your ministry, so that the money, time, and talent we give today will make a difference for years to come in our church and our community. Amen.
Benediction
Go in peace - love and care for one another in the name of Christ and share his Good News;
And may the blessing of God fall upon you;
may the living presence of Jesus surround you;
and may the Spirit guide and support you
both now and evermore. Amen
Sermons of Pastor Chris Whitehead from the First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, located in Mansfield, Ohio
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Worship March 18, 2012
Morning Prayers
Call to Reconciliation
In becoming one of us, God became poor so we could receive
the riches of mercy. In coming to us, God took on our death,
so we could be made alive together with Christ. Come, offer
your confessions, knowing that by grace you have been saved. Let us now confess our sin before God and one another:
Unison Prayer of Confession
The words we speak all too often do not show you in
our lives, God of our pilgrimage. We spend so much time
boasting to others, they imagine we have no need for you.
We grumble impatiently when you don't respond immediately
to our requests, but are slow to sing your praises. We
mutter under our breath about the behavior of those around
us, when we could be asking them if there is some way we
could serve them.
It is on our journey to the cross and the tomb that you
fill us with the riches of your mercy, O God, our Steadfast Love! You
do so, not because of any thing we have done, but because
of the compassion which flows from your heart wounded
by our failings. As we open our lives to receive your
forgiveness, may we turn to the Light which brings us
life, following Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, every
step of the way. Amen.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
How much does God love us?
Enough to become human and live as one of us;
not to condemn
us, but to save us.
Not by our speaking or doing, but by God's good and
precious grace are we saved. Thanks be to God! Amen.
The Pastoral Prayer
God of grace and God of glory, we pray that you will pour your power upon us. Give us the strength and courage to call your name boldly in thanks and praise. We come to you in thanksgiving for many things. We are thankful for a mild winter, and we look forward to seeing your beauty in a glorious spring. We thank you for the love of family and friends and all who remind us of your love. We thank you for this congregation and for the joy we share together in this place. We pray that you will bless us with the will to share the goodness of this church with others we may encounter in the rest of our lives. These are difficult times for your church, O God. Let us never forget that you are not far off, but that you are with us every day. Guide our steps and help us to take leaps of faith in serving your kingdom in this place and in the world.
We pray for our cities and townships, O Lord. We especially pray for those who serve and our own Russ. Bless them with wisdom, mercy, justice, and humility as they serve your people in Richland County.
We pray for the sick, both those whose names we have called and those about whom we are silent. Hear our prayers for them and for the concerns of our own hearts as we pray to you in silence.
We lift these prayers to you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
John 3:1-17
1 ¶ Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God."
3 Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above."
4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?"
5 Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.
6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’
8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
9 Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"
10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
11 "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony.
12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17 "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
“God so Loved This World”
It’s an election year and the words “born again” are being thrown about once more.
Jimmy Carter was our first President who used the term, “born again,” to describe himself. Reporters tried to find the term “born again” in dictionaries so that they could understand it.
Ronald Reagan, good Disciple that he was, had to be coached by his handlers on how to use the term “born again” when he was running for President in 1980 so that he could garner the evangelical Christian vote..
Bill Clinton considered himself “born again” and at times sounded like a Baptist preacher on the stump.
George W. Bush called himself “born again” and made no bones about how his faith had turned his life around.
President Obama, having come to faith in a UCC church (our partner denomination) isn’t really comfortable with the tern, “born again.”
And now, none of the three front runners in the race for the Republican nomination--a Mormon and two Catholics--consider themselves “born again,” though evangelical Christians are supporting all three!
Many Disciples aren’t sure what this “born again” idea is about. Well, we’re in good company. Nicodemus, the Rabbi and Pharisee who came to Jesus in secret at night didn’t understand it, either.
You must be born from above, Jesus tells him. But, how can you be born twice?
Jesus, repeats himself. Everyone is born of water--which I used to believe was about baptism, but now I understand to be about amniotic fluid. We are all born of water from our mothers’ wombs, but Jesus says, we must also be born of Spirit--from above. That’s trickier.
Being born from above is not some kind of secret-handshake-get-out-of-hell-card, but a radical reorienting of one’s self to try to understand the way God looks at the world.
Toward the end of the conversation, Jesus tells Nicodemus the key to being born from above--understanding God’s radical love for the world.
God so loved the world that he gave his son. Being born from above is beginning to understand grace--the idea that God’s love for us is greater than we can imagine.
God so loved the world--the(cosmos) that he gave a son to save it.
David Lose points out that that word cosmos
“everywhere else in the Gospel of John describes that entity [that cosmos] that is at complete enmity with God. Typical is this prayer by Jesus just before his crucifixion--reported in John 17: "I have given them [the Disciples] your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world"
This gives John 3:16 a bit more punch: "For God so loved the God-hating world that he sent his only Son ... ," we might accurately translate. Apparently, at least according to Jesus, God really, really, really loves the world.”
This world.
And that’s what this passage is all about. And that’s the difference between “born again” and “born from above.”
When I hear people say that they are born again, what I hear them saying is that they are in a personal, individual saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
But, being born from above, is seeing the world as God sees it--even a world that hates God. Being born from above is understanding that God is in a saving relationship with the world--the whole world--this world, which God loves so much that he became one of us. God so loved the world that he put on our skin and moved among to show us by his life, death, and life again how to really, really, really love the world.
This world.
Some of you might be perturbed that I use Ronald Reagan as an example of a Disciple. I’ve talked about President Reagan before as a Disciple and heard from some of you about it. Some of you are thrilled.
Is President Reagan the best example of a Christian? Maybe not.
But, that’s kind of the point. Being born from above is to see this world as God sees, and to love as God loves, and to understand that no one is beyond God’s grace.
I’ve told you this story of President Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev before. At the peak of his Presidency, Ronald Reagan became friends with his counterpart in the Soviet Union. The two men genuinely liked each other, and they knew that the talks they had would have cosmic, if you will, consequences.
Reagan told his advisers that he believed Mikhail Gorbachev was a “closet Christian.” He was willing to look at the leader of the “evil empire” and see a child of God. That’s grace, church. That’s being born from above. Ronald Reagan may not have been born again, but I believe he was born from above.
Four years ago, this week, Mikhail Gorbachev visited the tomb of Saint Francis, in Assisi, Italy, and confirmed what Reagan had suspected twenty years earlier--that he was indeed a Christian--even though his position of power in the Soviet government precluded his confession of it.
