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Prelude
Welcome and Announcements Call to Worship Joel 1, 2 The Word of the Lord to the prophet: I will pour out my Holy Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old shall dream dreams, and your young shall see visions. Prayer of the Day Christina Rosetti, 1830-1894 As the wind is your symbol, so forward our goings. As the dove, so launch us heavenward. As water, so purify our hearts. As a cloud, so abate our temptations. As dew, so revive our languor. As fire, purge out our dross. Amen. *Hymn 291 Spirit, verses 1 and 2 Prayer of Confession Almighty God, you poured out your Spirit upon the gathered disciples, creating bold tongues, open ears, and a new community of faith. We confess that we hold back the force of your Spirit among us. We do not listen for your word of grace, speak the good news of your love, or live as a people made one in Christ. Have mercy on us, O God. Transform our timid lives by the power of your Spirit, and fill us with a flaming desire to be your faithful people, doing your will for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. *Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me as I Am Assurance of Forgiveness The Lord separates us from our sins as far as the east is from the west. Know you are forgiven and freed to live in peace, to testify to the saving love of God through Jesus Christ, and are empowered by the indwelling Spirit. Amen. Time With Our Young Disciples Reading from Scripture Acts 2:1-8, 11b-21 Morning Message It was a beautiful July day at Cooper’s Rock State Forest near Morgantown. The loud, fierce storm that had blown thru the night before had left the world a bright, fresh green. Wedding guests had assembled…as many as could be seated under the roof of the picnic shelter. The music had begun…there’s nothing more lovely to a West Virginian than the sound of stringed instruments against a backdrop of majestic mountains and sweet summer air. Nothing lovelier except the bride, my daughter. In antique white lace, an exquisite veil falling from the crown of her head, over her shoulders, gently blowing in the breeze. Prayers, promises, rings, and the moment for which all the little cousins waited…the kiss…and the wedding party made their way of out of the shelter to pose for a few quick pictures before joining the guests. Perfect. This was the second time I was officiating clergy and mother of the bride and I was feeling a great sense of relief. I was looking forward to the cake and champagne. And then we heard the groom’s father shout, “Dad!” And then the groom shout, “Papaw!” We all turned to see a woman in a green taffeta dress streak across the shelter, hurdling benches. She started slapping the head of an elderly man with the crowd rising to their feet, some running toward the commotion and others making room for help to move in, the gentle strains of guitar and violin drowned out by gasps of guests and cries of family members. And then we saw it…the plume of smoke…and it seemed to be coming from Papaw. On his way out of the picnic shelter, he had tripped on the stone floor and stumbled into the unity candle, catching his hair on fire! My sister, Amy, was the one smacking him on the head in an effort to put out the flame. She was successful and no permanent damage was done, though it gave us all a fright. Later, trying to elicit a smile from me, my husband observed that we had re-enacted the Pentecost event as described in the book of Acts. A crowd gathered from the four corners of the country, a service of worship, lots of conversation in all kinds of dialects, and flames dancing over the head of at least one person. I wasn’t amused and only stopped shaking sometime in the middle of the next week. Pentecost, Shavout, in Hebrew, is a Jewish festival held on the fiftieth day after Passover, to celebrate the spring fruits. Later, it was expanded to include the arrival of the Hebrew people from Egypt to Mt. Sinai, and the gift of Torah. At the time of the event described in the text, devout Jews were obligated to assemble each year in Jerusalem in celebration of both Passover and Shavout. In our text, we find Jesus’ disciples and other followers gathered in the upper room on that day. In addition to the obligation to assemble in Jerusalem for this festival, the disciples were following the explicit instructions given by Jesus to remain there until that time when they are baptized by the Holy Spirit and empowered to take the Good News of salvation to the ends of the earth. So on that day they were waiting. And suddenly from heaven came the noise and the wind and the fire, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them. Pilgrims from every nation were gathered in Jerusalem that day and they were drawn to the site of all this commotion, amazed, because they were hearing about God’s mighty acts of power each in their own language, in a way they could understand. What was this language? Was it the kind we speak, with subjects and predicates, verbs that can be conjugated, and participles threatening to dangle? Or was it the phenomenon of ecstatic language, glossalalia, described as a gift of the Holy Spirit? I can’t answer that. But one of my go-to scholarly sources, Dr. Bob Newman, offers this helpful information: “God’s Holy Spirit does not eliminate cultural differences from his modus operandi, but on the contrary, moves in and inhabits cultural differences, co-ops them, in this case different languages, so that these cultural differences become working instruments, tools valuable and necessary in order to make witness real and true. It is worth remembering that the Hebrew Torah insists one time that “you shall love your neighbor as yourself,” while there are many, perhaps innumerable, examples throughout the Hebrew canon which insist upon love for the alien, or the stranger whom you may encounter.” It is about the importance of language, a valuable and necessary tool, that can make witness real and true, that I want to lift up today. Here’s why: I recently sat with a session engaged in a pastoral search. We talked about what initially attracted them to the church and what might be said to a newcomer about what they find meaningful there. I saw a look of pain cross the face of one of the members. His grief and concern were evident as he shared his observation that there is a palpable sense of depression in the community, and in the wider world, but people aren’t turning to the church for help, for fellowship, guidance or support. This church member asked the question we should all ask: “Where do people find help, where do they find meaning for their lives? We find it in a relationship with Jesus Christ, but have we lost our ability to bear witness to Christ’s message in such a way as the family of faith expands?” As I drove away, I recalled a sermon I once heard given by Rev. Dr. James Forbes. Before he retired, Forbes was the Senior Minister of the famed Riverside Church in New York City. I have been blessed to hear him preach from that pulpit. His reputation is that of a strong progressive voice for the mainline Church and social justice issues in particular. Briefly, the sermon I remembered was titled “Are All the Children In?” Forbes grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, one of eight children in a Christian home. When the family would gather around the table each night for supper, before anyone prayed over the meal or took even a bite of food, his mother would look around the table and ask, “Are all the children in?” And if someone was missing, they set about fixing a plate so that the one absent would have something to eat when he or she did arrive. He says this simple question has served as a guide to his life and ministry over the years, especially when working through areas of conflict. Many conflicts erupt in the church about who’s in and who’s out, who’s worthy to be a member, or an ordained officer. That little question had served to clarify many issues that arose in church life. When he asked himself if this sort of radical hospitality would advance the kingdom, the answer was always yes. God made us for God’s self and calls all of us to the table. That was not an easy sell. Ever. But when he applied himself to listening, really listening to the various concerns, he heard the language of fear. Once the language was identified, he could work on that, and in time, through love and grace and lots of reassurance, folks would come around. He says, quite honestly, he could relate to their fears, because he had once had them, too. But, as scripture tells us, perfect love casts out fear. We may not be perfect but Jesus is and he will show us the way. Friends, I don’t have to tell you the church has changed. We simply can’t do church the way we did it fifty years ago, or even two years ago. But, our call is still the same: to be Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth. We Presbyterians do that thru works of justice, kindness and mercy. In practical terms, what does that mean? It means that when we gather for worship, or summer camp or circle meeting or session, or a work project, or any other time or place we may assemble in order to bear witness to our faith, the question that rises from our lips should be, “Are all the children in?” My husband and I visited a church for a wedding once. There was a sign hanging in the entryway of the church that read: “These things are not allowed in God’s house: Women in pants, make-up, jewelry, drinkers or smokers.” Something told us they were deadly serious about these prohibitions, though we knew God had bigger problems to solve. It’s been forty years since we saw that sign, and I still don’t think those things are what offends God. I believe what offends God is for his people to intentionally welcome some people and reject others. I want to be part of the church that welcomes everyone without applying a litmus test. I made that speech many times and it sounded pretty good until I was directly questioned about it. Not long ago, I sat in my doctor’s office. It was the day after Easter and he wanted to share some of the ways his church had observed Holy Week. He is a Christian and he enjoys talking about his faith. Then he looked right at me and asked if my church allowed gay Christians to participate in worship and church activities. There was a gay man in their church choir and the pastor had told him that he was not permitted to sing in the choir any longer. This troubled him. He asked some other very pointed questions that I don’t feel comfortable sharing here, but, were important in that moment. Before responding, I sent up an emergency prayer, “Help!” And I said, “When a person walks through our doors, I am their pastor. Just as when a patient walks into your office, you are his or her doctor. They are entrusting themselves to your care and you seek to serve them to the best of your ability. Same with me.” Friends, the divisions in our society are many. They are like fault lines about to open up and swallow us whole. Everyone is shouting at once: neighbors, families, politicians, some pastors. We are grieving a multitude of losses. Following closely on the heels of grief is anger. And we can’t or won’t understand each other while we are angry. How different could this world be, how different could this year be, if we would pause at the end of our day and just ask, in whatever sphere of influence or belonging in which you dwell, “Are all the children in?” Is everyone being cared for? Do they a safe home, adequate food? Are they lonely? Do they have human interaction/ Consider our brothers and sisters in Ukraine. So many will be forever broken as they look around their tables. Never again will all their children be in this side of heaven. Consider the families in Uvalde, Texas, suffering from the terrible violence that was unleashed on Robb Elementary School. Longing to gather their children in their arms once more and knowing that will never happen. And then there are our adult children. Are they in? The ones who have been rejected by their pastors or their parents? I don’t have the answer for ending violence or resolving international or even family conflict. But, I have confidence that the same fire and wind that birthed the Church can empower us today to bring healing and wholeness to our community and beyond. We can find a common language. Let’s start with love. We all need and want love. We can find common goals. We all want to live. We want our children and their children to live long and prosper. But, we won’t live long and we won’t prosper unless and until we make this question a part of our every day: “Are all the children in?” * Hymn 291 Spirit, verses 3 and 4 *Affirmation of Faith From A Brief Statement of Faith, p. 38, section 4 *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Celebrating the Sacrament of Communion Invitation Words of Institution Great Prayer of Thanksgiving Distribution of the Elements Prayer After Communion Loving God, you have fed and blessed us in this sacrament, united us with Christ, and given us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. For the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Presenting Our Gifts of Tithe and Offering Offertory *Hymn 606 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication *Hymn 338 America the Beautiful Congregational Meeting *Blessing Women: Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. Men: Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. Leader: Melt us, mold us, fill us, use us. All: Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. *Postlude Welcome and Announcements
