Order, Words, & Voices

Order, Words, & Voices 04.09.23

Order, Words, & Voices
04.09.23, Unexpected the Sequel, Matthew 28:1-10

Order

Pre Worship Music

Opening Song Everlasting God Lynn
Christ the Lord Is Risen today

Lord’s Supper How Deep the Father’s Love Lynn/Rick

Call to Worship Response/Lord’s Prayer Rick

Reading Matthew 28:1-10 Cricklins

Songs When I survey the wondrous cross Lynn

Message Unexpected…the Sequel Rick

Music My Living Hope Lynn

Community/Peace Rick

Benediction Rick

Post Worship Music

Slides Note: There is a blank title slide between each Section – except for message/sermon slides.

Music (slides)

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord,
Wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord.
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord,
Wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord.

Our God, You reign forever
Our Hope, our strong deliverer

You are the everlasting God,
The everlasting God.
You do not faint, you won’t grow weary.
You’re the defender of the weak,
You comfort those in need.
You lift us up on wings like eagles.

Christ the Lord is risen today alleluia
Sons of men and angels say alleluia
Raise your joys and triumphs high alleluia
Sing ye heavens and earth reply alleluia

Love’s redeeming work is done alleluia
Fought the fight the battle won alleluia
Death in vain forbids Him rise alleluia
Christ hath opened paradise alleluia

Our God, You reign forever
Our Hope, our strong deliverer

Lord’s Supper/Song (no slides)

Description of order of Easter Worship
Observance of Lord’s Supper

Music
How deep the Father’s love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Verse 2Behold the Man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
Verse 3I will not boast in anything
No gifts no pow’r no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Call to Worship (Slides)

Leader: Jesus teaches us that a king isn’t what we expect a King to be. For Jesus the King, a crown of gold became a crown of thorns, a symbol of power was turned into a symbol of suffering, a cross constructed for brutality became the avenue of Hope.
Response: This is the good news of our lord Jesus Christ.

Leader: The cross was devised to be a symbol of degradation and subjugation, reserved for insurrectionists, political criminals, and your run of the mill scumbags. It was designed to be a humiliating way to kill someone leaving them naked, alone, and in excruciating agony.
Response: It was designed to be a curse.

Leader: Jesus took the curse upon himself. The cross was where the forces of evil, the powers and the principalities, the delegates of Rome and the Jewish religious elite, all converged together against Jesus in a collision of injustice & brutality.
Response: Humiliation, violence, pain, abandonment, betrayal, and death.

Leaders: However, evil was outmatched. Jesus was able to call on legions of warrior angels to defend him in his most vulnerable moments, but he didn’t do it. He didn’t need to do it. Divine power doesn’t work like that.
Response: Divine power doesn’t return violence for violence.

Leader: No matter how brutal, evil, or inhumane, Jesus could withstand it. There is no amount of evil that Jesus cannot endure, absorb, and transform. Jesus does not get tired and weary, we will not stumble and quit, he stands with us, cries with us, bleeds with us, and heals with us.
Response: That’s the power seen on the cross.

Leader: At the cross, Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Jesus absorbs our sin so, even if we could, we don’t have to. Our call is to believe. Our call is to trust God.
Response: This is the good news of our lord Jesus Christ.
(Adapted from the works of J. Topper)

Lord’s Prayer (Slides) ‘Join me in the prayer of Jesus’
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, On Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses, while we forgive those who trespass against us.
And, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Reading (Slides) Matthew 25:31-46

Following the crucifixion and entombment of Jesus, as the sun was rising on the first day after the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see Jesus’ tomb.

Suddenly there was an great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the stone that had been blocking the tomb and sat on it. The angel’s appearance was like lightning – his clothing was white as snow.

The guards were terrified of the angel, as well as all that was happening, and they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, he has been raised, just as he said he would. Come and see the place where Jesus was laid after the crucifixion.

After the women looked, the angel instructed them to go quickly and tell Jesus’ disciple that he has been raised from the dead, and that he has ‘gone ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there.’

So the women quickly left the tomb; they experienced both fear and joy as they ran to tell Jesus’ disciples. Then, on their way Jesus met them saying, “Greetings!” The women went to him, they took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.

Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; now go and tell my brothers and sisters to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Matthew 28:1-10

Music (Slides)

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

Above all powers above all kings
Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began

Verse 2Above all kingdoms above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There’s no way to measure
What You’re worth

ChorusCrucified laid behind the stone
You lived to die rejected and alone
Like a rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me
Above all
I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
Crucified laid behind the stone
You lived to die rejected and alone
Like a rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me
Above all
Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were a present (an offering) far too small
Love so amazing so divine
Demands my soul my life my all

Message – Unexpected…the sequel, Rick (Slides)

(Screen Share/post slide as music ends – leave screen share up until notice)
“Jesus’ resurrection is the beginning of God’s new project not to snatch people away from earth to heaven but to colonize earth with the life of heaven. That, after all, is what the Lord’s Prayer is about.”
N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church

(Slide) “Easter is very important to me. It’s a second chance.”
Reba McEntire

Easter is very important to all of us, it is evidence of our only chance. It was, and can be, a very emotional realization.

(Slide) Writer Eileen Benthal asks the question, “Does God cry when we cry?”

I think the bigger question is, “Does God experience the emotions, and emotional turmoil, that we experience?” Does God experience pain, disappointment, frustration, fear, anger, shock, surprise, joy? Is God ever overwhelmed. If so, then the question becomes, ‘How do our emotions present in the person of the God of Peace?

This was the question that stirred a recent conversation I participated in with a group of pastors as we discussed Jesus and his time in the Garden of Gethsemane. A discussion that began with Jesus’ request of his disciples to stay awake with him as he prayed, “Is it okay to say that Jesus was overwhelmed, even more, is it possible that Jesus was experiencing a panic attack, and, if that is true, can we say that to our congregations without offense?”
(End Screen Share)

Since we know that we are made in the image of God, our emotions and our mental frailties are not out of the question – it would make sense that Jesus would grieve, and hesitantly face emotional and physical pain just the same way that we humans innately do.

It’s kind of a minefield. Messing with peoples’ stoic emotionless images of God can quickly stir up a lot of contentious and angry responses. This is a shared common response across the spectrum of religiosity, even across different religions – we do not want anyone challenging our set perspective and image of our God.

Nevertheless, emotions are a constant in scripture, as well as the holy writings of most religions. Even in our Old Testament we witness God call on Jeremiah to speak to the people through God’s tears that would be reflected on Jeremiah’s face. Jesus, God in the flesh, cried with Mary at the tomb of Lazarus, and then Jesus shed more tears for the city and people of Jerusalem. Then, in the Garden, Jesus begged his disciples to stay awake, to not leave him alone and isolated before his arrest.

Unexpected emotions are a shared element of the birth story of Jesus and, then again, in the death and resurrection narrative of Jesus. Surprise, fear, joy, anxiety, shame, are prominent aspects of both moments in history. Also, in both stories is the encouragement, “Do not be afraid…”

Both stories, the birth and the death narratives, present the element of surprise. While everyone was awaiting a Messiah, few expected Jesus to be a baby. A baby brings smiles, joy, and exhaustion, not the image of a conquering King which they were looking for. And then, while the Isrealites understood the concept of the sacrifice, no one anticipated the cross. Even more, while everyone heard Jesus speak of Life, everyone held to a reality where death is death, an unquestioned understanding that death is the end.

Fear, grief, and panic set in the moment their anticipations and expectations did not match their reality. Over two thousand years later, the same is true for us as well – fear, grief, and panic sets in at the moment when OUR reality does not match OUR anticipations and expectations. It is a human frailty that we all struggle with. Consider current laws being created in the capitals of over half of the states in the US – legislation to try to control and prevent those realities that do not match the anticipations and expectations of the politicians. It is our nature to want to rid our surroundings of anything we are uncomfortable or disagree with.

The male disciples’ response was to be afraid and hide. Mary, and some of the female followers of Jesus chose to travel to the tomb as soon as they possibly could regardless of their fear.

Let’s go back a bit to earlier actions and words of Jesus.
(Slide – leave screen share up until notice)

(Slide) Matthew 16:21 – ‘Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised.’

(Slide) Matthew 17:22 – ‘Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” The disciples were greatly distressed.’

(slide) Matthew 20:18-19 – ‘Jesus said, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, there the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised.”’

One cannot help but wonder how no one expected the cross or the
resurrection. Afterall, Jesus said it over and over. Honestly, this is the question I ask every year at this time. “How is it possible that the followers of Christ, the hearers of these words, how did they not anticipate both the cross and the resurrection?”

(Slide) ‘“We preach Christ crucified, the cross, which is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles”’ I Corinthians 1:23

Jesus had warned them, he had prepared them for this truth of what had to happen, but still, they were not ready for this collision of their reality with their anticipations and expectations. They were not ready for the cross and they were even less prepared for the resurrection.
(End Screen Share)

Jesus had to go through the cross to arrive at the resurrection, but the disciples and followers got stuck at the cross. Many say that the cross was Jesus’ final and ultimate purpose, I think they are wrong. No, walking away from an empty tomb was Jesus’ earthly destination. Allowing his very alive physical presence to show his unexpecting followers that death had been defeated, to let them all see that hope was not gone – this was his purpose, providing us the ability to see the final proof of his words was his final and ultimate purpose. Final moments of physically walking with those who he had walked with before the cross – and serving witness to us thousands of years later that Jesus still walks with us today. This was the reason Jesus had to walk away from the tomb.

The cross was a roadblock that became a stumbling block even for Jesus’ believers – they, on their own, could not get past it, it was impossible to think that death was not death, that death was not the end. They could not understand it, death was permanent, death was final, this was their expected reality…But, Jesus did walk through the cross, Jesus did walk beyond death, and in doing so, Jesus defeated death, the very thing we can not do – Jesus absorbed the weight of sin, in order to show us hope in the reality of his resurrection.

And, that same cross absorbed the shame of those that abandoned Jesus. Just as it still absorbs the sin and shame in our lives, and the empty grave and the resurrected Christ is the evidence we still need.

(Slide) “If man had his way, the plan of redemption would be an endless and bloody conflict. In reality, salvation was bought not by Jesus’ fist, but by His nail-pierced hands; not by muscle but by love; not by vengeance but by forgiveness; not by force but by sacrifice. Jesus Christ our Lord surrendered in order that He might win; He destroyed His enemies by dying for them and conquered death by allowing death to conquer Him.”
― A.W. Tozer, Preparing for Jesus’ Return: Daily Live the Blessed Hope

Music (Slides)

Verse 2Who could imagine so great a mercy
What heart could fathom such boundless grace
The God of ages stepped down from glory
To wear my sin and bear my shame
The cross has spoken I am forgiven
The King of kings calls me His own
Beautiful Savior I’m Yours forever
Jesus Christ my living hope

ChorusHallelujah praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ my living hope

Verse 3Then came the morning that sealed the promise
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence the Roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
(REPEAT)
Jesus Yours is the victory whoa

Community (Slides)

Next Sunday, April 16, Matthew 28:16-20, ‘Always’ (Final week of our study of Matthew)

Benediction (Blank Slide)
May we walk securely in the confidence of the defeat of death on the cross.. May we release our burdens at the wonder of the empty grave. May we continue forward in our hope proven through the resurrection. May we meet our world understanding the blessedness and struggle of humanity. May we live in our reality with the challenge to be salt and light. May we see with God’s eyes and glorify God in our lives.

Closing Peace
Leader: May the Peace and Hope of the Lord go with you.
Response: And also with you.
Leader: Go in the Peace and Hope of the Lord.

Order, Words, & Voices 04.02.23

Order, Words, & Voices
04.02.23, Cleaning Up, Matthew 25:31-46

Order
Pre Worship Music
Opening Song   Lord, I Lift Your Name on High            Billy
          Hosanna Hosanna
Call to Worship Response/Lord’s Prayer                Rick
Reading        Matthew 21:1-17   (Rick will introduce)   Online – Abbie
Songs            Show Me Your Ways              Billy
            I Will Never Be the Same Again
Message      Cleaning Up                     Rick
Music        I Will Never Be the Same Again    Billy

Community/Peace Rick
Benediction Rick
Post Worship Music

Music (slides)

Lord I Lift Your Name On High

Verse
Lord I lift Your name on high
Lord I love to sing Your praises
I’m so glad You’re in my life
I’m so glad You came to save us

Chorus
You came from heaven to earth
To show the way
From the earth to the cross
My debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky
Lord I lift Your name on high

Hosanna Hosanna
Chorus
Hosanna Hosanna
Prepare ye the way of the Lord
(Repeat)
Prepare ye the way of the Lord (2X)
Hosanna Hosanna Hosanna
Prepare ye the way

Call to Worship (Slides)
Leader: Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
Response: Jesus said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Leader: Jesus said, “Whatever you did to one of the least of these, you did it to me.’
Response: God asks us, “What are we doing for the least of these?”

Leader: Doing for the least of these calls for sacrifice.
Response: Love calls for sacrifice.

Leader: Nine year olds Evelyn, Hallie, and William, along with adults Katherine, Mike, and Cynthia, were murdered this week because they went to school.
Response: What will we do for the least of these?

Leader: While her mother was at the hospital delivering her new brother, 2 year old Aubrey, along with almost 25 others in Mississippians, died in the wake of a tornado last week.
Response: What will we do for the least of these?

Leader: 29 year old Paola, a mother of two, mourned outside of the deportation center in Ciudad where she had just survived the fire which took the lives of 39 of her friends.
Response: What will we do for the least of these?

Leader: Jesus said, “Whatever you did to one of the least of these, you did it to me.’
Response: God asks me, “What are you doing for the least of these?”

Reader – Abbie in Nashville, just miles away from Abbie’s school. Face to pain.

When Jesus and the disciples came near Jerusalem and had reached Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And the owner will send them immediately.” This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet: “Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt and put their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple – overturning the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. Jesus said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a den of robbers.” The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that Jesus did and heard the children crying out, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became became angry and said to Jesus, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself’?” Jesus returned to the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

Matthew 21:1-17

Music (Slides)

Show Me Your Ways

Verse
Show me Your ways
That I may walk with You
Show me Your ways
I put my hope in You
Chorus
The cry of my heart
Is to love You more
To live with the touch
Of Your hand
Stronger each day
Show me Your ways

I Will Never Be

Verse 1
I will never be the same again
I can never return
I’ve closed the door
I will walk the path
I will run the race
And I will never be the same again

Chorus
Fall like fire soak like rain
Flow like mighty waters
Again and again
Sweep away the darkness
Burn away the chaff
And let a flame burn
To glorify Your name

Verse 2
There are higher heights
There are deeper seas
Whatever You need to do
Lord do it in me
And the glory of God fills my life
And I will never be the same again (3X)

Message – Cleaning Up, Rick

In the mid 80s, I attended a 3 day youth ministers conference. Upon check in I was given a conference schedule along with a guide to all the small sessions that would be offered. One thing that particularly caught my eye was a preview of a new movie made by a popular Christian artist. The reason that this caught my attention was that I was not really a fan of this artist. It wasn’t anything personal but it was that I just didn’t understand his art-especially his music. I was in my mid twenties, still considered myself rather hip and with it, but this guy’s music was just too loud, and too weird. The style of music was weird, the lyrics were weird, and most of all, he just seemed kind of weird. But mostly, I didn’t like the fact that during the conference large group sessions, he would attend the large group sessions along with his huge group of fan boys, and fan girls, who would flock to him the minute he entered a room – and, more reason to dislike him, it seemed that everyone at the conference was a fan boy or girl, and that all of them understood this guy’s art and his music. Everyone but me. I would hear them talking about the real meaning behind his bizarre lyrics – and… part of me really wanted to be a part of the fan club.

