Order
Sunday, October 10, 2021
Opening Audio(10:15am)
Spotify – Not In A Hurry Radio
#1 ONE Video #1 (4:06)
Call to Worship
Humble King (Benton Brown/Vineyard)
Live/OnLine
Prayer Rick
Music 1 (6 Slides) Abbie & Billy
Holy, Holy, Holy (Dykes & Heber)
Today’s Story (1 Slide) Online-Kristen J
In Person-Petty
Music 2 Abbie & Billy
Take My Life ‘Holiness’ Underwood
Message ‘The Impenetrable Power of Me’ Rick
Music 3 Abbie & Billy
Here I Am To Worship (Hughes)
Community Rick
Benediction Online-Kristen J
In Person-Petty
Sharing the Peace Rick
Closing Audio
Spotify – Not In A Hurry Radio
Voices and Words
Prayer
God,
We begin this time calling out to you
You are our God
You are the God
You are the Creator of the Universe
You are the Giver of Grace
You are the Redeemer of our Souls
You are Love that Breathes Life into Each of Us
We call you Deliverer
We call you Provider
We call you Healer
We call you Holy
Even though We do not always Recognize You
Even though We do not always Understand You
Even though We do not always Listen for You
Even though We do not always Look for You
Even though – You are Still Holy
You are Still Sustenance
You are Still More
You are Still God
God, We join the Seraphs in proclaiming, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
Amen.
Music 1
Holy Holy Holy (Nicaea)
CCLI Song # 1156
John Bacchus Dykes | Reginald Heber
Verse 1
Holy holy holy
Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning
Our song shall rise to Thee
Holy holy holy
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity
Verse 2
Holy holy holy
Though the darkness hide Thee
Though the eye of sinful man
Thy glory may not see
Only Thou art holy
There is none beside Thee
Perfect in power
In love and purity
Verse 3
Holy holy holy
Lord God Almighty
All Thy works shall praise Thy name
In earth and sky and sea
Holy holy holy
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity
Today’s Story
Petty: Sometimes cringe worthy moments are not really about what someone else says but more about what you, yourself, say. Sometimes uncomfortable bible moments are not about what God has to say as much as it is about what others say about God.
Kristen: Those are extremely awkward moments. Like anytime we are caught talking about someone else only to find out that they were hearing everything we said.
Petty: Imagine having Jesus hearing the stuff you don’t want Jesus to hear.
Kristen: Last week we were near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, it was at the crucial moment when the religious leaders began to recognize that Jesus was probably not going to be a status quo kind of leader. They probably started to see that Jesus was not like the other religious leader.
Petty: This week we are much later in the ministry of Jesus, our passage takes us the close of Jesus’ earthly ministry, now in Jerusalem and not long before the cross. It is the crescendo of religious institution’s disdain for Jesus – however, it is also a low point for the disciples of Jesus.
Kristen: It had all the makings of a high point for the disciples. The details regarding the passover meal came together miraculously. Jesus sat at the table exclusively with this intimate group, no crowds, not even his family or best friends. Then, they were also invited to join Jesus in his personal time with God.
Petty: On top of all that Jesus told them that he was going to “confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Kristen: But history cannot ignore the low moments. Judas was listening to Satan, Peter was failing to fully listen to Jesus, and no one managed to stay awake when Jesus needed them to stay alert. Then there was Jesus instructions to sale their coats to purchase a sword and the arrest and trial.
Petty: In the midst of all of this there was the awkward conversation between Jesus’ disciples.
Kristen: ’Within minutes they were bickering over who of them would end up the greatest’
Petty: Followed by the uncomfortable awareness that Jesus was in the room, within hearing distance.
Kristen: Jesus intervened: “Kings like to throw their weight around and people in authority like to give themselves fancy titles. It’s not going to be that way with you. Let the senior among you become like the junior; let the leader act the part of the servant.”
Petty: “Who would you rather be: the one who eats the dinner or the one who serves the dinner?” Jesus continued, “You’d rather eat and be served, right? But I’ve taken my place among you as the one who serves. And you’ve stuck with me through thick and thin.”
Kristen: In a way, it is a lot like when the religious leaders were stuck in their thinking about washing hands – in this moment the disciples were stuck in thinking of Jesus as an earthly King, and that they would be the descendants of the earthly King, heir to the earthly throne, earthly power, celebrity.
Petty: Which of course would mean someone would have to be the next King.
Kristen: And thus the argument began.
Petty: And thus thinking gets stuck.