Prelude *Call to Worship Revelation 5:13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing: To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever! *Prayer of the Day God of heaven and earth, we rejoice today before the throne of Christ’s power and peace, for he has put down tyrannies that would destroy us, and unmasked idols claiming our allegiance. We thank you that he alone is Lord of our lives. by your Spirit, give us freedom to love with his love, and to embrace the world with his compassion. Accept the offering of our lives, that we may obey your commands to witness and serve. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. *Hymn 826 Lift High the Cross, verses 1 and 2 Prayer of Confession Lord Jesus Christ, crucified, risen, and ascended for us, we have not loved you as our Redeemer, or obeyed you as our Lord, we have not brought our prayers to you, or heeded your tears shed over the world you created. Forgive us, breathe into us a new spirit of compassionate service, and make us joyfully adherent to your will and way. Amen. Hymn Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness The mercies of the Lord are from everlasting to everlasting. They are new every morning and sure as the sunrise. Know you are forgiven and be at peace. Scripture Reading Luke 24:44-53 Time With Our Young Disciples Scripture Reading Morning Message Does the name Peggy Whitson mean anything to you? Ms. Whitson, age 63, became the oldest woman in space when she when she rocketed off the planet on Thursday. She headed for the international space station, where she will celebrate her next birthday. Peggy’s first mission was in 2002, which was an extended stay aboard the international space station. She became the first woman to command the ISS, the first woman to become NASA’s Chief Astronaut, the most senior position in the NASA Astronaut Corps. She holds the records for the oldest female spacewalker and the most spacewalks by a woman. She retired in 2018, but, returned to the field as Axiom’s commander of Axiom Mission 2. Whitson was chosen years ago as Christa McCauliff’s back-up teacher in space, which she finally accomplished in 2007. Her academic background is rich. She received degrees from Iowa Wesleyan and Rice Universities in biochemistry. She also studied overseas in preparation for her career. I know there are outstanding male astronauts in our country’s history, but Peggy Whitson was the astronaut whose contributions were on the news this week. Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be launched into space? According to one astronaut, the main engines ignite at six seconds before liftoff, the entire orbiter rattling and shuddering like a skyscraper in an earthquake. A deep rumble shakes the cabin as the main engines came up to thrust. At T-minus zero, the solid rocket boosters ignite, giving the astronauts a massive kick in the back as the ship blasts off the pad, accelerating at 2.5 Gs, ripping through the atmosphere, eventually reaching 3 Gs for a final minute to reach orbit. They say it feels like two of your friends are standing on your chest until the main engine drops to zero. Then the pressure on your body vanishes, and you are afloat under their straps, in free fall at last. You lived to make it through orbit with an exhilarating sense of physical and mental relief to pass through the risky phases of lift-off and ascent into orbit. There are only a few select individuals who know what it means and how it feels to slip earth’s bounds and ascend to heavenly heights. I do not know if these are people of faith, but, it seems if there were ever an occasion to seek God’s presence and protection, streaking though the earth’s atmosphere at unimaginable speed, leaving kith and kin behind, this would be it. Such other-worldly things could not have been achieved in Jesus’ day. We do know people of Jesus’ day thought about heaven and located it high above us in a place called heaven, or paradise. They must have wondered how to reach it. And, according to witnesses, this is the way Jesus slipped earth’s bounds and ascended to heaven. But, what about those he left behind? They must have been equally awed and grief-stricken. They would not see their friend again in this life. Jesus is fully aware of the impact of his leaving- first at his death and then again at his ascension. And so he turns to prayer. The exquisite passage in John’s gospel has been affectionately called “the other Lord’s Prayer.” Sometimes it is called “Jesus’ high priestly prayer.” Words describing it fail us. The setting is the upper room, where so much has happened that very night…a Passover meal, the institution of the Lord’s Supper, the washing of feet, a betrayal. Still in Jesus’ presence, the disciples remain attentive to his words. But now, the words are not directed to them. Here, Jesus is praying for them. Jesus is praying for that time when they would carry on his ministry, but without his earthly company. Commentators say this is the most detailed prayer of Jesus in all the gospels. In the fifth century, CE, the Bishop of Alexandria, whose name was Clement, said that in this prayer Jesus was fulfilling his role as a high priest for his people. This is the origin of the term, “high priestly prayer.” In the Old Testament, there were three holy offices: Prophet, Priest, and King. No one assumed these offices on their own. Only those called by God and anointed by the Holy Spirit entered into these offices. As we look back over the entirety of Jesus’ life, we can see how he came to fulfill these holy orders. At his birth, Jesus is referred to as the infant king. You recall that Herod decreed that all baby boys two years of age and younger were to be put to death because Jesus’ birth was interpreted as a threat to Herod’s rule and reign. Throughout his ministry, from the time he read scripture in the Temple, to his trek down to the seashore, in visiting the crowded cities, and dining at the homes of his friends, Jesus was prophet. Remember, when we come across the term “prophet” in scripture, we may substitute the word “preacher.” Jesus preached, or prophesied, wherever he went. But, here, in these last few moments with his disciples, in the upper room, their gathering place, it is Jesus, the High Priest, speaking. The work of the priest was to mediate between human beings and God. People would bring their sacrifices to the temple and the priest would present them to God. There were thank offerings that were burned. There were memorial offerings that were waved. And then, there were the sin offerings that were sacrificed. As the people brought their offerings forward, the priest would take the animal, present it to the Lord, sacrifice it, throw some of the blood on the curtain in front of the Holy of Holies, and then throw some of the blood on the sinner. As he performed this rite, the priest would say, “The Lord has forgiven you all your sins.” The High Priest did not mediate for a specific man, woman, or family. The High Priest mediated for the whole nation of Israel collectively. The High Priest carried out one special offering to the Lord. Every year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter alone into the Temple. No one else was permitted to enter. He would take one animal, a lamb, into the temple, on behalf of the whole nation, and sacrifice it at the altar. He would then take the blood of that one lamb behind the curtain, into the Holy of Holies, and pour it out onto the Ark of the Covenant, where God himself was believed to dwell. The High Priest would atone for the sins of the whole nation by one sacrifice, “once for all.” We can see how Jesus is, for us, the Great High Priest. He mediates between us and God. He offers himself, the Lamb of God, to take away the sins of the world, to take away our sins. In this prayer, Jesus gives us a glimpse into the warmth and depth of the relationship between himself and God. He prays for his friends. He prays for us in our generation. This passage is exclusively prayer. There are no instructions, no charges, no challenges. Jesus is asking God to bless his friends with the kind of relationship he has with God, whom he calls Father. He asks that God bring his friends together as one, as he and God, Father and Son, are one. He pleads for unity among them. He expresses his deep desire that they love one another as he has loved them. How very important these things will be to the fledgling church. To be united in purpose and love would strengthen and empower the believers in the strife-filled years to come. The love of Christ will compel his followers to mighty heroic acts, breaking the chains of oppression and bringing relief to those who suffer. They would advance the kingdom, in size and in spirit, and bear it to generations yet unborn. This idea about unity is important. Jesus asks God to bring his followers together like he and God were united. You know, we may claim to be united, but, it is a hard-to-achieve state. Yesterday the Presbytery of West Virginia examined a young woman for ordination. She will be serving the largest of our churches, First Presbyterian in Charleston. The candidate is presented with a series of questions about Bible and Theology, Polity, Worship and Sacraments, and Christian faith. Then any presbyter in attendance may ask the candidate a question. This candidate was asked how she would pastor opposing factions in a church. It almost took my breath away, for I am aware of the challenges such a high-profile church in the state capital face. The red and the blue can clash, and do. How does a pastor respond? How can a pastor lead opposing groups of Christian people to set aside their tightly-held issues in order to serve Christ and his Church? She answered simply that a starting point would be to identify those things they hold in common, which she hoped would inspire them to realize they had more hopes, dreams, and desires in common than ideologies that divided them. May it be so. Especially during the legislative session. Where have we witnessed some significant demonstrations of unity? I recall that about two years ago, a crack was discovered in the Hernando de Soto Bridge that spans the Mississippi River between Arkansas and Tennessee. The discovery called for an immediate closing of the bridge. An inspector actually called 9-1-1 to report the emergency and seek help stopping traffic. But that wasn’t the only concern. The traffic passing under the bridge, the boats and barges, would have to be re-directed, too. Think about that a moment. Picture yourself trying to cross that bridge. Maybe its rush hour and you are anxious to get home, pick up your kids, let the dog out. And you are not alone. Hundreds of others have urgent reason to get to the other side. Those on the river have products to move, deadlines to meet. We can almost feel the adrenalin pumping. With a single goal, a unified purpose, that community prevented a tragedy. The repairs would take awhile and inconvenience everyone. But on the other side of this crisis is a great unified celebration, with the governors of both states in attendance, and high school bands marching from one side of the bridge to the other on the day it re-opens to traffic. Sadly, we can point to incidents when the power of unity is mis-used. People can be compelled to unite around destructive ideas. They can be emboldened to perform heinous acts that seem to be increasing in frequency and degrees of destruction. Jesus recognizes the presence and power of evil and asks God to protect his friends from the evil one. We don’t talk much about Covid these days, though it is still a threat to our health. Health professionals taught us that the antidote to Covid is a vaccine. Being vaccinated is a process. I’ve been through it and survived. In the beginning you had to qualify by age or condition or occupation. Get your name on a list. Show up when its your turn. Roll up your sleeve. Feel a tiny pinch. Wait fifteen minutes, then off you go. Hopefully, you will not suffer side effects. The antidote to evil is love. No qualifying, no waiting, no pain, no side-effects. For God is love. And, as you’ve heard before, those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. In heaven and on earth. I’m not a very quantitative person, but I think it’s safe to estimate that approximately none of us has witnessed a person being taking up from earth into the clouds and vanishing from sight to be transported to the right hand of God. Which presented me with a problem this week as I considered the message I would share with you. I stumbled around my theological attic a bit until I learned that an extended family member had just that day been delivered to the entrance of a local hospital by family members, to have joint replacement surgery. No one was permitted to accompany him. I wondered how that felt on both sides of that event. What does it feel like to be a patient, or to face surgery alone, and what does it feel like to drop off a loved one and see the doors close behind him, shutting them out. When would they see each other again? Would they see each other again? I know many of you have experienced this same thing recently. And then I remembered how this scripture text connects to our life and faith. Since Advent and Christmas, I have been thinking a lot about the nature of Jesus, fully God and fully human. We celebrate his humble birth at Christmas. This is Emmanuel, God with us, a baby like we once were, who would grow and learn and experience the