February 28, 2021
Second Sunday in Lent Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song Here I Am, Lord St. Lillian Choir and Orchestra https://youtu.be/CSODPhE-0ng Announcements Thursday, 7:00 PM Zoom Lenten Study – Adam Hamilton’s book, Simon Peter Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Book Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (Washington D.C) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdxhcclBuf Call to Worship We gather as pilgrims on a journey of faith. We come seeking the awareness of God’s presence as we travel on. We come seeking light for our darkness, strength in our weakness. Shine in our hearts, O God, with the light of your love. Make your presence known through Jesus the Christ. Amen. Song Gather Us In Marty Haugen https://youtu.be/IbNXqjwh8is Prayer of Confession Almighty God, we confess that are incurable scorekeepers. We judge others with a standard we never use for our- selves. We see the speck in others’ eyes while ignoring the ugly log in our own. Forgive us, we pray. Forgive us for ever thinking we could be, even for one moment, the measure of righteousness or the standard of justice. As the cross of Christ casts its long shadow over our Lenten journey, call us again to lives of genuine penitence and change of direction. By your grace and through your transforming love, make us the people you have fashioned us to be, your sons and daughters, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Assurance of Forgiveness The God of salvation will never forsake you. God’s patience knows no limits. Wait for the Lord. Be strong and take heart. Celebration of Birthdays and Anniversaries Song Coming Attractions Steven Curtis Chapman https://youtu.be/duPu6WRvfJw Hearing the Word Scripture Matthew 6:9-10 This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (NIV) Sermon Thy Kingdom Come on Earth Beginning in the late 19th and continuing into the early 20th centuries, there was a movement among Protestant Christians known as the social gospel movement. Those who were a part of this movement wanted to apply the teachings of Jesus to social problems, especially to issues of social justice, such as excessive wealth, poverty, alcoholism, crime, racial tensions, slums, bad hygiene, child labor, inadequate labor unions, poor schools, and the danger of war. The theology of the social gospel move-ment was based on the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Peter Gomes, in his book, The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus, writes that the kingdom of God “was something to be brought into being in this world by the application of Christian principles to the least in society.” The social gospel movement included a passion for social reform and a radical critique of the status quo, and it strove to “make a passive Christian society live out the implications of its Christian profession,” according to Gomes. This desire for social reform came out of the experience of personal salvation, and that personal salvation expressed itself in the desire to make the world a better place for others by means of the gospel. Some of the accomplishments of this movement include the abolishment of child labor and regulation of the number of hours worked by mothers. Reformers also opened settlement houses that helped the poor and immigrants improve their lives by providing services such as daycare, education, and health care. The social gospel movement was determined to make some changes in society, and it did. To pray with honesty and integrity the words, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth,” means that we are serious about making some changes, not only within our society, but first within ourselves and within our churches. Our lives do not always reflect the priorities, values, and concerns of the kingdom of God. The preaching of Jesus was radical, and even subversive, according to Thomas D. Hanks. It is radical and subversive because it goes against conventional wisdom and common practice. The revolutionary message of Jesus has, for the most part, not been applied by believers. G. K. Chesterton is said to have remarked, “Christianity is not a faith that has been tried and found wanting, but a faith that has been wanted and never tried.” Why is it so difficult for us to work toward establishing the kingdom of God on earth? Why is it so challenging? It is because the coming of the kingdom of God means the departing of some other things that we might not want to give up. The coming of the kingdom of God on earth will upend our list of priorities and change our understanding of what really matters in life. We have to make changes in our own lives before we can work to change the world. As Peter Gomes writes, “the last thing the faithful wish for is to be disturbed.” John Killinger says that “if we were truly sincere in praying for God’s kingdom to come and his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, it would mean some radical changes in the way we live. Many of us would go to the bank tomorrow and withdraw our money and give it to fight hunger and poverty in the world. Some of us would spend the afternoon going to see our enemies and asking their forgiveness. Others would be thinking about how to reform their companies and businesses to give customers more value and to show more care for the employees and their families … We would all rearrange our daily schedules to include more time for loving one another and worshiping God … If we can’t honest pray ‘Thy kingdom come,’ it may be because we are satisfied with what we have and who we are, that we don’t see any need for change. It may be because we have so much, and are so comfortable with the way things are that we don’t want anything to change. We don’t want to have to support the poor; we don’t want to forgive our enemies; we don’t want to reform our companies…; we don’t want to spend more time in loving and worshiping.” We cannot deny that the Christian life should be all about the kingdom of God. The first sermon Jesus preached was to proclaim that the kingdom of God was coming. It was the subject of many of Jesus’ parables and teachings. It is at the center of the Lord’s Prayer. But what, exactly IS the kingdom of God? There is more than one meaning for this phrase in the gospels. Sometimes it means the power of God that was active in Jesus’ work as a healer and exorcist. Sometimes it refers to the presence of God. It can refer to a community. But the best definition, according to Marcus Borg in his book, The Heart of Christianity, is that the kingdom of God “is what life would be like on earth if God were king and the rulers of this world were not.” What would life be like on earth if God were king? Jesus tells us, just as he told John the Baptist, when he asked if Jesus was the One they had been waiting for. Jesus answered by saying that the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news preached to them. But the kingdom of God is about more than that. It is also about a radical reversal in economic systems. In Luke’s version of the Beatitudes, Jesus says, “Happy are you who are poor, because God’s kingdom is yours. Happy are you hunger now, because you will be satisfied. Happy are you who weep now, because you will laugh … But how terrible for you who are rich, because you have already received your comfort. How terrible for you who have plenty to eat now, because you will be hungry. How terrible for you who laugh now, because you will mourn and weep.” (CEB) As Peter Gomes points out, “Good news to some will almost inevitably be bad news to others. In