​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  458    This Is My Father’s World
 
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      Acts 1:1-11
 
Time With Our Young Disciples
 
Scripture Reading   Luke 24:44-53
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.
 
Where have we witnessed some significant demonstrations of unity?
One of the boards on which I serve is having something of a turnover. Several members are retiring in this season. Some are moving out of the area. One, who has served as treasurer a very important role, has already moved to Western North Carolina. He and his wife had already purchased a home and were in the process of moving when Hurricane Helene came raging through those mighty mountains. Thankfully, the area where they have moved was only mildly disturbed. The response of these residents was to immediately go into motion to help those who were most seriously affected. He said the strength and resolve of his neighbors day after day, week after week, was an inspiration. It confirmed their decision that this was the right place for them to relocate.
 
 I recall that about three 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.
 
 
*Hymn  278   Open My Eyes That I May See
*Affirmation of Faith            The Apostles’ Creed 
*Hymn   Gloria Patri
 
Sharing Our Joys and Concerns
Pastoral Prayer Including the Lord’s Prayer
Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings
Offertory
*Doxology
*Prayer of Dedication
 
*Hymn  279  There Shall Be Showers of Blessing
 
*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
Let us give thanks for the land of our birth with all its chartered liberties,
for all the wonder of our country’s story.
We give you thanks, O God.
For leaders in nation and state, and for those who in days past and in these present times have labored for the commonwealth.
We give you thanks, O God.
For those, who in all times and places have been true and brave, and in the world’s common ways have lived upright lives and ministered to their fellows.
We give you thanks, O God.
For those who served their country in its hour of need, and especially for those who gave even their lives in that service.
We give you thanks, O God.
Almighty God, and most merciful Father, as we remember these your servants, remembering them with gratitude and strength, we hold before you those who mourn them. Look upon your bereaved servants with your mercy. As this day brings memories of those they have lost awhile, may it also bring your consolation and the assurance that their loved ones are alive now and forever in your living presence.  Amen.
                  Permission for one-time use in worship granted by
                  The Armed Forces Chaplains’ Board, Washington, D.C.
 
*Hymn  331   God of the Ages, Whose Almighty Hand
 
Prayer of Confession
God of every nation, as we remember those who gave their lives for the sake of the nation, let us be stirred to action in their memory. We confess that we have not done all that is possible to promote peace and justice in our world. We have not loved our neighbors, let alone our enemies. Forgive us for failing to live up to your commandments. Empower us to work for your kingdom in this world, and welcome us by your grace into your eternal realm.
 
*Hymn   Take, O Take Me As I Am
Assurance of Pardon
The saying is true and worthy of full acceptance, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.
Furthermore, the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting.
I declare to you, in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ,
our sins are forgiven. We may be at peace. Amen.
 
First Reading   Micah 6:6-8
Moments With Our Young Disciples
 
New Testament Reading    Romans 8:31-39
The Morning Message
 
At first these verses seem simple.
What does the Lord  require of you?
Just these few things:
To do justice.
To love kindness.
And to walk humbly with my God.
 
It has taken a lifetime for that text to sink in and I’m still learning new applications.
 
I remember the first time I experienced the reality of doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God.
 
When I was almost twelve my grandmother and I went to visit my Uncle David and his family in England, just a few miles outside of London.
 
The day before we left, a national tragedy had occurred: Robert F. Kennedy, who was running for President, was shot at a campaign event in California. As we boarded our plane in Washington, DC, he was hanging onto life. But sometime during the flight, the captain announced the terrible news that Mr. Kennedy had died.
 
I remember a sadness, like a pall, that seemed to fall over the passengers. I wasn’t old enough to understand the full impact this incident portended for our country, and indeed, the world, but I knew enough to know that what happened to a presidential candidate, or any other human being, was wrong.
 
So, my first memory about the importance of justice, was to witness its opposite: injustice. A man lost his life. A woman lost her husband. Children lost their father. That was about all my twelve-year-old mind could process and it haunted me. It would be a long time before I understood that the assassination of the second Kennedy in five years was one of several events that marked the decade of the 1960’s as one of lawlessness, engendering fear in our nation and the world.
 
By the time we landed in London and made our way to the little town where my uncle and his wife and children lived, jet-lag had settled in and I settled into a soft bed for a nap. The next day was Sunday and in the morning my uncle loaded his kids and me into his car and we went to the Air Force base where he worked. On Sundays, he was the protestant Sunday School teacher. He clearly loved it.  I saw how his face lit up when working with the children, presenting the day’s lesson, praying with us.  He was the youngest of my mother’s siblings and still living at home when I was very young. And I adored him. I couldn’t tell you why at the earlier age, but now I understood: it was his kind and gentle nature, his humor, his patience,  and the way he encouraged the children.
 
Later that day, we went into London by the Tube, or subway. We went to the American Embassy where we stood in line with hundreds of others, some weeping, some embracing one another, many speaking in hushed tones. All of us waiting our turn to sign the sympathy book that would be given from England to the people of the United States, upon the death of Robert F. Kennedy.
 
Waiting patiently in a long line of people, on a warm day, in the capital city, to receive nothing, to purchase nothing, just to sign our names. No rudeness or jumping the line, no harsh speech.
A real example of humility.
 
From that day in 1968 to now, the message of those simple, short verses, have deepened in meaning.
 
When plans were being made for Helen Noe’s funeral, I learned that her committal would be at the West Virginia Veteran’s Cemetery in Dunbar. I had never been there, although Ed had attended a service there.
 
I was riding with the funeral director, who predicted I would like the cemetery. And he was right. It is a beautiful place,well-planned and constructed, reminding me of Arlington National Cemetery, the white headstones standing in soldier-like rows across the rolling green landscape.
 
Serene and peaceful.  
 
And I thought of all those for whom this was their final resting place. And what made them eligible. They were veterans of one of the branches of the armed services or their spouses. Those who gave of themselves to bring justice, restore order, protect the vulnerable- where those things are threatened or destroyed; to put others before themselves, giving generously, even sacrificially, when necessary. Human-kindness that can’t be measured.
 