In this season of Lent, we are encouraged to look inward to see ourselves as we truly are. Given the reality of this passage, maybe we should look around as well. What is God seeing in the world today? How are we to relate to this world that God loves--no matter what? How can we see the world as God sees it? How can we be “born from above?”
When we understand ourselves as being born from above, it’s Good News. Good News for us, Good News for Mansfield, and Good News for the world.
Offering
Invitation
We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,. How we “do good” is a personal matter between each of us and God, but it is why we are here. What is God calling you to give? When you present your offerings today, consider that this act of giving is why we were given the gift of Christ.
Prayer
God in heaven, thank you for creating our lives and our work. We know that we are your handiwork, with a purpose of doing, giving and sharing. Our relationship to you gives our lives meaning. Please use our gifts to further the work of the church, this congregation, and the community in which we live. Amen.
Benediction
God forth into the world in peace,
seeing this fragile and wonderful world as God sees it--from above.
Look on it in wonder.
Look on it with compassion.
Look on it and serve.
And may you be filled with the love of God,
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the communion of the Spirit,
now, and in all your days to come. Amen.
Call to Reconciliation
In becoming one of us, God became poor so we could receive
the riches of mercy. In coming to us, God took on our death,
so we could be made alive together with Christ. Come, offer
your confessions, knowing that by grace you have been saved. Let us now confess our sin before God and one another:
Unison Prayer of Confession
The words we speak all too often do not show you in
our lives, God of our pilgrimage. We spend so much time
boasting to others, they imagine we have no need for you.
We grumble impatiently when you don't respond immediately
to our requests, but are slow to sing your praises. We
mutter under our breath about the behavior of those around
us, when we could be asking them if there is some way we
could serve them.
It is on our journey to the cross and the tomb that you
fill us with the riches of your mercy, O God, our Steadfast Love! You
do so, not because of any thing we have done, but because
of the compassion which flows from your heart wounded
by our failings. As we open our lives to receive your
forgiveness, may we turn to the Light which brings us
life, following Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, every
step of the way. Amen.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
How much does God love us?
Enough to become human and live as one of us;
not to condemn
us, but to save us.
Not by our speaking or doing, but by God's good and
precious grace are we saved. Thanks be to God! Amen.
The Pastoral Prayer
God of grace and God of glory, we pray that you will pour your power upon us. Give us the strength and courage to call your name boldly in thanks and praise. We come to you in thanksgiving for many things. We are thankful for a mild winter, and we look forward to seeing your beauty in a glorious spring. We thank you for the love of family and friends and all who remind us of your love. We thank you for this congregation and for the joy we share together in this place. We pray that you will bless us with the will to share the goodness of this church with others we may encounter in the rest of our lives. These are difficult times for your church, O God. Let us never forget that you are not far off, but that you are with us every day. Guide our steps and help us to take leaps of faith in serving your kingdom in this place and in the world.
We pray for our cities and townships, O Lord. We especially pray for those who serve and our own Russ. Bless them with wisdom, mercy, justice, and humility as they serve your people in Richland County.
We pray for the sick, both those whose names we have called and those about whom we are silent. Hear our prayers for them and for the concerns of our own hearts as we pray to you in silence.
We lift these prayers to you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
John 3:1-17
1 ¶ Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God."
3 Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above."
4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?"
5 Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.
6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’
8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
9 Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"
10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
11 "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony.
12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17 "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
“God so Loved This World”
It’s an election year and the words “born again” are being thrown about once more.
Jimmy Carter was our first President who used the term, “born again,” to describe himself. Reporters tried to find the term “born again” in dictionaries so that they could understand it.
Ronald Reagan, good Disciple that he was, had to be coached by his handlers on how to use the term “born again” when he was running for President in 1980 so that he could garner the evangelical Christian vote..
Bill Clinton considered himself “born again” and at times sounded like a Baptist preacher on the stump.
George W. Bush called himself “born again” and made no bones about how his faith had turned his life around.
President Obama, having come to faith in a UCC church (our partner denomination) isn’t really comfortable with the tern, “born again.”
And now, none of the three front runners in the race for the Republican nomination--a Mormon and two Catholics--consider themselves “born again,” though evangelical Christians are supporting all three!
Many Disciples aren’t sure what this “born again” idea is about. Well, we’re in good company. Nicodemus, the Rabbi and Pharisee who came to Jesus in secret at night didn’t understand it, either.
You must be born from above, Jesus tells him. But, how can you be born twice?
Jesus, repeats himself. Everyone is born of water--which I used to believe was about baptism, but now I understand to be about amniotic fluid. We are all born of water from our mothers’ wombs, but Jesus says, we must also be born of Spirit--from above. That’s trickier.
Being born from above is not some kind of secret-handshake-get-out-of-hell-card, but a radical reorienting of one’s self to try to understand the way God looks at the world.
Toward the end of the conversation, Jesus tells Nicodemus the key to being born from above--understanding God’s radical love for the world.
God so loved the world that he gave his son. Being born from above is beginning to understand grace--the idea that God’s love for us is greater than we can imagine.
God so loved the world--the(cosmos) that he gave a son to save it.
David Lose points out that that word cosmos
“everywhere else in the Gospel of John describes that entity [that cosmos] that is at complete enmity with God. Typical is this prayer by Jesus just before his crucifixion--reported in John 17: "I have given them [the Disciples] your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world"
This gives John 3:16 a bit more punch: "For God so loved the God-hating world that he sent his only Son ... ," we might accurately translate. Apparently, at least according to Jesus, God really, really, really loves the world.”
This world.
And that’s what this passage is all about. And that’s the difference between “born again” and “born from above.”
When I hear people say that they are born again, what I hear them saying is that they are in a personal, individual saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
But, being born from above, is seeing the world as God sees it--even a world that hates God. Being born from above is understanding that God is in a saving relationship with the world--the whole world--this world, which God loves so much that he became one of us. God so loved the world that he put on our skin and moved among to show us by his life, death, and life again how to really, really, really love the world.
This world.
Some of you might be perturbed that I use Ronald Reagan as an example of a Disciple. I’ve talked about President Reagan before as a Disciple and heard from some of you about it. Some of you are thrilled.
Is President Reagan the best example of a Christian? Maybe not.
But, that’s kind of the point. Being born from above is to see this world as God sees, and to love as God loves, and to understand that no one is beyond God’s grace.