order that the gospel … might be made as palatable as possible to as many people as possible, its rough edges have been shorn off and the radical edge of Jesus’ preaching has been replaced by a respectable middle … When Jesus came preaching, it was to proclaim the end of things as they are and the breaking in of things that are to be: the status quo is not to be criticized; it is to be destroyed.” Obviously, if you are the beneficiary of the status quo, if you are one of the rich, then the gospel message about the kingdom of God is going to feel very confrontational. It means that you are going to have to make some changes in your life and advocate for changes in our society that will address the needs of the poor and needy. Jim Wallis states, “The gospel gives us different priorities from those of the popular culture, and offers us a different agenda from that of the political economy.” Marcus Borg stresses that those who take seriously the prayer for God’s kingdom to come on earth will need to get involved in addressing systemic injustice in our political and economic systems. We will have to confront the reality that some people in our nation still have no voice. We will need to tackle head-on the fact that the wealth in our country is concentrated in the hands of too few people, while the number of poor and hungry people is growing. We should advocate for God’s justice, which is concerned for the poor and the power-less and the hungry. A key element in Roman Catholic social theology is that Jesus had what is called a “preferential option for the poor.” This may be the hardest thing for many good people to hear. Another feature of the kingdom of God is that it is radically inclusive. Jesus associated with all kinds of people: religious people, and people the religious community of his day rejected as outcasts. Jesus spent time with prostitutes, tax collectors, women, non-Jews, and enemies of Israel. Peter Gomes writes, “Jesus embraced as his own those who were excluded by the respectably religious of his day, and … he was not only a friend to sinners but a friend of those whom the righteous chose to avoid.” There are those who still feel excluded from the church. Imagine if you were poor and had nothing that you felt was appropriate to wear to church. Or imagine if you were a person of color and the nearest church was made up only of white people. Or what if you were homeless and had no place to take a shower before going to church. Or try to picture the struggle that a gay or lesbian person might go through before daring to enter a church whose official policy condemns them as “incompatible with Christian teaching.” We need to work to make our churches more inclusive and welcoming to all people. Peter Gomes writes, “If the gospel is truly good news, it has to be good news for everyone, for it is either an inclusive gospel or no gospel at all. Prejudice, paranoia, the politics of exclusion – all these little systems have their day, and there are moments when they appear to prevail, but the church … will eventually do the right thing once it has exhausted every other alternative.” Finally, the kingdom of God will come on earth when the people of faith get outside their church buildings. One thing we have certainly learned in the past year is that the church is NOT the building; the church is the people. the kingdom may not come at 9:00 (or 10:30) on Sunday morning to the faithful who are gathered for worship. The kingdom may come, instead, at 11:00 on Tuesday, when the faithful are serving lunch to those who have no food. Or it may come on a cold winter night when a homeless person is given a warm place to stay. It may come when you strike up a conversation with someone in line at the grocery store who has never come to church because they were afraid they would not be welcome. Stephen Joubert, in his article, In Sync With Jesus, says that too many Christians hide out in “religious aquariums” that we call churches. We enjoy comfortable spiritual temperatures, with highly predictable gatherings in religious comfort zones. We have regular feeding times, those designated convenient times on Sundays. We are cared for by maintenance personnel, the friendly paid church officials. And we have the right filters to keep the water clean. But sooner or later, we will need to leave the aquarium and go out into the sea, and fish who have spent too much time in the aquarium will die in open waters. Joubert encourages us, “Stop wasting precious time in religious safe harbors. Stop planning irrelevant religious activities to save a few somebodies, someday, in Saint Elsewhere. Turn the world upside down. Set new standards. Talk a new talk. Walk a different walk. Become a living expression of Jesus.” It reminds me of something I read in the book, Dream Like Jesus, by Rebekah Simon-Peter. She says that the biggest, most compelling dream of Jesus was, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” She writes, “This dream was so big that it shaped his entire ministry.” Jesus envisioned a world where “all the love, light, beauty, bounty, humor, harmony, acceptance and forgiveness, creativity and magnificence, unity and inclusion, joy and justice, peace and plenty we associate with God, would be manifest here on earth.” She says that this great dream of Jesus was so powerful that it gave rise to an entire world. “Before Jesus shared his dream, there were no disciples, no apostles, no Gospels, and no church. Christianity flowed out of the generative power of Jesus’ big dream. Reality shifted because Jesus declared his vision of the Kingdom, and an entirely new world emerged, founded on this dream. That’s the power of a dream. It changes reality.” Every time we pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth,” we are inviting a change in reality. We are praying Jesus’ big dream and we are making it our own. We are claiming the power to change the earth by inviting heaven to come into it. And we are offering ourselves as agents of that change. Do you have the courage to pray this prayer with all your heart? Are you willing not only to pray for change, but to be the change? The kingdom of God is coming, Jesus said. Let it come in us and through us. Song Your Kingdom Come Pete James https://youtu.be/mA2q295l9A0 Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer On this Sabbath day, as we journey with Jesus toward the Lenten cross, O God, we pray not only for ourselves, but for others – many others, known and unknown, named and unnamed – those from whose lives health or happiness has fled, leaving hollow remnants of the people they used to be. Make us more eager to help others than to criticize or advice that we think they need. Help us learn that the hungry, the hurt, the sick, and the oppressed do not care about how much we know until they learn about how much we care. Touch our lives with your grace. (David N. Mosser, adapted) We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught his disciples to pray: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication God of manifold blessings, bless our lives to your service, even as we consecrate these gifts in service of a world in need. May our offerings go forth this day to be a reflection of your glory. In the spirit of your grace and peace, we pray. Amen. Song As It Is In Heaven Matt Maher https://youtu.be/NVupXyc5a8M Benediction And now may the God who created all that is birth such a new dream in our lives that we will joyfully serve others in the power of grace. And may the blessing of God rest upon us all now and until we gather again. Amen.