To wear a uniform, to conform, to take orders, to endure hardship, to set your own agenda aside for the sake of the nation, or the people of another nation in distress, and finally to be buried in grave that looks like all the others. No monuments, no shrines. Just a white stone marker standing in the soft green grass, where they will humbly rest and on the last day, rise in glory.
 
I heard a beautiful, ethereal pice of music this week by a small choral ensemble, “A Day May Come.” The text was written to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
I offer it to you on this Memorial Day weekend:
 
A day may come that asks of us
all we have to give:
a day we never would have sought
and yet we have to live.
If it should be our destiny
to live in such a day,
let our faith and love be worthy of
the ones who showed the way.
The ones we now call heroes,
The ones we say their memory will not die.
They were no different in their day than you and I.
The fears they faced,
The faith they found,
Their common cause and common ground,
we carry with us, come what may
as we now face our destiny, our day.
 
Grahame Davies.
 
 
*Hymn  730   I Sing a Song of the Saints of God
*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 Gifts of Tithe and Offering
Offertory
*Hymn  606   Doxology
*Prayer of Dedication
 
*Hymn   338      O Beautiful for Spacious Skies
*Blessing
Send your peace, O Lord, which is perfect and everlasting, that our souls may radiate peace.
Send your peace, O Lord, that we may think, act, and speak harmoniously.
Send your peace, O Lord, that we may be contented and thankful for your bountiful gifts.
Send your peace, O Lord, that amidst our worldly strife, we may enjoy your bliss.
Send your peace, O Lord, that we may endure all, tolerate all, in light of your grace and mercy.
Send your peace, O Lord, that our lives may become a divine vision, and in your light, all darkness may vanish.
Send your peace, O Lord, that we, your children of earth, may unite in one family.
                                                                                                  Hazrat Inayat Khan
*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            Revelation 21:1-6
 
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?
I would describe ours as a Brady Bunch style home with three bedrooms and two and a half baths. The kitchen and one of the bathrooms have been recently updated. We have an above-ground pool with an aging deck and the back yard is enclosed with a stockade fence tall enough that our old dog, Conrad, couldn’t climb. He could have scaled the Alps, I’m sure. Ed has a little raised-bed garden that rewards us with tomatoes in the summer
 
Our neighborhood was right in the path of one of the seventeen tornadoes that touched down here a year ago. There was a lot of damage done in just a few seconds. The wind is a powerful force.
 
The two roads that make up our subdivision were impassable for a time. Trees had fallen. Utility lines were down or dangerously dangling from homes and utility poles. We were spared serious damage. We lost a shutter, some gutter and fascia material. The flag pole snapped from its place by the front door. Part of the fence came down. Our neighbors acquired a trampoline in their yard. Power was out for a couple of hours or days depending on which side of the street you resided. We hauled out our generator. We’ve gotten more use out of it than we had ever imagined.
 
It was home but didn’t look or feel much like it for a few days. Anxiety and discomfort were our constant companions. It was unseasonably warm and we had to leave our windows open. The house was soon covered in patina of dust and dirt.  It didn’t feel much like home.
 
Not unlike the disciples to whom Jesus speaks in this text.
 
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Don’t be afraid.”
 
The Lord himself reassures them and us that we have nothing to fear. We have a future beyond that which we can see. We have a place. We have a host who has made that place ready for us. We will be with him. And in him, we will be forever home.
 
Ed and I left home on Iroquois Trail one weekend last April to attend the memorial service of our friend of many years, Tim Waugh. Tim was a vocal music teacher, like my husband, and their paths crossed frequently over the years.
 
Tim was a Presbyterian, having grown up at the Rock Lake Presbyterian Church in South Charleston. He was a church musician, an outstanding organist. But Tim was best known for his expertise in handbells. He composed, directed, and traveled around the world teaching and ringing. Every now and then Ed would get a text: “Guess where I am?” It could be a small town in the American south or a convention hall in Hong Kong. Tim went to Ireland with us once. He was a world traveler, but was most at home in his house in Princeton, West Virginia.
 
But, something unexpected happened in the last year. Tim was retired from public school teaching, but still made music. He went to the First Presbyterian Church of Salisbury, North Carolina, to conduct a handbell festival. He discovered the church had a need for an interim music director. He applied and served there for several months, growing very fond of the congregation, the pastors, and staff. In time, it became apparent that he and the church were a good fit and the relationship should continue.
 
Tim called us to say he had just signed a contract to serve the church and a permanent move to Salisbury was in order. And, further, he advised, the small town is just lovely and easily accessible to our own three daughters who live in North Carolina. He was pretty convincing. He had found home.
 
Tim lived life with a sense of urgency because he had a kidney disease that claimed the lives of his father and grandfather when they were very young. Eighteen years before, through his cousin, he had a kidney transplant which extended his life and we were all so grateful. He was very healthy for a long time, checking in with Duke University Hospital yearly, but had recently battled a persistent problem.
 
Tim was single. He had no biological children, a choice he made due to his kidney disease. But, in fact, his family was the music world and he had many children. When we were in Ireland together, one of his students, her husband, and infant child met Tim in Dublin where they lived and worked and were raising their child. He was well-loved.
 
His memorial service was at First Presbyterian Church of Salisbury, North Carolina. Ed and I traveled there to give God thanks for his life and faith and to thank the good people of Salisbury for loving him and making him a part of their faith community. It was a special place and the only church that felt like home to him in a long time.
 
It was a grand day altogether, as our Irish friends would say. Sunny, flowers and trees blooming in brilliant colors, the breeze wafting sweet smells of spring around us.
 
The town may be small, but the church building is massive. The sanctuary ethereal. There was a thirty minute handbell prelude, a grand and glorious choir, a warm and welcoming congregation, a young and inspiring clergy couple whom Tim loved. Lots and lots of beautiful music. But it was hard to sing. Memories, love, and grief caused our voices to stall and crack and rendered us silent for much of it.
 