full range of human life. We call that “low Christology.” Here, in his ascension, we witness his divinity. Though he was born like us, he ascends to heaven, unlike us. This is high Christology. In my preparation, I was getting stuck in how we could relate to the divinity of Jesus, when all around me, and indeed, around all of us, are testimonies of his humanity, his presence with us in this time that has brought separation, mortal threat, fear, and a real “cloud of unknowing.” This is a very disquieting and discomforting time. We may not want to acknowledge it. We were raised on rugged individualism here in the mountain state. We’re strong and sturdy and nothing can shake us or shake our faith. So, dear friends, why did we strip bare the grocery shelves and fight over toilet paper? Oh, we can justify it. We needed to be prepared. I said that, too. Why? Because we had been plunged into a disaster we hadn’t anticipated. We were not in control. So, we took control in whatever way we could. This is human nature. Several weeks later, we are in a different place. We are making plans to return to church and other gatherings. We are thinking about going out to lunch or shopping at the mall for the first time in months. Maybe we will even dare to make vacation plans. I can hear the beach calling my name. But, in our efforts to get back to life as we knew it, let’s think of how we have been changed…for the better. I think one of the most important lessons we will have learned as we emerge from this Covid 19 era, is that the last time we kissed a loved one good-bye, hung up the phone, turned in an assignment, borrowed sugar from our neighbor…may well be the last time we see that person for awhile. And, those precious moments, that we probably took for granted because we couldn’t anticipate how the pandemic would interrupt life, may have been the last time we will be with that person this side of heaven. And that is sobering. The story of Jesus’ ascension is repeated in the book of Acts, which is also attributed to the writer of Luke’s gospel. In the Acts account, as Jesus disappears, a couple of angels appear to the disciples. Now, usually when angels show up in scripture, they say, “Fear not!” That’s the first message. Not here. In this text, the angels ask the disciples why they were standing still, staring at the sky. And in the Luke text, Jesus gives them their job description: repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in Jesus’ name to all the world, beginning at home right there in Jerusalem. If we take these two accounts together, we might interpret the message to be: “Shake a leg, people! There’s work to do. You will miss Jesus. You will grieve his loss. Do something with what Jesus taught you. Love people. Forgive offenses. Show people the abundant life that results from turning away from sin and turning toward God. And, that’s what I would offer to all of you who have seen a teacher for the last time, or a classmate, or a neighbor, or a loved one. Do something with what he or she taught you. It will be a tribute to their life and give purpose to yours. *Hymn 826 Lift High the Cross, verses 3 and 4 *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed p. 35 *Hymn Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer Including the Lord’s Prayer God of Goodness, grace, and love, like the Apostles, we stand looking toward the sky, not fully understanding all that this day means. We fail to grasp the wonder of your ascension. Forgive the smallness of our vision, the narrowness of our outlook, the weakness of our love, the nervousness of our witness, our repeated failure to recognize the fullness of your revelation in Christ. Give us a deeper sense of wonder, a stronger faith, and a greater understanding of all you have done for us. We have many concerns on our hearts today and we lift now the names of those in need… …the sick, those in the midst of treatment, the recovering, their families and caregivers; the lost, the lonely, the confused, and the forgotten; those in the halls of government, boards of educations, and all public servants; for those who are returning to work and those who must now search for it; for all those who are given charge of family and loved ones; give us your strength, wisdom, and love that we may care for them as you have cared for us. We pray in the way Jesus taught us saying, Our Father…Amen. *Hymn 839 Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine *Blessing May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. May the eyes of your heart have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is at work among us. Amen. Postlude: Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship We gather together in worship. as a mother calls her family around the table. A loving, nurturing God, Who, like a mother, loves us unconditionally, teaches us in the way we should go, and comforts us in times of need. All praise be to God, the source and sustainer of life. Prayer of the Day We bless your name, O Lord, for sending your own incarnate Son, to become part of a family, so that, as he lived his life on earth, he may experience life’s worries and joys. We ask you, Lord, to protect and watch over all our families, so that in the strength of your grace, its members may enjoy the priceless gift of your presence and peace, and, as the Church alive in the home, bear witness in this world to your glory. In the name of Christ, our brother, Amen. *Hymn 14 For the Beauty of the Earth, Verses 1-3 Prayer of Confession Eternal God, in whom we live and move and have our being, whose face is hidden from us by our own sins, and whose mercy we forget in the blindness of our hearts: Cleanse us from all offenses, and deliver us from proud thoughts and vain desires, that with humble hearts we may draw near to you, confessing our faults, confiding in your grace, and finding refuge and strength, through Jesus Christ your Son. Amen. *Hymn Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Pardon Hear the good news! Who is in a condition to condemn? Only Christ, And Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life is gone and a new life is begun. Know you are forgiven and be at peace. Amen. First Reading 1 Peter 3:13-22 Time for Young Disciples Reading from Scripture John 14:15-21 The Morning Message I have vivid memories of the days before mandatory seatbelts and child safety seats. We were not a seatbelt kind of family, which could be the subject of therapy. My dad would stuff them down deep between the seats of his baby blue LTD because he thought the buckles were only good for marring the car’s upholstery. But, we still had a restraint system…it came by way of an arm flung out across the seat to keep whoever was in the front seat from flying head first into the dashboard. Thank goodness we have evolved since those days. Leonard Sweet, prolific preacher and writer, calls mothers “the original seat belt.” I have found myself doing the same thing whenever I come to a sudden stop. I sweep my arm out, like my mother and my grandmother did, whenever I perceive a sudden threat while driving. Even though we all know it would be wholly ineffective in an accident on today’s crowded, roaring, over-driven roads, it is still a gesture of love to me, tucked deep into my memory. What gesture, or phrase, or activity speaks love to you? Murray Bowen wrote the textbook on Family Systems Theory. He says, “Watch what people do, not what they say.” You’ve heard that before. The credit goes to Bowen. An outward gesture of care is the culmination of words made flesh and ideas put into action. It is one of the constant challenges for Christians: how will we engage in actions that demonstrate what we believe about love, hope, confession, forgiveness, redemption, regeneration? Yesterday our fellowship hall was full…of women gathered to do what church women have done for ages…welcome a new baby into the fold and surround his or her mother with love and support, to celebrate with the family. Cake, coffee, presents, and punch were there as were the things we could not see: faith, hope, joy and a whole lot of love. I love it when nature, we can call that God, plops a sermon right before my eyes. Last spring, Ed discovered a couple of robins were building a nest on the ledge outside our kitchen window. He confessed he didn’t know what it was at first and swept and hosed it down. Then, he witnessed those tenacious birds re-constructing a nest. Now he was in protection-mode. Soon we could see one of the birds flying up to the windowsill with a mouthful of twig or a dollop of mud. One of nature’s masterpieces began to take shape in the corner of our window, and we found ourselves drawn to it repeatedly during the day. Mostly an earthy brown, to disguise the little home, we noticed that this robin family was into contemporary nest architecture…around the base of the nest were long strips of something that looked like the backing of our pool cover, providing a foundation of blue and white stripes. One morning Ed reported there was one brilliant blue egg in the nest. I had to climb up on the pool deck to see into the nest. What I noticed first was that the blue and white fabric strips were serving as camo of the base of the nest against our white window frames. Smart birds. The robins took their place on the nest to brood. We went to the Google machine to read up on robins. We learned that both male and female, mama and daddy robins, build and shelter. We have witnessed it. If we made a sudden movement in the kitchen, turned on the overhead light, or make a noise, the bird flew away, but, just a few feet to the railing around the back deck. They were right back when the threat was over. Soon there were two blue eggs in the nest and the birds are spending even more time there, waiting, waiting, making plans for feeding those hungry mouths and teaching those babies to survive outside the home that had protected them thus far. Eventually, there were four eggs in the nest. When they hatched, we witnessed a real labor of love, as the moma and daddy birds brought food and deposited it into thse little beaks. It was days before their eyes opened. And sonn they began the hard work of teaching them to fly. Oh, my goodness, what lessons we saw, as they taight them to perch on the rime of the nest and make the short flight to the deck just a few feet away. We witnessed them leave the nest, one by one, until there was only one left. And them something really remarkable happened. Not only did the parent birds continue to urge that baby out of the nest, the others the brothers or sisters would appear and coax that reluctant bird. You could almost hear them, “C’mon. You can do it!? And eventually, dasy after the others, it balanced on the rim of the nest. One foot attached and one wobbling in the air while testing the proverbial winds. And then it sailed. Just a few feet at first. And then up, up, and away to places we won’t see or imagine. Like I said, I love it when God sends me a sermon and this one was all gift-wrapped. The connection is obvious, isn’t it? This is Mother’s Day and the season of graduations. Most of us have made that move from nest to the wide world already. We made it. We succeeded. Many of us have passed the baton to the next generation in our professions and roles. Last year we had many, but, we have no new graduates this year. This year we can congratulate young people, a neighbor or family member, around us for accomplishing their academic, vocational goals. They should be celebrated. A friend of mine is at Princeton Theological Seminary this weekend for the graduation of her daughter. It hardly seems possible. We watched this young person learn to ride a two-wheeler! Tempis fuget. Time flies. Her future is before her. So much has changed and more changes will come. The way in which her parents relate to her will change. It’s inevitable. And someday soon, this new grad and all the rest taking that big step into the future, will write our laws, pave our streets, teach our students, diagnose our ailments, and sell us groceries. It’s their time. For the parents who have raised them, it’s their time, too. Time for a change. Moms and dads have prayed, planned, anticipated, welcomed and celebrated their children. They have educated, evaluated, and vaccinated. They have hosted play dates, scrutinized car dates, marked milestone dates. They have loved wholly and completely, even sacrificially, always unconditionally, even if that love was tested. We rarely use the word “success” in church conversation because it seems prideful. But, I will break that taboo today because you mothers and fathers, and those who were like parents, need to hear, you need to feel, you need to celebrate your success in raising your family, even if those days are far behind you. I would tell parents of the newly-launched to take a trip, if they have any funds left after writing those tuition checks. Or take up a new interest. Write that book they have always wanted to pen. Replace the bunk beds with a treadmill and weights. We bought a treadmill. We hang clothes on it. To the newly empty-nested, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that your service has ended, your contributions are not needed, your joy is complete. Because it’s not. If you can’t figure it out, call me or call a counselor. You can figure out the next steps. Mother Teresa said there’s always someone’s porch to be swept. Start there. See where God is at work in the world and join God there. Take your broom. In this gospel text, we are in the front seat with Jesus. And it is Jesus who puts his arm around us in the face of what is to come. “Little children,” he says, “you cannot go where I am going.” And then, in the text, Jesus uses both words and actions to prepare his friends for his absence, He washes their feet. He offers them bread. He prepares them for the harsh reality of the next days. He prays for their future. Like a father. Like a mother. We don’t know everything that the future holds, but, we know who holds that future. It is bigger, more expansive, with more opportunities than we can ever know or imagine. When our youngest daughter was five, according to a little booklet made in kindergarten, her chosen profession was to be a “dolphin-chaser” and be on Jeopardy! She also wanted to live with Mommy and Daddy forever. She changed her mind about that. Today she is a pediatric nurse in an endoscopy clinic in Raleigh, NC. Did we envision that for her future? Of course not. But we believe God did and does guide her through all the stages of life. Like I said, it’s a big, wide, vast, important, needy, hurting, exciting world out there. It is a gift of love from God to us. We may not be actively parenting these days, but we can support those who are. Listen to their concerns, celebrate the milestones, and imagine with them how their children’s or grandchildren’s future will unfold. What professional direction will they take? To what purpose might God call them? I’m pretty sure God could still use some dolphin-chasers! *Hymn 14 For the Beauty of the Earth, Verses 4 and 5 Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Gifts of Tithes and Offering Offertory *Hymn 607 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication *Hymn 92 While We Are Waiting, Come *Blessing Go out into the blessing of a new week. As Christ prays for you, pray for one another. As Christ forgives you, forgive one another. As Christ loves you, love one another. And may the grace of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit go with you today and always. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship I am the vine, you are the branches, says the Lord. Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” *Prayer of the Day O God, form the hearts of your people into a single will. Make us love what you command and desire what you promise, that amid all the changes of this world, our hearts may be fixed where joy is found, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen. *Hymn 361 Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation, verses 1 and 2 Prayer of Confession Holy and merciful God, in your presence, we confess our failure to be what you created us to be. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from your ways, in wasting your gifts, in forgetting your love. By your mercy, help us live in your light and walk in your ways, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. *Hymn Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Pardon The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. Believe the good news of the gospel: our sins are forgiven. Be at peace. First Reading 1 Peter 2:2-10 Time for Young Believers Gospel Reading John 14: 1-14 The Morning Message What is the story of your home? How would you describe it to others? Would you begin with the price, the design, or the builder, or the neighborhood, or the fine schools that attracted you in the first place? Maybe it is the home’s history that is so compelling. We’ve lived in the same house for over thirty-five years, but, our present home has been bought and sold so many times, that when a “For Sale by Owner” sign once went up in the front yard, it simply read: “Look what’s for sale again!” One of the families who lived there had ten kids. We had only three and when company came, we had bodies all over the place. I can’t imagine how we’d manage a family of ten in the confines of our house. What comes to mind when Jesus says he goes to prepare a place for you? What image comes to mind? How does the promised future shape your life now, today? Do you even think about it? Pastor Janet Hunt writes that she recently saw an exhibit at the Minnesota History Museum. It was called, “If These Walls Could Talk.” She describes the experience of walking through the history of one house in St. Paul- to hear about the different families who lived there: immigrants all, and also to witness how their lives had been changed by the rapid advances in industry and technology in the years many had arrived. Janet says it was her privilege to officiate at the funeral of the woman, who, along with her husband, had built the home in which Janet now lived. It was in visiting with the woman’s children that she gained a glimpse into the house’s personality, a window into the lives and faith of those who had first called it “home.” She says she can only imagine the hope that filled them when the woman welcomed her husband home from war, got married, and bought land on Meadow Lane where they would build a home. The first build was a simple one: a kitchen and living room, two bedrooms and a bath, all sitting atop a basement they never felt the need to finish. The house was small and sturdy and just right for their family of three. They had just been blessed by the birth of a daughter. A son followed close behind and they found they needed more space. So they hoisted the roof right up and turned the attic into more bedrooms and a bathroom and remodeled the downstairs to better suit their changing needs. Janet says when she met with the family, they pulled out the photo albums, and she found herself searching for glimpses of the house she lived in in its original shape. She looked for pictures of the additions or re-models as they happened. But, those pictures didn’t exist. The albums were full, but, the subject of all the pictures were of what? They were of the family members, the young couple who became Mom and Dad, of babies wrapped in fringed shawls being borne into the house from the hospital, a son in a scout uniform, a daughter in a prom dress. And so it is for all of us, at least those of us who know the privilege of having a home. While the architecture or garden or workshop of a particular domicile are meaningful, the most interesting part of a house is the story of those whose lives were built within it. I know some of you have moved in recent months, and some are planning moves. All three of our daughters sold and bought new homes during the pandemic. There were some anxious times when all that was going on. Frustration, deadlines, upgrades, repairs, open houses, moving from one city to another, finding new jobs, in the case of one of our daughters and her husband. Having a place to lay our heads is important and can become complicated. So, we should welcome Jesus’ first words about the home he is preparing for us: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled, and don’t be afraid.” I have no idea what this promised home will look like. I don’t think my wish list will include a fireplace this time or stainless steel appliances. It won’t matter if the school bus comes by the house, or if the neighbors keep their lawn mowed. I can imagine it will be a place of peace and welcome, a place so comfortable that I never again think about the need for safety and security. It will be the place we have strived to create here on earth, where our children were loved and nurtured and friends and pets welcomed. Where we dropped into a cozy chair at the end of a hard day, where aromas from the kitchen smelled like love. Some of you knew Gray Hampton. Gray was a long-time and much-loved pastor in Huntington. At his funeral, one of his daughters described what happened in the Hampton home when a summer thunderstorm arrived. Gray would rearrange the living room, turning the sofa, where it stood with its back to the big picture window, completely around so that the whole family, all six of them, could sit together, tucked safely inside the house, sheltered from the wind and rain and lightning, while watching the meteorological show outside. This home Jesus is preparing for us will be something like that-designed and created out of love, constructed by the master designer. There will be plenty of room-no need for bumping out a wall or raising the roof. No need for power or heat sources or paint. No need for keys. I don’t know the dimensions, or if it will be brick or frame or stucco. It doesn’t matter. But, my friends, I do know this: when we arrive we will know we are home. It is no surprise that these words in John’s gospel are often read at funerals. They are a great comfort when we need to hear them most. We are reminded of a great promise- that when our time for making a home on earth is done, a place is waiting for us in God’s own house. I visited Sue Yoak this week and she told me about the family tree of photos she planned to create on one of the walls of her single room at the nursing home. She has plans to hang three new pictures-pictures of her grandchildren and her great-grandson who is yet to be born. And, I have no doubt that such a view will bring her joy and comfort. To hear her describe it brought me joy. Her face just lit up in anticipation. So, until we join the Church Triumphant, and enjoy the hospitality of heaven, we can so order our lives and homes, even if they are a room in a nursing home, to be a foretaste of what is yet to come. May it be so for all of us. Amen. *Hymn 361 Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation, verses 3 and 4 *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed p. 35 *Hymn 580 Gloria Patri Joys and Concerns of the Church Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Offertory *Hymn 607 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication *Hymn 462 I Love to Tell the Story *Blessing Just as God’s Word was sent into the world to heal and redeem, so God sends you into the world this day to be light and love, healing and hope. Go now, and share the good news generously, and may the grace of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be with you today and always. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship O Come let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For the Lord is our God; we are the Lord’s people; the flock that God shepherds. Prayer of the Day God of all power, you called from death our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep. Send us as shepherds to rescue the lost, to heal the injured, and to feed one another. with knowledge and understanding. through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen. *Hymn 39 Great Is Thy Faithfulness Prayer of Confession Merciful God, We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy, forgive us, and call us back to your fold, that we may walk in your ways and delight in your will, to the glory of your name. *Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me as I Am Assurance of Pardon Ours is a gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He gathers us to him as surely as the shepherd rescues his wayward flock. I declare to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. We are safe in the arms of God. Be at peace. Amen. First Reading Psalm 23 Time for Young Disciples Gospel Reading John 10:11-18 The Morning Message My next door neighbors have three grandchildren, two boys and a girl. Since their daughter and son-in-law both work, and they live in the area, the grandparents have provided child care from the days the children were born. One day when a grandson was just a toddler, he toddled into the kitchen and held out his sippee cup, indicating that he wanted more of whatever it was he was drinking- water, juice, milk. His grandmother took the cup and re-filled it, taking her eyes off the baby for just a second or two. When she turned around, he was passed out on the floor. Still as a stone. He didn’t respond to her attempts to rouse him. You can imagine the fear that pierced her heart. She gathered him up and ran for the phone to call 9-1-1. Then she called her husband, who worked in the west end of Huntington, yet, somehow he arrived before the paramedics! More than one emergency vehicle showed up on Iroquois Trail, lights flashing, sirens blaring, ramping up the anxiety. By this time, little Adam had regained consciousness, but, he was showing signs that he had suffered a seizure. He had no history of seizures at all, which is one reason the incident was so terrifying. Of course, he was transported to the hospital asap. We have good neighbors. Three sets of us moved into our present homes in 1987. We’ve taken care of each other’s kids, borrowed cups of sugar, fixed each other’s sinks and computers, picked up the paper and mail for each other when we are away. And so much more. We are blessed. So, naturally I headed to the hospital. My clergy ID badge got me into the ER and to the exam room where I would find Adam, looking so very small in that hospital bed, his mother’s arms around him, and his grandparents just a breath away, speaking to him in soothing tones. I’ve been in a few ERs and have witnessed some pretty scary things. But, as I stepped into the room, I saw something I had never before seen and it was so profound and so deep that I felt the roots of my hair tingle. The women acknowledged my presence, but, didn’t take their eyes off Adam. The grandfather turned toward me. One look at his face and I knew… I knew the man would die for that little boy. Thankfully, a few days and lots of tests later, it was determined that Adam’s seizure was not a sign of some life-threatening condition. He had had a febrile seizure and the family learned about how to treat another one should it happen. The gospel of John is known for the many “I am” statements of Jesus. We have a few of them in today’s text. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” “I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me-just as the Father knows me and I know the Father-and I lay down my life for the sheep.” In Jesus’ day, it was commonplace to see shepherds all over the landscape. The Judean countryside was a rough and craggy plateau. The distance between Bethel and Hebron was about 35 miles. The width of the plateau was around 14 feet across. The land dropped off sharply on each side, a death sentence if a sheep or shepherd should fall. So, the safety of the flock was of primary concern. The dangers were many: predators like wolves and predators in human form-thieves and robbers. The shepherd had few tools: an animal skin in which food was carried, a club imbedded with nails for fighting off the wild beats, a staff, with a hooked end to retrieve a straying sheep. And a good shepherd had instinct and intuition. He could anticipate the needs of his flock. He could sense the lurking threats. At night, the flock was herded into a sheepfold. It was typically a walled-off space with an opening to go into and out of. The shepherd would stretch out across the opening to prevent any of the flock from straying in the night and to avert any threats to their safety. Jesus describes himself as the “good shepherd.” In Greek, there are two words for “good.” The word “agothos” describes the moral quality of a thing. The word “kalos” means that a thing or a person is not only good, but in the goodness there is a sense of winsomeness, loveliness, beauty, In this text, when Jesus is referred to as “good,” it is written as “kalos,” meaning Jesus is more than efficient, or dutiful. There is a certain beauty, loveliness, sincerity, graciousness. When our family lived in Ohio, the girls’ pediatrician lived just down the street. He took piano lessons from Ed. We would often refer to him as “the good doctor.” By that we meant he was competent in his profession, and more than that, he cared about his patients outside the office. He was neighborly. He appreciated and supported the community in which he lived and worked. The image of Jesus as the good shepherd holds within it a sense of fidelity and skill, for sure, but it also conjures up a rich description of the one who defines compassion and sympathy and love. Which leads us to the most astounding of his comments. Contained in the “I am” discourse, is the greatest of revelations, the one thing that sets Jesus apart from all others: “And I lay down my life for the sheep.” I found these words in Barclay’s commentary: The difference is this (between the good and the bad shepherd) A real shepherd was born to his task. He was sent out with his flock as soon as he was old enough to go; he grew into the calling of a shepherd; the sheep became his friends and his companions, and it became second nature to think of them before he thought of himself. The false shepherd came into shepherding not as a calling but as a means to an end. He did not care to learn of each sheep’s personality, or go the extra mile when presented with challenging circumstances. In fact, it was not unusual for some such people to run away from his post, abandoning his flock. Jesus seems to be saying that our lives can be motivated by reward or motivated by love. When we are called to a task or responsibility, the man or woman who works for love thinks more about the people they are trying to serve than about him or herself. Jesus was the good shepherd, who so loved his sheep that for their safety, he would risk, and one day give, his life. Rev. David Roberts says the shepherd image of Jesus is one of gentle power, of someone who can control the uncontrollable in our world. And isn’t that what we want of Jesus? We want Jesus to tame what is wild and unruly in the world, who, with the crook of his staff, can solve what is unsolvable and answer what is unanswerable in life, who can protect and defend against the thieves and bandits of this world who would steal, kill, and destroy. While we hold that ideal image in our hearts, we also have to recognize that all is not sweetness and light in our world. The world can be an unpredictable place, with trouble and danger lurking around every corner. There are questions without answers, where good people are devastated by calamity and babies can have seizures. He says he always assumed the shepherd was leading the flock to safety, and that is one of the shepherd’s roles. But, with each day’s sunrise, the shepherd wakes and calls the sheep to follow him out of the sheepfold. And they follow. Not to safety, but to the open wilderness. And it is in the wilderness that we find abundant danger but also where we find abundant life. When we look over each of our texts today, we see three images of shepherding: the one being comforted, the shepherd who provides care, and the faith community as shepherd. Psalm 23 recounts the experience of the psalmist being cared for by the Spirit of God. Being led to still waters, comforted as he walks through the valley of the shadow of death, whose life-long companions are named “goodness” and “mercy.” In the gospel passage, Jesus describes what it is like to be the one doing the shepherding: calling forth his sheep in a voice his flock recognizes as uniquely his. This is a generous shepherd, giving abundantly, sacrificially, laying down his very life for his own. And then we have the Acts text which speaks of the community that shepherds. And I think it is a good description of where we, here on Main Street, find ourselves today. We are “one-anothering.” We are caring for, shepherding, each other in ways that were off limits to us during the heights of the pandemic. A cup of coffee and a piece of cake become almost sacramental after the isolation we experienced. Planning a routine event like a work party, such as we have coming up this Saturday, generates enthusiasm rather than yawns. We have responded to a request for help for this summer’s revived work camp. We are taking intentional steps as the beloved community living out God’s call for us. All these things are reflections of what we find in Acts 2: our shepherding of the flock involves generosity, hospitality, the gathering around worship, and rejoicing in simple togetherness.* If you think it doesn’t sound like much, remember this: one of the most important needs of every human life is belonging…finding our identity within and among others who accept, affirm, and support us, offer counsel, look out for our welfare, love us. A community of faith can give birth to such a culture that “one-anothers” its flock with all the best fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) The community as shepherd gathers around us in celebration at the font and walks with us in the valley of the shadow and welcomes us to the Church Triumphant. This is our call. This is our challenge. This is our joy. *Jenna Smith, The Christian Century *Hymn I Cannot Tell Why He Whom Angels Worship, verses 1 1md 2 *Affirmation of Faith p.35 The Apostles’ Creed *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Joys and Concerns of the Church Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting our Tithes and Offerings Offertory *Hymn 607 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication *Hymn I Cannot Tell, Why He Whom Angels Worship, verses 3 qnd 4 *Blessing Go now, following the voice of the shepherd. Fear no evil, for God is by your side. Devote yourselves to the works of God, to words of mercy, to good deeds and to acts of love. And may God wipe every tear from your eyes; May Christ Jesus be your shepherd and all that you need; And may the Holy Spirit tend you with goodness and love all the days of your life. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship Psalm 116 The Lord is gracious and merciful, and hears us when we call. The Lord has been good to you. The Lord has delivered my life from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling. We come with thanksgiving, and call on the name of the Lord. *Hymn 246, verses 1-3 Prayer of Confession O God, whose presence is veiled from our eyes, when we do not recognize you, may our hearts burn within us, and when feeling is lost, may we cling in faith to your Word and the power of bread broken. We confess that we do not always live in the spirit of new life. We worry and grow discontent about our circumstances and deny the transforming power of the resurrection. Forgive us and call us back to the sacred walk you take with us, be it on the highway, or the quiet path. in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen. *Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness Friends, in Jesus Christ we are called to a new way of life, one that overflows with hope, love, forgiveness and reconciliation. Let us walk forward together on this journey of faith, assured that our Lord never leaves us or forsakes us. Be at peace. Amen. First Reading 1 Peter 1:17-23 Time With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Luke 24:13-35 The Morning Message “What did Jesus have to say about the environment?” That is the question Presbyterian minister, Leighton Ford, asks the reader in an editorial he wrote for the Charlotte Observer. He goes on to say he owns a variety of Bibles. From King James to the New Revised and so on. But he had never seen or even heard of the Green Bible until a young friend gave him one for Christmas. The cover is not green- it’s more of an earth-tone light brown. What makes it “green” is that every word, phrase, and paragraph that mentions the created world is printed in green. Ford says he can flip through the entire thing and hardly find a page without some words printed in green. But, Ford asks, with all the varied Bibles, editors and publishers, in all the languages the Wycliffe people can translate, why would we need another Bible? He says it’s because the earth and all its wonders are gifts of God to us, for our care and our use. In our consumer society, we may go about our days without recognizing the importance of the natural environment. The editors of the Green Bible want us to ask of ourselves, “What is my role as a Christian in caring for the earth?” Leighton Ford is a prolific writer and sought-after preacher. He has long been involved in Christian organizations that focus on the faith development of young people. It doesn’t hurt that he is the late Billy Graham’s brother-in-law. But Leighton Ford has had a well-known and respected ministry apart from the Billy Graham Association. In 2016, the year in which this article was published, young people from around the world were gathering to pray about global climate change. The Billy Graham Library was host to one of these gatherings. Rachel Lamb, one of the national organizers, believes that creation care is a gospel issue. She says, “We know that God created the world, and it belongs to Him and not us…we are only stewards or trustees of God’s creation, and we aren’t to abuse or neglect it.” Ford says he can confirm Rachel’s statement. Whenever he opens his Bible, he can find hundreds of texts that speak to that very thing: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” “I am establishing my covenant…with every living creature.” “All the trees of the field will clap their hands.” “I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” Another Presbyterian cared deeply and reverently about the environment and was instrumental in preserving the American wilderness. John Muir, born in 1838 in Dunbar, Scotland, grew up in a strict Presbyterian home. He was well-acquainted with Scripture. He memorized three quarters of the Old Testament and all of the New Testament. He had a fine, agile mind. Memorizing Scripture was not his only gift. His interests and abilities were far-reaching. John Muir listed his professions as naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologist, and early activist for the preservation of wilderness in these United States. He was also a husband and the father of two daughters. Muir wrote extensively about his experiences in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada. He co-founded the Sierra Club, which still exists, and through his activism, helped preserve the Yosemite Valley and Sequoia National Park. It is said that “the spiritual quality and enthusiasm toward nature expressed in his writing has inspired readers, including presidents and congress members to take action to help preserve large nature areas.” According to author William Anderson, Muir exemplified “The archetype of our oneness with the earth.” Another author said Muir believed his mission was to save the American soul from total surrender to materialism. Jihn Muir’s life and work was so vast and his influence so broad, we could go in one of several directions to explore his contributions to American life. But, it is his relationship to God that I wanted to lift up for us. It is said, that after he had studied Scripture and the works of great theologians and historians, he became attached to the American landscapes he explored, and he began to see another “Primary source for understanding God: The Book of Nature.” In nature, he could study the plants and animals in in an environment that he believed “Came straight from God, uncorrupted by civilization and domestication.” He came to believe that the best place to discover the true attribute of diety was in Nature. One of his biographers says John Muir styled himself after John the Baptist, whose duty was to immerse in mountain baptism everyone he could. To John Muir, nature was a great teacher, revealing the mind of God. Lest I portray John Muir as some type of 19th century super-hero, it must be said that he was flawed and sinful like the rest of us. Although he renounced the beliefs later in life, Muir was said to have had a scandalous attitude about African Americans, which certainly takes the shine off his character. He is not the first actor in the American story to have shamed us, but it is important to acknowledge truth and do better in our generation. I usually park in front of the church, which I really enjoy, especially in the springtime, because, rain or shine, signs of God’s presence, like business cards with petals, dot the path. A crocus, a few daffodils, dandelions, and violets. I love the violets. For some reason, they make me feel at home. John Muir saw nature as providing a home for even the smallest plant life. He wrote, “The little purple plant, tended by its Maker, closed its petals, crouched low in its crevice of a home, and enjoyed the storm in safety.” May we all enjoy our storms in safety. *Hymn 250 In the Bulb There Is a Flower *Affirmation of Faith Apostles Creed p. 35 *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Offertory *Hymn 606 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication *Hymn 246, verses 4 and 5 *Blessing May the work of your hands bring Christ honor. May your speech and actions reflect the Word of Life. And may the service you offer be driven by the indwelling Spirit. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship 1 Peter 1:3 By God’s great mercy, we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. *Hymn 238 Thine Is the Glory Prayer Living God, for whom no door is closed, no heart is locked, draw us beyond our doubts, til we see your Christ and touch his wounds where they appear in others. This we ask through Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen. *Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness God’s mercies are from everlasting to everlasting. They are new every morning and sure as the sunrise. Know you are forgiven and be at peace. Amen. First Reading John 20:19-25 Time With Our Young Disciples Second Reading John 20:26-31 The Morning Message Let’s set the scene: the disciples had gathered in a familiar meeting place, very likely the upper room where they had observed the Passover meal and the room in which Jesus instituted the Last Supper. The room was locked up tight for fear of the Jewish authorities. Any footfall upon the stair, a knock, or command to open the door, could signal certain death for them. Then suddenly, Jesus is there with them. He gave them the customary eastern greeting, “Peace be to you.” A more accurate translation would be, “May God give you every good thing.” We can imagine both the shock and the profound peace that would wash over the disciples in that moment. Jesus must have anticipated their need to see for themselves that this man was truly their friend, the crucified one, Jesus. He shows them his wounds, his hands and his side. He lets them touch his body. Note, this is the same gesture Jesus will make for Thomas, but we never call these disciples doubters. Just an observation. And then Jesus commissions them for their life’s work, their magnum opus. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Let’s place ourselves in that room: dark and stuffy, with the curtain covering the only window, everyone still as a stone, the snapping electricity of fear running through all of them. Rev. Marci Auld Glass writes that , “Jesus could have gone and sent other people, presumably people with more courage, people who weren’t hiding, or whomever. But, he’s sending his people. His friends. His disciples. The one who denied him three times in eight hours. The ones who loved him til the end. Even Thomas, who isn’t there at the moment, but who will get his chance in a bit.” This is great good news for us. These two thousand years later, we are called and sent, even with our human inadequacies and our brokenness. No research project, no finals, no certification test, no bar exam, no ordination exam required. Belief. Even shaky, “I’ll believe it when I see it” faith. That is qualification enough to bear the good news of the gospel into the world. Yes! On the other hand, I’m not sure I want to sign up for the insults and abuse Jesus suffered. But don’t we already know that the gospel doesn’t always take us down easy paths? But, hang on. Here comes help: After Jesus gives the faithful their instructions, he breathes on them. Two years of Covid precautions has me concerned about having someone breathe on me intentionally. But, that was the method. Jesus breathed. The Greek word for breath is “pneuma.” In Latin, it comes to us as “Spiritus.” You can see the relatedness of breath and spirit-without breath, we have no life, no spirit. What is the first thing every mother wants to hear the moment her baby enters the world? Her baby’s cry. That is the sign that air is filling the lungs, the heart is beating and blood is circulating through the newborn body as it should. “The risen Christ breathes, filling the disciples with his quickening, life-giving Spirit.” And what is the Spirit? We will hear more about that on Pentecost Sunday, but, here’s a start: “The Spirit is like wind, like fire, like a bird, like a breath-moving through every language and every culture of this world, bursting out of every category and defying every metaphor.” And it’s a good thing because the first task Jesus assigns is this: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, then they are retained.” I confess, it’s much easier to preach on the six verses at the end of this text- the ones about Doubting Thomas-than it is these curious words about forgiveness. But, let’s try. If you were to come talk to me about a situation that is troubling you, maybe a person who has hurt you, I would listen. I would ask if you are in danger. Then I would probably say something like, “The only person’s behavior you can control is your own. You can’t control anyone else. If you can’t reconcile your issues, it’s time to think of a way for you to make peace with this.” When we forgive people, we don’t do it in the hope that they will change. Well, maybe sometimes we do. But, realistically, we forgive so that we are no longer holding onto the pain, the anger, the fear that can damage our lives. I’ve wasted time in my life perfecting my grudges. It’s futile. It’s a practice that can suck the breath, the spirit, right out of you. It has me. Hear me clearly: there are some actions that wound in ways we identify as criminal in nature. In that case, we should reach out for help from the authorities. ASAP. A few years ago a pastor called me to report that a church member had entered a room of pre-schoolers at the church and threatened the teacher with a gun. What should they do? They don’t want to offend the church member. She’s very needy. She has a hard time getting along with people. Duh. “Call the police. Now.” That made the pastor mad and then the session was mad and they stopped calling for help they wouldn’t take. I have referenced Rachel Held Evans several times in recent weeks. Rachel was raised in an evangelical Christian family. Her father was a pastor and professor at a Christian college in Tennessee. Her whole life and education was bathed in the climate of evangelical Christianity. She was grateful for that foundation, but, as she moved into adulthood, experiencing life outside that sheltered environment, getting married, having children, she began to ask questions of her faith, she began raising questions about and to God. She wrote a blog. She wrote NYT best sellers. She was a much-sought-after preacher. Rachel’s books and blogs are rich and humorous and insightful. She can make you laugh til you cry. She can be blunt. She can make the pages just sing with warmth and beauty. But, as she pushed the margins of her traditional faith, particularly the beliefs about women’s roles in the church, she suffered terrible, hate-filled insults. Her church condemned her work. Friends fell away. But, she clearly felt the breath of God on her as she was making these changes. She was on that not-so-easy path many of us fear when saying yes to Jesus. A few years ago, during an especially difficult time, Rachel took up a new practice for Lent. She turned her hate mail into Origami. This is what she said about it: “As much as I try to ignore the most vile of these messages, they can still be quite painful, and I think that’s okay. It’s important to grow thick skin, but I also want to keep a tender, open heart…which means unclenching my fists and letting some of these words hurt every now and again.” At the end of her Lenten journey, Rachel wrote: “What I learned, turning my hate mail into origami, is that we’re meant to remake this world together. We’re meant to hurt together, heal together, forgive together, and create together. And, in a sense, even the people who continue to hate me and call me names are a part of this beautiful process. Their words, carelessly spoken, spent the last 40 days in my home- getting creased and folded, worked over…stepped on by a toddler, read by my sister, stained with coffee…blacked out, thrown away, turned into poems, and folded into sailboats and cranes and pigeons that now sit smiling at me from my office window.” Jesus said, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” I kinda doubt you and I have ever received the volume of hate mail Rachel Evans did. But, I’d bet we could all name someone or something, that hurt us or made us miserable. And, this is saying the quiet part out loud… I have been known to hang onto nasty emails and memos and evaluations for a long time. I used to pull them out of file folders and stew over them, maybe shed a few tears and vow …you get the drift. But, praise God from whom all blessings flow…it doesn’t last…when the risen Christ throws open the locked door of the heart, or the memory locked into the mind, and says, “Blow. Blow. Blow all of that stale, grudging, judging, lifeless air out. And breathe.” *Hymn *Affirmation of Faith Apostles’ Creed p. 35 *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Offertory *Hymn 606 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication We are so filled with the joy of the resurrection that we offer these gifts of our time, abilities, and treasure to you, O God. May they be signs of hope, peace, life, and community to all in need of your gifts and grace. In Jesus’ name, who gave his life that we might live. Amen. *Hymn 268 Crown Him With Many Crowns *Blessing The risen Christ says: Peace be with you. May you be filled with all joy and hope in believing. We have seen the Lord! Alleluia! Amen. *Postlude Welcome and Announcements
*Call to Worship Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! *Hymn 232 Jesus Christ Is Risen Today Prayer for Easter O Christ, in your resurrection, The heavens and earth rejoice, Alleluia! By your resurrection you broke open the gates of hell and destroyed sin and death. Keep us victorious over sin. By your resurrection, you raised the dead, and brought us from death to life. Guide us in the way of eternal life. By your resurrection you confounded your guards and executioners, and filled your disciples with joy. Give us joy in your service. By your resurrection you proclaimed good news to the women and apostles, and brought salvation to the whole world. Direct our lives as your new creation. God of mercy, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead. for he is alive and has become the Lord of life. From the waters of death, you raise us with him and renew the gift of life within us. Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ, and help us grow as your people toward the fullness of eternal life with you. Where we have strayed from your example, forgive us and restore us to right relationship with you and those with whom we live, love, work, and play, through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen. Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me as I Am Assurance of Forgiveness Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, our beginning and our ending, has come to save us from our sins and turn us toward the grace and mercy of God. Friends believe the good news of the gospel. In Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven. Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen. First Reading Luke 24:1-12 Choral Anthem He Lives Time for Young Disciples Gospel Reading John 20:1-18 The Morning Message Scripture tells us that when Jesus uttered his final words, “It is finished,” thunder rolled and all the light went out in the world. Mid-day, the world was plunged into deep darkness. In some Christian traditions, the sanctuary is stripped at the end of the Maundy Thursday service, the cross is draped in black, the lights are extinguished, and the final insult is the sound of the Bible being slammed shut as if salvation history itself had been defeated. My husband had to be out of town for several days recently on music education business. You would think after forty-plus years I would be used to this annual absence. But, it always makes me uneasy. I don’t sleep well. To cope, I usually read late into the night and eventually my eyes fall victim to gravity. But, this time I wasn’t completely alone. I had five-month-old Maeve, our little Havanese mix. She may be a toy breed, but what she lacks in size she makes up for with her Rottweiler-like bark. One night I had read until at least 1AM, before falling into a deep sleep. At three o=clock I was awakened by my tiny guard dog barking her head off. If you ever been awakened like that, you can understand that I was disoriented, groping around to turn on a light, and fumbling for my glasses. What was going on? She must need to go out. Since we are still potty-training, I rushed to pull on my robe and ran downstairs hoping to get her outside while keeping her crate undefiled. And then I heard the rain. Great. I grabbed my slicker from the closet, shoved my bare feet into my boots, located Maeve’s leash, released her from her crate, snapped on the leash, grabbed my little lantern because I can’t see in the dark, flipped on the back porch light…and Maeve just went crazy, lunging and leaping and barking, doing her best to defend us against a most dangerous…watering can. It had apparently been blown onto the patio from somewhere in the yard and had wakened Maeve when it crashed into the door. In the dark, even harmless objects can wreak terror in our imaginations and in our hearts. As I was preparing for the events of Holy Week, I looked at some sermon files. Back in 2021, we had lived thru a whole year of Covid, but we were still somewhat in the dark about the disease. Today, we are still learning about it and people are still getting the latest strain. When Covid was first emerging, our days seemed dim and joyless. So many were spent alone, quarantined by choice or by doctor’s orders. Easter came and went and, don’t tell anybody, but, to me, it felt like we had left Jesus in the tomb. Apparently, I was not alone. One of today’s young preachers, Sarah Bessey, says she felt a profound sense of grief on that first Easter of Covid. She had recently lost a dear friend and now the whole world was in the valley of the shadow of death. Three years later, things are turning around, we are adapting, we know how to treat it. We’re learning to live with the constant presence of a serious and contagious disease. The veil of darkness is lifting. It is about darkness that Episcopal priest, Barbara Brown Taylor writes, “As many years as I have been listening to Easter sermons, I have never heard anyone talk about that part. Resurrection is always announced with Easter lilies, the sound of trumpets, bright streaming light. But it did not happen that way. If it happened in a cave, it happened in complete silence, in absolute darkness, with the smell of damp stone and dug earth in the air. Sitting deep in the heart of Organ Cave, I let this sink in: new life starts in the dark. Whether it is a seed in the ground, a baby in the womb, or Jesus in the tomb, it starts in the dark.” Bessey says, It is in the dark that new life begins and began and is beginning. Still. But when darkness comes, we don’t always think of the protection of a mother’s dark womb or tulip bulbs growing in the silent earth. In Psalm 137, when God’s people were in Babylonian exile, they lamented, “By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept…How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?” How true that is. We know who we are. God is the ground of our being. We know the scriptures, the hymns, the affirmations, all by heart. But, still, how can we sing the songs of the Lord when our mother is dying? Or when our teenager gets a DUI? Or when we have denied Christ by our own actions? How in the world can we sing the songs of the Lord in a Covid ward? Or in war-torn Ukraine? Or on the streets of Tel Aviv? Or in the Covenant Presbyterian Church School in Nashville? We find this guidance in Scripture: When Jesus found his beloved friend, Lazarus, dead, he didn’t sing. He cried. Jesus knew darkness, too. As I was working on this message, an image came to me of a place I haven’t been in over 40 years. My in-laws had a family camp in Pocahontas County. My husband and kids loved it. I wasn’t a fan. Except at night. Pitch black. Deep, velvety darkness, made more beautiful by millions of stars. When a cloud passed over, it was like illuminating heaven itself. Jesus is light in the darkness. Jesus is the Light of the world. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. And in his resurrection is the promise of ours. We affirm that in every baptism. If we are buried in the baptismal waters like Jesus, we will be raised to new life in a resurrection like his. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans, “That’s what baptism in the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace- a new life in a new land!” One of the things I love about Sarah Bessey and her good friend, the late Rachel Held Evans, is that they are bold preachers who speak with frank honesty and with a spirit of humility. They say out loud what most of us can’t: that some days we are unwavering believers. But sometimes we have doubts. Bessey writes, “And Jesus is – still, now, always-the resurrection and the life. And on the days when I believe this, it changes everything. On the days when I believe this, I am certain we will also be resurrected and death will not have the final word and all tears will be wiped away and there will be no more night, no more hunger, no more wounding, no more loss, no more good-byes. On the days when I believe this, I believe death is a dawn and never the last word. On the days when I believe this, I know the miracle is that God knows the dark and the sorrow just like we do. On the days when I believe this, I believe that ongoing hope of resurrection changes how we engage in our lives as they stand right now as we love and know and walk with God who brings life out of death, order out of chaos, healing out of sickness, wholeness out of brokenness. On the days when I believe this, I know God isn’t finished with this Story yet. But there are days when I don’t believe it. And on those, I have this: God With Us, Emmanuel. This Easter, it may be all some of us have. We can’t quite get to resurrection and life yet but in that place of exile, we can rest alongside God With Us, which is our country of grace for today.” I’ve shared this story before, but, it’s appropriate for Easter. When our grandson, Tad, was three, he had a day out of school and he spent it with Daddy. Like a holiday or birthday, the event was documented by iphone camera. We have pictures of Tad at breakfast, and the playground, and playing with the dog, and eating a lumberjack-sized hamburger at an outdoor café. Then there was this, a video: Tad is in his car seat. “Do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man. Do you know the muffin man…who… Do you know the muffin man…who… He couldn’t get to the last line, so he says, “Sing it with me, Daddy!” “You mean, Do you know the muffin man? That one?” “Yes! Yes! Sing that song with me!” And they sang it to the end. Together. Because that’s the way we open the shutters, cast off the pall, hold hands, and make it to the country of grace for today. And may you dwell in the country of grace this and every day. Amen. * Hymn 240 Alleluia! Alleluia! Give Thanks *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed p. 35 *Hymn 580 Gloria Patri Reception of New Members Special Music He Lives Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings including One Great Hour of Sharing *Hymn 607 Doxology *Hymn He Arose (insert) *Blessing Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements Lenten Reading Mark 11:1-11 Nancy McIntosh *Call to Worship Humble and riding on a donkey, we greet you. Acclaimed by crowds and caroled by children, we cheer you. Moving from the peace of the countryside to the corridors of power, we salute you, Christ, our Lord. You are giving the beasts of burden a new dignity; You are giving majesty a new face; You are giving those who long for redemption a new song to sing. With them, with heart and voice, we shout, “Hosanna! God save us!” *Hymn 197 Hosanna, Loud Hosanna Prayer of the Day We praise you, O God, for your redemption of the world through Jesus Christ. Today he entered the holy city of Jerusalem in triumph and was proclaimed Messiah and King by those who spread garments and branches along his way. Let these branches be signs of victory, and grant that we, who carry them, may follow him in the way of the cross, that dying and rising with him, we may enter into your kingdom, through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns forever. Amen. First Reading Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 Prayer of Confession Holy and merciful God, in your presence we confess our failure to be what you created us to be. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from your ways, in wasting your gifts, in forgetting your love. By your mercy, help us to live in your light and walk in your ways, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. I declare to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven and we may dwell in peace. Amen. Moments With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Luke 19:28-40 Morning Message “The Lord has need of it.” Years ago, on one of our trips to Ireland, our tour director took Ed aside to consult about a situation. The issue was the hotel had two guests, two older women traveling together, who were stranded in Dublin. Overnight, the country was ground to a halt due to a transportation strike. The women suddenly had no way to reach their destination. If they could ride with us to a particular town, a family member could meet them and drive them the rest of the way. Well, of course they were welcome to join us. The tour guide seated them up front and we treated them to both Irish and American hospitality. For me, what immediately came to mind was this text, of Jesus sending his disciples into town to retrieve a donkey. If they were questioned about it, they were to simply say, “The Lord has need of it.” What was needed on that brisk spring morning in Dublin appeared to be a ride to the next town. The Lord didn’t need a donkey that day. He needed a bus. Let’s take a closer look at the donkey in the story. We may think of donkeys as slow and stubborn, not particularly intelligent, homely, certainly not as impressive as a horse. A donkey was more affordable for the average family. It would not run away. Its lack of speed is a blessing. Donkeys are strong. They are loyal. They are protective. I have heard stories about donkeys intentionally placing themselves between a flock of sheep and a coyote, taking the attack upon themselves to save the other, more vulnerable creatures. . So, Jesus sits upon the humble donkey, the disciples and the crowd placing their cloaks along the road, waving palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna! God save us!” Now contrast this with what was happening on the other side of Jerusalem: New Testament scholars, Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, write that the triumphal entry was less of a parade and more of a protest. They maintain it was political theatre. Jesus’ entry into the Holy City was to mock the obscene pomp and circumstance of Rome. They argue that there were two processions to enter Jerusalem that day. Every year, the Roman governor of Judea would ride up to Jerusalem from his coastal residence in the west, specifically to be present in the city for Passover-the Jewish festival that swelled Jerusalem’s population from its usual 50, 000 to at least 200, 000 people. The governor would come in all his imperial majesty to remind the Jews that Rome was in charge. “It would have been a visual display of imperial power: cavalry on horses, foot soldiers, leather, armor, helmets, weapons, the clinking of bridles, the beating of drums, the swirling of dust. The eyes of the silent on-lookers, some curious, some awed, some resentful.” According to Roman belief, the emperor was not simply the ruler of Rome, he was the Son of God. So, this entry of Pilate was both a potent military threat and the embodiment of a rival theology. Pilate clanged and crashed his way into Jerusalem from the west, Jesus approached from the east, looking pretty absurd. This was the procession of the powerless, the explicitly vulnerable. You can’t get more defenseless than to ride on a nursing mama donkey, with her colt walking along beside her. We have been back from Ireland for a week. Sometimes it takes awhile to settle in and process the trip. There’s a lot to process. We were a group of 43. Each of us having expectations and some minor challenges. The word of the day was always ”adapt.” If you want to travel, you have to be flexible. On our trek across the country we came upon a rag-tag camp of sorts. The only thing I can compare it to is a homeless encampment along the riverbank here. A couple of broken down trailers. Windows boarded up, others with towels tacked up to the windowframes. Trash strewn everywhere, a few discarded toys, tattered clothing hanging on a rope between two trees. And a few hungry-looking dogs, a pig or two, chickens walking about, and a donkey. It was tied to a picnic table. I had seen places like this before on previous trips. But, it was still shocking and painful to know people lived in these desperate conditions. They are alternately called Roma, travelers, tinkers, and gypsies, although the word “gypsy” is not used in Ireland. It would be akin to using the “N” word here. The people who inhabit the camp are nomadic. They move from place to place looking for work. It is an impoverished lifestyle. Children are uneducated for the most part. We