I’ve told you this story of President Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev before. At the peak of his Presidency, Ronald Reagan became friends with his counterpart in the Soviet Union. The two men genuinely liked each other, and they knew that the talks they had would have cosmic, if you will, consequences.
Reagan told his advisers that he believed Mikhail Gorbachev was a “closet Christian.” He was willing to look at the leader of the “evil empire” and see a child of God. That’s grace, church. That’s being born from above. Ronald Reagan may not have been born again, but I believe he was born from above.
Four years ago, this week, Mikhail Gorbachev visited the tomb of Saint Francis, in Assisi, Italy, and confirmed what Reagan had suspected twenty years earlier--that he was indeed a Christian--even though his position of power in the Soviet government precluded his confession of it.
In this season of Lent, we are encouraged to look inward to see ourselves as we truly are. Given the reality of this passage, maybe we should look around as well. What is God seeing in the world today? How are we to relate to this world that God loves--no matter what? How can we see the world as God sees it? How can we be “born from above?”
When we understand ourselves as being born from above, it’s Good News. Good News for us, Good News for Mansfield, and Good News for the world.
Offering
Invitation
We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,. How we “do good” is a personal matter between each of us and God, but it is why we are here. What is God calling you to give? When you present your offerings today, consider that this act of giving is why we were given the gift of Christ.
Prayer
God in heaven, thank you for creating our lives and our work. We know that we are your handiwork, with a purpose of doing, giving and sharing. Our relationship to you gives our lives meaning. Please use our gifts to further the work of the church, this congregation, and the community in which we live. Amen.
Benediction
God forth into the world in peace,
seeing this fragile and wonderful world as God sees it--from above.
Look on it in wonder.
Look on it with compassion.
Look on it and serve.
And may you be filled with the love of God,
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the communion of the Spirit,
now, and in all your days to come. Amen.
Worship March 11, 2012
March 11, 2012
Morning Prayers
Prayer of Confession
Call to Reconciliation
Perhaps we have spoken words which harm another.
It may be we have failed to honor another of God's
children. Maybe we have let our fears, our worries,
our desires come between us and God. Whatever
we might have done, God waits to listen to us,
to offer us grace and healing. Join me as we pray
together saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Even with those simple commandments, Eternal
Love, we manage to get it wrong. We misuse your
name on an almost daily basis, and dishonor our
friends and neighbors by talking behind their backs.
We hunger for what others have, and think we can
put you in a box, storing you away on a shelf. We
find little enough time for our families, for ourselves,
you - much less setting aside an entire day for that
rest you call Sabbath.
Forgive us, Abiding Love. We think we are so wise
with the choices we make, only to end up with all that
keeps us from you. Your Word has come, to fill our
speech with grace, with hope, with peace. As we journey
to Jerusalem, may we invite others to join us as we seek
to follow Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: Day to day, God offers us mercy and hope. Moment
to moment, we are surround by God's never-ending
love. Friends, trust this Good News for you!
God takes our brokenhearted prayers and crafts them
into words of grace, of joy, of peace. Thanks be to
God, we are forgiven. Amen.
The Pastoral Prayer
Loving and gracious God, you have given us guidance to create communities of faithfulness and justice: Cleanse your people that we may be your willing servants in your work of healing and reconciliation, as we pray: Let the words of our mouths and the mediation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our strength and our redeemer.
Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight,
O God, our strength and our redeemer.
Your judgments are true and righteous altogether, O God: Let the message of the cross destroy the wisdom of the wise and thwart the discernment of the discerning, that the nations of the world may abandon their idolatries of power and wealth in order participate in God’s justice and compassion. Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight,
O God, our strength and our redeemer.
You commandment is clear and gives light to the eyes, O God: Free this community from our addictions and idols and cleanse us from our sins, our secret faults and our presumption, that we may be whole and sound and innocent of great offense. Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight,
O God, our strength and our redeemer.
Look upon your world and inspire all peoples to follow your commandments, to live justly and honestly with one another, and to offer compassionate relief to all in any need or under any threat. Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight,
O God, our strength and our redeemer.
Let your healing grace be with those for whom we pray, especially those we have named and left unnamed in our silence.
Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight,
O God, our strength and our redeemer.
Presider: Bless and consecrate this day of rest and prayer and hear our prayers and intercessions to you, O God; that we may join in Christ’s work to overturn all forms of exploitation and injustice in order to lead your people out of the house of slavery into the house of love, where your Spirit reigns in glory everlasting.
We lift these prayers to you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Exodus 20:1-17
Then God spoke all these words: 2I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;
3you shall have no other gods before me.
4You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,6but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
8Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
12Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
13You shall not murder.
14You shall not commit adultery.
15You shall not steal.
16You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
“Taking the Name in Vain”
The Ten Commandments have been revered, ridiculed, litigated, misused, and ignored throughout its history. But, we rarely stop to think of the history behind it.
After its liberation from slavery in Egypt, Israel was hardly a model nation. They complained. They rebelled against God. They fought amongst themselves. And, they cheated each other. And the widows, especially needed to seek justice from a higher authority. That authority was Moses. Now, Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, watched Moses holding court one day from morning until evening. And he could see that Moses was headed for a burnout. And so Jethro recommended that Moses appoint judges to help settle the disputes of the people. Moses would still be the Supreme Court judge, but the others would have authority over most matters. Moses would retain the role of mediator between the people and God, and he would be the teacher--the one who would communicate God’s law to the people.
This is the context in which Moses climbs Mount Sinai and is given the law--to guide the people, but also to guide the judges in their decisions in bringing justice to the widows and downtrodden in the people.
There have been numerous efforts to post the Ten Commandments on walls over the past couple of decades. Some people want to post them on public schoolroom walls in the hopes that they will be a kind of tutor for the children. Some people want to post them on courthouse walls, I guess so that the lawyers will better behaved. There have been numerous constitutional battles over these issues as close as our own courthouse.
Stephen Colbert asked a congressman who favored posting the 10 Commandments in all public buildings if he could name them. He got three.
Our Jewish neighbors call the Ten Commandments the Decalogue, Greek for “10 words.” The ten words begins with a statement. This statement is a part of every word after that.
That statement is, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. And that statement is the reason for the ten words.
I am the Lord your God.
Before any “thou shalt nots,” a relationship is established. God claims the people as his very own and calls them to live out this relationship. The commandments really read,
Because I am the Lord your God, you will have no other God’s.