As we left the sanctuary- our aging bodies moving slowly after two hours of sitting- a voice sounded behind us, “I hoped I would see you here.”
 
We turned around to behold  the familiar face of a beautiful young woman who grew up in Ona, was once Ed’s student, and part of a family we’ve known about as long as we’ve known Tim.  She lives in Charlotte now, an engineer for a pharmaceutical company. She had met Tim on many occasions through Ed and Tim was well known to her Lutheran Church in Charlotte as a handbell musician. In fact, many church members had come to the service. She introduced us.
 
That little moment, in that small town in which we had never been, that simple statement, “I hoped I would see you here,” probably important to no one but us, was reassurance of so much that day. It spoke to us of faith, hope, and love. It spoke to us of home.
 
Jesus said, “In my father’s house are many mansions,,,”
Surely some mansions house singers, some orchestras, some ringers, and pray-ers, pre-schools, youth groups, circles, pickle ball teams, kitchens, ushers, greeters, preachers, teachers, students…
 
Friends, God’s house-hold is so expansive. And God’s house is standing now, today, just as surely as it stands in the next life. Tim found God’s people in places I’ve never even heard of, let alone visited. Rebecca, whose home was once with her parents and three sisters, has been at home in the Shenandoah Valley, then Virginia Tech, and now makes her home in Charlotte. We attended her wedding a few weeks ago.
 
The church invited everyone to stay and break bread-or sandwiches and cookies-together following the service. The Lutherans from Charlotte welcomed us to their table and we greatly appreciated their company.
 
We walked Rebecca to her car, telling her she had been a comfort to us this hard day. She shared the same.  We admired her crossover vehicle with its Hokie license plate holder. She pointed to a sticker in the corner of the back window. A silhouette of West Virginia, with a little heart cut-out.
 
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled, and don’t be afraid.”
 
My mother has made the decision to move to an assisted living facility. It is more of an ordeal than any of us –my mother, my sister, and I-imagined. We receive information piecemeal, it seems, and we are never quite sure we have all the details ironed out. It is an anxious time. A time when we should take up the words of Jesus as a mantra: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Don’t let them be afraid. Believe.”
 
I’ll let you know how it works out in a week or so.
 
I have no idea what this promised home in the life after this one 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 locking my car or if the roof will blow off in another wild storm, as our brothers and sisters in Kentucky have faced time after time.  A place where those who mourn can find comfort, where there is always an extra chair, where sweet melodies are wafted to us on the gentle breeze, where aromas from the kitchen smell like love.
And the sign on every heart says “home.”
May it be so for all of us.
 
*Hymn 361   Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation, verses 3 and 4
*Affirmation of Faith      The Apostles’ Creed   p. 35
 
Dedication of New Electronic Equipment
Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.  1 Peter 4:10
 
Ever-present God, you have been with us throughout our days.
Like a parent to a child, you lavish your gifts upon us.
As we gather to receive this gift, may we remember the inspiration you gave Clara Adkins and Nancy Jackson to deliver the good news of the gospel in creative ways to our members and the public. We thank you for their skills at research and grant writing which led to a generous gift from the Presbytery of West Virginia.
On this Lord’s Day, we enjoy new electronic equipment purchased, installed, and now set into use. In accepting this gift as a demonstration of your kindness, we affirm that it is yours, as we are yours.
May who we are and all we have be devoted to your service and used for your glory,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.
 
Joys and Concerns of the Church
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer
 
Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings   
Offertory
*Hymn  606  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
Come, let all of God’s people praise and worship the Lord!
For the Lord is our shepherd who watches over us day and night.
And the Lord guides us through all the days of life to the glory of God.
Let no one doubt we are faithful children of the living God.
Let us invite all to hear the loving voice of our Good Shepherd!
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
 
*Hymn  39    Great Is Thy Faithfulness
 
Call to Confession
If we are honest with ourselves, our hearts condemn us. But God, who knows everything, is greater than our hearts; and God’s deep desire for us is mercy, love, and peace. Therefore, let us confess our sin.
Prayer of Confession
O God, we have listened to voices other than yours and followed paths of our own making. We have evaded your commandments to do what pleases us. Our hearts condemn us, but we lack will and the strength to change our ways. Have mercy on us and forgive us, we pray, that we might devote ourselves to doing your will, O God. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
 
Hymn     698       Take, O Take Me As I Am
Declaration of Pardon
We seek God’s grace with boldness because we trust in Jesus Christ, the One who loves us and lay down his life for us. This is the good news of the gospel: in Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
Alleluia! Amen.
Proclaiming the Word
 
Prayer for Illumination
Lord God, good shepherd, by the leading of your Spirit, help us to listen for your voice and follow in your paths all the days of our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
 
First Scripture Reading    Psalm 23
 
Time With Our Young Disciples
 
Gospel Reading   John 14:15-21
The Morning Message     
 
Responding to the Word
*Hymn  803  My Shepherd Will Supply My Need
*Affirmation of Faith        The Apostles’ Creed  p. 35
*Hymn  581  Gloria Patri
Sharing Our Joys and Concerns
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer
 
Presenting Our Gifts of Tithe and Offering
Offertory
*Hymn  606  Doxology
*Prayer of Dedication
Bearing and Following the Word Into the World
 
*Hymn   187  Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us, Verses 1, 3, and 4
 
*Blessing
Day by day, God leads us: to the deep, deep pools of peace, to the green, lush lawns of grace. Day by day, Jesus calls us: to pour out ourselves in service, to anoint the stranger with hope. Day by day, the Holy Spirit shows us: the community we could be, the family we are called to become. 
Go out with a hopeful heart to love and serve the Lord.  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   664  Morning Has Broken
 
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
 
This is a favorite Scripture passage for many of us. My affection for it has been influenced by the beautiful Robert Zund painting of the scene which we have included in worship today.
 
The setting is so lush and green. Fertile. The soil soft and worn as they tread it.  The trees providing a cool canopy above them. Three friends moseying along, enjoying each other’s company. They could be any group of guys walking around Lake William at Barboursville Park. Maybe they’re walking off that biscuit they just had a Tudor’s.
 