Music 2
Take My Life
CCLI Song # 1617154
Scott Underwood
Verse 1
Holiness holiness
Is what I long for
Holiness is what I need
Holiness holiness
Is what You want from me
Verse 2
Faithfulness faithfulness
Is what I long for
Faithfulness is what I need
Faithfulness faithfulness
Is what You want from me
Chorus
So take my heart and form it
Take my mind transform it
Take my will conform it
To Yours to Yours oh Lord
Verse 3
Righteousness righteousness
Is what I long for
Righteousness is what I need
Righteousness righteousness
Is what You want from me
Message‘The Impenetrable Power of Me’ (7 Slides)
In the summer of 1963, boxer Cassius Clay, unknowingly took the position of best, and most eloquent, trash talkers of all time in the release of his comedy album entitled ‘I Am The Greatest!’ The album was set up as a trash talking boxing match, with each new track labeled as a boxing match round. The entire project had been suggested to Clay by his talent agency and included one track entitled “Will the Real Sonny Liston Please Fall Down”. Clay was scheduled to fight Liston for the World Heavyweight Championship boxing match 6 months later. So, this album was actually the greatest trash talking rant of all time.
The fascinating thing about this album is seen when we take a retrospective look back. Six months after the release of this album, Clay did win the boxing match against Liston. But, also during this time Clay let it be known that he had converted to Islam and was changing his name to Muhammad Ali. You have to wonder if the trash talking persona created by Ali and those around him six months earlier was a grasping for some sense of control. Public Relations experts, as well as the boxing industry, were pushing and pulling him to be something that he actually was not. So, in an effort to take back control of his life, in a time when he knew that the truth of his life would soon be ruinous for his career, he used the 3 things he knew he was skilled in, boxing, humor, and trash talking, to take back the narrative, to take back control.
There is a defensive mechanism within all of us that seeks to find someway to be in control of our lives.
Three times, Jesus addresses the issue of greatness with his disciples. One time Jesus has to address the issue with the mother of two of his disciples. And now, in today’s passage, just moments before Jesus is arrested, in his final teaching moment with his disciples before the cross, Jesus addresses the issue for the fifth time.
If chapter 22
If chapter 22 of the gospel of Luke were to be made into a Netflix series, at a minimum it would have to be split up into 8 episodes. That could only happen if each of those episodes were packed full of twists and turns, betrayals, rejections, disappointments, violence, injustices, miracles, backstabbing, doubts, bizarre promises, satanic control, amazing affirmations, and a well organized exclusive dinner. You could not binge this series, each episode would take a week in between to allow the viewer to recover from the latest episode and to prepare for the next.
Luke 22 plants us smack in the middle of Holy Week, Jesus had entered the Jerusalem as a crowned hero, his disciples had become instant celebrities, but that acclaim went south quickly. There was still a sense of Jesus’ significance but everything was getting a bit off. Jesus and the disciples had just finished the passover meal. Jesus had served them in dramatic style ending the meal with a dark turn. Jesus revealed that one of them would betray Jesus. This left the disciples pointing the finger at each other asking, “Is it him, or what about him, no, surely it is not me!’ And, almost instantly, the disciples went from pondering who would betray Jesus – to a contentious argument about which one of them was going to replace Jesus.
The men became so focused on self that they forgot Jesus was right there in the room, sitting at the table. Here was Jesus, the one who had served them, listening as they were fighting over who was going to take the place of Jesus.
And so, for a fifth time, Jesus addressed the one thing that would probably be the most important thing for these soon to be leaders of the New Testament church.
That the meal ended on this argument and the teaching is not really surprising. When things began to be out of our own control, it gets scary, we circle up the wagons and began to protect ourself and all that is ‘OURS.’ We forget what Jesus has taught, we forget that Jesus is in the room. When our attention turns only to the powerful ME, then we completely forget about Jesus, even when he is the next chair over.
Somehow, we humans, who have life because of the breath of God, are quick to only think of ourself. We automatically, especially in times of uncertainty, change or crisis, turn only to ME – OURSELF.
“How will this affect ME?
What will this mean to ME?
How is this going to hurt ME?
How can I turn this around to benefit ME?
What about ME?!”
The Question
The Question that haunts us in this story is the same thing that still haunts us a humans – ‘Why do we, as humans, focus on self, whey do we seek to protect ourself through power and position?’ This is the question at the root of the disciples bickering.
The Impenetrable Power of Me. Instead of giving power, it take all power from us. We fail to see what and who is right in front of us. It dulls or hearing of truth. It keeps us from listening for God.
Why do we automatically desire power and greatness?
Studies
The assumed answer to this question has long been that we desire power in order to have control over people. A 2016 study disputes that assumption, the assumption that the desire for power is linked to our desire to control. In the study, the researchers, instead, reveal that the desire for power is actually a desire for autonomy – the ability to be in control of our life.