Because I am the Lord your God, you will not take my name in vain.
Because I am the Lord your God, you will not commit sexual infidelity.
Because I am the Lord your God, you will not kill.
Because I am the Lord your God, you will not bear false witness against your neighbor.
This, says God, is how people who are in relationship with me behave.
Notice that the relationship with God is not conditional. It doesn’t read, if you will not steal, then I will be your God. Not, if you will keep the Sabbath, then I will be your God.
No. God says emphatically, I am the Lord your God. Here is one of the many arguments for grace in the Hebrew Scriptures. God claims the people before placing her expectations on them.
It is the relationship that God claims that is the basis for the entire document--or, might I say, tablets. Posting the 10 commandments on a schoolhouse wall presupposes a relationship which may or may not exist. The same goes with the courthouse walls.
It is absolutely untenable to expect someone to follow the rules without knowing the ruler. People cannot be expected observe the commandments without being in relationship with the maker.
Some will argue that there is no other way to begin that relationship with those not in it. But, that’s not so. It is not the school board’s job to share the Good News of a relationship with God with the children in their districts. It is not the judge’s job to do the same in their courtrooms.
The job of sharing the Good News falls to us. We have been brought into relationship with God through Jesus Christ. And we are compelled by God’s love to share the Good News, because we belong to God.
But, of these commandments, which is the greatest? When Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment, the answer did not come from the ten words. Do you remember that conversation in its varying versions? The greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all that you are, and to love your neighbor as yourself. The first four of the ten commandments are about loving God and the last six are about loving neighbor. So, it is the ten commandments that make up the greatest commandment.
I want to spend a few minutes talking about the third commandment--on not taking the Lord’s name in vain. This is, I believe, an entirely misunderstood commandment in our times. I confess to you that I came to this conclusion at the feet of Professor Newton Fowler in seminary.
First, I have to tell you that Professor Fowler and I did not get along very well. One day, he was making a point about the bible appearing in popular culture. He said that the Beatles had recorded Turn, Turn, Turn (a setting of Ecclesiastes 3). Having an encyclopedic knowledge of rock and roll, I informed him--in front of the class--that it was Pete Seeger who wrote the song and a band called the Byrds who popularized it. Embarrassed, he never called on me again in class and my grades in his classes were lower than I expected they should have been. Can you imagine, me, challenging authority?
Anyway, Prof. Fowler insisted that taking the Lord’s name in vain had nothing to do with swearing, or saying “O my God,” or anything of the sort. He claimed, and I believe rightly so, that taking the name in vain was about claiming God’s name, but then acting in such a way as to deny it.
An example from scripture: Jonah. God tells Jonah to go one way, and Jonah heads the other. He ends up on a ship that get’s caught in a storm. The others on the ship ask him who he is and where he is from. Jonah answers, “I am a Hebrew; I worship the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the land.” See, here Jonah claims to belong to God--he takes God’s name--but he acts in a way that is totally contrary to God’s wishes. Jonah claims God as his own, but does the opposite of God’s will. By taking God’s name (claiming to belong to God) and not doing what God wishes, he takes God’s name in vain.
And so it is with us. We have all taken the Lord’s name--but do we live out God’s will in our lives? Do our ethics show us to be God’s people living up to his name which we have taken? An ethics teacher I once knew said that there were two books on ethics for all of us--our checkbooks and our datebooks, or how we spend our money and our time. Does the way we spend our time and our money show what we truly believe? Does it show that we are truly bearing God’s name or taking it in vain?
If this pinches a bit--it should. But one thing we learn in Lent is that we have forgiveness. God forgave Jonah--and even the evil kingdom of Ninevah to which he was sent. God’s grace and love are stronger than all our sin--even the breaking of the third commandment. Our call is to live lives worthy of the name of God.
And I’d love to know what you’re thinking.
Offering Invitation & Prayer
Invitation
For just one minute, consider your passion. What creates energy in you? God puts that fire inside so that we will give our very best effort. Everything that we offer to God feeds that fire, including our weekly offerings. Our collective support provides for ministry and outreach—the very things that excite us as Christians. As we now present our offerings, consider how in giving you are also feeding your spirit.
Prayer
Lord, please accept the offerings presented here as a symbol of our passion for you, for our congregation, and for the Christian Church. Help us to use all our gifts for your mission, as you would have us do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
.
Benediction
Go in peace;
- And may the love of God uphold you
- the mercy of God sustain you
- and the Word of God direct you
The Lord bless you all - both now and forevermore. Amen
Morning Prayers
Prayer of Confession
Call to Reconciliation
Perhaps we have spoken words which harm another.
It may be we have failed to honor another of God's
children. Maybe we have let our fears, our worries,
our desires come between us and God. Whatever
we might have done, God waits to listen to us,
to offer us grace and healing. Join me as we pray
together saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Even with those simple commandments, Eternal
Love, we manage to get it wrong. We misuse your
name on an almost daily basis, and dishonor our
friends and neighbors by talking behind their backs.
We hunger for what others have, and think we can
put you in a box, storing you away on a shelf. We
find little enough time for our families, for ourselves,
you - much less setting aside an entire day for that
rest you call Sabbath.
Forgive us, Abiding Love. We think we are so wise
with the choices we make, only to end up with all that
keeps us from you. Your Word has come, to fill our
speech with grace, with hope, with peace. As we journey
to Jerusalem, may we invite others to join us as we seek
to follow Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: Day to day, God offers us mercy and hope. Moment
to moment, we are surround by God's never-ending
love. Friends, trust this Good News for you!
God takes our brokenhearted prayers and crafts them
into words of grace, of joy, of peace. Thanks be to
God, we are forgiven. Amen.
The Pastoral Prayer
Loving and gracious God, you have given us guidance to create communities of faithfulness and justice: Cleanse your people that we may be your willing servants in your work of healing and reconciliation, as we pray: Let the words of our mouths and the mediation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our strength and our redeemer.
Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight,
O God, our strength and our redeemer.
Your judgments are true and righteous altogether, O God: Let the message of the cross destroy the wisdom of the wise and thwart the discernment of the discerning, that the nations of the world may abandon their idolatries of power and wealth in order participate in God’s justice and compassion. Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight,
O God, our strength and our redeemer.