But they’re not just any trio of buddies. This is Jesus with two of his friends. Post-resurrection. They didn’t recognize him yet.
 
We know what has happened in recent days in Jerusalem. Jesus of Nazareth, a prophet mighty in deed and word before the people, had been arrested and crucified. How they had hoped he was the one to rescue Israel, but the authorities had ordered his death.
 
They had witnessed his crucifixion and had carried him to the tomb. The tomb that the women had found empty on the third day, but did encounter angels and Jesus himself, though they didn’t recognize him at first. They didn’t know what to make of these mysterious events.
 
When the stranger joined them, the disciples recounted the events. Their hearts were heavy with grief and confusion. But, into their sad reverie, Jesus brought some good news. He recalled stories from Scripture, stories they would know by heart. Jesus reminded them that the Savior would suffer trials before his entrance into glory. Was not this the testimony of the law and the prophets?
 
They walked and talked ‘til the sun was low in the sky. Close to their lodging place, they invited Jesus to join them for a meal and a night’s rest.
 
And so he did, and though he was not the owner of the house, or the host of the meal, Jesus took bread and blessed and broke it. And they recognized him in the breaking of the bread.
 
A friend of mine says that when she was growing up, she and her sisters shared the task of setting the table for meals. They were taught by their parents to set an extra place, for Jesus, the unseen guest at every meal.
 
There is an expectation in that, an intimacy that says Jesus is familiar in a tangible way. He is family. He is friend.
 
Sometimes, when a person is near death, they report that they see Jesus waiting for them, at the foot of the bed, or by the door, to take their hand and lead them into the next life. Their good and trusted friend has come for them. There is no fear. No hesitation. There is recognition. And that  is a great comfort for them and for us.
 
Can we know Jesus in that way? In a time when we send and receive “Friend” requests and “Like” requests with a tap on our iPhones, can Jesus be our friend? What kind of friend? Can we “Unlike” him when we disagree or when he “Likes” someone or some cause we don’t?
 
Ruth is one of the saints in light now, but she lived 96 years on earth, before her friend, Jesus, led her into the Church Triumphant.
 
One day when I was visiting her, she spoke of how Jesus became her closest and most reliable friend.
 
Ruth was born in Massillon, Ohio. She came to Huntington and graduated from Huntington High School. She went on to Marshall College, where she would be a member of Kappa Theta Sorority. She served on the Pan Hellenic Council. She was a long-time supporter of one of our county political parties. Ruth had many friends.
 
That was no surprise to me. Even in advanced years, she was beautiful, energetic, articulate, and social. She loved football…or at least she loved “that Tom Brady…um!”
 
It is also no surprise that Ruth caught the eye and the heart of a handsome young man, Julian. They married and were blessed with a son and a daughter. Life was good.
 
Julian worked for the US Post Office as a letter carrier, as they were called in those days. On October 24, 1950, while he was on the job, in Salt Rock, here in Cabell County, Julian was shot and killed. He was forty years old. Ruth was left to grieve his death and raise their children, who were not yet in school, the youngest still a babe in arms.
 
Ruth says she was strolling her baby one day, a million thoughts running through her troubled mind. How in the world could she carry on, how could she raise her children without her husband? Would they even remember their father?
 
She says she remembers praying that day as she walked, repeatedly asking, “What am I going to do?”
 
And then she felt the warmth and comfort of a hand on her back. A hand she couldn’t see, but, knew, was the hand of Jesus. And in that moment, she heard him say, “I will be your friend.”
 
And her burden was lifted.
 
With that reassurance, Ruth did find strength and courage and everything needed to raise two faithful, healthy, accomplished children. She had a forty year career in one of our local businesses. She had a church family. She had friends. Jesus was her friend and I’m sure it was Jesus who took her hand and led her home on a January day a few years ago.
 
Jesus is always with us, though we may not see him, or hear him, or even acknowledge his presence. But we have evidence. How have you recognized him? In the breaking of bread on a Communion Sunday or in the breaking of an addiction? In seeing a solution to some problem? A break-through? When we are alone and scared, when the diagnosis is undesired, and we get a call or a handful of flowers from a neighbors garden? Have you recognized him when you’ve reached a milestone, succeeded at a difficult assignment, aced a high-set goal? Do we acknowledge his help when we learn something important? Or when healing comes?  Or when a relationship is mended?
 
Our old friend William Barclay included these words in his discourse on Luke 24:
“It is not only at the Communion Table that we can be with Christ. We can be with him at the dinner table, too. He is not only the host in his church. He is the guest in every home.”
 
And he leaves us with these verses by Fay Inchfawn: Barclay was Scottish and as I read these lines again in preparation for this message, I could see some of the little villages we passed thru in rural Scotland last summer. Life is so much less sophisticated in much of the world. People are much more dependent on the elements in the planning of their days. Geography may require long rides on public transportation to buy groceries or go to see a doctor. It may even involve boarding a ferry to get from one island to another. On our way to the Isle of Iona, we boarded a ferry in Mull. You may have heard that the Prince and Princess of Wales visited Mull this week. Our ferry was to set sail around 5pm and it was crowded with whole families-kids with back-packs coming from school, parents from their jobs, many accompanied by their dogs. We realized too late that we had taken seats in the pet-friendly section.
 
I share this in hopes that we can get a clearer understanding of life in Barclay’s time, when days were and still are filled with mundane but necessary tasks, days that are pregnant with the hope that Jesus is our companion along what can be wearisome hours.
 
“Sometimes when everything goes wrong,
when days are short and nights are long;
when wash-day brings so dull a sky
that not a single thing will dry.
And when the kitchen chimney smokes,
and when there’s not so odd as folks.
when friends deplore my faded youth,
and when the baby cuts a tooth.
When John, the baby last, but one,
clings round my skirts ‘til day is done,
and fat, good-tempered Jane is glum,
and butcher’s man forgets to come.
Sometimes I say on days like these,
I get a sudden gleam of bliss.
Not on some sunny day of ease,
He’ll come…but on a day like this!”
 