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February 21, 2021
First Sunday in Lent Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song You are a Child of Mine Mark Schultz https://youtu.be/ExLouwVF4Q4 Announcements Thursday, 7:00 PM Zoom Lenten Study – Adam Hamilton’s book, Simon Peter Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Book Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (Washington D.C) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdxhcclBuf Call to Worship We have come to praise our Maker. But we have betrayed the purpose of the Lord. The Lord is God of the Second Chance, and the Lord invites us into the divine presence. But we have sinned against the Lord. The Lord is God of the Second Chance, and the Lord grants us redemption from sin. But our transgressions have separated us from the Lord. The Lord is God of the Second Chance, and the Lord offers us reconciliation through Christ. We stand in awe of the Lord, who creates, redeems, and reconciles. We praise the Lord with our lips and our lives. Song Children of God Third Day https://youtu.be/n9RqVRBtjM4 Prayer of Confession God of steadfast love, we tremble before you. We know our transgressions. We have rebelled since our earliest days, shutting you out of our lives. We have doubted your presence, ignored your blessings, and resented your inclusiveness. It is hard to be truthful with others and within ourselves. Our sacrifices have been superficial. Blot out our iniquities, we pray, and wash us clean. Renew our spirits in the joy of your salvation. Amen. Assurance of Forgiveness The grace of God is abundantly present to change our lives. God lifts us above our transgressions and cleanses us from our sin. In Christ we are restored to the wholeness God intends for us. Open your lives to the transformation that comes with forgiveness. Song Children of God Steven Curtis Chapman https://youtu.be/58ud8uaUr8c Hearing the Word Scripture Matthew 6:9 This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” (NIV) Sermon Our Father in Heaven I was a real Daddy’s girl. I loved to spend time with my dad. I remember working in the yard with him when I was maybe six or seven years old. He bought me a real rake of my own when I was eight, and I was so proud of those piles of leaves in the back yard! We would go to the hardware store and roam through the tool aisle, and to this day I love to get lost in the tool section at Home Depot. When he worked in the garage with his table saw, building shelves or adding to the storage space, he would let me use the leftover pieces of lumber. I learned to love the smell of sawdust, and I also learned how to build things for myself. And when we would finish our work for the day, I used to crawl up in Daddy’s lap, where I felt safe, and loved, and content. That is the kind of relationship with God that is promised to us in the opening words of the Lord’s Prayer. It begins with the words “Our Father.” It is interesting to me that the only thing the disciples ever asked Jesus to teach them how to do was to pray. They could have asked him anything, but they just wanted to know how to pray like Jesus did. They could see the importance of prayer in Jesus’ life, and they could certainly see the results of the prayer time that Jesus spent. It invigorated him, empowered him, and guided him in his earthly ministry, and gave him the courage to face his death with quiet dignity. Jesus prayed before every major decision in his life. He withdrew to lonely places to be with God, the God whom he knew intimately as his Father. And when he taught the disciples to pray, he began with the words, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” Let’s look first at that title, “Our Father.” Prior to the time of Jesus, God had been seen as remote and harsh, and God was only to be approached with a sense of fear and uncertainty. But Jesus never addressed God in any other way except as Father, and he taught his disciples to begin their prayers with the words, “Our Father.” This is an intimate, personal approach to God. And for Jesus, it was rooted somewhat in the Hebrew understanding of the role of the father in a family. A Hebrew father was the dominant figure in his child’s life and was the one from whom the blessing would be passed to his children. You might remember the story of Jacob and Esau, and how the blessing from Isaac was considered so important that Jacob and his mother plotted together about how to trick Isaac into giving the blessing to Jacob instead of his older brother Esau. A father’s blessing is still important in the lives of their children. Some people spend their lives looking for the blessing that they never received from their fathers. Others find confidence and courage for life, knowing that they do have their father’s blessing. Jesus surely recognized that human fathers are imperfect, unreliable, and sometimes even harmful to their children. Even if they do offer their blessings to their children, sometimes that isn’t enough. Even the best father cannot love enough or give enough to meet every need of their child at every moment of their lives. But Jesus also knew that our Father in heaven can do that. And so he taught us to pray, “Our Father.” Just think about that for a minute. The God who made everything, who called the world into being, wants us to call him Father. The God who worked all those miracles in the Bible is also the one who relates to us as Father. John Killinger writes, “If this doesn’t make shivers run up and down your spine, then you have not properly understood. To think that the God of all this depth and power and resourcefulness should be our Father, the one with whom we are privileged to live in an attitude of intimacy and relationship, is enough to stagger the mind, to make it recoil through sheer insufficiency … Who could ever have hoped or dreamed that the God of the universe, the God of all universes, should be our Father?” I realize that, for some people, thinking of God as Father is very difficult. They may be uncomfortable with this male-only image of God. But I would answer, this is only one metaphor for God, and is not exclusive. It emphasizes the “fatherly” qualities of God, such as protector and provider. But it does not mean that God does not also have “motherly” qualities that are just as important. For other people, thinking of God as father is hard because they had fathers who were not good fathers, who were perhaps mean or abusive or addicts. But I would encourage those folks to realize that God is the perfect Father who is available to us all. We can see what kind of Father God is by remembering that Jesus reflects the character of God. When we see Jesus, we see what God is like. And Jesus shows us a God who is loving, caring, compassionate, forgiving, patient, understanding, consistent, and reliable. This is the kind of Father that we can trust and count on in any and every circumstance, a Father who is faithful and whose love is constant and unconditional. The second part of this opening phrase of the Lord’s Prayer is says that Our Father “is in heaven.” What does it mean? What and where is heaven? The word “heaven” comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word “heave-on,” and means “to be lifted up, or uplifted.” Heaven is a place that lifts up God, where God is uplifted. Heaven is above the commonplace life here on earth. Heaven is the realm of God. I wish the Bible told us more about heaven. But what it does tell us helps us to under-stand that heaven is a good place, a place where we want to be. Heaven is a place where there is no more crying, no more death, no more sorrow, no more pain. There is no night in heaven, but it is always light there. There is peace and justice and fellowship, and those who are in heaven spend their days serving God around the throne. It is a place of rest for those who are weary, a place of joy for those who have suffered, and a place of singing and worship for everyone. We know a little of what heaven is like because there is a little of heaven in us. Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is within you.” That is possible because the Spirit of God is in us. The most important thing about heaven is that it is the place where God is. It is the place where we will meet God face to face. It is the place where Jesus will lead us home. There is a great song by the group “Mercy Me,” called “I Can Only Imagine,” and it talks about what heaven might be like: I can only imagine what my eyes will see when your face is before me, I can only imagine Surrounded by your glory what will my heart feel Will I dance for you, Jesus, or in awe of you be still Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all, I can only imagine, I can only imagine For Christians, one of our greatest hopes and promises is that the day will come when we will no longer have to just imagine, because we will see for ourselves what heaven is like. We will see for ourselves the face of God. The final part of the first phrase of this prayer tells us that God’s name is to be hallowed. That is, the name of God is to be kept holy. To be holy means to be set apart or special. And there is no one who is more set apart or more special than God. God’s name is to be revered and respected, because of who God is. The ancient Hebrews were very cautious about using the name of God. They believed that just speaking the name of God was dangerous. The name of God was Yahweh, and it was to be spoken only once a year, by the high priest, in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. That was how hallowed the name of God was to them. But for 21st century Americans, we have the opposite problem. We have lost a sense of the holiness of God’s name. We make jokes and funny movies about God. We put his name on billboards and bumper stickers. We use his name when we curse. God is regularly insulted and shown sarcasm and scorn in the popular media, and by people in general. And we Christians sometimes attach God’s name to ideas and actions that are as ungodly as I can possibly imagine, using it to defend excluding certain people from our communities of faith or to support our nation’s involvement in war. The name of God is supposed to be kept holy, sacred, hallowed. The name of God is the identity and the character of God. It is not to be taken lightly, and the proper use of God’s name was so important that it was included in the Ten Commandments. We need to honor the name of God when we worship, when we pray, when we sing hymns, when we talk about our faith. We need to show proper respect and reverence for God through our use of language. It matters how we talk to and about God. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” It is a simple beginning, but it is full of complexity. When you pray, you should think about the God who is your Father. You should think about the God who is in heaven. You should think about the God whose name is hallowed. And you should grapple with having a relationship with one who is so holy and pure, so beyond anything we can imagine on earth, and yet who wants to have an intimate and personal relationship with you as your Father. Song Children of God Monica Scott https://youtu.be/GgAy-jydfN8 Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer God of hope and help, show us your ways. Lead us in your truth. Do not remember the sins of our youth, or the sins of this past week. Even as we remember the error of our ways, we ask for your forgiveness and grace. Help us know you so completely that we may walk in your paths of love and righteousness, and live in the light of your grace. Make us once again the people you first created us to be. Put your hand on our shoulder and guide us in the right paths. Make us mindful of the needs of others and give us the courage to represent the right in our midst. Grant us during this Lenten season a truer perspective not only of who you are, but also who we are as created in your image. (David N. Mosser) We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught his disciples to pray: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication Thank you, God, for the signs and wonders that reveal your presence. Thank you for the covenant fulfilled in Jesus Christ. We want to do our part to share your love in the world. Use our offerings and our lives to bring a realization of your reign among us. May we be humble, teachable, and faithful as we seek to lead others into covenant community. Amen. Song Child of God Crowder https://youtu.be/9_nfd7ac5Vc Benediction Now may the God of the journey, the One who creates us, redeems us, and sustains us, keep you this day and forever. May you be faithful to continue following wherever the path may lead. Amen. Gathering Song UMH #269 Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days
Advent Birmingham, Cathedral Church of the Advent, Birmingham, AL https://youtu.be/jzqjglKoEpU Greeting The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you. Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins. God’s mercy endures forever. Hymn UMH #357 Just As I Am Wintley Phipps https://youtu.be/J5n4ZdyHJOg Opening Prayer God, we have to admit that we don’t like Ash Wednesday. We would rather skip the penitence and soul-searching of Lent and skip right to the joy of Easter morning. The world teaches us that mistakes are awful and should be covered up at all cost. We learn to blame others instead of owning up to what we do and the pain we inflict. Lord God, give us the strength in this time of Lent to ask for forgiveness for the hurt we cause and the mistakes we make. Remind us that the difficulties of life form and shape us. Teach us how to turn back to you, to love our neighbor, and to reach out to those who suffer. We ask that you use these forty days of Lent to prepare us for our mission to the world in Jesus’ name. Amen. Scripture Psalm 51:1-17 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. (NIV) Sermon Confession is Good for the Soul When I was just a little girl, probably around age two, my mom was trying to potty-train me. Apparently I didn’t take to it very well. I guess I just didn’t like the potty chair. Maybe I was afraid of it. I don’t really remember. But instead of telling my mom when I needed to go potty, I would just go behind the couch and wet my pants, and then come out, thinking that no one would notice. Somehow, if I could just hide it, it wouldn’t be a problem. But, of course, it was. Both for me and for my mom. Wet pants don’t feel too good after a while. But isn’t that the way it is? When we do something we shouldn’t do, our first impulse is to hide it, to cover it up, to sweep it under the rug and hope that nobody notices, especially not God. That was the way Adam and Eve tried to deal with the very first sin. When they ate the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden, the only tree that God told them to leave alone, they realized what they had done, and they tried to hide from God. Not only that, they hid from each other by creating clothes for themselves (you know, those leafy garments we see in the Sunday School pictures). The great hero of the Old Testament, David the king, also tried to hide when he sinned against God. You surely remember the story of David and Bathsheba. David had stayed behind in Jerusalem that spring while his armies were off fighting the enemy. He was