Order
Sunday, February 27, 2022
Pre Worship Audio (10:15am) – ‘Calming Acoustic Guitar’
Music 1 (10:30am) Lynn/Abbie
How Majestic is Your Name
All Hail the Power
Welcome/Prayer Rick
Music 2 Lynn/Abbie
El Shaddai
Scripture Online – Zach
Music 3Lynn/Abbie
What the Lord Has Done
MessageMortal Concerns Rick
Music 4 Way MakerLynn/Abbie
Benediction Dave
Community (Gallery View) Rick
Closing Peace Rick
Closing Audio – ‘Calming Acoustic Guitar’
Words and Voices
Music 1
How Majestic Is Your Name
CCLI Song # 26007
Michael W. Smith
Oh Lord our Lord how majestic is
Your name in all the earth
Oh Lord our Lord how majestic is
Your name in all the earth
Oh Lord we praise Your name
Oh Lord we magnify Your name
Prince of Peace Mighty God
Oh Lord God Almighty
Oh Lord our Lord how majestic is
Your name in all the earth
Oh Lord our Lord how majestic is
Your name in all the earth
Oh Lord we praise Your name
Oh Lord we magnify Your name
Prince of Peace Mighty God
Oh Lord God Almighty
All Hail The Power Of Jesus’ Name (Coronation)
CCLI Song # 25400
Edward Perronet | John Rippon | Oliver Holden
Verse 1
All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name
Let angels prostrate fall
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of all
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of all
Verse 2
Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race
Ye ransomed from the fall
Hail Him who saves you by His grace
And crown Him Lord of all
Hail Him who saves you by His grace
And crown Him Lord of all
Verse 4
Let ev’ry kindred ev’ry tribe
On this terrestrial ball
To Him all majesty ascribe
And crown Him Lord of all
To Him all majesty ascribe
And crown Him Lord of all
Verse 5
O that with yonder sacred throng
We at His feet may fall
We’ll join the everlasting song
And crown Him Lord of all
We’ll join the everlasting song
And crown Him Lord of all
Welcome/Prayer
Father, we stand on the sidelines in what seems to be a world gone mad.
We wonder, ‘What next?”, “Why this”, and “Why now?”
Eventually we ask, “Where are you God?”
However, we trust that you are present.
You are present in the midst of the overwhelming crowd, you are present in the midst of the fighting, you are present in the midst of our pain, our fear, and our fading hope.
We seek to simply touch your garment for a stolen moment of assurance, of affirmation, of peace, and of healing.
God, today, may your Spirit give us the courage to step out and into the flow of the crowd, to risk the vulnerability of laying our baggage down so that we can, instead, reach for you.
May we remember our hope is you as we hesitantly move towards you.
Amen
Music 2
El Shaddai
CCLI Song # 26856
John W. Thompson | Michael Card
Chorus
El Shaddai El Shaddai
El Elyonna Adonai
Age to age You’re still the same
By the power of the name
El Shaddai El Shaddai
Erkamkana Adonai
We will praise and lift You high
El Shaddai
Verse 1
Through Your love and through the ram
You saved the son of Abraham
Through the power of Your hand
You turned the sea into dry land
To the outcast on her knees
You were the God who really sees
And by Your might
You set Your children free
Chorus
El Shaddai El Shaddai
El Elyonna Adonai
Age to age You’re still the same
By the power of the name
El Shaddai El Shaddai
Erkamkana Adonai
We will praise and lift You high
El Shaddai
Verse 2
Through the years You made it clear
That the time of Christ was near
Though the people couldn’t see
What Messiah ought to be
Though Your Word contained the plan
They just could not understand
Your most awesome work was done
In the frailty of Your Son
Chorus
El Shaddai El Shaddai
El Elyonna Adonai
Age to age You’re still the same
By the power of the name
El Shaddai El Shaddai
Erkamkana Adonai
We will praise and lift You high
El Shaddai
Chorus
El Shaddai El Shaddai
El Elyonna Adonai
Age to age You’re still the same
By the power of the name
El Shaddai El Shaddai
Erkamkana Adonai
We will praise and lift You high
El Shaddai
Scripture
Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse.