5 slides
“While there are those who want power over and control over others, this study concluded that healthy minded persons, desire power not to be a master over others, but to be master of their own domain, to control their own fate.” (Lammers, Stoker, Rink., 2016)
“To be autonomous does not mean to independent of others, but rather it means to feel a sense of willingness and choice when acting, whether the actions are independently initiated or are in response to a request from significant others.” (Chirkov et al., 2003)
The disciples are in the room, they are at the table, with Jesus, power and greatness incarnate, yet, rooted in their thinking, was this desire to gain the power upper hand. They were held captive by the Impenetrable Power of Me.
Jesus turns the assumption of what ‘being powerful’ actually means. Service, the first shall be last. Jesus had washed their feet, he had touched a leper, they had seen him constantly and automatically serve others, even in the most mundane moments – remember the wedding party that ran out of wine? And now, in this essential moment, Jesus gives a final review of the teachings they have seen as God has transparently lived, in the flesh, in their presence.
“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors.But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” (Luke 22:25-27)
Jesus was not mad or angry with the men, he wasn’t even frustrated – Jesus was determined. Determined that they would step into the uncomfortable, that they would let themself immerse themself in the squirmy waters of greatness. That they would overcome the seemingly Impenetrable Power of Me.
How was the power of Me so powerful that it kept the disciples, who were fully convinced of the credibility of Jesus, from recognizing Jesus? Why was this understanding of greatness so essential that Jesus would spend his final moments speaking about it?
Jesus had spent the better part of the past 3 years teaching, that the only thing that can overpower the Power Of ME is the Power of THEE. This is why God scattered the descendants of Noah when it became obvious that even their unity had become a branch of Me – Us, Our. Our agenda, our reputation, our control. However, the power of THEE, is sacrifice, it is freedom, it is glued together by a servant heart, it is a recognition that we are all equally important, we are all loved by God, we are essential pieces of God’s path to His ‘will on earth as it is in heaven.’ The Power of THEE is the only thing that can truly bring us to autonomy.
This is why Jesus spoke of his purpose being about abundance and life, this is why the apostle Paul would later focus so much on unity, this is why the selfish deceit of Annanias and Saphirra was so dangerous, this is why Jesus was now enlightening his disciples that the key to greatness is the service and sacrifice.
Les Miserables
The broadway musical Les Miserables depicts the catalyst moments leading up to the French revolution. A revolt of the peasants and marginalized against a system where those that had the least were required to carry the greatest burden. A call from a persecuted people for autonomy and freedom, for life. It was a revolution, in the beginning, which began as an effort to allow all people to live with dignity and hope. It was a revolution that finally began as a people realized the only way to achieve greatness was if they were to lower themselves to be servants, to offer themselves in sacrifice for others. They recognized the ramification of The Power Of Thee, of greater purpose than just ME, which would then permit there to be the essential power in WE. This can be heard in their voices,
“Will you give all you can give
So that our banner may advance?
Some will fall and some will live
Will you stand up and take your chance?
The blood of the martyrs
Will water the meadows of France!”
(‘Do You Hear The People Sing. Boublil, Schonberg, Kretzmer, Natel.)
Jesus said, “the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.”
(Luke 22:26-27)
What about these words of Christ makes us most uncomfortable? What area of our life are we least willing to let those words bathe over us?
Let’s pray.
Music 3
Here I Am To Worship
CCLI Song # 3266032
Tim Hughes
Verse 1
Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness
Opened my eyes let me see
Beauty that made
This heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You
Chorus
So here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You’re my God
And You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
Verse 2
King of all days
Oh so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came
To the earth You created
All for love’s sake became poor
Bridge
And I’ll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
And I’ll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
Community
Community
hin·nê·nî (Here I Am) – Bible Study – Thursday
Next Sunday – ‘Abominable’ Lev 18 & 20
Benediction
Petty: As we go from this place led by an eternal King who is a servant, a servant who is the King.
Kristen: As we go we remember the example of a humble servant who is our King, who is our Deliverer, who is our Hope.
Petty: We do not go led by a King who is stuck in the ways of man, the ways of earth, the stuckness of sin, we go led by the eternal King, the eternal servant.
Kristen: We follow the servant who has revealed that victory is in serving.
Petty: Victory is in compassion.
Kristen: Victory is in mercy.
Petty: We follow the King, who is the Servant, in the path of Grace.
Kristen: We follow the Servant, who is the King, in the path of Peace.
Petty: We go from this place, to our places, where we brush elbows with those to which God has extended Grace.
Kristen: We go from this this place, to our place, where we will join with all go humanity whom God holds with Mercy and Compassion.
Petty: We go from here, to there, and everywhere we go, we go in Love.
Closing Peace
May God’s grace, peace, joy, love, and hope go with you.
And also with you.
Go in grace, peace, joy, love, hope.
Order, Words, & Voices 