You commandment is clear and gives light to the eyes, O God: Free this community from our addictions and idols and cleanse us from our sins, our secret faults and our presumption, that we may be whole and sound and innocent of great offense. Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight,
O God, our strength and our redeemer.
Look upon your world and inspire all peoples to follow your commandments, to live justly and honestly with one another, and to offer compassionate relief to all in any need or under any threat. Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight,
O God, our strength and our redeemer.
Let your healing grace be with those for whom we pray, especially those we have named and left unnamed in our silence.
Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight,
O God, our strength and our redeemer.
Presider: Bless and consecrate this day of rest and prayer and hear our prayers and intercessions to you, O God; that we may join in Christ’s work to overturn all forms of exploitation and injustice in order to lead your people out of the house of slavery into the house of love, where your Spirit reigns in glory everlasting.
We lift these prayers to you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Exodus 20:1-17
Then God spoke all these words: 2I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;
3you shall have no other gods before me.
4You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,6but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
8Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
12Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
13You shall not murder.
14You shall not commit adultery.
15You shall not steal.
16You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
“Taking the Name in Vain”
The Ten Commandments have been revered, ridiculed, litigated, misused, and ignored throughout its history. But, we rarely stop to think of the history behind it.
After its liberation from slavery in Egypt, Israel was hardly a model nation. They complained. They rebelled against God. They fought amongst themselves. And, they cheated each other. And the widows, especially needed to seek justice from a higher authority. That authority was Moses. Now, Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, watched Moses holding court one day from morning until evening. And he could see that Moses was headed for a burnout. And so Jethro recommended that Moses appoint judges to help settle the disputes of the people. Moses would still be the Supreme Court judge, but the others would have authority over most matters. Moses would retain the role of mediator between the people and God, and he would be the teacher--the one who would communicate God’s law to the people.
This is the context in which Moses climbs Mount Sinai and is given the law--to guide the people, but also to guide the judges in their decisions in bringing justice to the widows and downtrodden in the people.
There have been numerous efforts to post the Ten Commandments on walls over the past couple of decades. Some people want to post them on public schoolroom walls in the hopes that they will be a kind of tutor for the children. Some people want to post them on courthouse walls, I guess so that the lawyers will better behaved. There have been numerous constitutional battles over these issues as close as our own courthouse.
Stephen Colbert asked a congressman who favored posting the 10 Commandments in all public buildings if he could name them. He got three.
Our Jewish neighbors call the Ten Commandments the Decalogue, Greek for “10 words.” The ten words begins with a statement. This statement is a part of every word after that.
That statement is, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. And that statement is the reason for the ten words.
I am the Lord your God.
Before any “thou shalt nots,” a relationship is established. God claims the people as his very own and calls them to live out this relationship. The commandments really read,
Because I am the Lord your God, you will have no other God’s.
Because I am the Lord your God, you will not take my name in vain.
Because I am the Lord your God, you will not commit sexual infidelity.
Because I am the Lord your God, you will not kill.
Because I am the Lord your God, you will not bear false witness against your neighbor.
This, says God, is how people who are in relationship with me behave.
Notice that the relationship with God is not conditional. It doesn’t read, if you will not steal, then I will be your God. Not, if you will keep the Sabbath, then I will be your God.
No. God says emphatically, I am the Lord your God. Here is one of the many arguments for grace in the Hebrew Scriptures. God claims the people before placing her expectations on them.
It is the relationship that God claims that is the basis for the entire document--or, might I say, tablets. Posting the 10 commandments on a schoolhouse wall presupposes a relationship which may or may not exist. The same goes with the courthouse walls.
It is absolutely untenable to expect someone to follow the rules without knowing the ruler. People cannot be expected observe the commandments without being in relationship with the maker.
Some will argue that there is no other way to begin that relationship with those not in it. But, that’s not so. It is not the school board’s job to share the Good News of a relationship with God with the children in their districts. It is not the judge’s job to do the same in their courtrooms.
The job of sharing the Good News falls to us. We have been brought into relationship with God through Jesus Christ. And we are compelled by God’s love to share the Good News, because we belong to God.
But, of these commandments, which is the greatest? When Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment, the answer did not come from the ten words. Do you remember that conversation in its varying versions? The greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all that you are, and to love your neighbor as yourself. The first four of the ten commandments are about loving God and the last six are about loving neighbor. So, it is the ten commandments that make up the greatest commandment.
I want to spend a few minutes talking about the third commandment--on not taking the Lord’s name in vain. This is, I believe, an entirely misunderstood commandment in our times. I confess to you that I came to this conclusion at the feet of Professor Newton Fowler in seminary.
First, I have to tell you that Professor Fowler and I did not get along very well. One day, he was making a point about the bible appearing in popular culture. He said that the Beatles had recorded Turn, Turn, Turn (a setting of Ecclesiastes 3). Having an encyclopedic knowledge of rock and roll, I informed him--in front of the class--that it was Pete Seeger who wrote the song and a band called the Byrds who popularized it. Embarrassed, he never called on me again in class and my grades in his classes were lower than I expected they should have been. Can you imagine, me, challenging authority?
Anyway, Prof. Fowler insisted that taking the Lord’s name in vain had nothing to do with swearing, or saying “O my God,” or anything of the sort. He claimed, and I believe rightly so, that taking the name in vain was about claiming God’s name, but then acting in such a way as to deny it.
An example from scripture: Jonah. God tells Jonah to go one way, and Jonah heads the other. He ends up on a ship that get’s caught in a storm. The others on the ship ask him who he is and where he is from. Jonah answers, “I am a Hebrew; I worship the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the land.” See, here Jonah claims to belong to God--he takes God’s name--but he acts in a way that is totally contrary to God’s wishes. Jonah claims God as his own, but does the opposite of God’s will. By taking God’s name (claiming to belong to God) and not doing what God wishes, he takes God’s name in vain.
And so it is with us. We have all taken the Lord’s name--but do we live out God’s will in our lives? Do our ethics show us to be God’s people living up to his name which we have taken? An ethics teacher I once knew said that there were two books on ethics for all of us--our checkbooks and our datebooks, or how we spend our money and our time. Does the way we spend our time and our money show what we truly believe? Does it show that we are truly bearing God’s name or taking it in vain?
If this pinches a bit--it should. But one thing we learn in Lent is that we have forgiveness. God forgave Jonah--and even the evil kingdom of Ninevah to which he was sent. God’s grace and love are stronger than all our sin--even the breaking of the third commandment. Our call is to live lives worthy of the name of God.