The night of his movie premier, I decided to give it all a chance, but I went late after the lights were off so I could slip in late so I could sit in the back with an exit nearby. Shortly after I had sat down, and after the movie had played for maybe 20 minutes, a guy came in the back entrance and sat right by me – empty seats all around and he sat by me. We didn’t look at each other because I was annoyed but then I realized that this must be the one other person who shared my opinions of the artist and also wanted to be able to make a quick exit. A few minutes later, he leaned over and whispered, “What do you think?” I answered with a less than enthusiastic, “It’s okay.” To this, the unknown man softly laughed. As the movie ended and the lights came on, I looked over at him thinking we could share a special judgemental moment, that is when I realized that this was the guy, the artist, the one that I just critiqued his movie by lukewarmly declaring is ‘Okay.” As the audience clapped enthusiastically, the host called my new ‘friend’ up to the stage to talk about the movie and answer questions. As he stood up, he patted me on the knee as he stood, smiled at me, and headed up to his fans. I still didn’t understand. The worst thing was that now the lights were up and he knew where I was sitting and could see me if I left the room – So here I sat, still on the other side of the fanboy/fangirl wall, but now I couldn’t sneak out unnoticed.

As Jesus approached the city of Jerusalem he was facing a wall. A physical wall and a metaphoric wall. On one side of the wall, the side Jesus was on as he approached the city, marched the fanboys and fangirls of Jesus. They knew Jesus from a first hand perspective, many had been there when Jesus first declared that they, a bunch of outcasts and undesirables, were blessed. There were those who had met Jesus during the course of his ministry on the road, and many who had been present when Jesus called for Lazarus out from the tomb. Their lives had been changed by the words of Jesus but mainly from the life Jesus lived out in front of them. Now, they could not help but rejoice and praise Jesus. Even when the officials asked that they silence there voice they couldn’t. This was their natural response to their own life transforming experiences with Jesus.

On the other side of the wall were those who did not know Jesus, they could not understand the excitement of those outside of the gates into Jerusalem. They did not have the joy of a personal encounter with Jesus, they had not watched him live out peace and freedom. This was the same wall that had been crushed by the Babylonians over 500 years earlier, the same wall that Hezekiah rebuilt following the release of the captives. They were walls built to protect, to defend, to sustain, but also to silence, to control, and even to keep a people ignorant and divided.

Most recently these walls had been used to keep those inside from fully learning and experiencing Jesus. Jesus’ visits were usually spent inside the temple, a well controlled atmosphere where the officials could monitor and restrict what Jesus did and taught. To the people inside the walls, this Jesus was just another rabbi taking up space in a corner of the temple. They heard little of the miracles, the teachings, and virtually none of the mercy and compassion that flowed from Jesus. The ignorance of the people was an intentional effort of the religious officials and the Roman government. Jesus was a radical, an outlier, a threat to the religious and the political systems. Those in control worked to control the voices that spoke of Jesus, or at least to control what those voices said. Rabbis, teachers, Pharisees, and all in authority knew the consequences to stepping out of line. The officials had established a “Don’t Say Jesus” policy in order to keep the people ignorant and to limit the followers and the growth of this movement led by Jesus.

This is why it would be so easy for the crowd to scream for Jesus’ death later in the week. All they knew about Jesus was the conspiracies told about Jesus – moving them to hostility and brutality against Jesus was easy for the political and religious leaders.

As Jesus entered the gates of Jerusalem, most of those cheering remained on their side of the wall. That was their place, Jesus was now on the other side, advocating for them even to death.

Jesus’ manner of entry into Jerusalem was totally intentional. Riding a donkey instead of a war horse, surrounded by the outcasts who had been the theme of his ministry since the beginning, the message of peace conveyed in his presence none of this was a surprise – this was Jesus. The response of the crowds outside the gates, however, was organic, it could not have been planned, it was natural, authentic, and real. It could not be silenced, the words had to be shouted, the praise had to be sung.

In many ways, Jesus’ approach to the gates of Jerusalem, was a parody of the entry of Roman battle heroes and feared oppressors and political figures. They came as powerful warriors and Kings who received praise and exaltation because of brutality, marching through a fearful crowd, and repeating a constant threat of war.

Jesus’ entry not on the backs of suffering people, his entry underscored a peace that came out of justice, kindness, mercy, compassion, and love. Jesus did not enter as a royal but as a liberator, a radical riding in on a humble donkey submitting himself to the cross that stood ahead.

Once inside, Jesus remained Jesus. Standing up for the outcast and calling out the oppressors. Acting according to the call of God to be just, kind, and humble, entering in obedience to the commandment of God to love others as yourself. Jesus went straight from the entry gates into the temple, confronting the abuse of the religious leaders and a religious system that abused those who traveled to Jerusalem to satisfy their religious obligations.

The vendor system in the temple was set up to target the most vulnerable. Those, especially those who traveled a distance, came needing to purchase their required sacrifice were not only victims of those selling the sacrificial animals but also of those who would break their money down into amounts that allowed them to pay for those overpriced sacrifices. Both types of vendors charged inflated amounts as they were aware they held a monopoly.

After Jesus confronted the corrupt religious system, he then went to the downtrodden inside the gates of Jerusalem. Healing the blind and the lame – giving hope and spreading kindness.

Jesus was Jesus in the freedom and praise of his entrance, Jesus was Jesus as he walked the oppressive and threatening paths in Jerusalem, the other side of the wall. This is why, until his arrest, he would leave the city for the night.

For us to fully understand this moment, we go back to the moment just before Jesus passed from one side of the walls of Jerusalem to the other. After hearing the praises from those who praised God as Jesus walked to the gates, Jesus paused and Jesus wept. Much like when Jesus identified with the pain of the loss of Lazarus, Jesus now wept as he entered a city in pain, the children of God who had been unwilling, or unable, to hear, and to encounter, Jesus in a personally impacting way.

‘As Jesus came near and saw Jerusalem, he wept over the city, saying, “If you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now those things are hidden from your eyes. Indeed, the days will come upon you when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground, you and your children even those within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within the city, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”
Luke 19:41-44

Jesus has the compassion to transcend any walls that we are locked behind, walls they are built around us or which we build to hide us. His love opens the gates freeing us with his sacrificial love, inviting us to enter into true peace of his presence.

Music (Slides)

I Will Never Be

Verse 1
I will never be the same again
I can never return
I’ve closed the door
I will walk the path
I will run the race
And I will never be the same again

Chorus
Fall like fire soak like rain
Flow like mighty waters
Again and again
Sweep away the darkness
Burn away the chaff
And let a flame burn
To glorify Your name

Verse 2
There are higher heights
There are deeper seas
Whatever You need to do
Lord do it in me
And the glory of God fills my life
And I will never be the same again (3x)

Community (Slides)

Next Sunday, March 9, Matthew 28:1-10, Unexpected…the Sequel (Easter)
Wednesdays Noon Bible Study, continues this Wednesday @ noon, Matthew 26:6-25 , 27:1-10

Benediction (Blank Slide)
May we go with Jesus’ radical words ‘Happy are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are gentle, those who hunger and thirst, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who have been persecuted. May we go with the challenge to be salt and light, to be a light shining before others and in so doing, may we see with God’s eyes and glorify God in our lives.

Closing Peace
Leader: May the Peace of the Lord go with you.
Response: And also with you.

Order, Words, & Voices 03.26.23

Order, Words, & Voices

03.26.23 Brian Foreman Guest Speaker, Matthew 25:31-46

Order

Pre Worship Music

Opening Song Lynn

O Worship the King

What a Beautiful Name

Call to Worship Response/Lord’s Prayer Rick

Reading Matthew 25:31-46 Online – Peyton

Songs Shout to the Lord

Enough Lynn

Message Guest Speaker – Brian Foreman Rick

Music Take My Life Lynn

Community/Peace Rick

Benediction Rick

Post Worship Music

Slides Note: There is a blank title slide between each Section – except for message/sermon slides.

Music (slides)

O worship the King all glorious above

And gratefully sing His power and His love

Our Shield and Defender the Ancient of Days

Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise

Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite

It breathes in the air it shines in the light

It streams from the hills it descends to the plain

And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain

Frail children of dust and feeble as frail

In Thee do we trust nor find Thee to fail

Thy mercies how tender how firm to the end

Our Maker Defender Redeemer and Friend

You were the Word at the beginning

One with God the Lord Most High

Your hidden glory in creation

Now revealed in You our Christ

What a beautiful Name it is

The Name of Jesus Christ my King

What a beautiful Name it is

Nothing compares to this

What a beautiful Name it is

The Name of Jesus

You didn’t want heaven without us

So Jesus You brought heaven down

My sin was great Your love was greater

What could separate us now

What a wonderful Name it is

The Name of Jesus Christ my King

What a wonderful Name it is

Nothing compares to this

What a wonderful Name it is

The Name of Jesus

What a wonderful Name it is

The Name of Jesus

Death could not hold You

The veil tore before You

You silence the boast of sin and grave

The heavens are roaring

The praise of Your glory

For You are raised to life again

You have no rival

You have no equal

Now and forever God You reign

Yours is the kingdom

Yours is the glory

Yours is the Name above all names

What a powerful Name it is

The Name of Jesus Christ my King

What a powerful Name it is

Nothing can stand against

What a powerful Name it is

The Name of Jesus

Call to Worship (Slides)

Leader: God, we ask, ‘When we saw you hungry, did we feed you?’

Response: When we see you thirsty, will we give you a drink?

Leader: We ask, ‘When we saw you as a stranger did we welcome you in?’

Response: When we see you naked will we clothe you?

Leader: We ask, ‘When we saw you sick did we care for you?’

Response: When we see you in prison will we visit you?

Leader: God, you ask, ‘What did we do for the least of these you created?’

Response: What will we do for the least of humanity?

Leader: God, you call us to see others through your eyes.

Response: Will we see the value that you see?

Leader: God, you call us to always be ready to see you.

Response: God, you call us to be your light through our lives.

Leader: God, you call us to be salt in our world.

Response: God, you call us to be light.

Lord’s Prayer (Slides) ‘Join me in the prayer of Jesus’

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses, while we forgive those who trespass against us.

And, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Reading (No Slides) Matthew 25:31-46

Reader – Peyton Cavnar, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, with the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats – sheep on His right, goats on the left.

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’”

Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’

And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’

“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;

for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’

Then they will ask, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’

Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for Me, either.’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-46

Music (Slides)

My Jesus my Saviour

Lord there is none like You

All of my days I want to praise

The wonders of Your mighty love

My comfort my shelter

Tower of refuge and strength

Let every breath all that I am

Never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord

All the earth let us sing

Power and majesty

Praise to the King

Mountains bow down

And the seas will roar

At the sound of Your name

I sing for joy

At the work of Your hands

Forever I’ll love You

Forever I’ll stand

Nothing compares to the promise

I have in You

All of You is more than enough for all of me

For ev’ry thirst and ev’ry need

You satisfy me with Your love

And all I have in You is more than enough

You’re my supply my breath of life

Still more awesome than I know

You’re my reward worth living for

Still more awesome than I know

And

All of You is more than enough for all of me

For ev’ry thirst and ev’ry need

You satisfy me with Your love

And all I have in You is more than enough

You’re my sacrifice of greatest price

Still more awesome than I know

You’re my coming King You are ev’rything

Still more awesome than I know

All of You is more than enough for all of me

For ev’ry thirst and ev’ry need

You satisfy me with Your love

And all I have in You is more than enough

All of You is more than enough for all of me

For ev’ry thirst and ev’ry need

You satisfy me with Your love

And all I have in You is more than enough

Message – Guest Speaker (No Slides)

Brian received a Master’s in Religious Education from Duke University Divinity School, and a Doctor of Education from the University of North Carolina. Now, as CBF Coordinator of Congregational Ministries, Brian oversees support for congregations helping congregations thrive and to strengthen their capacity to know and respond to evolving needs of congregations.

Music (Slides)

Take My Life And Let It Be (Hendon)

Verse 1

Take my life and let it be

Consecrated Lord to Thee

Take my moments and my days

Let them flow in ceaseless praise

Verse 2

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee

Verse 3

Take my voice and let me sing

Always only for my King

Take my lips and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee

Verse 4

Take my silver and my gold

Not a mite would I withhold

Take my intellect and use

Ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose

Verse 5

Take my will and make it Thine

It shall be no longer mine

Take my heart it is Thine own

It shall be Thy royal throne

Verse 6

Take my love my Lord I pour

At Thy feet its treasure store

Take myself and I will be

Ever only all for Thee

Community (Slides)

Next Sunday, March 2, Matthew 21:1-17, Cleaning Up (Palm Sunday)
Wednesdays Noon Bible Study, continues this Wednesday @ noon, Matthew 26:6-25 , 27:1-10
Impact – Samples Event with Refugees
Impact – All Tribes Food Ministry in Geary OK

Benediction (Blank Slide)

May we go with Jesus’ radical words ‘Happy are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are gentle, those who hunger and thirst, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who have been persecuted. May we go with the challenge to be salt and light, to be a light shining before others and in so doing, may we see with God’s eyes and glorify God in our lives.

Closing Peace

Leader: May the Peace of the Lord go with you. Response: And also with you.

Order, Words, & Voices 03.19.23

Life Long, Matthew 25:1-13

Order

Pre Worship Music

Opening Song Billy
Glory to His Name (hymn)
Hallelujah He Reigns

Call to Worship Response/Lord’s Prayer Rick

Reading Matthew 25:1-13 Segun

Songs Billy
Shout to the Lord
Sometimes By Step (chorus only)

Message Poor Etiquette & Bad Manners Rick

Music Sometimes by Step (Chorus Only) Billy

Community/Peace Rick

Benediction Rick

Post Worship Music

Music (slides)

Glory To His Name

Verse 1
Down at the cross where my Savior died
Down where for cleansing
from sin I cried
There to my heart
was the blood applied
Glory to His name

Chorus
Glory to His name
Glory to His name
There to my heart
was the blood applied
Glory to His name

Verse 2
I am so wondrously saved from sin
Jesus so sweetly abides within
There at the cross where He took me in
Glory to His name

Chorus
Glory to His name
Glory to His name
There to my heart
was the blood applied
Glory to His name

Verse 3
O precious fountain that saves from sin
I am so glad I have entered in
There Jesus saves me
and keeps me clean
Glory to His name
Chorus
Glory to His name
Glory to His name
There to my heart
was the blood applied
Glory to His name

Verse 4
Come to this fountain so rich and sweet
Cast thy poor soul at the Savior’s feet
Plunge in today and be made complete
Glory to His name

Chorus
Glory to His name
Glory to His name
There to my heart
was the blood applied
Glory to His name

Hallelujah He Reigns
Chorus
Hallelujah
He reigns in majesty
Hallelujah
He reigns in glory

Hallelujah
He reigns in righteousness
Oh hallelujah hallelujah

Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah
He reigns in righteousness
Oh hallelujah

Call to Worship (Slides)
Leader: God, we come with hesitant steps to sweep out the corners where sin has accumulated
Response: We work to uncover the ways we have strayed from Your truth

Leader: We desire to expose the empty and barren places where we don’t allow you to enter
Response: Reveal our own struggles and indifference to the suffering of others

Leader: Nurture the faint stirrings of new life where Your spirit moves
Response: Let your Spirit transform us into the image of Your Son

Leader: For You alone can bring new life
Response: Only You, God, can make us whole

(Written by Christine Sine)

Reading (Slides) Matthew 25:1-13
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten maidens, who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.