bored, and probably feeling guilty for not joining the troops, and was maybe how things were going at the front, and he couldn’t sleep. So he was pacing on the palace roof. And he glanced over and saw Bathsheba taking a bath. He began to lust after her, and decided he had to have her for himself. So he sent for her, and slept with her, and sent her home. As if that weren’t bad enough, when Bathsheba later told David that she was pregnant, David schemed to cover up his sin by bringing Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, home on leave. Knowing that Uriah would surely spend lots of time with his wife, he figured that when the baby was born, Uriah would assume the child was his. But things didn’t quite go as David had planned. Uriah was only concerned about how the armies were doing, and he wasn’t going to enjoy time with his wife when the other men were still on duty. So David came up with still another plan. He sent Uriah back to the front lines, and had his generals set up a situation that was bound to get Uriah killed. And it worked. Uriah died in battle. And after the period of mourning was over, David brought Bathsheba into the palace and married her. David not only committed adultery, he committed murder. He was guilty of grave sin. But still he hoped to keep it hidden. God saw all of this, and was concerned for David’s soul. So he sent Nathan the prophet to confront David. God knows that sin left buried will fester in our hearts and minds and souls, and continue to separate us from him. And God was not willing to let David end up like that. God needed David as his faithful servant. And so God made a way for David to make things right. Once Nathan confronted David, and David admitted that he had sinned, he wrote this psalm of confession. Probably none of us has gone to the extremes that David went to in order to hide our mistakes or cover our sins. I don’t know, maybe you have. But we all are guilty of some kind of sin or wrongdoing, missing the mark, falling short of God’s expectations for us. We are only human, after all. And most of us have probably tried to hide that sin from God and from others, maybe even from ourselves. It is hard to face up to what we have done, to admit how wrong we have been. It is hard to let anyone, even God, see the dark sides of our natures. But it is necessary to deal with our sins openly and honestly, as quickly as possible. Otherwise, we feel distance between ourselves and God, a distance that is caused by our guilt. And there is no reason to hang on to that guilt, because we have been promised forgiveness if we just confess our sin and promise to do better. God loves us and does not want there to be a separation between us. God understands that sin is a reality and that everyone will sin at some point. That is why God provided a way out for us, a way that was paid for with the blood of his own Son. God paid the penalty for all the sins of the world, so that all who ask will be forgiven. We come to this season of Lent, this time of penitence and reflection, with some degree of discomfort and maybe even fear. We would rather not think about what we have done wrong, or what we have failed to do that was right. We would rather not admit that we are guilty of anything. But we also know that we don’t want to live with our guilt forever, we don’t want to hide behind couches and wear wet pants just because we have tried to hide from God. Wouldn’t it be better to just admit what we have done and be forgiven? I remember reading a story in Robert Fulghum’s book, Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. He was in his office at home one afternoon, listening to the neighborhood kids playing hide and seek. He noticed that one of the kids hid under a pile of leaves in his yard. All the other kids got found, and they were all looking for this one little boy. Finally, they yelled, “Olley, olley, oxen-free!” signaling that anyone still in hiding should come out. But this little boy still stayed hidden. The other kids got tired of looking for him, and headed for home. Fulghum said he just wanted to shout out the window, “Get yourself found!” I guess that’s a good way to end tonight. Get yourself found! Come out of hiding and deal with your sin! Confession is good for the soul. God will forgive you; that is his promise. All you have to do is say, “I did it; I’m sorry. I will do better next time.” Hymn UMH #351 Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior Fernando Ortega https://youtu.be/5L4LWFXBXBE Invitation to the Observance of Lenten Discipline Brothers and sisters in Christ, the early Christians observed with great devotion the days of Jesus’ passion and resurrection. It became the custom of the church that there should be a forty-day period of spiritual preparation before Easter. During that period, converts to the faith were prepared for baptism. It was also a time when anyone who had committed a serious sin and had separated themselves from the community of faith might be reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and be restored to participation in the life of the church. In this way the whole congregation was reminded of the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the need we all have to renew our faith. I invite you to observe a holy Lent: by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on scripture. To make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now bow before our Creator and Redeemer. Thanksgiving Over the Ashes Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth. Grant that these ashes may be a sign of our mortality and penitence, so that we may remember that only by your grace are we given everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. Imposition of Ashes (If ashes are available to you, you may dip your finger in the ashes and make the sign of the cross on your forehead.) Prayer of Confession We confess to you, all-knowing God, what we are. We are not the people we like others to think we are. We are afraid to admit, even to ourselves, what lies in the depths of our souls. But we cannot hide our true selves from you. You know us as we are, and yet you love us. Help us not to shrink from self-knowledge. Teach us to respect ourselves for your sake. Give us the courage to put our trust in your guiding power. Raise us out of the paralysis of guilt into the freedom and energy of forgiven people. And for those who from long habit find forgiveness hard to accept, we ask you to break their bondage and set them free; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen. Assurance of Pardon The Lord is merciful and gracious, endlessly patient, loving, and true, showing mercy to all, forgiving sin, and granting pardon. Hymn UMH #367 He Touched Me Jason Nelson https://youtu.be/wLBp-HwmAsU Benediction Wash us thoroughly from our sins and we will be whiter than snow. Bathe us in your steadfast love. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and help us hear the joy of your calling. Restore to us the joy of your salvation. Go with God’s blessing. Amen. February 14, 2021