The woman had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she thought, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.”
As soon she reached Jesus and discreetly touched his cloak her hemorrhage stopped; she instantly felt the healing in her body. She was healed of her disease that had plagued her for 12 years!
She tired to subtly sneak away after this healing but Jesus was immediately aware that healing power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?”
And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” Jesus looked all around to see who had done it.
Finally, the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.
Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Mark 5:25-34
Music 3
What The Lord Has Done In Me
CCLI Song # 2582803
Reuben Morgan
Verse 1
Let the weak say I am strong
Let the poor say I am rich
Let the blind say I can see
It’s what the Lord has done in me
Chorus
Hosanna hosanna
To the Lamb that was slain
Hosanna hosanna
Jesus died and rose again
Chorus
Hosanna hosanna
To the Lamb that was slain
Hosanna hosanna
Jesus died and rose again
Verse 2
Into the river I will wade
There my sins are washed away
From the heaven’s mercy stream
Of the Saviour’s love for me
Chorus
Hosanna hosanna
To the Lamb that was slain
Hosanna hosanna
Jesus died and rose again
Chorus
Hosanna hosanna
To the Lamb that was slain
Hosanna hosanna
Jesus died and rose again
Verse 3
I will rise from waters deep
Into the saving arms of God
I will sing salvation songs
Jesus Christ has set me free
Chorus
Hosanna hosanna
To the Lamb that was slain
Hosanna hosanna
Jesus died and rose again
Chorus
Hosanna hosanna
To the Lamb that was slain
Hosanna hosanna
Jesus died and rose again
Message – Mortal Concerns
Chapter 5 of the gospel of Mark details of 3 different moments of God’s divine interjection into the lives of 3 very different individuals. One was a man of importance, 2 were of persons of little to no importance living in fear. A person of power, and 2 with absolutely no power. One was known and respected, 2 dismissed and despised.
All 3 shared a common state of struggle, at the end of their ropes, able do nothing to remedy their pain – Jesus was their only hope.
The first was a man who lived among the countryside of the Gerasenes, ‘among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; for this man had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him.’ (Mark 5:3-4).
An unnamed man whose identity was of no importance. The only identification of this man is his struggle, the reason he is undesirable and despised to the community.
The second is a woman, also unnamed also known by her struggle, also undesirable and despised. A 12 year never ending menstruation period was her struggle. The very cycle created to give life, is the very thing that has became an encumbrance to living life. Constantly striving to be invisible to put off her community from calling her unclean and disgusting. Always fatigued and even more, always rejected. ‘She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse.’ (Mark 5:26)
The third person is a prominent and important community and community and religious institution leader. One of the few religious officials who had not rejected Jesus. Most importantly, this man had a name – Jairus. His struggle is not a long term affliction as the other 2, but it is nonetheless has him at the end of his rope and, he too, see Jesus as his holy hope. An daughter moments from death. ‘Jairus came and, when he saw Jesus, fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” So Jesus went with Jairus.’ (Mark 5:22-24)
Three near hopeless mortals recognizing that their only hope was the God of the living.
Our focus today is the named woman. A mortal settled into an intentional unnoticed life, hoping to be the unseen, invisible, not because this made life bearable, but because it had made what little life she still had possible. Unclean, humiliated, rejected, dismissed, ignored, hated, and even worse, pitied. So, like so many other unnamed mortals, she went about living in the shadows where people like her belonged.
Actually, the unnamed woman is a side story, it is an unplanned ‘along the way’ moment, unexpected, and unwanted. Jesus was on his way to heal the daughter of Jairus, the named religious official. On Jesus’ way, the crowds were clamoring for his attention. The disciples were doing their job navigating the path. As the woman overheard that Jesus was approaching she prepared to jump into the flow, hoping to blend in and go unnoticed. It was a struggle to enter the flow, and then an impossibility to keep up with the speed of the mob, all the time risking being outed as unclean or trampled.