When the foolish took their lamps, they did not take extra oil with them; but the prudent ones took oil in flasks with their lamps.

While the groom was running late, all the maidens became drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there finally was a shout: ‘Behold, the groom! Come out to meet him.’

The maidens got up and trimmed their lamps. But the foolish maidens said to the prudent ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’

The prudent ones answered, ‘No, there most certainly would not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’

While the foolish were on their way to buy the oil, the groom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.

Later, the foolish maidens also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But the groom answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’

Be on the alert because you do not know the day nor the hour.“

Matthew 25:1-13

Music (Slides)

Shout To The Lord

Verse
My Jesus my Saviour
Lord there is none like You
All of my days I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love

My comfort my shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Chorus
Shout to the Lord
All the earth let us sing
Power and majesty
Praise to the King

Mountains bow down
And the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name
I sing for joy
At the work of Your hands

Forever I’ll love You
Forever I’ll stand
Nothing compares to the promise
I have in You

Sometimes By Step (Chorus)

Chorus
Oh God You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God You are my God
And I will ever praise You

And I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my day

Message – Life Long (Slides)

I hate to wait. I hate it at the Doctor’s office, at the grocery store, at the theater, in traffic, at food trucks… I hate waiting anywhere. I am always impressed by people that can do something productive while waiting, knitting or crocheting, business calls, and even those who, in stand-still traffic, can be seen shaving or apply mascara. I usually just spend waiting time looking for a loophole to avoid waiting.

Author Khaled Hosseini writes, “Of all the hardships a person has to face, none is more punishing than the simple act of waiting.”
(Khaled Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns)

In our passage for today we are again waiting for a wedding – that period when the bride is almost getting in the car to be transported to the wedding venue. Waiting.

The wedding tradition in today’s passage involves that moment between the Bride waiting at her home and the moment she and the groom enter the wedding hall. The bride would wait, prepared and ready to go until the groom would arrive at her door to go together to the wedding. Her bridesmaids, also referred to as the virgins since they were typically unmarried, would wait with her. And, since weddings usually began after dark, the bridesmaids, once the groom arrived, would light their lamps and lead the wedding processional to the event. As they would make the journey, other invited guests would join the parade.

The waiting time for the Bridesmaids could have been a multi day. Think of this as a calm bachelorette party that would sometimes go much too long. They all came to the place of waiting together with the proper clothes, snacks, and with their lamps or torches and the needed oil. At this wedding, however, not all the bridesmaids focused on their mission to light the way to the wedding.’ Instead, some of the bridesmaids may have stayed up too late talking with their lamps lit, so when the groom arrived, they had no oil left – therefore no light to shine.

(Start Screen Share – Leave up until after MLK Speech)

Important context truths…

(Slide) Although Matthew is the first book in our New Testament, it was not the first New Testament gospel or epistle to be written. The people had already received the gospel of Mark as well as the letters from Paul.
(Slide) Matthew’s gospel was written decades after Jesus, when Roman oppression and brutality was increasing and the temple had probably been destroyed. Life was very difficult for the Jews and the Jewish Christians.
(Slide) Followers of Jesus were hanging on by a thread to the promise that Jesus would return. Paul had previously corrected some believers in Thessalonica who had quit working while they waited for Jesus’ return – they had become a burden to the working believers.
(Slide) This parable begins with a similar introduction as the other parables, “The kingdom of heaven will be comparable to…” These parables have an eschatological focus, details about Heaven and God. However, they also lead us to a way of living now, not a call to wait and live this way later.

With these contextual facts in mind, Jesus’ words serve as a reminder to the waiting followers of Jesus how to wait, and how to be ready for Jesus’ return.

(Slide) “The preparation that Jesus is speaking of does not mean unceasing, conscious, visible, or verbal, anticipation of Jesus’ return. We are not to be continually peering up into the heavens like an air-raid sentry. Nor are we to be forever meeting and singing or discussing the Lord’s return.

(Slide) Such meetings can be helpful due to our human tendency to forget, but what Jesus is indicating is that waiting calls for a continuation of life.

(Slide) Money must be earned, investments looked into, food must be cooked, babies washed, school lessons studied, weddings held and funerals attended-all the usual activities of life must go on.”
(Ray Stedman, The Wise and the Foolish)

(Slide) The earliest readers of this Gospel are in time of painful waiting for Christ’s return, which they assume will be their rescue out of their pain. However, Jesus’ call ”to live in vigilance means for the disciples to do the tasks that they have been appointed to do in preparation for the Master’s coming.

(Slide) In Matthew’s Gospel, those tasks include bearing witness to God’s kingdom by welcoming the stranger, feeding the hungry, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and making disciples in all the world.”
(Carla Works, Professor of New Testament, Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C.)

(Slide) The apostle Paul states that in this time believers must, “Encourage one another and build one another up. Live in peace with one another. Admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays evil for evil, but always seek what is good for one another and for all people.

(Slide) Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit, examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, and abstain from evil.”
(I Thessalonians 5:9-22).

Jesus’ parable is a call to wait for Jesus’ while living like Jesus for as long as the wait takes.

(Slide) In 1872 a bookseller named Joseph Maria Bocabella visited the Vatican in Rome. While there, after seeing the churches and cathedrals in Italy, he returned home inspired to build Sagrada Familia, a church in his home town of Barcelona. In 1882, over one hundred and forty years ago, the first shovel pierced the earth as the church began to be built. It is a project that continues to the present. During that time they lost their initial architect, survived wars, ideologies, and most recently covid. Billy and Renee took us to see this massive building last summer, and while I do not understand many of the practices, traditions, customs, and disagree with much of the theology of the Catholic Church, I was impressed. Impressed by the structure and aesthetics of the church, but what really impressed me was the ‘stick with it’ attitude of those who had helped with the continual financial needs, those who had continued the work of the actual construction, and even the parishioners who held to a hope even though all those original participants were long gone and even many alive now recognize that they may not live to see the completion. They did not continue to support the project because they would sit in a seat inside the complete church, but still, they continued. Even though they knew they would not be present for the completion, they hung in there because they held to the hope of completion.

(Slide of MLK) A week after the brutality in Selma, Alabama took place – just seven days after law enforcement used violence and brutality to stop the inspired civil rights marchers from walking to Montgomery, Alabama, Martin Luther King stood before a church filled with those still bearing the visible cuts and bruises, still visibly bearing the pain from the Sunday before. King told them that they would continue, continue to strive for justice, to continue to example love and peace, all the time recognizing that they themselves may not see the fulfillment of their hope here on earth, but eventually their descendants would live in that peace. Ironically, like the church members in Barcelona, they too, are still in the process of this calling, a calling to persist. King preached to this audience

“They told us we wouldn’t get here. And there were those who said that we would get here only over their dead bodies, but all the world today knows that we are here and we are standing before the forces of power in the state of Alabama saying, We ain’t goin’ let nobody turn us around… Today I want to tell the city of Selma, today I want to say to the state of Alabama, today I want to say to the people of America and the nations of the world, that we are not about to turn around. We are on the move now….

Yes, we are on the move and no wave of racism can stop us. … The burning of our churches will not deter us. The bombing of our homes will not dissuade us….The beating and killing of our clergymen and young people will not divert us. The wanton release of these known murderers will not discourage us. We are on the move now. …Like an idea whose time has come, not even the marching of mighty armies can halt us.We are moving to the land of freedom…

I know you are asking today, ‘How long will it take?’ – ‘How long will prejudice blind the visions of men?’… I come to say to you, however difficult the moment, however frustrating the hour, it will not be long, because truth has crashed to the earth and will rise again.

How long? … Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword; His truth is marching on. Our God is marching on. Glory, hallelujah! Glory, hallelujah! Glory, hallelujah! Glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on.”

(Stop Screen Share)

Yes, this parable is a story about the Bridesmaids, these women who were called to be a light in the darkness. To light the way to the wedding hall where all would participate in this celebration of union. It is a story about the bridesmaids – but it is also a story about the groom.

Why was the groom running late? Customs dictated that the groom and his family were responsible for the wedding planning and provision. As with weddings in our time, things still need to be done right up until the parents of the bride and groom take their seats for the ceremony. Even at that moment there are still probably folks working on the feast, preparing the table. The goom may have been finalizing the dowry negotiations with his new inlaws, maybe there was a hiccup with the ceremony or the feast that only he could resolve, maybe there was a situation like last week’s parable where the groom and maybe his dad had to address a problem with the guests. It wasn’t for the bridesmaids to know, except that the groom was delayed by essential matters.

Jesus is not just talking about his return, Jesus is talking about the union of himself with the church. In Jesus’ parable the bride groom is Jesus, and the bride is us – us corporately, us the church, us the waiting believers. However, the bridesmaids are also us – us as individuals, the individuals called to be salt, called to be the light. Not called to hurriedly and aggressively pressure others to enter the wedding hall through our words and voices, instead, we are called to persistently and consistently live out the justice, kindness, and humility of Jesus. We are the waiting bridesmaids, waiting and lighting the way, not quitting, continually waiting for whatever is holding up the bridegroom while diligently remembering our calling, our purpose.

A calling to not quit, a calling to not give up, a calling to not forget, a calling to reflect Jesus to the world in the same way God revealed himself through Jesus. A lifelong 24/7 calling to all believers to live on earth like we will live in Heaven – to be the light through our actions, our lives.

A calling initially to the oppressed who were present when Jesus first spoke. A calling to those hearing Matthew’s words now living in the midst of brutal oppression. A calling to us, over two thousand years later, to us who live in a dangerous and comfortable peace and freedom, to still live like Jesus, even though we are holding to a promise that may not be seen in our lifetime. It is our purpose.

Music (Slides)

Sometimes By Step (Chorus)

Oh God You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God You are my God
And I will ever praise You
And I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my day

Community (Slides)

Next Sunday, Special Guest, Brian Foreman, CBF Coordinator of Congregational Ministries
Wednesdays Noon Bible Study, continues this Wednesday @ noon, This Wednesday, Matthew 23:1-36,

Closing Peace
Leader: May the Peace of the Lord be with You
Response: And also with you

Order, Words, & Voices 03.12.23

Order, Words, & Voices

03.12.23 Poor Etiquette & Bad Manners, Matthew 22:1-14

Order

Pre Worship Music

Opening Song Lynn

He is Exalted

Mansions Over the Hilltop

Call to Worship Response/Lord’s Prayer Rick

Reading Matthew 22:1-14 Linda

Songs His Banner Over Us is Love Lynn

Message Poor Etiquette & Bad Manners Rick

Music He Loves Me Lynn

Community/Closing Peace Rick

Benediction Rick

Post Worship Music

Music (slides)

He is exalted

The King is exalted on high

I will praise Him

He is exalted forever exalted

And I will praise His name

Chorus

He is the Lord

Forever His truth shall reign

Heaven and earth

Rejoice in His holy name

He is exalted

The King is exalted on high

I’m satisfied with just a cottage below

A little silver and a little gold

But in that city where the

ransomed will shine

I want a gold one that’s silver lined

I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop

In that bright land

where we’ll never grow old.

And someday yonder,

we will never more wander,

But walk the streets that are purest gold.

Don’t think me poor

or deserted or lonely

I’m not discouraged, I’m heaven bound.

I’m just a pilgrim in search of a city

I want a mansion, a robe, and a crown.

I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop

In that bright land

where we’ll never grow old.

And someday yonder,

we will never more wander,

But walk the streets that are purest gold.

Call to Worship (Slides)

God, we set our eyes toward You.

We turn our hearts in Your direction.

We acknowledge our great need and hunger for you.

Give us food from Your hand, oh God.

We confess that we seek to fill a void inside us with frivolous and self centered things.

Forgive us, and bless us with manna from heaven.

We release our expectation that our hunger might be satisfied by anything and anyone but You.

Nourish our souls, oh God.

We rely upon Your promise of provision.

They that hunger for righteousness will be filled.

Where and when we are empty

Fill us up, Oh God.

Jesus said: “I am the bread of Life. Those who come to me will not hunger.”

We come to You, Jesus.

We do not live by bread alone

But by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

(Written by Fran Pratt)

Lord’s Prayer (Slides) ‘Join me in the prayer of Jesus’

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses, while we forgive those who trespass against us.

And, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Reading (Slides) Matthew 22:1-14

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who held a wedding feast for his son. And he sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come.

Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened cattle are all butchered and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast!”’

But they paid no attention and went their separate ways, one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and treated them abusively, and then killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire.

Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. So go to the main roads, and invite whomever you find there to the wedding feast.’

Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.

“But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and the King said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless.

Then the king said to the servants, ‘Tie his hands and feet, and throw him into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Matthew 22:1-14

Music (Slides)

He is mine and I am His,

His banner over me is love.

He is mine and I am His,

His banner over me is love.

He is mine and I am His,

His banner over me is love.

His banner over me is love!

He brought me to His banqueting table,

His banner over me is love.

He brought me to His banqueting table,

His banner over me is love.

He brought me to His banqueting table,

His banner over me is love.

His banner over me is love!

There’s one way to peace through the power of the cross,

His banner over us is love,

There’s one way to peace through the power of the cross,

His banner over us is love,

There’s one way to peace through the power of the cross,

His banner over us is love,

His banner over us is love!

There is a sound I love to hear

It’s the sound of the Saviour’s robe

As He walks into the room where people pray

Where we hear praises He hears faith

Verse 2

There is a sound I love to hear

It’s the sound of the Saviour’s robe

As He walks into the room where people pray

Where we hear worship He hears faith

Chorus

Awake my soul and sing

Sing His praise aloud sing His praise aloud

Oh awake my soul and sing

Sing His praise aloud sing His praise aloud

Verse 3

There is a sound that changes things

The sound of His people on their knees

Oh wake up you slumbering

It’s time to worship Him

Bridge

And when He moves and when we pray

Where stood a wall now stands a way

Where every promise is amen

And when He moves make no mistake

The bowels of hell begin to shake

All hail the Lord all hail the King

Message – Bad Manners (Slides)

[Slide – leave slide up to ‘stop screen share’] “I used to think a wedding was a simple affair. Boy and girl meet, they fall in love, he buys a ring, she buys a dress, they say I do. I was wrong. That’s getting married. A wedding is an entirely different proposition. I know. I’ve just been through one. Not my own, my daughter’s. Annie Banks-MacKenzie. That’s her married name: MacKenzie. I’ll be honest with you, when I bought this house seventeen years ago it cost less than this blessed event in which Annie Banks became Annie Banks-MacKenzie. I’m told that one day I’ll look back on all this with great affection. I hope so.”