can imagine that access to health care is limited. One look at the camp told us that they were living in squalor, without adequate food, clothing, or shelter. Do they want to live this way? They can’t. Like some here in our country, these people are caught in generational dysfunction. I’ve done a little research since we’ve been back. There are public measures being undertaken to address the plight of these people. There is special concern for the children and the elderly, as you can imagine. But any attempt to rehabilitate a community requires cooperation and that is unpredictable. I wonder if that donkey will spend its life tethered to a picnic table. “The Lord has need of it.” It strikes me that this is the type of community and the circumstances of the men, women, and children for whom Jesus’ heart broke. Poor, needy, rejected. Their possessions few and the most valuable tied up so it can’t escape. Where is their hope? Where will they ever find relief? Do they want relief? We don’t yet know. And we don’t know whether anyone who lined the street that day in Jerusalem understood what Jesus was enacting by riding into the city mounted on a donkey. I doubt they grasped the ultimate meaning in it. They weren’t interested in the donkey. They were primed for revolution. They wanted and expected something world-changing, a revolution. But Jesus knew what it would cost him to spit in Rome’s face. Debie Thomas says that what he accomplished on that loud and chaotic day was to fulfill the will of God. He fulfilled the scriptures that prophesied that the Messiah would come riding on a donkey. He died because he exposed the ungracious sham at the heart of all human kingdoms, and ignited fury. Even when he knew his actions would send him to his death, Jesus set his face “like flint” towards Jerusalem. He mounted a donkey and took Rome for a ride. Blogger Andrew King describes that special day in poetry: Jerusalem’s past had been quite a blast when David was monarch and splendid. But centuries had gone since David passed on, and God’s blessing seemed to have ended. Jerusalem’s streets had seen happy feet taking people to great holy places. A place it was now of deep-furrowed brows, on saddened and wearisome faces. Rome, you recall, had control of it all, and its soldiers could be pretty scary. A grumbling noise might upset Caesar’s boys so the people had learned to be wary. How Jerusalem longed to sing happy songs that would celebrate their story; they dreamed and they prayed to give a parade for a new David marching in glory. Then came a year when they got some cheer; there was a man to whom people pointed. Of him it was said he could raise the dead- he just might be God’s anointed! A carpenter’s son, he became someone with words that could set hearts singing; his caring stand for woman and man had the title “Messiah” now ringing. “He’s coming straight to Jerusalem’s gate,” the folk were excitedly saying; “Let’s get out there in the open air and show the Romans what we’ve been praying.” They cut branches down and handed them ‘round, a symbol of of joy and praising And they lined the way for Jesus that day, palms and voices ready for raising. Jesus, meantime, had his followers find a young donkey on which he could ride. He’d come to that place to show God’s saving grace, that God’s on the sufferers’ side. Loving and meek, no power would he seek, as he sat on the donkey so humble. Soon enough on that road he’d be bearing a load; a cross that would cause him to stumble. So in Jesus came, and the strong and the lame tossed their palm leaves and shouted their praise, “Hosanna!” they cried. “The King has come by! Hosanna! God grant us new days!” Hosannas like “God save us!” and what Jesus gave was the way that God’s love makes that happen. So lift up your palms, get your happy smile on, and be ready for singin’ and clappin’; Because every day can be Palm Sunday when you know that Jesus is near you; Give praise to God, from the sky to the sod; shout “God saves!”so all folks can hear you! Untie that donkey! The Lord has need of it! The Lord has need of you. Hosanna! *Affirmation of Faith The Nicene Creed p. 34 *Hymn 580 Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings * Hymn 607 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts. Use us and what we have gathered, In feeding the world with your love, Through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. *Hymn 196 All Glory, Laud, and Honor *Blessing The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements Lenten Reading John 12:20-33 Robin McComas *Call to Worship Isaiah 43:19 Do not remember the former things or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. *Hymn 35 Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty Prayer of Confession Merciful God, we are a people prone to wander, tempted to satisfy our immediate desires, or the most efficient solution to our challenges, instead of seeking a wider view that would lift up a just, peaceful, and plentiful world for all. Holy One, remind us of your love and purpose for all your children. Restore all our relationships and guide us home. Amen. Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness Our God is loving, just, and merciful. God delivers us from sin and restores us by grace. Friends, I declare to you, in the name and by the power of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven and we can be at peace. First Reading Psalm 126 Moments With Our Young Disciples New Testament Reading John 12:1-11 Morning Message In my very first week of seminary, in New Testament Survey, I was introduced to a new word and a new theological concept. Like any first week in any school, new words and concepts come at you so fast it’s like trying to drink from a fire hose. This was no exception. On that particular day, the word was kenosis. Every class began with a time of worship- prayer and a hymn or chorus. On this particular morning, my new friend and classmate, I’ll call her Sue, walked to the front of the room, boom box in hand. She was leading worship, and it would begin with a contemporary Christian song, “Broken and Spilled Out.” I had never heard it, but, this song had special meaning for Sue. It describes this gospel text in which Jesus and his disciples had gathered for a meal, and then, as an act of devotion, Mary broke a jar of sweet, expensive perfume and poured it over Jesus’ feet, drying it with her hair. It was an act of pure devotion. Some were shocked by it. It was too intimate a gesture. Judas ridiculed Mary, claiming that the perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor. Like the perfume, Mary’s own life had been broken and spilled out before Jesus, only to be filled with a new life, following his example of humility, compassion, and love. Here she ministers to Jesus in an act of extravagant love. Likewise, Sue’s life was broken and spilled out through many years of ups and downs. She was no slacker. She gave and gave and gave til there was almost nothing left of her. Her physical and mental health were both suffering. She was in a spiritual desert. Sue’s life was wholly unsatisfying. She was headed toward disaster. It was in kneeling in humility before Jesus, admitting her failures, and seeking his mind and heart, that she found life. You see, what’s behind that type of problem is a kind of spiritual arrogance. We think we can do it all. And maybe we can do a lot, but we aren’t God. We need God and the people God places in our lives. Sometimes that’s a hard and painful lesson. It was for Sue until her life was broken and spilled out before God and God’s grace came spilling over her like a rushing waterfall. Which, on that first class meeting, left us all prepared to receive the word of the day: “kenosis.” Kenosis is a Greek word which describes the self-emptying of Jesus’ own will in order to be entirely receptive to God’s divine will. Paul writes: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death- even death on a cross.” Paul is urging the good people at the Church of Philippi to adopt a kenotic way of life. Why? Because there had apparently been conflict and it was damaging the church. The members were not imitating Christ. People bring baggage to church with them. Of course we do, because it is a safe place to lay down our burdens. Our church is often times our second home and family. Church folks may be the only family some people have. And have you ever known a perfect family? A family where everyone brushes AND flosses and never brings the car home on empty? Me neither. So, at the First Church of Philippi, there’s conflict and it is so serious that it threatens to fracture the fellowship. Oh, my. I could tell you some stories. I was once dispatched to mediate a church conflict. The plan was to work with the session two nights and the next week work with the congregation. Well, the first thing that happened was the session got into an argument about the interpretation of a Bible passage we were using for a devotion. This did not inspire confidence. The second night, the pastor had a heart attack. We were doomed. That situation could have been resolved satisfactorily, if everyone had taken Paul’s advice and emptied themselves of their tightly-held biases and taken on the mind of Christ. According to Paul, when Jesus emptied himself, he poured out his love. With an outpouring of love comes the other fruit of Spirit-joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The kenosis ethic invites us to imitate Christ, who took on a human body, growing and changing, feeling hunger and thirst, fatigue and pain, joy and love. This moment with friends comes at the end of Jesus’ time with them, indeed, he was in his final days on earth. Jesus was no doubt grateful for their hospitality. A good meal in good company. A gift. He welcomed the gentle anointing Mary provided. When Judas complained, Jesus told him to leave her alone- she was preparing him for his burial. Can we place ourselves in that scene? If you were one of the guests that night, what might you be feeling? Not only was the room filled with the scent of rich perfume, it was filled with memories, miracles, acts of compassion, confrontations with the powerful, acts of love. Their hearts must surely have been breaking at the notion of Jesus’ death. It should occur to us that to break something may be a desirable thing. Like breaking a piñata at a child’s party, or cracking an egg for breakfast. We hope how soon we can housebreak a new pet. We are relieved at the breaking of a habit. Athletes thrive on breaking records. In some cultures, breaking plates after a wedding is supposed to bring the newlyweds good luck. Those of us who follow Jesus hope to break the ways of sin that bring so much destruction upon God’s people. The promise of Easter is that, in his death and in his rising, Jesus has broken the powers of sin and death. Centuries before this night, the psalmist wrote, “May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.” About this psalm, theologian Frederick Buechner writes: “You never know what may cause them. The sight of the Atlantic Ocean can do it, or a piece of music, or a face you’ve never seen before. A pair of somebody’s old shoes can do it. Almost any movie made before the great sadness that came over the world after the Second World War, a horse cantering across a meadow, the high school basketball team running out onto the gym floor at the start of a game. You can never be sure. But of this you can be sure: Whenever you find tears in your eyes, especially unexpected tears, it is well to pay the closest attention. They are not only telling you something about the secret of who you are, but more often than not, God is speaking to you through them of the mystery of where you have come from and is summoning you to where, if your soul is to be saved, you should go next.” The same health issue that has me taking frequent sips of water standing at this pulpit, causes great problems for my eyes. They do not tear and this has damaged my vision. But, my doctor has me trying something new and I am hopeful. Last weekend, I had little Freya in my arms and she was fussy. It was naptime, but she couldn’t quite get there on her own. So, I claimed the rocking chair. And you know what happened. The combination of motion and squeaking worked its magic and soon Freya had wiggled herself to sleeping position, working her little blond head under my chin, her soft breath brushing my neck. I closed my eyes, just enjoying the silence, the sweetness, and I must have fallen asleep, too. You know, it’s amazing what God can do when we’re not looking. I woke to find something wet slipping down my cheek. A breakthrough. *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed p. 35 * Hymn 580 Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings *Hymn 607 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication Gracious, loving, and abundant God, we praise you for the gifts presented today and for the intentions of your people in giving. Bless these offerings, of hearts and resources. May they equip the saints for their ministry and be a comfort to those in need. Amen. *Hymn 702 Christ Be Beside Me *Blessing The cross…we will take it. The bread…we will break it. The pain…we will bear it. The joy…we will share it. The gospel…we will live it. The love…we will give it. The light…we will cherish it. The darkness…God will perish it. From Stages On the Way: Iona Community, Wild Goose Worship Group *Postlude |
PastorCinda Harkless Archives
January 2023
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