And I’d love to know what you’re thinking.
Offering Invitation & Prayer
Invitation
For just one minute, consider your passion. What creates energy in you? God puts that fire inside so that we will give our very best effort. Everything that we offer to God feeds that fire, including our weekly offerings. Our collective support provides for ministry and outreach—the very things that excite us as Christians. As we now present our offerings, consider how in giving you are also feeding your spirit.
Prayer
Lord, please accept the offerings presented here as a symbol of our passion for you, for our congregation, and for the Christian Church. Help us to use all our gifts for your mission, as you would have us do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
.
Benediction
Go in peace;
- And may the love of God uphold you
- the mercy of God sustain you
- and the Word of God direct you
The Lord bless you all - both now and forevermore. Amen
Worship March 4, 2012
March 4, 2012
Morning Prayers
Prayer of Confession
Call to Reconciliation
Looking deep within ourselves, we see that barrenness
that dwells in our souls. Reluctant to trust God, we find
our faith wavering when we have to make difficult
choices. We look for quick fixes and easy solutions,
rather than for God's answers in our lives. Let us
be honest with ourselves, and with God, as we pray
together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
God of our ancestors in the faith, we are a people
who have known the hurt of broken promises, and have
spoken words we could not keep. We are quick to
condemn those who make wrong choices, but want
only gentle criticism directed our way. We let our
lives be guided so much by our past, rather than
opening our eyes, our hearts, our hopes to your
amazing future.
Forgive our distrust of the vows you have made
to us, God of Sarah. Forgive our disbelief that you
can bring hope to those places where we see only
despair, God of Abraham. Forgive our hesitancy
in denying all that keeps us from committing ourselves
completely to you, God of Peter and the psalmists.
Forgive us, so we may take up the life you offer
to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: Listen carefully, dear friends. God does not
reject us, God redeems us. God does not back
out of the relationship created so long ago,
God restores it to its original purpose. God
does not hold back, but pours abundant forgiveness into our lives.
Forgiven, we can follow; filled with hope,
we can empty ourselves for others; restored
to new life, we can live in relationship with
God, with our neighbors and enemies, with
ourselves. Thanks be to God. Amen.
The Pastoral Prayer
God of grace and God of glory, we pray that you will pour your power upon us. Give us the strength and courage to call your name boldly in thanks and praise. We come to you in thanksgiving for many things. We are thankful for a mild winter, and we look forward to seeing your beauty in a glorious spring. We thank you for the love of family and friends and all who remind us of your love. We thank you for this congregation and for the joy we share together in this place. We pray that you will bless us with the will to share the goodness of this church with others we may encounter in the rest of our lives. These are difficult times for your church, O God. Let us never forget that you are not an absentee landlord, but that you are with us every day. Guide our steps and help us to take leaps of faith in serving your kingdom in this place and in the world.
We pray for our State, O Lord. We especially pray for those who will vote this Tuesday. Give us wisdom as we seek to elect new leaders. We pray for our Governor John, our Senator Kris, and our Representative Jay. Bless them with wisdom, mercy, justice, and humility as they serve your people in Ohio.
We pray for the sick, both those whose names we have called and those about whom we are silent. Hear our prayers for them and for the concerns of our own hearts as we pray to you in silence.
We lift these prayers to you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Mark 8.27-38
27 Jesus and his disciples went into the villages near Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “ Who do people say that I am? ”
28 They told him, “ Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others one of the prophets. ”
29 He asked them, “ And what about you? Who do you say that I am? ”
Peter answered, “ You are the Christ. ” 30 Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
31 Then Jesus began to teach his disciples: “ The Human One l must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and the legal experts, and be killed, and then, after three days, rise from the dead. ” 32 He said this plainly. But Peter took hold of Jesus and, scolding him, began to correct him. 33 Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, then sternly corrected Peter: “ Get behind me, Satan. You are not thinking God’s thoughts but human thoughts. ”
34 After calling the crowd together with his disciples, Jesus said to them, “ All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me. 35 All who want to save their lives will lose them. But all who lose their lives because of me and because of the good news will save them. 36 Why would people gain the whole world but lose their lives? 37 What will people give in exchange for their lives? 38 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this unfaithful and sinful generation, the Human One m will be ashamed of that person when he comes in the Father’s glory with the holy angels. ”
“Losing to Win”
There is a television show I like to watch on Monday nights--although I sometimes ask myself why I like to watch it. It is about a doctor who thinks only of his own needs, berates his staff and ridicules his patients, and worst of all, treats his best friend with contempt. The show is called House, M.D., and it has been a big hit for some time.
In one episode House’s best friend, Wilson, is being sued by a man who got the wrong diagnosis and prognosis. Dr. Wilson, you see, had told the man he had terminal cancer and estimated that he had six months to live. But then, he discovered that his initial diagnosis was wrong, and that the patient had all the time in the world to live!
The patient was furious. He’d been having goodbye parties, had sold his house, and was planning to travel abroad--a kind of “bucket list”--you know, things you want to do before you “kick the bucket.” By changing the death sentence to one of life, the doctor had ruined what was to be left of his life! You see, when he believed his death was upon him, he felt free to live.
The late, great New Orleans novelist Walker Percy offered a similar and related idea. In Percy’s view, everyone is depressed--some of us clinically so--but all of us some level of depression.
Depressed people often have considered suicide in their lives and Percy thinks that is a good thing. He calls people who have considered suicide, but haven’t committed it “ex-suicides.” Ex-suicides have their whole lives open for them, because they faced death, and turned away from it.
He writes, “The ex-suicide opens his front door, sits down on the steps, and laughs. Since he has the option of being dead, he has nothing to lose by being alive. It is good to be alive. He goes to work because he doesn't have to.”
You see, once the ex-suicide has looked death in the eye, she is free to live.
And so it is true for all of us--we have nothing to lose by being alive. Whether we like it or not, death is indeed out there for all of us, and ultimately, nothing we do can prevent it. And in Jesus’ words--we have to lose life in order to win it.
And look at the disciples in our lesson for today. Peter has just confessed that Jesus is the Christ. The Messiah. The Holy One. The rescuer of an Israel held captive by the Roman Empire. The greatest of the greats.
And Jesus does two very strange things. First he tells them to tell no one. And then he begins to describe the suffering he must endure.
Christ? Suffering? No, no, no. Those things don’t go together.