(George Banks, played by Steve Martin in 1991 Father of the Bride)

Our family is on the adventure of all that goes into a wedding, a wedding that is not our own but our daughter Hannah’s wedding, I am, little by little, beginning to understand the words of George Banks. Finding dresses, suit fittings, hearing of flowers, food, decorations, invitations, hotels arrangements, – few of things things, plus more, have actually been done by me, I’ve just heard about it all. As Geroge Banks said, “a wedding is an entirely different proposition than getting married.”

[Stop Screen Share]

Our passage for today, another parable of Jesus, an even more bizarre parable than last couple of weeks and a little less bizarre parable than next week, is about a dad who is knee deep in the work of the wedding. Fretting over it being a perfect experience for his son and his daughter in law to be, getting rattled by the last minute complications, and, more than anything, taking offense at the Poor Etiquette & Bad Manners of many of the invitees and one of the unexpected.

It is a story of a King who was also a dad, who recognized the long term negative and positive impacts of the wedding.

Weddings are a cultural phenomenon, the traditions and accepted norms of weddings are different and unique across national boundaries, differing religious institutional ordinances, expected family and even community practices, ancestral rites, and even the latest tic tok and etsy fads. The understanding of weddings, of marriage, and even family, in the times of Jesus would probably be extremely foreign to us today. Sideline fact – weddings are not really a biblical concept, they are not unbiblical, ceremonies often include religious elements but there is nothing dictated in God’s word about guidelines, or even who can marry – making fight about Interacial or Gay Marriage not a biblical argument.

So, for the royal son’s wedding, invitations were sent out long before. This may have actually been more like the ‘save the date’ announcements sent by brides and grooms in our current day practices. However, their announcement would not have given a time, or possibly even a date, the intention of this announcement would have been more about letting the populus know WHO was invited. Also, these were probably verbal communications by an official of the Court. THe WHO was an essential element of the wedding, those invited were selected intentionally by the family of the bride and groom, in this wedding they were probably largely chosen by the royal court.

But, also, the early invitation would have also been given in order to allow the attendees time to prepare. Afterall, this was the King’s son, the future King, it was a royal affair. This would have been a highly coveted seat at the table of the King as well as the future King. Proper attire and behavior was not only a societal expectation but also a sign of respect, honor, and even allegiance, AND, it was a visual indication of the honor of being invited.

Then, on the day and near the time, when the wedding preparations were completed, when the Bride and Groom were ready, when the food was ready and the table was set – the invited attendees were alerted that it was time. Attendees would then put on the clothes they had readied for the day and would begin their journey.

This is how it was expected to happen… however, this was not how this wedding played out.

For this wedding, when the gates were opened, the King was shocked by the fact that none of the invited guests were waiting to enter.

The King then sent his slaves out to the invitees to remind them that the wedding was about to take place. Some ignored the reminder, some walked away, others actually attacked and killed the messengers – probably none had done any preparation.

When the news arrived back to the King, he was outraged, sending his armies out to kill those who had killed the slaves, and setting their communities on fire.

However, the King, the father, was unwilling to give up on the wedding and the feast, so he sent his slaves back out, ordering them to invite everyone on the streets and in the community and to then go out to the main roads. As the wedding hall filled up, and as the seats and table were populated, the King noticed one man there who was not worthy because he was not clothed in the proper wedding attire, this may have been about other behavior as well. The man was speechless that the King noticed him and that the King was vengeful toward the disrespect of the undeserving guest.

As we have often seen in the parables of Jesus in the book of Matthew, we are left with so many questions. While leaving a parable with unanswered questions is often part of God’s plan to spur us on to seeking and searching for answers, Matthew, through the cumulative parables has given us some building blocks to better understand this and other parables.

[Slide] Worth is misunderstood by humans – God’s perspective of human worth seldom matches our perspective of who is worthy.
[Slide] Forgiveness is only an active reality in our life once we have fully embraced and received it.
[Slide] Evil does exist in this world.
[Slide] Judgment is the work of God, not us – we are fully incapable of judging others’ religion, faith, actions, relationships, vocation, race, behavioral practices, hearts and minds.
[Slide] Generosity is a chief element of God’s character, an element that often clashes with our own expectations.

So, having these building blocks of, let’s tackle some of the questions from this parable:

[Slide] Why did the King act so brutally towards the initial invitees? And, Why was it so important to the Dad of the groom that every seat at the wedding table be filled?

We must recognize that the King was playing two roles, the role of King and the role of Dad. His role of dad is easily interpreted, he wanted this to be a great day for his son and the bride. His role of King, however, led to more complicated responses and actions. The actions of the initial invitees as well as the subsequent guests, were not only showing disrespect toward the current King, but are also signaling their attitudes towards the Prince, the next King. This could have been interpreted as the first firing of the gun of rebellion. In a prophetic sense, this could have also been a statement about those who would reject, and crucify, God’s son.

[Slide] Why did the King act so brutally towards the guest who exhibited such poor etiquette? And, What is the meaning of Jesus’ words “Many are called, but few are chosen” mean?

These two questions bounce off of each other. The preparation for the wedding would not have just been something that the official invitees would have done. Everyone in the Kingdom would have gotten ready for the celebration, even if their celebration would not be at the actual wedding. It is even probable that at such events, when there were empty seats at an event, individuals were chosen from the crowd, prompting everyone to be prepared to enter the feast. Traditional expectations could have made proper attire an acceptable and expectation of the Hosts.

During first year students seminary orientation, we were educated on the proper attire for class and chapel. Basically it was be respectful, don’t wear shorts or sweats. This was accompanied by a message, probably meant to comfort us, that we should be thankful that we were not attending a certian seminary in Dallas which required all students to be in full preaching attire, suit, coat, and tie everytime they were on campus or at an official event off campus. We would often sarcastically remind each other of our blessing of not being a Dallas seminarian.

For us as students, we slowly began to understand that, in adhering to the dress code, we were diving into what it meant to be a student at the institution. In following the expectations for all students, we were accepting the identification of being a student. The wedding guests knew this – proper attire and respectful actions were all part of having a seat at the table.

Eventually, everyone within hearing distance was invited to the wedding, but, in the end, not everyone was chosen to be a guest. Why? Because the improperly dressed man did not choose to be a guest. This was an honor, much like the workers in the vineyard who were blessed and honored with the opportunity to be in the field – or even the prodigal son and his brother who did not recognize the blessing of being at home. And, much like the gift of forgiveness, it means nothing unless we fully accept it.

The King pronounced the man ‘Unworthy’ to sit at the table. He was a weed in the wheat fields and his true identity had only became visible at the wedding table. He had attended for a feast, and maybe for entertainment, but he had not made the choice to be chosen. The people that clamored to be a part, that were ready, had made the choice to be chosen. We are the chosen of God when we make the choice to be at the table. Prophetically this can also be a message to God’s grace being extended beyond just the Jews to whom Jesus came to save.

[Slide] Finally, Is this parable about a wedding, a King, a Dad of the groom, a table, disrespectful invited guests, or is it about God and Heaven?

While the story is about all of these, it is the wedding, the table, that is the most primary message. While some of the parables declare that the King, or authority figure, is a representation of God, here we do not. Here the emphasis is on those who are invited a place at the table and even the one who presented unworthy to be seated.

[Slide] This is the tie in with the other parables we have seen.

[Slide] The reorientation to God’s perspective of worth away from our perspective.

[Slide] The issue of true and full acceptance of forgiveness.

[Slide] The alert to the presence of evil in our world.

[Slide] The lesson of our inability to judge others.

[Slide] The weight of Love revealed through Generosity in our relationship with God.

[Stop Screen Share]

Matthew was writing primarily to the believers in Christ around 40-50 years after the accession of Jesus. This was during or after the increased brutality of the Roman oppression, the destruction of the temple, and, after all of Paul’s letters Matthew is writing this gospel after believers unofficially were named ‘Christian’, after Paul had recognized that Christianity would not be a continuation of Judaism. Jesus’ words and parables are a correction to the believers including us. It is not a call to urgently convert others, it is a call to recognize the depth of our own conversion so that we may properly show Jesus’ words and actions sincerely in our marketplace.

Being invited to work in the field and to the wedding table is an honor that comes to us through forgiveness from God. We cannot truly inhabit forgiveness, salvation, and fullness, until we fully embrace God’s exhibited full love perspective.”

The Evangelical movement in the United States of the recent decades, and probably the movement throughout history world wide, as well as a tradition that many of us have grown up in, has missed that truth. In focusing on a very partial understanding of salvation, such as filling every seat at the table, we miss sitting at the table – we have become very agenda driven and hateful thinking. God is calling us to the table.

Music

He is jealous for me loves like a hurricane

I am a tree bending beneath

The weight of His wind and mercy

When all of a sudden I am unaware of

These afflictions eclipsed by glory

I realize just how beautiful You are

And how great Your affections are for me

Pre-Chorus

Oh how He loves us so

Oh how He loves us

How He loves us so

(REPEAT)

Chorus

(Yeah) He loves us

Oh how He loves us

Oh how He loves

(REPEAT)

Verse 2

We are His portion and He is our prize

Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes

If grace is an ocean we’re all sinking

So Heaven meets earth

Like a sloppy wet (unforeseen) kiss

And my heart turns violently inside of my chest

I don’t have time to maintain these regrets

When I think about the way that

Community

Next Sunday, Matthew 25:1-13 , ‘Life Long’
Wednesdays Noon Bible Study, begins this Wednesday, March 15, Matthew 16:13-28 & Matthew 21, March 15-April 5, Wednesdays at noon
Prayer Ukraine, Prayer for Turkey and Syria after earthquake, prayers for our community and our world

Benediction (Blank Slide)

May we go with Jesus’ radical words ‘Happy are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are gentle, those who hunger and thirst, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who have been persecuted. May we go, with the challenge to be salt and light, to be a light shining before others and in so doing, may we see with God’s eyes and glorify God.

Closing Peace

Leader: May the Peace of the Lord go with you.

Response: And also with you.

Order, Words, & Voices 03.05.23

Order, Words, & Voices
The Matter of Enough, Matthew 20:1-16

Order

Pre Worship Music

Opening Song Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus Isaiah
I Stand Amazed

Call to Worship Response/Lord’s Prayer ?

Reading Matthew 20:1-16 Musgrove

Songs Give Me Jesus Isaiah

Message The Matter of Enough Rick

Music Give Me Jesus Isaiah

Community/Closing Peace Rick

Benediction Rick

Post Worship Music

Music (slides)

‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus

Verse 1
‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to take Him at His word
Just to rest upon His promise
Just to know thus saith the Lord

Chorus
Jesus Jesus how I trust Him
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus Jesus precious Jesus
O for grace to trust Him more

Verse 2
O how sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to trust His cleansing blood
Just in simple faith to plunge me
‘Neath the healing cleansing flood

Chorus
Jesus Jesus how I trust Him
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus Jesus precious Jesus
O for grace to trust Him more

Verse 4
I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee
Precious Jesus Savior Friend
And I know that Thou art with me
Wilt be with me to the end

Chorus
Jesus Jesus how I trust Him
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus Jesus precious Jesus
O for grace to trust Him more

I Stand Amazed (How Marvelous)

Verse 1
I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene
And wonder how He could love me
A sinner condemned unclean

Chorus
How marvelous how wonderful
And my song shall ever be
How marvelous how wonderful
Is my Savior’s love for me

Verse 2
He took my sins and my sorrows
He made them His very own
(And) He bore the burden to Calvary
And suffered and died alone

Chorus
How marvelous how wonderful
And my song shall ever be
How marvelous how wonderful
Is my Savior’s love for me

Verse 3
And with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see
It will be my joy through the ages
To sing of His love for me

Chorus
How marvelous how wonderful
And my song shall ever be
How marvelous how wonderful
Is my Savior’s love for me

Call to Worship/Lord’s Prayer (Slides)

Leader: Mary said, “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant; from now on all generations will call me blessed.”
Response: “The Mighty One has done great things for me; holy is His name. His mercy is to all generations.”

Leader: As John the Baptizer stood with two of his disciples, he pointed to Jesus and proclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Response: The two disciples followed Jesus.

Leader: Jesus said to those who were following him, “Follow me, and you will see.”
Response: The followers stayed with Jesus.

Leader: When Andrew was seen by Jesus, Andrew ran to find his brother.
Response: “We have found the Messiah!”

Leader: Jesus found Philip in Galilee and Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.”
Response: Philip found Nathanael and said, “We found Him!”

Leader: Hanging on the cross next to Jesus, the criminal said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”
Response: Jesus said, “Today you will be with me.”

Leader: Jesus said to his followers, “make disciples in all the nations, baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and, Spirit, teach them to follow all that I commanded you.
Response: “Never forget I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.

And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and to those he said, ‘You go into the vineyard also, and whatever is right, I will give you.’ And so they went.

Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ They *said to him, ‘No one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, starting with the last group first.’ When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. And so when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.

When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, saying, ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day’s work and the scorching heat.’

But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go; but I want to give to this last person the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ So the last shall be first, and the first, last.”

Matthew 20:1-16

Music (Slides)

Give Me Jesus

Chorus
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus

Verse 1
In the morning when I rise
In the morning when I rise
In the morning when I rise
Give me Jesus

Chorus
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus

Verse 2
When I am alone
When I am alone
Oh when I am alone
Give me Jesus

Chorus
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus

Message – A Matter of Enough (Slides)

[Slide displayed as Rick steps up to speak] “For the kingdom of heaven is like…”

[End Screen Share]

I walked into the hospital room of a lady who had just received some devastating health news. Her adult children were in the room and were in the obvious process of processing the news themself, one showed the emotions of anger and another seemed to have jumped to denial. Their words were not particularly helpful for their mother who was attempting to process her own grief. “What is heaven like?” the ill woman asked. It was an obvious attempt on her part to calm her two children down, and possibly to comfort herself. She then altered the question a bit, making it more personal for her and her situation, “What is heaven going to be like?” I paused for a moment because answering a weighted question such as this is not really about words. The human writers of the Bible attempted to convey eternal questions, such as questions about eternity, in ways, and with words that are familiar. Truth is, we do not have the correct words to describe such lofty unearthly truths so the writers used earthly concepts that come nowhere near the eternal truths. I knew this lady would be expecting words like jeweled gates and golden streets along with concepts such as peace and hope. Instead of telling her my thoughts, I asked her to tell me her thoughts, which included more concept words like peace, presence, and hope, words that seemed to comfort and calm.

As Matthew takes us to Jesus’ journey, just a breath away from Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem, the gospel writer tells a parable intended to address the same question of the lady in the hospital, “What is heaven like?” However, Jesus’ answer is purposely much more deep and intentionally more wide than we expect, for he does not just describe the future but also the intended present, and, he does not just describe the God of the Kingdom of Heaven, but he also describes the God that is with us now, that God is, for us, the God of our present.