 
*Hymn   246   Christ Is Alive, Verses 1, 4, and 5
 
*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  826   Lift High the Cross
 
*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
 
Today, just one week from Easter, we observe what is affectionately known as “Holy Humor Sunday.” The idea is that on this day we shake our fists in the devil’s face. What the forces of evil intended for Jesus’ death, God redeemed. God is greater than the Roman Empire. And God raised Jesus from the dead, making a way for all believers over time and space to follow him into paradise when our lives on earth end.
 
Our Scripture today points us in the direction of surprise and victory and maybe some holy laughter.
 
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. The things he had taught them about dying and being raised to new life were indeed true.
 
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!
 
And then we remember all the insults and abuse Jesus suffered. I don’t want to volunteer for that.
But, hang on. Here comes help: After Jesus gives the faithful their instructions, he breathes on them. Nearly four years of life in the age of Covid has me concerned about  someone breathing 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.
 
Let’s face it…it’s hard to forgive. I spent a great part of the past week trying to help some people find a way to tolerance, a cease-fire if you will upon the revelation of serious sin. Forgiveness is not expected now and this occasion of sin may well never be forgotten. When we witness the worst of human nature, we aren’t expected to immediately forgive and forget. In fact, righteous indignation may just energize us to commit ourselves to the relief of suffering for victims of wrongdoing. We can work to change systems that cause people harm. If we can’t do that ourselves, we can support the efforts of others.
 
We forgive so that we are no longer holding onto the pain, the anger, the fear that can damage our lives.
 
When I was almost one year old, I had an accident. I was learning to walk, and like all babies everywhere, I needed to pull up on things around me to stand and take those first tentative steps.
Most days, I stayed with my grandmother. She heated her home with gas space heaters. You know where this is going…I am sure I had been told a hundred times not to touch the space heater. “No-no. Don’t touch. That will hurt baby.” A little smack on the hand may have accompanied the warning if I got too close.
 
But, in spite of careful watching and grave warnings, one day I reached for the flaming heater in order to pull myself up to standing. Both hands. I don’t remember everything, but I do remember my grandmother holding me in the front seat of the car. My father was driving. There was a parade that day in downtown Huntington. My dad drove on the sidewalk to get through. I remember a police officer looking in the driver’s side window and speaking with my father. I remember a siren which I later learned came from the police escort we received. I remember arriving in the ER and the kind doctor who was first to see me.
 
What I don’t remember is the pain. I don’t remember any details of being examined or treated. I don’t remember what my mother described as little boxing gloves that encased my hands with holes cut out for my thumbs because I was a thumb-sucker. 
 
And I don’t remember ever blaming my grandmother who was charged with my care. I do remember adults talking about it from time to time and looking intently at my little hands and showing them that I was alright.
 
The outcome could have been worse. And as I have had my turn raising children, I became uber-aware of the millions of things that could harm them, and tried as best I could to keep them safe. I didn’t always succeed. 
 
Obsessing over our missteps is futile. And that’s when we have to consider the benefit of self-forgiveness.
 
I have referenced Rachel Held Evans several times.  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.  She preached and taught at Montreat Conference Center.
 
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 octaves of notes.
 
But, as she pushed the margins of her more fundamentalist 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 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 to get even one day…you get the drift.
 
But, praise God from whom all blessings flow…it doesn’t last… 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   233     The Day of Resurrection!
*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
Minute for Mission    One Great Hour of Sharing
*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    
 
Time for Young Disciples   
 
Gospel Reading       John 20:1-18
The Morning Message
 
* Hymn  240     Alleluia! Alleluia! Give Thanks
*Affirmation of Faith    The Apostles’ Creed p. 35
*Hymn    580            Gloria Patri
 
Sharing Our Joys and Concerns
   Celebrating One Hundred Years of Faith and History          Jack Dilley
   Dedicating the Chapel for the Future
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer
 
Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings including One Great Hour of Sharing
*Hymn   606   Doxology
 
*Hymn   250   Hymn of Promise
 
*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 
When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he set two of his disciples  and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it.. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’”  They went away and found the colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They told them what Jesus had said to them,  and they allowed them to take it.  Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who followed were shouting,
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple, and when he had looked around,  at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
 
Litany of Response
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’ve been back from that trip for three years. Sometimes it takes awhile to settle in and process it. 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!
 
 
* Hymn
*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  606   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          Based on Ezekiel 34, John 11, and Romans 8
Reader 1: In the midst of life, we acknowledge death. In the face of death, God’s Spirit comes to bring us life. Can dry bones live? Can life emerge from death? Only God knows. And yet, Christ promises just such a miracle through the power of God’s Holy Spirit.
 
Reader 2: All who are dwindling and dying…come forth to new life.
All who are lying in darkness and despair…come into the light.
All who feel separated and alone…come to the presence of God, whose Spirit finds us here.
 
Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit,
breathe new life into our lives and our worship.
Create new possibilities, in our imaginations and in our dreams.
Send the promise of your hope into our depression and despair.
Expand our hearts and our minds, as we enter your presence this day.  Amen.
 
*Hymn   164    He Lives!
 
Prayer of Confession
God of mercy, you sent Jesus Christ to seek and to save the lost. We confess that we have strayed from you and turned aside from your way.
We are misled by pride, for we see ourselves pure when we are stained, and great when we are small.
We have failed in love, neglected justice, and ignored your truth.
Have mercy on us and forgive our sin.
Return us to paths of righteousness through Jesus Christ our Savior.  Amen.
 