Transfiguration Sunday Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song Just a Little Talk With Jesus The Statler Brothers https://youtu.be/V2NpiFFX7Is Announcements Wednesday, 7:00 PM Zoom Ash Wednesday Service Here is your invitation: Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Ash Wednesday Service Time: Feb 17, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83881053306?pwd=d3JCbWYzQW45ZGRJcnJsTHUxRTdWUT09 Meeting ID: 838 8105 3306 Passcode: 320144 One tap mobile +13017158592,,83881053306#,,,,*320144# US (Washington DC) +13126266799,,83881053306#,,,,*320144# US (Chicago) Dial by your location +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 838 8105 3306 Passcode: 320144 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcLeq9vmYj Thursday, 7:00 PM Zoom Lenten Study – Adam Hamilton, Simon Peter Here is your invitation: Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Bible Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (Washington D.C) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdxhcclBuf *Call to Worship O Lord, you take us to the mountaintop, but we are dizzied by the height. You would show us who you are, but we are blinded by the brilliance of your garment. You would teach us how to build your kingdom, but we are content merely to build you a shelter. You would make clear your will for us, but we are overshadowed by a cloud. You would speak to us and make things plain, but we are amazed by a voice rumbling from heaven. We hear, and the voice is saying, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him!” We descend the mountain, fearing the mystery that lies ahead. But we will trust you. Song We Have Come at Christ’s Own Bidding First-Plymouth Church, Lincoln, NE https://youtu.be/BdKQQ6CQVfs *Opening Prayer Transforming God, in whose love we become new people, help us to view Christ beyond the blinders of our culture as One whose way is relevant and exciting in our time and place. In the name of Jesus Christ, make us servants who participate in the transformation you envision for the world. Amen. Song Jesus Loves Me Reba McEntire https://youtu.be/yb9ckUIAlLI Hearing the Word Scripture Mark 9:2-9 After six days, Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. (NIV) Sermon Changed By Love One of the things I love about watching the Super Bowl is seeing the commercials. There have been some great ones over the years. Remember the Budweiser frogs? And I always enjoy the Anheuser Busch ads featuring the Clydesdale horses. I think it was last year when the dogs tried all sorts of tricks to get Doritos from the grocery store. This year the ads were different. Some of the major advertisers chose not to purchase air time this year, in light of the pandemic. And the nature of the ads was different, too. One of the ads that really caught my attention was the Toyota ad featuring paralympic swimmer Jessica Long. Long was born with a condition that meant that she was missing most of the bones in her feet. When she was just 13 months old, she was adopted from a Russian orphanage by a couple from Baltimore. When she was 18 months old, she had both legs amputated below the knees. And since then she has undergone more than a dozen surgeries. Jessica began swimming in her grandparents’ pool, pretending that she was a mermaid. By age 10, she had started swimming in competitions, and at just 12 years old she appeared in her first Paralympics in 2004, winning three gold medals. She competed in three more Paralympics and won a total of 23 medals. In 2013, she traveled to Russia to meet her birth parents, who had been only teenagers when their daughter was born. She said that she was not angry with them for giving her up for adoption. She went on to say, “I think that was really brave, and I don’t know what I would have done if I was in her situation, at 16 and having this disabled baby that they knew they couldn’t take care of.” She said that she has great love for her birth mother, because she gave her life. Jessica Long’s life was transformed by the power of love. First, by a mother who loved her enough to give her up, so that she might have a better chance at a good life. And then, by the American parents who were willing to adopt a little girl with such a major physical impairment. She did not become bitter about her situation, but became a strong, determined young woman, developing her skill in the water to the highest level. Love has a way of transforming people. And on this Transfiguration Sunday, I want to talk about how love changes things, how love changes people. When Jesus was up on the mountain with Peter, James and John, there was the visual miracle of the transfiguration, when the appearance of Jesus was changed. Jesus shone with a bright white light, such that his clothes were whiter than any bleach in the world could ever get them. And seeing that miracle made a huge impression on the disciples, especially when Moses and Elijah showed up. Peter was ready to build shelters and stay up on the mountain forever! Then, there was the second miracle, the auditory one. God had a message for Jesus and for the three disciples. He spoke from the cloud, “This is my Son, whom I love; listen to him!” God’s message to the disciples was, “Listen to him!” But his message to Jesus was the same one that he had spoken at Jesus’ baptism: “I love my Son.” I think that Jesus’ awareness of God’s love is what gave him the strength to pursue his ministry of preaching, teaching, healing, and casting out demons. And I also think that it was God’s love that gave him the strength to face his arrest, torture, and execution on a cross. Knowing that God loved him made all the difference. When we are loved – by a partner or spouse, by a parent or child, by a friend or relative, and especially by God – we have the courage and strength to do things we might not otherwise be able to do. Andrew Lloyd Weber, the wonderful composer of Broadway plays, once wrote these lyrics: Love, love changes everything: Hands and faces; Earth and sky. Love, love changes everything: How you live and how you die. The changes that love makes are sometimes superficial. For example, a man who is interested in sports marries a woman who is into opera, and he attends concerts with her and begins to appreciate it. He does it because he loves his wife, and has been changed by her to a certain extent. In an article, Joshua Becker writes, “I have sat on benches in women’s clothing stores. I have given up my umbrella during rainstorms. I have spent my life savings on a wedding ring. And I have committed my life … to one person, my wife … My love for her has changed me forever.” In addition to being changed by his love for his wife, Joshua says he has also been changed by the love he has for his children: “As a result, you may find me curled up in a little ball in a closet waiting for my daughter to find me. You may find me curled up on pink bed thoroughly engaged in a Junie B. Jones book. Or you may find me spending an evening at the kitchen table working on 4th grade geometry.” But other changes are more significant. In fact, we may refer to them as transformational, because they are changes in our very nature or character. The changes we made were a turning point, something permanent. Many transformational changes in our lives are the result of love. Because love has the power to transform us. Becoming a Christian is one of the most significant transformational experiences we might have. It transforms our nature. The Bible says that we become new creations in Christ. The love of God transforms us like no other love ever could. God’s love can make us feel more confident and courageous. It can turn us around from lives lived solely to satisfy our own desires to lives lived in service to others. And it can lead us to love others in such a way that their lives are transformed too. One writer in a Catholic online magazine compared this kind of transformational love to the story of Beauty and the Beast. In the story, the young girl is able to see past the beast’s deformities, and through her love he is transformed into a handsome prince. By lavishing her love on the beast, Beauty discovers that the beast is really a beautiful, kind-hearted soul. Her treatment of him causes his transformation. In the same way, when we love