[Slide – Leave Screen Share up for the Following Slides]

The term, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven’ is an unsual choice, most of the writers of the Bible use the term ‘The Kingdom of God’, but Matthew chose a different label. Nineteenth century theologian, Albert Barnes, described the motivation for Matthew’s choice of titles,

“The Jews expected a great national deliverer. They supposed that when the Messiah should appear, all the dead would be raised; that the judgment would take place; and that the enemies of the Jews would be destroyed, and that they themselves would be advanced to great national dignity and honor…John, the baptizer, in preaching repentance had attempted to confront this false narrative in his preaching. Instead of summoning them to military exercises, and collecting an army, which would have been in accordance with the expectations of the nation, John called them to a change of life; to the doctrine of repentance—a state of things far more accordant with the approach of a kingdom of purity”

‘Kingdom of Heaven’ was Matthew’s effort to move the thought of God being an earthly King to God being the eternal King.

[Slide] “For the kingdom of heaven is like…”

[End Screen Share]

So, to finish that sentence, Jesus tells a parable.

A man who owns a vineyard, does out one morning and sees a group of men, standing on a corner when men unusually stand hoping to be hired for a day. The vineyard owner and the workers agrees on a fair rate, which is the fair rate in the time. It is a rate that is probably higher than most of the workers hired as day workers. They are to be paid very generously.

A couple of hours later the owner again goes into town and sees another group of men just standing waiting for work. “Why are you not working” the owner asks. “Because no one has hired us,” the men reply. The vineyard owner promise to pay them a fair rate if they will come and work for him, the men take
the job.

A third, fourth, and fifth time the owner goes back into the community, the last trip was only a couple of hours before sunset. Each of these times the story is the same with the owner asking why they are not working and the men saying they have been given no jobs and then the men join the work in the man’s vineyard. The only difference in these last three times is that the man offered them work with any promise of compensation. Yet, still, the men accept the offer of work.

At the end of the day, to the surprise of the men who were the first to begin work, all the workers are paid the same which is what the first group of men were paid. The first group were upset that they were paid the same as those who worked less hours.

The owner asks the complaining men, “Are you angry because I am generous?”

If I had been in the first group, to be honest, if I had been in the second, third, or even the fourth group, I would be joining the chorus of complaints. From an earthly perspective, it was not fair.

There are a lot of questions in this story:

Why were all the workers not waiting for work with the first group?
Had the later workers already worked another job and desired to work the rest of the day or were they just lazy?
Is it possible that with the arrival of each group of workers, the workers who had already been working began to slow down their work, figuring that there was not enough work for everyone so the new guys could handle the rest of the load?
Did the owner of the vineyard have a proverbial screw loose, not even even considering the fact that some of the workers did more work, or time, than the others?
Did the owner just not have any way to break down the denarius and only had enough for everyone to receive one denarius?
Or, was it a case of nepotism and the owner was increasingly related to each of the men in the later groups?
Did the owner know that a denarius was enough for each man to provide shelter and food for his family?

The kingdom of Heaven is like a vineyard owner that strives to provide for everyone to have enough – enough to live, enough to exist, enough to thrive, enough to hope, enough to live in peace, enough to serve, enough to remember mercy, enough to consider compassion, enough to trust, enough to follow, enough to receive grace.

Do you see a pattern in the good news of Matthew? We started with the first sermon of Jesus where he challenged the normative thinking of society while turning upside down the thinking of who is valuable and what character traits are holy. Jesus stood before the crowd of outcasts, oppressed, and marginal people, a people yearning for something more and he said ‘Happy are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are gentle, those who hunger and thirst, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who have been persecuted. Jesus challenged the people to see through the eyes of God, how God, from heaven, sees us – Jesus said, this is how God wants you to see now, here on earth! Jesus explained that evil does exist among us here on earth but that only God can differentiate that evil from the good – that we are fully incapable of discerning what is, and who are, evil. That we are easily fooled by evil disguised as good and good reframed as evil. He gave a visual of this as a defiant gentile woman was described as being holy while his own followers were revealed as lacking in their faith. Jesus declared that evil does not come from what is outside of us but what is inside of us. Jesus confounded his disciples when he said that life could only come from death and that forgiveness was only truly received when forgiveness is first fully given. And he pointed to children to explain the condition of the heart that is able to receive and follow God.

Remember taking geometry? For me it was in tenth grade with a teacher who demanded a level of understanding that was unheard of for a tenth grader, at least that was the thought of my fellow tenth graders. We learned to prove mathematical equations by first remembering mathematical facts or theorems. This would be done through the use of a hypothesis – an ‘if’ statement that would add up those theorems – “If all Americans are people and all people live on Earth, then all Americans live on Earth.”
[Slide]

If, God is generous and, through the Sacrifice of Jesus, gives us the gift of reconciliation with God, then, God wants all humans to receive the gift of an eternal relationship with God (The Kingdom of Heaven).

[Slide]

If, Jesus is God, and Jesus in the flesh reflected the heart and mind of God, then, Jesus showed us God’s grace, mercy, compasion, and love through his teachings, his life, and his death.

[Slide – leave slide & screen share through final slides at end of message]

AND, If, God’s will is complete and perfect in heaven and Jesus said that we are to pray with our feet, hands, and minds, that God’s will will also be done on earth, then, we are to live in the Kingdom of heaven generously (God’s type of generosity) even while we are on earth.

Why does Jesus use a parable to describe eternity to explain how we are called to live here on earth? God calls on us to live now as if we were living in Heaven – to live in and reflect the Kingdom of Heaven life to others while we are here on earth. We are called to live in God’s generosity and we are called to extend God’s generosity to our world.

[Slide] So, when we live as if we are living in the Kingdom of heaven, we will have a desire for all others to live in the Kingdom of Heaven as well, regardless of how long they have been working in the field.

[Slide] When we live as if we are living in the Kingdom of heaven, we will have a desire that all others to live in the Kingdom of Heaven as well, regardless of how they look, how they live, how they interpret truth, how they work, how they play, the language they speak, the people they associate with, how they worship, how they practice their faith, regardless of their gender, regardless of their labels.

[Slide] When we live as if we are living in the Kingdom of heaven, we will have a desire that all others also live in the Kingdom of Heaven as we desire that all people live in justice, all people are allowed to be healthy and educated, all people are fed, and sheltered, supported and loved.

[Slide] When we live as if we are living in the Kingdom of heaven, we will have a desire that all others experience the generosity and hope in life and in eternity that flows from God through us.

[Slide] First Presbyterian Church here in Norman has a sign on the front of their building that really sums Jesus’ message perfectly. ‘Making our corner of the world more like the Kingdom of God.’

Music

Give Me Jesus

Chorus
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus

Verse 3
When I come to die
When I come to die
Oh when I come to die
Give me Jesus

Chorus
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus

Community

Next Sunday, Matthew 22:1-14 , Poor Etiquette and Bad Manners
Wednesdays Noon Bible Study, begins March 15, Matthew 16:13-28 & Matthew 21, March 15-April 5, Wednesdays at noon
Spring Gathering, March 26
San Francisco Immersion Trip, May 17-22, if interested speak w/Rick
Prayer Ukraine, Prayer for Turkey and Syria after earthquake, prayers for our community and our world

Benediction (Blank Slide)
May we go with Jesus’ radical words ‘Happy are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are gentle, those who hunger and thirst, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who have been persecuted. May we go, with the challenge to be salt and light, to be a light shining before others and in so doing, may we see with God’s eyes and glorify God.

Closing Peace
Leader: May the Peace of the Lord go with you.
Response: And also with you.

Order, Words, and Voices 02.26.23

02.26.23 Reciprocity of Forgiveness, Matthew 18:15-35

Order

Pre Worship Music

Opening Song Come, Thou Fount Lynn
Amazing Grace

Call to Worship Response/Lord’s Prayer Renee

Reading Matthew 18:15-35 Andrea

Songs Living Hope Lynn
It Is Well With My Soul

Message Reciprocity of Forgiveness Rick

Music You Are My King (Amazing Love) Lynn

Community/Closing Peace Rick

Benediction Rick

Post Worship Music

Slides Note: There is a blank title slide between each Section

Music (slides)

Come Thou fount of ev’ry blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise the mount I’m fixed upon it
Mount of Thy redeeming love
Verse 2Here I raise mine Ebenezer
Hither by Thy help I’m come
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wand’ring from the fold of God
He to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood
Verse 3O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be
Let Thy grace Lord like a fetter
Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee
Prone to wander Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart Lord take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see
Verse 2’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

Call to Worship/Lord’s Prayer (Slides)

Leader: The people wanted to live in harmony before God and with each other.
Response: God gave them the law.

Leader: The people wanted revenge and retribution against those who hurt them.
Response: God gave them earthly boundaries and punishments.

Leader: Peter wanted to know how many times he had to forgive the same person for the same repeated hurt.
Response: Jesus gave a number in the hundreds.

Leader: Peter wanted specifics.
Response: Jesus said forgiveness is not numerical

Leader: The people hurt each other.
Response: Jesus told them how to reconcile.

Leader: The people desired to experience forgiveness.
Response: Jesus gave them a parable.

Leader: We want forgiveness.
Response: Forgiveness that changes others.

Leader: We need forgiveness.
Response: Forgiveness that changes us.

Reading (Slides) Matthew 18:21-35

Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me and I still forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven times.

Jesus told a parable to explain, “For this reason the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. As he began, there was one slave who owed the master ten thousand talents which today would be hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Since the slave could not ever repay, his master commanded that he be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, as payment. The slave fell to the ground, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ mThe master felt compassion, and released the servant and forgave him the debt.

That slave then went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, which is less than one percent of what he had just been forgiven; he seized his fellow slave and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe!’

The fellow slave fell to the ground and pleaded with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But the forgiven slave was unwilling, and went and threw the fellow slave thrown into prison.

When the other slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and reported to their master. The master said to the first slave, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’

The master, moved with anger, handed the slave over to the torturers until he could repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Matthew 18:15-35
Music (Slides)

How great the chasm that lay between us
How high the mountain I could not climb
In desperation I turned to heaven
And spoke Your name into the night
Then through the darkness Your loving-kindness
Tore through the shadows of my soul
The work is finished the end is written
Jesus Christ my living hope
Verse 2Who could imagine so great a mercy
What heart could fathom such boundless grace
The God of ages stepped down from glory
To wear my sin and bear my shame
The cross has spoken I am forgiven
The King of kings calls me His own
Beautiful Savior I’m Yours forever
Jesus Christ my living hope
ChorusHallelujah praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ my living hope
Verse 3Then came the morning that sealed the promise
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence the Roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
(REPEAT)
Jesus Yours is the victory whoa
EndingJesus Christ my living hope
Oh God You are my living hope
It is well with my soul
It is well
It is well with my soul
When peace like a river
Attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot
Thou hast taught me to say
It is well
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well
It is well with my soul
My sin O the bliss
Of this glorious tho’t
My sin not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross
And I bear it no more
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord O my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well
It is well with my soul

Message – Life Moments (Slides)

[Slide] In talking about forgiveness, the Chabad, a practice/philosophy of Judaism, says that “One does not decide what happens to them; one decides what they want to do with what happens to them.”

[Slide] Forgiveness. [Leave ‘Forgiveness’ slide up until next slide]

When our oldest son, Caleb, was very young, possibly between age 2 and 3, my sister Anita was babysitting him and daughter Grace who was old enough to sit upright but not to walk. As the kids were playing, Caleb threw a ball hitting Grace in the head. As Anita tended to a now crying Grace, she asked Caleb if he had anything to say to Grace. Expecting an apology, Caleb walked over to Grace and said, “Move next time Grace!”

Asking for forgiveness is not alway a natural action. Oddly, accepting forgiveness is sometimes even more unnatural.

[Slide – Leave up until after story]

Mary Johnson watched an arrogant 16 year old Oshea Israel taken out of a courtroom. Over a decade later, Mary decided that it was time to see if she could forgive man who killed her son. Mary took a trip to the penitentiary where Oshea was serving out his sentence for the murder of Laramiun Byrd, Mary’s son.

Mary picks up the storyon Story Corp which she visited with Oshea.

Mary: After you left the room, I began to say: ”I just hugged the man that murdered my son.” And I instantly knew that all that anger and the animosity, all the stuff I had in my heart for 12 years for you–I knew it was over, that I had totally forgiven you.
Oshea: As far as receiving forgiveness from you–sometimes I still don’t know how to take it because I haven’t totally forgiven myself yet. It’s something that I’m learning from you – I won’t say that I have learned yet – because it’s still a process that I’m going through.
Mary: I treat you as I would treat my son. And our relationship is beyond belief. We live next door to one another.
Oshea: Yeah. So you can see what I’m doing–you know first hand. We actually bump into each other all the time leaving in and out of the house. And, you know, our conversations, they come from ”Boy, how come you ain’t called over here to check on me in a couple of days? You ain’t even asked me if I need my garbage to go out!”
Mary: Uh-huh.
Oshea: I find those things funny because it’s a relationship with a mother for real.
Mary: Well, my natural son is no longer here. I didn’t see him graduate. Now you’re going to college. I’ll have the opportunity to see you graduate. I didn’t see him getting married. Hopefully one day, I’ll be able to experience that with you.
Oshea: Just to hear you say those things and to be in my life in the manner that which you are is my motivation. It motivates me to make sure that I stay on the right path. You still believe in me. And the fact that you can do it despite how much pain I caused you – it’s like amazing.
Mary: I know it’s not an easy thing, you know, to be able to share our story together. Even with us sitting here looking at each other right now, I know it’s not an easy thing. So I admire that you can do this.
Oshea: I love you, lady.
Mary: I love you too, son.

[Slide] “One does not decide what happens to them; one decides what they want to do with what happens to them.”

[Slide] Forgiveness. Forgiveness is the next step…the step when we have been wronged and, hopefully, the step when we have wronged another.

[End Screen Share]

Forgiveness is difficult to give, and, ofter, it is even more difficult to receive. Forgiveness given releases us of the burden of the wrong done by another. No longer do we have to carry the pain, no longer do we have to imagine our revenge, no longer are we forced to allow the hurt to define our worth.

Forgiving received is possibly even more difficult to navigate. Reception of the forgiveness given by another person is a personal acknowledgment of our own imperfection, our own failures. It requires sacrifice, yes, receiving forgiveness calls us to sacrifice.

Forgiveness given to another person is a Holy Act, Forgiveness received from another person is a Holy Act. Holy acts call us to sacrifice. Holy acts take place in the presence of God. God’s presence is a place of purification and refinement, calling us to sacrifice. Jesus on the cross is our visual of forgiveness given, it is our visual of sacrifice. It is the most central aspect of being human.

Our passage for today is preceded by an incident where the Apostle Peter asks Jesus, “How many times do I have to forgive the same person for the same repeated offense toward me.”