And so Peter, that most fun of all the disciples, pulls him aside and corrects him. Ixnay on the ufferingsay Jesus. You’re the Christ! You came to redeem, not to suffer.
And Jesus utters what is possibly the harshest and most misunderstood phrase in all the bible.
Get behind me, Satan. Wow, that’s harsh. In Jesus time it would still have been strong, but not so ruthless.
You see, the Biblical words which are translated Satan in English mean an adversary or opponent. They could also mean obstruction.
What Jesus was saying was, “Get out of my way, Peter! You need to start seeing things differently.
Jesus then calls the crowd and the disciples together and gives them the hard news. If you want to be one of mine, you have to deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me. Notice that the cross is not something that has happened to you. People will say all the time that some illness or other calamity is “my cross to bear.”
But crosses are not thrust upon Disciples of the Christ--they are chosen.
And with them come choices about life.
If you want to save your life, you’ll lose it--after all we all do eventually.
But if you want to lose your life for Christ’s sake and the sake of the Gospel, you will live a life worth saving--and it will be saved!
Jesus tells us that it is only by such sacrificial living that we will find our lives, that we will become the human beings God intends us to be, the kind of human beings we, in our heart of hearts, want to be.
Jesus not only tells us about the sacrifice he and we are called to give, he lives it out. Jesus shows us how far he’ll go in loving and giving of himself to others and how far God calls us to go.
My friend Brad McBee--the Rev. Brad McBee who pastors the Disciples congregation in Shelby--says that the church is full of “takers.” Three kinds of takers to be exact.
The first are the “caretakers”--the ones who want to make sure that everything runs smoothly in the church. The caretakers make sure that nothing is ever out of place. They’re very concerned about the building and the finances and all the politics of the church. Caretakers are needed--and often underappreciated.
There are then the “undertakers.” What do undertakers do? They are the folks who want to bury the church. They talk behind others’ backs and downplay any positive thing about the church. They like to say that whatever’s being done won’t work. And just to make sure that something won’t work, they’ll spread discord among the church members. Undertakers are not needed, and definitely not appreciated. By the way, I don’t think we have any undertakers here.
And then there are the “risk takers.” Risk takers are willing to step out and do something new. They are willing to take leaps of faith, even though they know they might fall. Risk takers are willing to see opportunities for ministry and seize them.
Which do you think are closer to answering Jesus call to lose their lives for his sake and sake of the Gospel?
And so, the question becomes, what risks are you willing to take for Christ and for the Gospel? Could it be something so complex as working to bring new revenue to the church through the use of the building? Could it something so daring as working with those who are exploring possibilities of relocating First Christian Church? If you’ve never served on a board or committee of the church and want to give that a try, we’ll find a spot you to take that risk. Could it be something so simple as inviting another to church?
What kind of taker are you? How can you take First Christian Church to new heights by taking a risky leap of faith. Think about that for a moment before we move to the Lord’s table.
Offering Invitation & Prayer
Invitation
As Christians we are all called to pick up our crosses and follow Jesus. It is reassuring to know that no matter what happens in life, Christ is with us. Through Christ, we can present our offerings today knowing that they will be used to help fix some of the problems in the world—either through local congregational ministry or through the mission and service of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Prayer
Heavenly and earthly God, we thank you for making us a part of your vision of a better world. We are thankful for all the ways you help us and for the ways that you use our gifts to help others. Amen.
Benediction
Go in peace - love and care for one another in the name of Christ;
- and may the faith of Abraham and Sarah be within you;
- may the love of Christ and of God the Father surround you and fill you;
- and may the Holy Spirit guide you on your way,
both now and forevermore. Amen
Morning Prayers
Prayer of Confession
Call to Reconciliation
Looking deep within ourselves, we see that barrenness
that dwells in our souls. Reluctant to trust God, we find
our faith wavering when we have to make difficult
choices. We look for quick fixes and easy solutions,
rather than for God's answers in our lives. Let us
be honest with ourselves, and with God, as we pray
together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
God of our ancestors in the faith, we are a people
who have known the hurt of broken promises, and have
spoken words we could not keep. We are quick to
condemn those who make wrong choices, but want
only gentle criticism directed our way. We let our
lives be guided so much by our past, rather than
opening our eyes, our hearts, our hopes to your
amazing future.
Forgive our distrust of the vows you have made
to us, God of Sarah. Forgive our disbelief that you
can bring hope to those places where we see only
despair, God of Abraham. Forgive our hesitancy
in denying all that keeps us from committing ourselves
completely to you, God of Peter and the psalmists.
Forgive us, so we may take up the life you offer
to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: Listen carefully, dear friends. God does not
reject us, God redeems us. God does not back
out of the relationship created so long ago,
God restores it to its original purpose. God
does not hold back, but pours abundant forgiveness into our lives.
Forgiven, we can follow; filled with hope,
we can empty ourselves for others; restored
to new life, we can live in relationship with
God, with our neighbors and enemies, with
ourselves. Thanks be to God. Amen.
The Pastoral Prayer
God of grace and God of glory, we pray that you will pour your power upon us. Give us the strength and courage to call your name boldly in thanks and praise. We come to you in thanksgiving for many things. We are thankful for a mild winter, and we look forward to seeing your beauty in a glorious spring. We thank you for the love of family and friends and all who remind us of your love. We thank you for this congregation and for the joy we share together in this place. We pray that you will bless us with the will to share the goodness of this church with others we may encounter in the rest of our lives. These are difficult times for your church, O God. Let us never forget that you are not an absentee landlord, but that you are with us every day. Guide our steps and help us to take leaps of faith in serving your kingdom in this place and in the world.
We pray for our State, O Lord. We especially pray for those who will vote this Tuesday. Give us wisdom as we seek to elect new leaders. We pray for our Governor John, our Senator Kris, and our Representative Jay. Bless them with wisdom, mercy, justice, and humility as they serve your people in Ohio.
We pray for the sick, both those whose names we have called and those about whom we are silent. Hear our prayers for them and for the concerns of our own hearts as we pray to you in silence.