others, we may have a transformational impact on their lives. When we love our neighbor, we participate in what C. S. Lewis called the “transforming presence of Love Himself.” In this way our ability to love one another, “joins us with [Christ] more than anything because it transforms everything,” according to Pope John Paul II. In the same way that God’s love was transformational for Jesus, it was also transformational for the disciples. After Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, the Holy Spirit came upon those early believers and they went on to do amazing things. They carried the gospel message to the far reaches of the Roman Empire and beyond, to India and China. They were given the courage to preach even when threatened with persecution and death, and most of them did die as martyrs to the faith. How has God’s love changed you? How could your love change another person’s life? The power of love is greater than any other power on earth, and we have that power. Our world – our country – needs the transformative power of love if we are ever to learn to live and work together in peace and harmony. When so many other forces seem to be pulling people apart, let’s use the force of love to bring people together. And let’s pray for God’s love to transform the hearts of those who hate and who seek to bring more disunity and division in our society. Love is powerful enough to do it. And love changes things. Love changes everything. Song The Change Steven Curtis Chapman https://youtu.be/tiPYalVTPGM Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer Lead us up the high mountain, Lord, and transfigure us. At our baptism we pledged to you our souls, and we were reborn by the water. Now we pledge to you our very lives, that we may be reborn by the Spirit. At creation you made us in your image. Reshape us in your likeness. Clothe us in light, Lord, for we would be children of the light. Send to us your word, for we would be doers of the word. Lay on us your mantle, Lord, for we follow the One who wears the crown. As we remember our baptism, may we receive our transfiguration. (Everett Tilson, Phyllis Cole, adapted) We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught his disciples to pray: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication Awesome God, confronted by the dazzling light of your glory, we want to stay on the mountaintop and worship you. But you call us to do more than worship, you call us into action as your disciples. Through these gifts, may we shine the transforming light of your love into all the world. Use our worship, use our gifts, use our lives, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Song Love Lifted Me Lincoln Christian University Chorale https://youtu.be/CZyzdQL0DO0 *Benediction It has been good for us to be together. Now we scatter to share the good news. Light from the gospel has been revealed to us. Now we are becoming lights to the world. Depart with confidence and joy. We will show God’s love. We carry the knowledge of Christ in our hearts. Amen. February 7, 2021
Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song Just a Little Talk With Jesus The Statler Brothers https://youtu.be/V2NpiFFX7Is Announcements Thursday, 7:00 PM Zoom Bible Study – The Minor Prophets Here is your invitation: Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Bible Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (Washington D.C) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdxhcclBuf *Call to Worship Early in the morning we seek God’s face; in this place and time apart we listen for God’s word. We come before God in awe and thanksgiving. Amen. Song Jesus, Lover of My Soul Fernando Ortega https://youtu.be/NsXcCdWjsmg *Opening Prayer Compassionate Savior, by your touch people are healed and by your word lives are transformed. Show yourself to us now; touch our lives; speak to us. We do not seek these gifts for ourselves alone, but for the sake of the gospel. May your message be proclaimed among all people, drawing us all into the community you intend, where God reigns and love prevails. Amen. Song Breathe Michael W. Smith https://youtu.be/k8PBakPWph4 Hearing the Word Scripture Mark 1:29-39 (NIV) As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else – to the nearby villages – so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. Sermon Making Time for God I don’t know about you, but my sense of time has gotten all messed up during this past year of pandemic living. It all started with the first weeks of shut-down, when we all basically stayed at home, not working, wondering what was going to happen next. I found myself at my wit’s end, with no worship to prepare for, no Bible study preparation either, no visits to make, no committee meetings to attend. It was a very strange time. And then, when I did start coming back to the church to do some work, it was still weird. Not meeting for worship on Sundays threw my whole week off. I didn’t know what day it was sometimes. Like many of you, I found myself with more time unfilled than before. My regularly scheduled programs weren’t anymore. There were no coffee hours, no clergy meetings, no sermon-writing days, no district gatherings, no Annual Conference to attend. You might think that with all that time suddenly available, I might have thought to spend more time in prayer. And I guess I did, but most of it was prayer that neither myself, nor anyone in my family, nor any of my friends or colleagues, nor any of my parishioners would catch the COVID-19 virus. I spent a lot of time talking to God, but not much time listening. And as I gradually began to re-learn how to do my job in this pandemic situation, my hours filled up again, maybe more than ever before. I don’t just prepare for one worship service each week any more; now I prepare a Zoom service and a service for the website and a service to be mailed to those who have no computer access. I have a Bible study group again, on Zoom. I lead worship and song at Sunapee Cove again, on Zoom. I have district meetings again, on Zoom. And we even had remote Annual Conference this fall, also on Zoom. I have some weeks where I am just Zoomed out! And now there is less time than ever before to devote to prayer. And yet, that is what my soul is craving. Time spent with God in prayer. The more busy things are, the more demands on our time, the more stresses in our lives, the more we need time along with God. And yet, the more busy we are, the more demands there are on our time, the more we feel the stresses of life, the less time we seem to be able to find to spend with God in prayer. We feel like there are just now enough hours in the day. There is always something else, something more, that needs to get done. When life gets like that, whether or not there is a pandemic going on, I think about this passage from Mark 1. Here we find a pattern that Jesus set for his life. And it is a pretty good pattern for our lives, as well. We read in the verse 29 that they were leaving the synagogue. Jesus spent time at the synagogue on the Sabbath. Jesus felt that corporate worship was important. When people of faith gather – whether in person or via Zoom or some other means – something significant happens. We remember that we are not alone trying to live out our faith in a world that can seem hostile to it. We remember that there are others who are also struggling to put their faith into practice every day. And we also remember that there are others who are willing to share our joys and burdens with us, just as we share theirs. We laugh with each other, we eat together, and we cry together. We join our hearts and our spirits together in prayer. We teach our children the