This is what you do when you have only this one hope, you hold on with all your might risking the little you have left to risk. Finally, she was close enough and she reached out and touched the cloak of Jesus, she sought to steal a bit of his healing power without being noticed, without being seen, and then to disappear back into the crowd, back into oblivion.
‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well,’ she thought, ‘Jesus will not even know, no one will be aware of my presence, or that a healing has take place.’ (Mark 5:28)
Indeed, she was healed. She was so healed that she had to stop for just a moment to process the miracle. For just for a moment she forgot to flee, for just for a moment she forgot to hide. And in that moment, Jesus noticed her.
‘Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?”’ (Mark 5:30)
Both, the woman and Jesus, recognized something holy had just taken place. For both it was a mortal moment, a physical, earthly, healing but still it was holy.
“Who touched my clothes?”
HIs disciples were incensed at such a ridiculous question. ‘Everyone is touching him, it is a crowd for goodness sake,’ they muttered to each other.
Jesus continued to look at the crowd, scanning it for the person who had stolen a healing. Perieblepeto is the greek word translated ‘looked’ in verse 31, is actually better translated as ‘Glared’. A fearful look that must have put even more fear into the now healed woman.
‘Jesus glared at the crowd looking for the one who had thought they could go unnoticed intentionally touching him.’ (Mark 5:32) But, the woman knew she could no longer hide, she had been healed, she was no longer bleeding, everyone was going to noticed. Such a moment cannot be long hidden. Instead of returning to her solace of hiding, she confessed.
The woman ‘came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told Jesus the whole truth.’ (Mark 5:33)
Was she afraid because being invisible had become her modus operandi? Was she fearful of even more humiliation than she had suffered through for the past 12 years? Was she concerned that Jesus would take the healing away?
Whatever the reason, she chose the truth instead of her fear. Jesus’ response was not a retribution, it was a recognition of faith, life, and living.
“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5:34)
Your faith, Go in peace, Be healed.
Faith – the healing was not the touching but the trust placed in Jesus. The giving over her misery, the recognition of ‘I cannot’, the final hope, surrender to Jesus.
Peace – a choice, from here on she could live free of the fear that had consumed her life, the misery that had stolen her full attention, the resentment from her community – or she can lay all the baggage down and let it all go. She could now chose to live life, to choose the peace that she had in this moment.
Healed – a determination to not allow the things of the earth, nor the things of the body, define her. To live for a consistent and constant healing – a resolution only possible through faith and peace.
In 2012, Sharletta Evans, of Denver Colorado, reached the end of her rope. 12 years without even a glimmer of hope had her ready to risk stepping into the crowd, subjecting herself to rejection and humiliation. Worse than the condemnation of others, Sharletta had lived 12 years suffering continual devastating loss. In 1995, Evans had lost her 3 year old son, Casson, in a spray of 21 bullets as part of a drive by shooting. Raymond Johnson, 15 year old boy, who, with his other gang members, had unintentionally shot and killed her son. 12 years of pain, not from a physical condition she carried but her emotional loss was as bad as any medical affliction could have been. After 12 years, she recognized there was no more hope of having any hope ever again. She recognized it in her other son, Calvin, for who she had been less than present for since the shooting. Calvin had been 6 years old, and sitting next to his brother at the moment of the shooting. His unprocessed pain, combined with her unprocessed pain, had created a darkness in which the 2 could only live to survive. Finally, an uncrushable faith led her, and her now young adult son Calvin, to travel to the High Security prison in Limon, Colorado to meet the killer of their beloved Casson. Not knowing what she, and her son, were going to face when the killer came into the room, both sat in the prison visitor room, hesitantlly, fearfully, and uncomfortably waiting. What followed was an 8 hour visit ending with Evans becoming a mother to the man who, as a teen, had ruthlessly killed her 3 year old son. Evans, empowered by her remaining glimmer of faith had seen Jesus in the midst of the judgmental and condemning crowd. Knowing the risks, she nevertheless snuck into the flow and aggressively (an effort only possible through a determined faith) pushed her way to Jesus. She carried with her a shred of hope given to her by God and her hand grasping her hurting son as they sought to touch the garment of Jesus. She owned her actions and vulnerably admitted that it was her that had intruded on Christ, Christ turned and said – you and your son are not only healed, you are now a healer of others. Jesus called her to let go of her resentment and hate and be the hope for her son’s killer. It was in that extension of her healing that her life, her son’s life, and the life of Raymond Johnson were healed. It was a moment in which true life began.