We lift these prayers to you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Mark 8.27-38
27 Jesus and his disciples went into the villages near Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “ Who do people say that I am? ”
28 They told him, “ Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others one of the prophets. ”
29 He asked them, “ And what about you? Who do you say that I am? ”
Peter answered, “ You are the Christ. ” 30 Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
31 Then Jesus began to teach his disciples: “ The Human One l must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and the legal experts, and be killed, and then, after three days, rise from the dead. ” 32 He said this plainly. But Peter took hold of Jesus and, scolding him, began to correct him. 33 Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, then sternly corrected Peter: “ Get behind me, Satan. You are not thinking God’s thoughts but human thoughts. ”
34 After calling the crowd together with his disciples, Jesus said to them, “ All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me. 35 All who want to save their lives will lose them. But all who lose their lives because of me and because of the good news will save them. 36 Why would people gain the whole world but lose their lives? 37 What will people give in exchange for their lives? 38 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this unfaithful and sinful generation, the Human One m will be ashamed of that person when he comes in the Father’s glory with the holy angels. ”
“Losing to Win”
There is a television show I like to watch on Monday nights--although I sometimes ask myself why I like to watch it. It is about a doctor who thinks only of his own needs, berates his staff and ridicules his patients, and worst of all, treats his best friend with contempt. The show is called House, M.D., and it has been a big hit for some time.
In one episode House’s best friend, Wilson, is being sued by a man who got the wrong diagnosis and prognosis. Dr. Wilson, you see, had told the man he had terminal cancer and estimated that he had six months to live. But then, he discovered that his initial diagnosis was wrong, and that the patient had all the time in the world to live!
The patient was furious. He’d been having goodbye parties, had sold his house, and was planning to travel abroad--a kind of “bucket list”--you know, things you want to do before you “kick the bucket.” By changing the death sentence to one of life, the doctor had ruined what was to be left of his life! You see, when he believed his death was upon him, he felt free to live.
The late, great New Orleans novelist Walker Percy offered a similar and related idea. In Percy’s view, everyone is depressed--some of us clinically so--but all of us some level of depression.
Depressed people often have considered suicide in their lives and Percy thinks that is a good thing. He calls people who have considered suicide, but haven’t committed it “ex-suicides.” Ex-suicides have their whole lives open for them, because they faced death, and turned away from it.
He writes, “The ex-suicide opens his front door, sits down on the steps, and laughs. Since he has the option of being dead, he has nothing to lose by being alive. It is good to be alive. He goes to work because he doesn't have to.”
You see, once the ex-suicide has looked death in the eye, she is free to live.
And so it is true for all of us--we have nothing to lose by being alive. Whether we like it or not, death is indeed out there for all of us, and ultimately, nothing we do can prevent it. And in Jesus’ words--we have to lose life in order to win it.
And look at the disciples in our lesson for today. Peter has just confessed that Jesus is the Christ. The Messiah. The Holy One. The rescuer of an Israel held captive by the Roman Empire. The greatest of the greats.
And Jesus does two very strange things. First he tells them to tell no one. And then he begins to describe the suffering he must endure.
Christ? Suffering? No, no, no. Those things don’t go together.
And so Peter, that most fun of all the disciples, pulls him aside and corrects him. Ixnay on the ufferingsay Jesus. You’re the Christ! You came to redeem, not to suffer.
And Jesus utters what is possibly the harshest and most misunderstood phrase in all the bible.
Get behind me, Satan. Wow, that’s harsh. In Jesus time it would still have been strong, but not so ruthless.
You see, the Biblical words which are translated Satan in English mean an adversary or opponent. They could also mean obstruction.
What Jesus was saying was, “Get out of my way, Peter! You need to start seeing things differently.
Jesus then calls the crowd and the disciples together and gives them the hard news. If you want to be one of mine, you have to deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me. Notice that the cross is not something that has happened to you. People will say all the time that some illness or other calamity is “my cross to bear.”
But crosses are not thrust upon Disciples of the Christ--they are chosen.
And with them come choices about life.
If you want to save your life, you’ll lose it--after all we all do eventually.
But if you want to lose your life for Christ’s sake and the sake of the Gospel, you will live a life worth saving--and it will be saved!
Jesus tells us that it is only by such sacrificial living that we will find our lives, that we will become the human beings God intends us to be, the kind of human beings we, in our heart of hearts, want to be.
Jesus not only tells us about the sacrifice he and we are called to give, he lives it out. Jesus shows us how far he’ll go in loving and giving of himself to others and how far God calls us to go.
My friend Brad McBee--the Rev. Brad McBee who pastors the Disciples congregation in Shelby--says that the church is full of “takers.” Three kinds of takers to be exact.
The first are the “caretakers”--the ones who want to make sure that everything runs smoothly in the church. The caretakers make sure that nothing is ever out of place. They’re very concerned about the building and the finances and all the politics of the church. Caretakers are needed--and often underappreciated.
There are then the “undertakers.” What do undertakers do? They are the folks who want to bury the church. They talk behind others’ backs and downplay any positive thing about the church. They like to say that whatever’s being done won’t work. And just to make sure that something won’t work, they’ll spread discord among the church members. Undertakers are not needed, and definitely not appreciated. By the way, I don’t think we have any undertakers here.
And then there are the “risk takers.” Risk takers are willing to step out and do something new. They are willing to take leaps of faith, even though they know they might fall. Risk takers are willing to see opportunities for ministry and seize them.
Which do you think are closer to answering Jesus call to lose their lives for his sake and sake of the Gospel?
And so, the question becomes, what risks are you willing to take for Christ and for the Gospel? Could it be something so complex as working to bring new revenue to the church through the use of the building? Could it something so daring as working with those who are exploring possibilities of relocating First Christian Church? If you’ve never served on a board or committee of the church and want to give that a try, we’ll find a spot you to take that risk. Could it be something so simple as inviting another to church?
What kind of taker are you? How can you take First Christian Church to new heights by taking a risky leap of faith. Think about that for a moment before we move to the Lord’s table.
Offering Invitation & Prayer
Invitation
As Christians we are all called to pick up our crosses and follow Jesus. It is reassuring to know that no matter what happens in life, Christ is with us. Through Christ, we can present our offerings today knowing that they will be used to help fix some of the problems in the world—either through local congregational ministry or through the mission and service of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Prayer
Heavenly and earthly God, we thank you for making us a part of your vision of a better world. We are thankful for all the ways you help us and for the ways that you use our gifts to help others. Amen.
Benediction
Go in peace - love and care for one another in the name of Christ;
- and may the faith of Abraham and Sarah be within you;
- may the love of Christ and of God the Father surround you and fill you;
- and may the Holy Spirit guide you on your way,
both now and forevermore. Amen
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