Hymn   Take, O Take Me As I Am
Assurance of Forgiveness
Jesus Christ spoke peace to a sinful world and brought humanity the gift of reconciliation by his suffering and death.
He will teach those who bear his name to follow the example he gave us.
May our faith, hope, and charity turn hatred to love, conflict to peace, and death to eternal life.
Friends, believe the good news of the gospel: know you are forgiven and be at peace.
First Scripture Reading     Isaiah 43: 16-21
 
Moments With Our Young Disciples
 
Gospel Reading     John 12:1-8
Morning Message
 
Today we are headed to a home in the Jerusalem suburb of Bethany, where Jesus stopped in to see his old friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus before he entered the city for the last time.  He loved them, John tells us, although he does not tell us why.  Maybe there is no "why" to love.  They called him Lord, so they knew who he was, and yet they were not his disciples, at least not in any formal sense.  They were his friends, the three people in whose presence he could be a man as well as a Messiah.
Just days before, Jesus had worked a miracle at their house.  He had been across the river when the sisters' urgent message reached him.  "Lord," it read, "he whom you love is ill."  So he had come to them, knowing full well it was too late.  Lazarus was so dead that he stank, so dead that Jesus stood in front of his tomb and wept.  Then he roared so loud at death that he scared death away.  While the sisters tried to decide whether to run away too, their brother Lazarus came stumbling from his tomb, trailing his shroud behind him like a used cocoon.
Now Jesus has come back to Bethany with the temple posse hot on his trail.  By raising Lazarus from the dead he has graduated from the category of "manageable nuisance" to "serious threat."  News of the incident has sent his followers over the top.  There is not a chance Pilate is going to ignore them during the Passover festival.  It is time for Jesus to be disappeared before he leads hundreds to their deaths.  So his days are numbered and he knows it.  When he arrives at his friends' house in Bethany, they can see it on his face.
So they take him in and care for him, shutting the world out for this one night at least.  Lazarus is still clumsy from his four days in the tomb.  He sits and stares while Martha makes a stew.  Mary, meanwhile, has slipped away, gone to find something in her room.  Martha is used to this.  Mary is always disappearing, even when she is sitting right there with everyone else.  She gets this look on her face, like she's listening to music no one else can hear.  Martha knows there is nothing to be done but to work around her, being careful to reel Mary in when she drifts too far.
Finally, supper is on the table and they all sit down to eat, saying what they hope and hiding what they fear.  Lazarus sits near his friend Jesus, unaware of the trade that has occurred.  Jesus was safe across the river, beyond the reach of his enemies.  By returning to Bethany, he has traded his life for the life of his friend.  Funny, huh?  The recently deceased Lazarus of Bethany will outlive the savior Jesus of Nazareth.
No one notices that Mary has gone again until she comes back holding a clay jar in her hands.  Wordless, she kneels at Jesus' feet and breaks the jar's neck.  The smell of spikenard fills the room--sharp scent halfway between mint and ginseng.  Then, as everyone in the room watches her, she does four remarkable things in a row.
First she loosens her hair in a room full of men, which an honorable woman never does.   Then she pours perfume on Jesus' feet, which is also not done.  The head, maybe--people do that to kings--but not the feet.  Then she touches him--a single woman rubbing a single man's feet--also not done, not even among friends.  Then she wipes the perfume off with her hair--totally inexplicable--the bizarre end to an all around bizarre act.
Most of us are so moved by the scene that we overlook its eccentricities, or else we don't care. The point is that she loved him, right?  Right.  But we also confuse this account with three others in the Bible--one each from Matthew, Mark and Luke.  In the first two, an unnamed woman anoints Jesus' head at the house of Simon the Leper during the last week of his life.  In the third story, the scene happens at Simon the Pharisee's house, much earlier in Jesus' ministry.  There Jesus is eating supper when a notorious sinner slips into the room and stands weeping over his feet, then drops to the ground to cover them with kisses before rubbing them with oil of myrrh. 
Only in John's version of the story does the woman have a name-Mary--and a relationship with Jesus--not a stranger, not a notorious sinner, but his long-time friend--which makes her act all the more peculiar.  He knows she loves him.  He loves her too.  So why this public demonstration, this odd pantomime in front of all their friends?  It's extravagant.  It's excessive.  She's gone overboard, as Judas is quick to note.
"Why wasn't this perfume sold for a whole lot of money and given to the poor?"  That's what Judas wants to know, but Jesus brushes him aside.          
"Leave her alone," he says.  "She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.  You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me"--which is 
about as odd a thing for him to say as what Mary did.  Here is the champion of the poor, always putting their needs ahead of his, suddenly reversing course.  Leave her alone.  Leave me alone.  Just this once, let her look after me, because my time is running out.
Whatever Mary thought about what she did, and whatever anyone else in the room thought about it, Jesus took it as a message from God--not the hysteric ministrations of an old maid gone sweetly mad but the carefully performed act of a prophet.  Everything around Mary smacked of significance--Judas, the betrayer, challenging her act; the flask of nard--wasn't it left over from Lazarus' funeral?--and out in the yard, a freshly vacated tomb that still smelled of burial spices, waiting for a new occupant.  The air was dense with death, and while there may at first have been some doubt about whose death it was, Mary's prophetic act revealed the truth.
She was anointing Jesus for his burial, and while her behavior may have seemed strange to those standing around, it was no more strange than that of the prophets who went before her--Ezekiel eating the scroll of the Lord as a sign that he carried the word of God around inside of him (Ezekiel 2), or Jeremiah smashing the clay jar to show God's judgment on Judah and Jerusalem (Jeremiah 19), or Isaiah walking around naked and barefoot as an oracle against the nations (Isaiah 20).  Prophets do things like that.  They act out.  They act out the truth that no one else can see, and those standing around either write them off as nuts or fall silent before the disturbing news they bring from God.
When Mary stood before Jesus with that pound of pure nard in her hand, it could have gone either way.  She could have anointed his head and everyone there could have proclaimed him a king.  But she did not do that.  When she moved toward him, she dropped to her knees instead and poured the perfume on his feet, which could only mean one thing.  The only man who got his feet anointed was a dead man, and Jesus knew it.  "Leave her alone," he said to those who would have prevented her.  Let her finish delivering the message. 
So Mary rubbed his feet with perfume so precious that its sale might have fed a poor family for a year, an act so lavish that it suggests another layer to her prophecy.  There will be nothing economical about this man's death, just as there has been nothing economical about his life.  In him, the extravagance of God's love is made flesh.  In him, the excessiveness of God's mercy is made manifest. 
This bottle will not be held back to be kept and admired.  This precious substance will not be saved.  It will be opened, offered and used, at great price.  It will be raised up and poured out for the life of the world, emptied to the last drop.  Before that happens, Jesus will gather his friends together one last time.  At another banquet, around another supper table, with most of the same people present, Jesus will strip, tie a towel around his waist, and wash his disciples' feet.  Then he will give them a new commandment: Love one another, as I have loved you. 
At least one of the disciples will argue with him, while others will wonder if he has lost his mind.  But a few will watch him working on their feet and remember Mary bending over his feet like that--the prophet Mary--who knew how to respond to Jesus without being told, the one who acted out his last, new commandment before he ever said it.  Remembering her may help them leave him alone while he finishes delivering his message. 
At home in Bethany, the storm clouds are still piling up against the door when Mary gives the forecast: it will be bad, very bad, but that's no reason for Jesus' friends to lock their hearts and head to the cellar.  Whatever they need, there will be enough to go around.  Whatever they spend, there will be plenty left over.  There is no reason to fear running out--of nard or of life either one--for where God is concerned, there is always more than we can ask or imagine--gifts from our lavish, lavish Lord.
Amen.
 