We often denigrate Peter for this question, the truth is, in his context it was a perfectly valid question. God had allowed Moses to develop a set of punishments and reciprocal actions of penance to God for disobedience of the law and hurts committed against others.

Details and Specifics such as, “He who strikes someone so that he dies shall certainly be put to death. Yet if he did not lie in wait for him, but God caused him to fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee. If, however, someone is enraged against his neighbor, so as to kill him in a cunning way, you are to take him even from My altar, to be put to death. And one who strikes his father or his mother shall certainly be put to death.” (Exodus 21)

Then, Jesus comes along and says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I say to you, do not show opposition against an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other toward him also. (Matthew 5:38)

Who could blame Peter for desiring some clarification and specifics, however, Jesus told him that forgiveness was not about number, it was about release – releasing yourself from carrying the burden of another person’s sin, as well as release from your own actions.

So, Forgiveness given, and received, has just been taught as being limitless, Jesus now tells a story of a master who did place limits. In addition, it is a story where the actions of the master, where forgiveness is limited and retractable, – a story in which the actions of the master are comparable character elements of God.

It is a simple story. A slave owed his master a debt that would take decades of constant work and no rest to repay the debt. An impossible deed. As the master attempts to clear out the debts owed to himself, he calls this slave in to call on him to pay his debts. The slave declares that immediate payment is an impossibility which is filled by the master’s pronouncement that he will imprison the slave until the debt is paid, an even greater impossibility since the slave will not be unable to work and earn from prison. At the sentence of the master the slave breaks down, begging for more time. The master responds by wiping the debt away, with total forgiveness. The slave is surprised and leaves the master’s presence only to go to another slave that owes him a debt that is less than one percent of the debt for which he was just forgiven. When this other slave cannot pay the smaller debt he is thrown into prison – a sentence he has just escaped.

When the master hears of this, he takes his original forgiveness away from the first slave and throws him into prison. Matthew then reports that Jesus finishes this parable with the words, “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:35)

The master generously grants an unforgivable debt only to then take it away when the receiver responds with unforgiveness to a fellow slave. Then, Matthew explains that God, the God of grace, does the same as the slave. What?

Two basic principles of Forgiveness.

First, as we have learned, we have to receive forgiveness. When the master forgave, he gave the slave a chance to receive the forgiveness, but this was now the slave’s decision.

The difficult thing about receiving forgiveness is that to receive it, we must let it immerse us into the waters of that forgiveness. Such immersion is an act of letting the meaning and depth of that forgiveness sink in deep. An immersion where the sacrifice made by the giver of that forgiveness becomes real. For the slave, such an understanding of the given forgiveness would have provided him a glimpse of the enormity of the monetary sacrifice of the master – hundreds of thousands of dollars was lost. Instead, the slave only saw his freedom to continue to exist in the realm of selfishness that had caused the original debt. The slave could not see the sacrifice because all he could envision was returning to the path of entitlement. The slave had a hardened heart that had been permanently conditioned, by his own merciless actions.

When forgiveness is given and then received, there are repercussions. The slave was offered release from his burden which in return would allow him to grow in character. The ripples would reach another, who would then make his own ripples. This was God’s plan for his forgiveness to impact a community and a world.

Second principle of forgiveness is that only God can judge hearts. We saw this with Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the weeds. We humans are incapable of accurate judgment and, therefore, unfit to decide who has actually received forgiveness that has been offered. Because of this truth, we do not judge forgiveness, instead we continue to give that forgiveness.

This does not mean that we continually and constantly put ourselves into situations of pain. This truth does not mean that we remain in an environment of abuse, we leave, however, we also release, we forgive the abuser whether that forgiveness is received or not. Forgiveness does not mean that we allow the abuse stick to us destroying our own freedom.

It is not our calling to force another person to truly receive forgiveness – even when we fully love the other.

This is the reciprocity of forgiveness, we forgive and then we do not carry the weight for the offender. We leave it to them to recognize and accept the weight of the sacrifice required for the forgiveness- fully allowing that sacrifice to change them. We fully release, we release our own burden and we release our own pain.

We allow God to make final judgment and the pronouncement of sentence.

When it is us receiving the forgiveness we also have this reciprocity responsibility. We grasp the sacrifice made for us in this forgiveness, we let that which was done for us – change us as we allow the forgiveness to immerse us.

“One does not decide what happens to them; one decides what they want to do with what happens to them.”

What are you doing with that which happens to you?

Music

I’m forgiven
Because You were forsaken
I’m accepted
You were condemned
I’m alive and well
Your Spirit is within me
Because You died
And rose again
ChorusAmazing love
How can it be
That You my King
Would die for me
Amazing love
I know it’s true
It’s my joy to honor You
In all I do I honor You
EndingYou are my King
You are my King
Jesus You are my King
Jesus You are my King

Community

Next Sunday, Matthew 20:1-16, A Matter of Enough
Wednesdays Noon Bible Study, This Wednesday, February 29-April 5, Lenten Season, (Starting Date Change), Matthew 16:13-28
Spring Gathering, March 26
San Francisco Immersion Trip, May 17-22, if interested speak w/Rick
Prayer Ukraine, Prayer for Turkey and Syria after earthquake, prayers for our world

Benediction (Blank Slide)
May we go with Jesus’ radical words ‘Happy are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are gentle, those who hunger and thirst, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who have been persecuted. May we go, with the challenge to be salt and light, to be a light shining before others and in so doing, may we see with God’s eyes and glorify God.

Closing Peace
Leader: May the Peace of the Lord go with you.
Response: And also with you.

Order, Words, & Voices

02.19.23 Life Moments, Matthew 16:24-17:8

Order

Pre Worship Music

Opening Song Great Are You Lord Christian/Isaiah

Give me Jesus

Call to Worship Response/Lord’s Prayer Segun

Reading Matthew 16:24-17:8 Beth

Songs Another in the Fire Christian/Isaiah

Message Life Moments Rick

Music 10,000 Reasons Christian/Isaiah

Community/Closing Peace Rick

Benediction Rick

Post Worship Music

Slides Note: There is a blank title slide between each Section

Music (slides)

Great are You Lord

V1-V1-C-V1-C-C-B-B-B-B-C-C

Verse 1

You give life You are love

You bring light to the darkness

You give hope You restore ev’ry heart that is broken

And great are You Lord

Chorus

It’s Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise

We pour out our praise

It’s Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise to You only

Bridge

And all the earth will shout Your praise

Our hearts will cry these bones will sing

Great are You Lord

Give me Jesus

V1-C-V2-C-INST-V3-C

Verse 1

In the morning when I rise

Give me Jesus

Chorus

Give me Jesus

You can have all this world

Just give me Jesus

Verse 2

When I am alone

Oh when I am alone

Give me Jesus

Verse 3

When I come to die

Oh when I come to die

Give me Jesus

Call to Worship/Lord’s Prayer (Slides)

Leader: When Jesus found out about the brutal death of John the Baptizer, Jesus withdrew from the people to grieve.

Response: But the crowds found Jesus and followed him.

Leader: When the crowds became hungry, Jesus said to his disciples, “Give them something to eat.” The disciples could not see how to do this.

Response: Jesus saw bread and fish and fed the crowd.

Leader: When Peter saw Jesus walking on the water he asked if he also could walk on water, Jesus invited him to step out of the boat onto the water.

Response: After a few steps Peter began to only see the waves and began to sink.

Leader: When the disciples saw the Canaanite woman attempting to speak to Jesus, they ushered her away.

Response: Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith is great.”

Leader: Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say that I am?”

Response: Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Leader: Jesus told his disciples, “I will suffer, be killed, and then resurrected from the grave.”

Response: Peter reprimanded Jesus saying, “Don’t talk like that.”

Leader: Jesus said, “Do not be a stumbling block for me.”

Response: Jesus said, “Set your mind on God’s purposes.”

Lord’s Prayer (Slides) ‘Join me in the prayer of Jesus’

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses, while we forgive those who trespass against us. And, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen

Reading (Slides) Matthew 16:24-17:8

Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul? Or what will a person give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every person according to his deeds.

“Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Six days later, Jesus *took with Him Peter and James, and his brother John, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And Jesus was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.

And Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Peter responded and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If You want, I will make three tabernacles here: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!”

When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” And raising their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.

Matthew 16:24-17:8

Music (Slides)

Another in the Fire

V1-C1-V2-C2-B-V3-C3

Verse 1

There’s a grace when the heart is under fire

Another way when the walls are closing in

And when I look at the space between

Where I used to be and this reckoning

I know I will never be alone

Chorus 1

There was another in the fire

Standing next to me

There was another in the waters

Holding back the seas

And should I ever need reminding

Of how I’ve been set free

There is a cross that bears the burden

Where another died for me

There is another in the fire

Verse 2

All my debt left for dead beneath the waters

I’m no longer a slave to my sin anymore

And should I fall in the space between

What remains of me and this reckoning

Either way I won’t bow to the things of this world

And I know I will never be alone

Chorus 2

There is another in the fire

Standing next to me

There is another in the waters

Holding back the seas

And should I ever need reminding

What power set me free

There is a grave that holds no body

And now that power lives in me

Bridge

And I can see the light in the darkness

As the darkness bows to Him

I can hear the roar in the heavens

As the space between wears thin

I can feel the ground shake beneath us

As the prison walls cave in

Nothing stands between us

Nothing stands between (us)

Verse 3

There is no other name

But the Name that is Jesus

He who was and still is

And will be through it all

So come what may in the space between

All the things unseen and this reckoning

I know I will never be alone

Chorus 3

There’ll be another in the fire

Standing next to me

There’ll be another in the waters

Holding back the seas

And should I ever need reminding

How good You’ve been to me

I’ll count the joy come ev’ry battle

‘Cause I know that’s where You’ll be

Message – Life Moments (No Slides)

Introduction:

In the final segment of the Harry Potter series, just before Harry is to face death, the ‘deads’ appear to Harry. His mother, who along with his father, was killed shortly after his death, she says a very motherly thing…

Mother: You’ve been so brave.

Potter: Why are you here, all of you?

Mother: We never left.

Potter: Does it hurt, dying?

Sirius: Quicker than falling asleep.

Father: You’re nearly there, son.

Potter: You’ll stay with me?

Father: Until the end.

Potter: Stay close to me.

Mother: Always.

Harry drops the resurrection stone giving up his safety net, his ‘out’ should he change his mind.

Transfiguration

•Transfiguration Sunday

•Transfiguration Explanation

As Jesus stood in the midst of this faith heroes he began to radiate, to shine. This was probably much like when Moses came down from the mountain after sitting before God and receiving the Law, we learn that he too had a radiance about him. A radiance that the people soon requested that he cover because it was impossible to face him or even look in his direction. Moses’ radiance was because he had been in the presence of God, and, much like a sunburnt face after a football game day, Moses had been externally marked, a mark that eventually faded but in the moment there was no doubt from those that saw him of a holy encounter. Jesus, radiance, however, was not external, it was an eternal rising up and out. Jesus was holy but his radiance had not been visible in an earthly world. Now, here, where the air was clear and holiness was present, there was no veil over his face. His heart, his mind, his intentions, his purpose, his love, all were visible in and on his person.

•Tie to Harry Potter

•Faith figures from Past and Church Leaders of Future (Gethsemane,sleep)

•Six Days after Jesus’ Warning to Disciples

Necessity of turning toward Jerusalem and that, there, [Jesus] would ‘suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and then raised on the third day‘ (Matthew 16:21)

Comfort/Encouragement – Not sure what words were said among these three men, but I am pretty sure it was very similar to the question asked by Harry Potter. ‘Does it hurt to die?’ Here, Jesus stood among these greats of the faith, men who had experienced fear, rejection, retribution, hostility, humiliation. Men who knew what vulnerability, threats, pain, brutality, meant in the human experience. Two men who stood now on the other side, understanding almost everything that Jesus was about to face.

I am sure that in this life moment, these two men encouraged Jesus, they affirmed not only God in the flesh but also accepted Jesus’ very real human fear. This was going to hurt, the lies told about Jesus were going to devastate and sting, the rejection by those that had pledged their lives was going to disappoint, the hatred of those who had been given love and grace was going to bruise, the abandonment by Jesus disciples was going to was going to leave Jesus isolated and alone. The sins of all mankind piled on Jesus was going to squeeze the very life from him.

Elements

Present
Descent

Present – Simon Peter

Let’s narrow those in attendance to just one of the disciples, Simon. Simon is a true two steps forward one step back kind of guy. He is us! He was a hard worker and a hard seeker, even before Jesus called him on, Simon was awaiting and looking forward to the coming Messiah. As Simon reveals his character and genuine faith, Jesus renames him Peter, Petras, Rock. Peter has an authentic desire to fully trust God, but he also carries a very real human fear of letting go of control. Peter asks Jesus if he can join Jesus who was walking on water, As Peter stepped out onto the water he soon could only see the frightening waves and failed to look at Jesus. Peter is the first to fully recognize that Jesus is the Son of God, the deliverer but when Jesus explains that the cross is ahead, Peter reprimands Jesus about being so negative. Jesus warns Peter that he will deny knowing Christ, Peter scoffs but soon realizes that Jesus was right. Peter was absent at the cross but the first to run into the grave after hearing news of the resurrection from Mary. When Jesus tells Peter he will suffer death for sharing the good news, Peter lashes out asking why Jesus is not saying this to the disciple John. And then, as an apostle, Peter is the first to speak the gospel to the gentiles – then he backtracks on this move and Paul has to confront Peter. In the end Peter dies for speaking the name and work of Jesus.

Somehow, even in his greatest failures, Peter manages to keep his faith. He abandons Jesus but then runs unabashedly toward the prospect of the empty grave. He follows the religious laws but is willing to step outside of the restrictions of cleanliness in order to go to the gentile home of Cornelius. He argues with Paul but then accepts his confrontation. He is guaranteed a bad end but still, he continues to follow God.

Peter shows us how to be a follower of God even though we are flawed and skeptical human beings; he shows us to get up, even though our own struggle with right and wrong will often leave us defeated. Peter shows us a faith that depends on a fervent trust in the God of compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and love. Peter understands this and does not wallow in pity and self loathing after he has denied Jesus, instead he runs to the tomb at the possibility that there he will once again see Jesus.

Descent

• When you go up, eventually you have to go down. The time spent up the mountain is based on personal desire and when you are needed back at the bottom of the mountain, or the valley. When being up on the mountain is a great moment, it is more difficult to begin your descent, and when being in the valley is a grind, a grind that brings suffering and misery, beginning the descent is a mentally difficult decision.

Peter, and probably James and John, loved being on the mountain, more than any mountain they had ever been on. Not only did they have the surreal moment of standing in the midst of these faith heroes that had past centuries before, but there was also a great distance between them and the reality of life at the bottom of the mountain. There was no suffering here, there was no hostility here, there was no doubt or pain here, this was a perfect place to stay, a perfect place to live. I would imagine that on the top, there was an assumption that they would spend becoming holy, learning from these men of their direct experiences. Why would anyone leave?

• The Great Awakening in the United States was a series of religious revivals that took place in the early eighteenth and late twentieth centuries.