basics of our faith and we continue to nurture our own spiritual growth. It is important to gather as a community of faith. Next, Jesus spent time healing the sick. He saw people in need, and he acted to meet their needs. And we are called to do the same thing. It isn’t enough to believe in Jesus; we also have to follow the example of Jesus. We are supposed to look around us and see where there are needs and then work to do something about them. Maybe that is feeding the hungry; there are certainly more demands on our food banks these days, so any donations are greatly appreciated. It might be helping to provide clean water to those in other countries who do not have access to it. It may be collecting clothes to distribute to the homeless. Or volunteering to work in a homeless shelter. It may be working as a tutor for children who struggle with their schoolwork. There are so many ways that we can serve other people. We also spend time in our regular work, whatever that is. Some of you have jobs that you go to every day. Others are retired and have a different set of responsibilities and obligations through volunteering. Some are stay-at-home moms, or grandparents who take care of their grandchildren while their parents work. Whatever your job may be, we are supposed to do a good day’s work. We should do our work in such a way that people can see our faith. We should do an honest day’s work for an honest day’s wage. We should give our job the best effort and do the best we can at it. Even as a student, I remember my dad telling me to just do my best, that is all anyone can expect of you. We should do our best work, whatever our work may be. Then Jesus took time to withdraw to a solitary place and pray. Wow. Think about that for a minute. Jesus – God the Son – felt the need to spend time in conversation with God the Father. He needed that time in the same way that we need that time. Jesus needed to share with God what was going on in his life, he needed to share his concerns for others and for himself. And Jesus needed to listen to God speak to him, to let him know what his will for his Son was, to give him strength and encouragement and comfort. Jesus needed that connection, that communion, with a power greater than himself as a limited human being. If Jesus needed time in prayer, then how much more do we need it? We, who are so much more human than Jesus. We, who on top of needing to share our concerns with God and hear God’s words of guidance and encouragement and comfort, also need to confess our sins and hear God’s words of grace and forgiveness. We, who need to find strength and courage to face each day. We need to make time for God. Jesus made time for God in the only way he could: he got up before it was even light so that he would be able to be alone and pray. I know many people who get up before the sun in order to find time for prayer and Bible study. They are morning people. I am not. I can’t get up early. And if I closed my eyes in prayer at 6:00 AM, I would surely fall asleep again. But I do try to make that time as early in the morning as possible. I usually set aside that time when I first get to my office for prayer and journaling and Bible study. I take about an hour a day for this important time. Some people spend more time, others spend less. Some people use devotional books, others just read scripture or some other inspirational book. Some people write down their prayers. Others pray out loud or in silence. I tend to light a candle, because it’s scent helps keep me focused when I am praying, so that my mind doesn’t wander so much. I also hold a prayer cross for the same reason. That time first thing in the work day will not work for most people. You will have to find a time that works best for you. It may be in the early morning, before you leave home. It may be after lunch, or in the evening. Whatever time you choose, try to find a time that you can be consistent. And put that time on your schedule, just like any other appointment. It will remind you that this time with God is important, just as important as any other meeting or activity. When we make time for God, we find, like Jesus, that we are then given the energy to get back to the daily challenges and tasks. We discover what it is that God wants us to do, and we are given the strength to do it. We feel the peace of knowing that we have been in the presence of God and the joy that comes from knowing how much God loves us. We are able to stay focused on the priorities and jobs ahead of us that day and in the coming week. And we remember what our most important priority really is: our faith. It may seem really basic and maybe very obvious that it is important to make time for God in your life. And in some ways, I guess it sounds simple. But I think we all know that in practice it isn’t always that easy. Things get in the way. We face obstacles to our plans. And we don’t always have the persistence to stick with it. But when we do, our lives are more ordered, more disciplined, and more in line with the example of Jesus. I want to challenge you, if you don’t already have a time carved out of your day to spend with God in prayer, to try and do that this week. Think about what time would work best for you. Think about what place in your home or office you can be alone in relative quiet. Decide whether you are going to speak your prayers aloud or in silence or write them down. Will you also do Bible study during this time? Will you use a candle or other object to help you stay focused? Prepare a space and then use it. I know that you will find refreshment for your soul if you make time for God on a regular basis. Song Be Still and Know Steven Curtis Chapman https://youtu.be/jop65i0sZGw Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer O God, our heavenly Father, you are the God of Simon’s mother-in-law. She was probably an aging widow, not highly regarded in her community. She was not strong, but ill; she was not mighty, but a woman in a man’s world. Yet your Son, O God, did not pass her by. He touched her, and she became a woman healed, a woman freed; a woman who rose from her bed not to resume the ordinary way of doing things, but to minister to others; a woman healed on the Sabbath, who rose to serve the Lord of the Sabbath. Simon did not understand the reality that Jesus of Nazareth brought to Capernaum. He chased after Jesus and interrupted his time of prayer to beg for more miracles. Lord, if you are the God of Simon, then you are our God; we, too, fail to understand the kingdom that you have begun in our midst. Open our hearts, that we may perceive what is real, what is desirable, what is good. Show us again what strength is. Help us to embody it, as did the disciple, who understood and served. (Everett Tilson, Phyllis Cole, adapted) We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught his disciples to pray: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication Thank you, God, for showing us a better way to live than we are able to come up with on our own. Thank you for reaching out to us. Thank you for Jesus Christ, who extended your love to the least and the lost, and who offered wholeness to those who were sick or brokenhearted. Thank you for the prayers that demonstrate how we can be in communion with you. In gratitude, we dedicate our offerings. Amen. Song Sweet Hour of Prayer Radiance Acapella https://youtu.be/Ph43J3pnBDo *Benediction Go out to serve. Someone needs you today. We pray that God will open our eyes to those in need. Speak a healing word. Do a caring deed. Surely God will empower our ministry. We will serve in the strength God supplies. Amen. |
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