 
 
*Hymn   279    There Shall Be Showers of Blessing
*Affirmation of Faith     The Apostles’ Creed
*Hymn   Gloria Patri
 
Sharing the Congregations Joys and Concerns
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer
 
Presenting Our Gifts of Tithe and Offering
Offertory
*Doxology
*Prayer of Dedication
 
*Hymn   177    God Be With You
 
*Blessing
As you go out, may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and keep your whole being-
spirit, soul, and body- free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.
 
*Postlude

Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
 
Lenten Reading     John 3:1-8Betty and Kevin Dennison
Reader 1:  Friends, we ask you again to observe a holy Lent. With prayer, fasting, and demonstrating the love of Christ through benevolent acts, we prepare for Holy Week and the passion of our Lord and Savior.
 
Reader 2: In John’s gospel we read:
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old? Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
 
Prayer (in unison)
All:  Gracious God, seeker of the lost; draw your children back to your loving embrace, restore us to our inheritance as daughters and sons, and reconcile our hearts to you, that we may become ambassadors of your reconciling love to all the world.Through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit we pray.  Amen
 
*Hymn“Live into Hope”                                            No. 772 (Glory to God)
 
Prayer of Confession
Leader: We pause to consider how far we may have wandered from our home with God. Have we turned away from responsibility in order to seek shallow pleasures and selfish gratification? Or do we consider ourselves above reproach, looking down on those mired in the pigpens of life? Wherever we are, whoever we are, there is much to confess.
 
Hymn Take, O Take Me As I Am
 
Assurance of Forgiveness
Leader: We are assured that God forgives the guilt of our sin. Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom God assigns no wrongdoing and in whose spirit there is no deceit. Rejoice, for God has brought us back to life!
 
First Reading    2 Corinthians 5: 16-21
 
Moments With Our Young Disciples
 
The Gospel Reading   Luke: 1-3, 11b-32
The Morning Message - R.S.V.P.
 