Empowered by a desperate faith, Evans made the choice to always return to peace, and to always seek the healing path rather than the path of resentment, hatred, and hopelessness. She decided that it was time to step out of her pain and into the risky crowd. She stepped out and in by faith.
What risky healing is God leading you to step into?
Let’s Pray
Music 4
Way Maker
CCLI Song # 7115744
Osinachi Kalu Okoro Egbu
Verse 1
You are here moving in our midst
I worship You I worship You
You are here working in this place
I worship You I worship You
You are here moving in our midst
I worship You I worship You
You are here working in this place
I worship You I worship You
Chorus
(You are) Way Maker Miracle Worker Promise Keeper
Light in the darkness my God that is who You are
(You are) Way Maker Miracle Worker Promise Keeper
Light in the darkness my God that is who You are
Verse 2
You are here touching ev’ry heart
I worship You I worship You
You are here healing ev’ry heart
I worship You I worship You
You are here touching ev’ry heart
I worship You I worship You
You are here healing ev’ry heart
I worship You I worship You
Chorus
(You are) Way Maker Miracle Worker Promise Keeper
Light in the darkness my God that is who You are
(You are) Way Maker Miracle Worker Promise Keeper
Light in the darkness my God that is who You are
Tag
That is who You are
That is who You are
That is who You are
That is who You are
Bridge
Even when I don’t see it You’re working
Even when I don’t feel it You’re working
You never stop You never stop working
You never stop You never stop working
Even when I don’t see it You’re working
Even when I don’t feel it You’re working
You never stop You never stop working
You never stop You never stop working
Even when I don’t see it You’re working
Even when I don’t feel it You’re working
You never stop You never stop working
You never stop You never stop working
Chorus
(You are) Way Maker Miracle Worker Promise Keeper
Light in the darkness my God that is who You are
(You are) Way Maker Miracle Worker Promise Keeper
Light in the darkness my God that is who You are
Benediction
Leader: This week, we awoke to the crowds clamoring for Jesus, seeking to touch is garment.
Response: They may not know that Jesus is the destination of all seeking hope.
Leader: We all stand on the sidelines fearing the risk of reaching for you.
Response: We fear the vulnerability of laying down our baggage.
Leader: Our faith reminds us that God, and God alone, is our hope, our refuge, even in the times of trouble.
Response: God gave us live so that we may life.
Leader: It is when we reach the end of our rope, accepting the fact that there is very little left for us to do.
Response: We turn to the Father, we remember the Son, and we listen for the Spirit.
Leader: There we find hope.
Response: There we find peace.
Leader: May our destination be hope.
Response: May our arrival give us peace.
Community
- March/April Bible Studies survey now up, deadline today February 27
- Contribution Statements with changes available this week
- Best Next Update
- March Anniversary month, luncheon March 20
- Next Sunday – Faith Regardless, Mark 12:38-44 (1st Sunday of lent)
- Pray Peace. Prayers for Ukraine
Peace
As you leave this place, may the peace of the Lord go with you.
And also with you.
We gather here because of God’s love for us, we go from here because of God’s love for everyone out there. Go in the peace of the Lord.
Order, Words, & Voices 