• Asbury University, a Holiness University

Sounds alot like Peter wanting to stay up on the mountain. Classes were interrupted, employers were left attempting to fill in for those that chose to stay in the chapel rather than work. Staying on the mountain rather than descending to the valley.

Growth Only In The Valley

Episcopal Priest Cynthia Bourgoult reminds us that it is in our descent from the mountain that we experience transformation. “”The path of descent is the path of transformation. Struggle, failure, relapse, death, and woundedness are our primary teachers, rather than ideas or doctrines.” (Center for Action and Contemplation)
Father Richard Rorh describes our struggle in the valley as a struggle with our shadow, “Human consciousness does not emerge at any depth except through struggling with our shadow. It is in facing our own contradictions that we grow. It is in the struggle with our shadow self, with failure, or with wounding that we break into higher levels of consciousness.” (Richard Rorh, Center for Action and Contemplation)
In the Valley we live with the contradiction, evil in the midst of good, disagreement even within faith, difference in interpretations, values, doctrines, agendas, practices, under the following of the same Savior.
Speaking to the contradictions in the valley, author Saul David Alinsky theorizes, “As we begin to accept the concept of contradictions we see every problem or issue in its whole interrelated sense. We then recognize that for every positive there is a negative, and that there is nothing positive without its accompanying negative. (Saul David Alinsky, Author, American community activist, Political Theorist)
In the Valley we can see true holy, not the emotion of the moment but the long lasting holiness of the moment of holiness that shines in the midst of the unholy. (holy moments)

Application/Challenge

The word transfiguration that defines this radiance of Jesus is the greek word metemorphōthē. Meaning to have a change in outward appearance – in a spiritual sense it means that you began to show on the outside what is true in your heart and mind – your outside begins to reveal your inside. Jesus transfigured, he metamorphosed so that he could be seen for what he truly was.
Moses’ radiance was a result of being before God and in God’s presence. It was a result of an external engagement with God. When I lived in Colorado Springs, every Sunday as folks arrived at church we could quickly discern those who had been to the Air Force Academy Football games from those who had not. And among those who had gone to the game, we could differentiate where they had sat in the stadium. The effects of the Colorado Sun was undeniably visible.
Jesus’ radiance was an internal engagement that was visibly present on the outside. Now, as his appearance was no longer hidden by the struggle of humanity, here on the mountain in the presence of God, the radiance of Jesus was on display. It wasn’t that his inner heart and mind were not visible down amongst humanity, but the glaze of struggle and pain, hindered humanity from seeing.
This also, is the same word used elsewhere in the New Testament but transliterated at Transformed.
“Present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed, be metamorphosed, be transfigured, by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)
Paul has talked about the process that took place before the metamorphosed moment. It is a “DO NOT” ‘Do not be conformed’, and a “DO” ‘Do be transformed.’ A process that is not about actions, and it is not about a disingenuous, a phony, presentation of self, it is the salvation path, the journey, of knowing God well enough that you can fall flat on your face in your struggle with evil, and then jump up to see God at the first thought that God is near. It is a not just a “DO”, but also a “BE” – Be transformed, let your light shine, let you salt be tasted. Let the world see the world you are living in, the God you seek to know more and more.
“The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed, are being metamorphosed, are being transfigured, into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” (II Corinthians 3:17-18)
The example and the call of Jesus is for us to be seen, and not just heard. To show Jesus, to reflect God, in our lives, our actions – through mercy, compassion, justice, and love. To live peaceably and in harmony, even with those we disagree. However, the call on us in the story of the transfiguration is much more defined. It is a call to come down from the mountain. It is a call to live in the midst of the human struggle. To live a vulnerable life before God.
God is in the midst of the struggle, in the midst of the valley where we live. It is here that God notices us, guides us, and stands ready to help us get up from our falls and failures. Where God is ready with open arms to receive us when we return.
Peter’s hesitancy is warranted, the valley is difficult, no sooner do they reach the bottom of the mountain than they’re confronted by a father and his demon possessed child. They are immediately confronted by the very real and personal suffering of the world. It is in this world, however, that lasting transformation will take place – through the personal suffering and the experience of traveling the journey of struggle.

Music

10,000 Reasons

C-V1-C-V2-C-V3-C-E

Chorus

Bless the Lord O my soul O my soul

Worship His holy name

Sing like never before O my soul

I’ll worship Your holy name

Verse 1

The sun comes up it’s a new day dawning

It’s time to sing Your song again

Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me

Let me be singing when the evening comes

Verse 2

You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger

Your name is great and Your heart is kind

For all Your goodness I will keep on singing

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

Verse 3

And on that day when my strength is failing

The end draws near and my time has come

Still my soul will sing Your praise unending

Ten thousand years and then forevermore

Ending

Sing like never before O my soul

I’ll worship Your holy name

Worship Your holy name

Community

Next Sunday, Matthew 18:15-35, The Reciprocity of Forgiveness
Wednesdays Noon Bible Study, February 29-April 5, Lenten Season, (Starting Date Change)
Spring Gathering, March 26
San Francisco Immersion Trip, May 17-22, if interested speak w/Rick
Prayer for Larry (prayer texts available at Flocknote) Ukraine, Prayer for Turkey and Syria after earthquake, prayers for our world

Benediction (Blank Slide)

May we go with Jesus’ radical words ‘Happy are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are gentle, those who hunger and thirst, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who have been persecuted. May we go, with the challenge to be salt and light, to be a light shining before others and in so doing, may we see with God’s eyes and glorify God.

Closing Peace

Leader: May the Peace of the Lord go with you. Response: And also with you.

Order, Words, & Voices 02.12.23

Order, Words, & Voices

02.12.23 Seeds, Matthew 13:24-43

Order

Pre Worship Music

Opening Song Great Things Lynn

Call to Worship Response/Lord’s Prayer Cricklin

Reading Matthew 13:24-43 Rick

Songs Tell Me the Story of Jesus Lynn

Message Seeds Rick

Music Your Grace is Enough Lynn

Community/Closing Peace Rick

Benediction Rick

Post Worship Music

Slides Note: There is a blank title slide between each Section

Music (slides)

Come let us worship our King

Come let us bow at His feet

He has done great things

See what our Savior has done

See how His love overcomes

He has done great things

Chorus

O Hero of Heaven You conquered the grave

You free every captive and break every chain

O God You have done great things

We dance in Your freedom awake and alive

O Jesus our Savior Your name lifted high

O God You have done great things

Verse 2

You’ve been faithful through every storm

You’ll be faithful forevermore

You have done great things

And I know You will do it again

For Your promise is yes and amen

You will do great things

God You do great things

Bridge

Hallelujah God above it all

Hallelujah God unshakable

Hallelujah You have done great things

(REPEAT)

You’ve done great things

Ending

You have done great things

O God You do great things

Call to Worship/Lord’s Prayer (Slides)

Leader: Jesus said, “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged”

Response: Judged by your standard of measurement

Leader: Jesus asked, “How can you remove a speck from the eye of another person if your own sight is hindered by the log in your eye?”

Response: Take the log out of your eye so you can see as God sees

Leader: “You wouldn’t give a loved one a large stone when they asked for a loaf of bread, nor would you give them a snake when they asked for a fish”

Response: Imagine how much more the perfect God would give

Leader: “Treat others the way you want to be treated”

Response: That is the sum of what God calls us to do

Leader: The narrow gate leads to life

Response: The wide gate leads to destruction

Leader: Beware of false prophets, they look and sound good but they are of evil

Response: Step back and consider, you will know them by their fruits

Leader: Build your house on the rock

Response: Build your house on God

Lord’s Prayer (Slides) ‘Join me in the prayer of Jesus’

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Reading (Slides) Matthew 13:24-33

Jesus presented a parable, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. While his servants were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat.

When the wheat sprouted producing grain, the weeds also became evident. The servants came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Why does it have weeds?’

He said to them, ‘A hostile person has done this!’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ The man said, ‘No; while you are gathering up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.

Let both seeds grow together until the harvest then I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’

Jesus presented another parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a person took and sowed in his field; a seed much smaller than all the other seeds, but when it is fully grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.”

And again, Jesus spoke another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid it in a 48 pound bag of flour until it was all leavened.”

All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak anything to them without a parable. This was so that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled:

“I will open My mouth in parables; I will proclaim things hidden since the foundation of the world.”

Then Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”

Jesus said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the weeds are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.

So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears, let him hear. Matthew 13:24-33

Music (Slides)

Verse 1

Tell me the story of Jesus

Write on my heart every word

Tell me the story most precious

Sweetest that ever was heard

Tell how the angels in chorus

Sang as they welcomed His birth

Glory to God in the highest

Peace and good tidings to earth

Verse 2

Fasting alone in the desert

Tell of the days that are past

How for our sins He was tempted

Yet was triumphant at last

Tell of the years of His labour

Tell of the sorrow He bore

He was despised and afflicted

Homeless rejected and poor

Verse 3

Tell of the cross where they nailed Him

Writhing in anguish and pain

Tell of the grave where they laid Him

Tell how He liveth again

Love in that story so tender

Clearer than ever I see

Stay let me weep while you whisper

Love paid the ransom for me

Open our eyes Lord

We want to see Jesus

To reach out and touch Him

And say that we love Him

Open our ears Lord

And help us to listen

Open our eyes Lord

We want to see Jesus

Message – Seeds (Slides)

‘Do not judge.’ I doubt there is any other command more unhuman-like. It is a command that is constantly in a struggle with the reality of being human. Even as Jesus’ explained – ‘Do not judge so that you will not be judged’ – it remains a command with a very unlikely hood of success for even the most holy human.

When we want others to live by our rules of behavior, or to make us comfortable, or to agree with our interpretations of God’s truth – we judge. We attempt to justify our judgment by say things like ‘I’m not a racist, but….’, or ‘I’m not homophobic, but…’ we judge. When we separate and divide due to disagreement, when we gather only on lines of agreement, we judge.

Jesus seldom names sins. We do hear him change the classification of hate and lust, we see him; after offering forgiveness, tell the adulterous woman to go and sin no more, but usually his words are positive. Words like love, be kind, practice mercy, and show compassion. But, we cannot deny that Jesus’ words of ‘Do Not Judge’ are given a central place in Jesus’ first public message.

[Slide #1 – Leave up until message to end screen share – pic of 2 different plants that look like wheat, no words]

As we approach Matthew 13 we see the ‘Do Not Judge’ command move from personal and earthly, to big picture eternal. Now, we witness the eschatological – We are incapable of Judging’.

In Jesus’ parable of the good and bad seeds we find that God is the God of justice, patience, and ultimate judgment – God does what we cannot do. Matthew reveals to us the foundation of our judgemental tendencies – our very real struggle with evil.

To understand this parable we must first understand the details, the context. Jesus is talking about the work of God’s Kingdom, as in the existence of God’s Kingdom – the work of God that is in process wherever God’s people inhabit and wherever the Spirit resides. It is still a place of limitless grace but it is not heaven, it is not a place of perfection, it is a place where evil still exists and THE place where God in the flesh walked, taught, revealed God, died, and was resurrected.

Note: Jesus is not teaching about good people vs. evil people – Jesus is talking about good vs. evil, and the ultimate judgment of evil – Jesus is not setting up an Us vs. Them battlefield. When Jesus said ‘Do Not Judge’ in Matthew 7 he was speaking to each individual to not judge others based on who they are, their cultures, religious practices, and all the other factors we commonly use to judge individuals as well as entire groups of people. Now he is speaking to a deeper reality, the evil that nudges/pushes us to judge. In taking judgment to this level, Jesus is providing us with clarification of how we are to be growing and stronger disciples.

In Jesus’ parable, shortly after the weed seeds were planted, the workers were aware. These weeds were common, they were not unusual for this area. Most likely, the weeds were either darnel or cockle, noxious weeds that closely resemble wheat. Darnell, which was thought to have medicinal value, can be toxic if consumed in excess, it can be poisonous, it can kill. The appearance of the weeds would not have been a surprise to the workers – but, they noticed the abundance and disorderly scattering of these seeds and were alarmed. The owner, because the weeds were now mixed in with the wheat, called for the workers to not remove the weeds because doing so would also mean the loss of the wheat sprouts. The difference between darnel and real wheat is evident only when the plants mature and the ears appear. The ears of the real wheat are heavy and will droop, while the ears of the darnel stand up straight. (see slide)

This parable is about evil as a presence that mimics good but in maturity reveals that it is evil.

[end screen share]

Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn says “The line separating good and evil passes through all human hearts. This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years. And even within hearts overwhelmed by evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained. And even in the best of all hearts, there remains … a small corner of evil.” Solzhenitsyn continues, “I have come to understand the truth of all the religions of the world is that all humans struggle with the evil inside. It is impossible to expel evil from the world in its entirety, but it is possible to constrict it within each person.”

(Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956)

Jesus is speaking to the question, ‘why is there evil?’ and, ‘what do we do with evil?’ In the end, Jesus’ answer is that evil is the very real and expected result of free choice and that we are unqualified to eliminate it, but, God can, and will. Our calling is to resist evil, to not allow evil to be our guide. At the same time, Jesus is reminding us that we are all vulnerable to evil, just as those who we are quick to judge.

Let’s look at the parable from a simple perspective:

[Slide #2 – Screen Share until after Slide #6]

Truth

Evil still exists in the world and we are incapable of identifying what that evil is. Jesus came to show us how to live in the midst of evil.

[Slide #3] Truth

God is the judge, jury, and executioner of evil, we are none of those things.

[Slide #4] Truth

Sin, evil actions, is the outflow of evil, Not the Evil. Evil is what we allow to guide and influence us – but we humans are not evil – we are incapable of genuinely identifying sin in others because we are unable to adequately recognize and acknowledge our own sin. Mankind can, however, become fully consumed by evil by our own choice to follow evil, this is what scripture calls a ‘hardened heart.’ This was the case in the time of Noah and in the story of Sodom.

[Slide #5] Truth

Evil perverts our vision, our perspective, of what it means to be blessed – leading us to value that which destroys us. This is why Jesus’ first message began with a clarification for the listeners, ‘Blessed are the poor….’

[Slide #6] Truth

The continuous agenda of Evil is to shape and mold our definition of what evil is. Evil seeks to make us comfortable with evil.

[End Screen Share]

Adam and Eve were in the garden, blessed with hunger – for which God provided all that they needed to address that hunger. Evil told them that their hunger would be better addressed by the fruit which was forbidden. Daily they looked at the forbidden fruit, Increasingly, they failed to experience gratitude over the fruit given by God. As they listened to Evil’s justification of how the forbidden fruit was better they eventually began to hear, and see, through Evil’s perspective, evil became righteousness. Wisdom was perverted and disobeying God became acceptable and destructive. They allowed evil to become their guide. Their acceptance of evil’s perspective became their moral compass. Their previous perspective of evil was now ‘not so evil’. Their actions of eating the forbidden fruit was the natural move from rejecting the influence of God to accepting the influence of Satan.