The story of the prodigal son from today’s passage is
perhaps one of the most written about parables Jesus ever told.
But the word prodigal is rarely used in conversation because of
its negative connotation in association with this story. I have
never heard the word used outside the context of this parable.
Prodigal means to spend resources recklessly or with
wasteful extravagance. (as I demonstrated with the kids)
Prodigal can also mean doing something on a lavish scale. Here’s
the example of its use from the dictionary, “The dessert was
crunchy with brown sugar and prodigal with whipped cream.” It
sounds odd doesn’t it? The next time you ask for a dessert, tell
the server to be prodigal with the whipped cream and watch for
the reaction you get!
When writing a sermon I normally read the verse several
times and think about it, make some notes, and review some
commentaries to see if my thoughts are on track. For this
sermon I chose to avoid the commentaries because I did not
want to be clouded by other people’s ideas of what this parable is
about. I didn’t want to fall into arguments about whether the
story’s focus is on the Father or the prodigal son or the elder
brother. I didn’t want to just restate the work of Henri Nowen
who wrote a book that discussed how each of us at some point in
our lives plays the role of the Father, the Prodigal, and the Older
Brother.
BTW – Nowen was allowed to sit in front of Rembrandt’s painting
of this parable for two weeks in The Hermitage Museum in then
Leningrad, USSR in the 1970s. I’ve had the privilege of seeing it
there as well and it is amazing. It’s almost life size. Now all of
these are valid for discussion and these different interpretations
point out how God’s word really is the living word, but today I
want to focus on how this parable is about us, today in 2025, in
Barboursville WV. I think it’s really all about the party!
If we really listen to the words of the Father – the party
never really started or stopped. He says, “Son you are always
with me, and all that is mine is yours.” The sons were free to get
whatever they wanted – any time they wanted. They could call
upon the resources of the Father anytime and he would provide
whatever they needed but it had to come through the Father.
(that thought alone is a master’s thesis). The point is they are
totally in his care – as are we. They had an open invitation; they
just didn’t know how to respond properly in faith. Do we have
the faith to know how to respond?
We are all familiar with the abbreviation R.S.V.P. It comes
from the French, (ree-pon-days C-vu play) which simply means,
“please reply.” God, who is characterized by the Father in the
story, sends out the invitation to the party and requests an RSVP
“please reply.” (repeat) Today, we might think about it as the
endless ping sound our cell phones make when we get a message
from someone.
In the story the Father sees his prodigal son “while he was
still far off.” Can you visualize the Father standing on his porch
of his large home that sits on top of a hill? Every day his heart
pines away – hoping – praying – that his son will return. Every
day he looks out over the landscape below searching for some
sign of his son’s return. Then his heart leaps for joy when at long
last his son returns.
The prodigal son didn’t see the opportunity the Father
presents until he came to his senses. He underestimated the
value of staying with the Father. He had decided years ago to
have his own party and asked for his inheritance early so he
could be on his merry way. His reply to the Father at that time is
an implied – No, thanks you – I will not be attending your party.
Note that the Father puts up no argument when the younger
son asks for his inheritance. This is our free will. This is our
freedom to choose. Sometimes our responses hurt. In Jewish
culture the younger son’s request for his early inheritance is like
wishing his father dead and in effect, his Father was dead to him.
By cutting off his Father, the younger son is really the one who
became spiritually dead. The younger brother then falls into dis-
solute living.
Dissolute is another word we don’t hear or use very often,
but we see it all the time. Watch any newscast, read any
newspaper, watch most any TV program or listen to popular
country or rock music and you will see and hear dissolute living in
action. We are bombarded with it! Dissolute simply means
immoral conduct; wild, decadent, and self indulgent behavior.
The results of this kind of living seem to be inescapable. The
younger brother barely survives hitting bottom and is not even
allowed to eat the pods given to the pigs.
The pods are the horned shaped leathery shells from the
carob tree native to Palestine and the Mediterranean area. Inside
the pod are several pea like seeds separated by a sweet, sticky,
edible pulp. Through the grafting of trees we now can produce a
higher quality and sweeter carob which is used as a substitute for
chocolate.
Well, there was nothing sweet about how the prodigal felt.
Yes he survived hitting bottom but he did not survive his guilt,
shame, and remorse. He considers himself unworthy and returns
to his Father hoping to become a slave. Perhaps, he thinks, he
can at least serve the guests at the party, but again, he
underestimates the love and grace of the Father.
This is when the real miracle happens - Without a judgmental
word, the Father restores him as a prince and gives him the royal
symbols of a robe, a ring, and sandals. Now the prodigal’s
response is yes. Yes, I will enter into the party. Yes, I will be
part of the kingdom. Yes I will let go of the past. Yes, I will be a
son of my father. ------ He was given a second chance. The
prodigal was dead and REBORN in the eyes of the father. And
the Father too was brought back to life in the eyes of the son.
This is what it means to be born again by faith through
grace. Just as in our earlier reading about Nicodemas from John.
God says, “Please reply.” (ray spon days c-vu play) R.S.V.P. And
when we say yes, we come to life spirituality because God’s spirit
comes to life in us. Through Christ we are adopted into the family
of God. His death on the cross becomes our re-birth right.
Later in the parable we are introduced to the older brother
who is also invited to the party. He was out in the fields and tells
the father he has been working like a slave. This refers to
seeking righteousness through our own efforts. The older brother
can never work hard enough to obtain what the Father possesses.
Just like we can never be good enough to earn God’ favor. Grace
is a free gift. God’s grace is the gift of unmerited favor and like
the older brother all we have to do is ask. The Father tells the
older brother and us, “All that I have is yours.”
We gain a lot of insight into the older brother in this brief
passage. He follows all the rules yet does not comprehend love
and grace. He is possessed by pride, envy, and resentment. He
indicates his harsh feelings towards his father when he whines
about not being given even a young goat for him and his friends.
Notice he even excludes the Father in his celebration! No, it will
just be he and his friends. He also behaves in an unacceptable
manner in the Jewish tradition by saying no to the Father’s
invitation to the party.
Like the younger brother, the older brother also
underestimates the love and grace of the Father. He cannot
understand how the father can have compassion for the younger
brother. He has also underestimated the love of God since he
has been blinded by his sense of duty. He has followed the
letter of the law but not the spirit of the law. In the end we are
left to wonder how the older brother replies to the Father’s
invitation to enter the party. “Please reply” (ray spon day c-vu
play) God asks – please enter into a relationship with me.
We are given a very subtle hint, though, in the last few
verses. Listen for the use of the word “yours” in the ending
dialogue. First when talking to the Father, the older brother refers
to the prodigal as, “this son of yours.” He disavows any kinship
with the prodigal son and his phrase is derogatory. Second,
when the older brother asks for the goat, the father says “all that
is mine is yours.” All of God’s riches are in plain view. (like
in the painting). At this point what God owns includes the
younger brother who while restored to royal status, is really a
dependent of the father. Third, the father confirms this to the
older brother, when he turns the tables on the elder son and
refers to the prodigal as, “this brother of yours.” The point is,
they are interconnected in a family relationship through blood; he
is a son and brother and that relationship; that connection
cannot be undone. Being an optimist, I believe the older brother
ultimately gets it! I believe the older brother cannot deny the
grace revealed to him by the father and the model of repentance
shown by the younger brother.
And so it is among us today. We are all connected:
daughter, sister, mother; all of us are connected to God’s family.
We belong to each other and there is enough for everyone.
Remember what the father says, “All that is mine is yours.” The
party never ends. The invitation is always there. (ray spon day c
vu play) – “Please reply.”
 
Amen.
 
 
*Hymn  450 Be Thou My Vision
*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
Thank you, God, for proclaiming our worth when we do not value ourselves. Thank you for welcoming us to a celebration of life with so many precious gifts. Thank you now for the privilege of sharing so others may be led to your joyous embrace. Help us to be generous in gratitude for your lavish provision for all our needs. Amen.
 
*Hymn   611 “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”
 
*Blessing
Return
(inspired by Luke 15:1-3, 11-32)
 
let this be the welcoming place
the place of return
 
and let it be built by a love
that bends towards those who return here
 
for it is a love that has been waiting
like a candle in the window
ever lighting the way back
and never willing to let go
the hope that each child
will return home
let it be the place where
the only appropriate response
to love that has come to the end of its longing
is to kill the fatted calf,
feast and celebrate
send up balloons
and prepare the party
for that which has been lost
has returned to be among us
once more
 
~ written by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on Mucky Paws. http://www.nkchurch.org.uk/index.php/mucky-paws
 
*Postlude