A majority of the early work of political campaigns is to shape the narrative, to define what is the most pressing issue their candidate can capitalize on in order to win. In a sense, they begin to try to redefine evil by making evil what THEY want named as evil. This is usually done by trying to identify something that is an unknown, something that makes people feel threatened and uncomfortable. The campaign works to turn that discomfort into hostility – defining their new definition of evil as being the height of immorality and sin. This is why, especially in more religious areas, specifically majority evangelical Christian communities in the US, politicians seek out amiable religious leaders that are easily swayed to help them in their rebranding of what is the ‘greatest evil’. Real, as well as created, evils such as income disparity, various versions of healthcare and retirement strategies, marriage laws, equal rights, immigration laws, immigrants themselves, women’s rights, religious freedom, religious persecution, religions that are not Christian, public school libraries, public school teachers, the lack of public school teachers, the redirection of public schools money, the character of politicians, the disregard of the importance of the character of politicians, and the list goes on. Right now, those who have declared their intention to run for president in 2024 are already trying to name evil – currently many campaigns have decided that transgenders humans are the evil we all face. Transgender individuals make up less than one percent of the US population and credible studies reveal that as transgenders are increasingly defined as evil, their safety and mental health is at an increasing risk – suicide rates are up, hate crimes are up – still, politicians continue to use them as target practice-trying to figure our what definition of evil will get them more votes.

Yet, our calling is to love God and love all others, but we continue to allow humanly defined Evils to constantly distract us from that calling. ‘Searching, Seeking, and Knocking’ is how we increasingly know God so we can increasingly refine our ability to identify what is of God and what is of Evil.

Now, consider the owner of the field. He, or she, does not reveal surprise or anger about the evil, nor does the owner rush to action, there is little reaction, the response is very calculated – ‘wait until the maturity of the wheat and the weeds, then we will know which plants are evil and which plants are good.’ The workers are instructed to trust the owner. Evil is not removed until proper judgment can take place. Judgment belongs to God not humans.

The owner was offering the workers peace even though every day they could not help but think about the evil growing in the field. Peace is in learning to trust God to eradicate evil.

So what is the point of Jesus’ parable for us today? If this is an eschatological story that assures us that God will erase the existence of evil – and since eschatology is not given for us to speculate on the details, why then, did Jesus say these words? Because, it is a story told to strengthen us in a world where Good AND Evil both DO exist. We live in a world where, even though Satan has been defeated, His tool of Evil still wrecks havoc. Because our struggle with evil still exists, and will exist until God calls us home. We judge others now because that is evil’s last desperate objective.

Jesus gives us these words in order that while we wait for God, while we struggle to trust God, while we strain to keep our eyes open in order to know the God of good, instead of the forces of evil – words give us clarity, strength, hope, and peace.

We Defeat Evil when we Refuse to let Fear keep us from Recognizing the Breath of God’s Creation in Every Human Being we Encounter.

We Defeat Evil when we Let Go of our Pride and, instead, Listen to Those with Whom we Disagree.

We Defeat Evil when we Release our Resentments of Past Words and Actions Meant to Hurt and Harm Us.

We Defeat Evil when we Release Regret from Past Words and Actions Said by Us Meant to Hurt and Harm Another of God’s Beloved.

We Defeat Evil when we Choose Hope over Despair when the Pain of Grief becomes unbearable.

We Defeat Evil when we Decide to Accept God’s Perspective of Us Instead of the Insecurity of Believing we are Anything Less Than Loved by God.

We Defeat Evil when we Embrace the Discomfort of the Narrow Path of God as the Unknown and the Uncomfortable Threaten to Paralyze us.

We Defeat Evil when we Live our Life Remembering Jesus’ Sacrifice on the Cross on Our Behalf and the Radiant Light Found in the Empty Grave Welcoming us to Come and See that Jesus is Alive.

Music

Grace grace God’s grace

Grace that will pardon

and cleanse within

Grace grace God’s grace

Grace that is greater than all our sin

Great is Your faithfulness O God

You wrestle with the sinner’s restless heart

You lead us by still waters into mercy

And nothing can keep us apart

Pre-Chorus

(So) remember Your people

Remember Your children

Remember Your promise O God

Chorus 1

Your grace is enough

Your grace is enough for me

Verse 2

Great is Your love and justice God of Jacob

You use the weak to lead the strong

You lead us in the song of Your salvation

And all Your people sing along

Chorus 2

Yeah Your grace is enough

Heaven reaches out to us

Your grace is enough for me

God I sing Your grace is enough

I’m covered in Your love

Your grace is enough for me for me

Community

Next Sunday, Matthew 16:24-17:8, Tasting Life
Wednesdays Noon Bible Study, February 29-April 5, Lenten Season, (Starting Date Change)
Spring Gathering, March 26
San Francisco Immersion Trip, May 17-22, if interested speak w/Rick
Giving Statements Mailed
Prayer for our sick (Larry), Prayer for Ukraine, Prayer for Turkey and Syria after earthquake, prayers for our world where evil persists

Benediction (Blank Slide)

May we go with Jesus’ radical words ‘Happy are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are gentle, those who hunger and thirst, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who have been persecuted. May we go, with the challenge to be salt and light, to be a light shining before others and in so doing, may we see with God’s eyes and glorify God.

Closing Peace

Leader: May the Peace of the Lord go with you. Response: And also with you.

Order, Words, & Voices 02.05.23

Order, Words, & Voices

02.05.23 Astounded, Matthew 7

Order

Pre Worship Music

Opening Song Cornerstone Christian

Call to Worship Response/Lord’s Prayer Linda

Reading Matthew 7 Rick

Songs Build My Life Ashlyne

Message Astounded Rick

Music How Deep the Fathers Love for Us Christian

Way Maker Ashlyne

Community/Closing Peace Rick

Benediction Rick

Post Worship Music

Music (slides)

Cornerstone

Verse 1

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name

Chorus

Christ alone cornerstone

Weak made strong in the Saviour’s love

Through the storm He is Lord

Lord of all

Verse 2

When darkness seems to hide His face

I rest on His unchanging grace

In every high and stormy gale

My anchor holds within the veil

Chorus

Christ alone cornerstone

Weak made strong in the Saviour’s love

Through the storm He is Lord

Lord of all

Interlude

He is Lord Lord of all

Chorus

Christ alone cornerstone

Weak made strong in the Saviour’s love

Through the storm He is Lord

Lord of all

Verse 3

When He shall come with trumpet sound

Oh may I then in Him be found

Dressed in His righteousness alone

Faultless stand before the throne

Chorus

Christ alone cornerstone

Weak made strong in the Saviour’s love

Through the storm He is Lord

Lord of all

Call to Worship/Lord’s Prayer (Slides)

Leader: Our Father who art in heaven

Response: Remind us, O God, that you are God and we are not

Leader: Our Father who art in heaven hallowed is thy name

Response: We are reminded, O God, that only you are holy

Leader: Our Father who art in heaven hallowed is thy name, thy Kingdom come, they will be done, on earth as it is in heaven

Response: We are reminded, O God, that you call us to be the salt and light

Leader: Give us this day our daily bread

Response: O God, we are ultimately dependent solely on you

Leader: And forgive us our trespasses

Response: O God, may we continually remember our imperfection

Leader: As we forgive those that trespass against us

Response: O God, may we continually remember our mutual need for your forgiveness

Leader: Please, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

Response: We are reminded, O God, of our own vulnerability

Leader: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever

Response: It is not our will we trust, O God, it is your will we seek

Lord’s Prayer (Slides) ‘Join me in the prayer of Jesus’

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Reading (Slides)

“Do not judge, so that you will not be judged – for you will be judged by the same standard of measurement you use to judge others.”

“How can you say to another, ‘I’m going to take the speck out of your eye’ yet you have huge logs in your own eye?’”

Start by taking the logs out of your own eye, and after you have removed all the things blocking your own view allowing you to have God’s perspective, you will then be ready to assist the other in taking the splinter out of their eye!”

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, they will just trample them under their feet, and then turn on you, tearing you to pieces.”

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

“Would you give your child a stone when they ask for bread, or a snake when they ask for a fish? So, think about it, if you, being imperfect, know how to give the right gifts to your children, how much more will your God, your perfect Father, give good things to you when you ask!”

“Therefore, in everything and to everyone, treat others the same way you want them to treat you…after all, this is the Law and the truths from the Prophets.”

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the wide gate, which is the gate most choose, is wide and broad and leads to destruction. However, the narrow gate, the gate that leads to life, is constricted and few find it.

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know the false prophets by their fruits – take a genuine investigation into the life lived by others before you follow them. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”

“Therefore, everyone who hears my words, and lives according to them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been grounded on the rock.”

When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were astounded at His teaching.

Matthew 7

Music (Slides)

Build My Life

Verse 1

Worthy of ev’ry song we could ever sing

Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring

Worthy of ev’ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

Verse 2

Jesus the name above ev’ry other name

Jesus the only one who could ever save

Worthy of ev’ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

Chorus

Holy there is no one like You

There is none beside You

Open up my eyes in wonder and show me who You are

And fill me with Your heart

And lead me in Your love to those around me

Bridge

I will build my life upon Your love

It is a firm foundation

I will put my trust in You alone

And I will not be shaken

Chorus

Holy there is no one like You

There is none beside You

Open up my eyes in wonder and show me who You are

And fill me with Your heart

And lead me in Your love to those around me

Message – Astounded (Slides)

[Screen share – slide 1 – screen share through slide 4] Coach Herman Boone, stood facing an exhausted and defeated team sitting in the locker room of the 1971 state championship high school football game. As depicted in the movie ‘Remember the Titan’ the high school, and their community of Alexandria, VA had been forced to reckon with the very real deep seeded consequences of racism as they faced mandated desegregation in their school system. Hidden ugliness had erupted especially as even their beloved football teams were forced to integrate. That half time moment, standing before his team, Coach Boone knew that the very fact that they were there at all, and that this entire team sat side by side disregarding race – something that would have been unheard of six months ago, not to mention that their community was sitting in the bleachers side by side without regard for color, was all a miracle. But at this moment, this team was suffering, physically, emotionally, and mentally, they had been beaten up in the first half – a fact that the coach could not ignore. And now, he had to give a pep talk to these boys who were not ready in any sense to hear the words of the coach. Still he tried,

“It’s all right. We’re in a fight. You boys are doing all that you can do. Anybody can see that. Win or lose… We’re gonna walk out of this stadium tonight with our heads held high. Do your best. That’s all anybody can ask for.”

The coach struggled to find any words to adequately describe his pride in these boys, team leader Juilius interrupted the coach saying, “No, it ain’t Coach. With all due respect, you demanded more of us. You demanded perfection. Now, I ain’t saying that I’m perfect, ’cause I’m not. And I ain’t gonna never be. None of us are. But we have won every single game we have played till now. So this team is perfect. We stepped out on that field that way tonight. And, uh, if it’s all the same to you, Coach Boone, that’s how we want to leave it.”

Whether Julius’ words were inspired in that locker room, or if they were equally inspired words written in a screen writers office, they are words that give us insight into that moment – and, they are words that provide insight into Jesus final words spoken in his first sermon preached.

In Matthew 5-7, Jesus’ words left the listeners astounded. Words that are as pertinent today as they were then. Words that challenged the status quo, words that called people then, as well as people now, to a different standard.

Here is the thing, Julius, in that locker room was not talking to or about himself or the other players, he was not talking to or about the coaches, he was not even talking about their fan in the bleachers – Julius was talking to the team, the other players, the coaches, and even the fans.

“Now, I ain’t saying that I’m perfect, ’cause I’m not. And I ain’t gonna never be. None of us are. But we have won every single game we have played till now. So this team is perfect. “

[Quit screen share]

This is the sentiment of Jesus as he wraps up his first public message. He is standing in the midst of a people who have largely, up to this point, lived on the margins. Many are outcasts of society, rejected, considered unclean and unacceptable. Many in the audience are surely Jews but the fact that they are in an area with a huge gentile, non Jewish population, we know that there are many outside of the Jewish faith sitting in the crowd. They are all victims of the Roman oppressors and, at the same time, they are all trying to placate their own religious institutions and expectations. They have come to accept their own hopelessness, that their lives will only get more difficult. This crowd knows that the scoreboard is telling the world they are losers, they are all well aware of their status and their lack of worth.

This group of people, a group that was not acceptable and a team that could not really fully accept each other, this group is Jesus’ team. This is the people who have unknowingly been waiting for this sermon their entire lives, and these are words their ancestors waited for all of their lives. Words that are still the words our world awaits even today.

[Slide 5 – Screen Share through Slide 11]

Let’s go to the end of Christ’s message to better understand the message itself. Gregory Brown says, “Here at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Christ gives his conclusion—the application of his sermon. Jesus is calling all listening to choose which path they will take, which kingdom they will be a part of. No one is born into God’s kingdom, at least not by natural means. It matters not if one’s parents were Christians, if they were baptized or dedicated as infants, no one enters until they have made a decision to enter.”

(Gregory Brown, Chaplain and Professor at Handong Global University and Teaching pastor at Handong International Congregation)

[Slide 5]

Dietrich Bonhoffer encapsulates Jesus’ purpose as a telling of ‘the extraordinary character of being a disciple of Jesus, one who chooses to be nothing less than a visible alternative to the world. Jesus’ message begins displaying the simple and hidden character of the life to which the disciples are called.’ (Hauerwas, Matthew, p.84)

Jesus began this first public message redefining those who are blessed as being the poor, the mourners, the gentle, the hungry, the thirsty, the merciful, the pure, the peacemakers, the persecuted and the insulted – he is talking to the people sitting before him. Then, Jesus raised the bar on the familiar commandments of the law, hatred became murder and lust became adultery. Faith was moved from the required minimal obligations of an institution to the core of each listeners’ heart and mind.

[Slide 6]

Then Jesus focused on the act of prayer. Moving it from an act of repetition requiring no personal sacrifice or introspection to being a personal and sincere act. Prayer is more about God speaking to us than about us talking to God. Prayer is used by God to open our eyes, to remind us of truth, and to empower us to trust God. A reminder that God is God and that we are not God.

[Slide 7]

The Saint Sebastian monks, every morning at 4:00 am recite this prayer, “God is with me, God is within me, God is not me. Amen”

[Slide 8]

The spiritual act of prayer is a finite practice of remembering that we are finite human beings somehow connected to an infinite God. Prayer connects us to God, to ourselves, and to each other. We can only know and understand who we are in relation to who God is. We can only know who we are not, in relation to who God is.

[Slide 9]

“Prayer is our admission that even our best intentions as individuals and as a community can still have devastating consequences because we are not gods.” (Topper)

[Slide 10]

This is why we pray to God, “Your will be done, Your Kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.”

[Slide 11]

Then, we arrive at chapter 7 where Jesus wraps up his sermon by detailing how we must live in God’s Kingdom while also existing in the ‘just as real’ world of fallen humanity. Remember, Jesus is talking to those who either are believers or are contemplating becoming believers, followers of this Jesus. He is talking to his team. This is not about the world outside, it is not about the behavior of those who have rejected this team, it is not about convincing or forcing a manner of believing and living on those who did not make this choice. Jesus is now talking to what will become the church. And oddly, it is here that Jesus begins with the negative instruction, “Do Not Judge.”

[Stop Screen Share]

Now this isn’t an ‘anything goes’ command. Jesus is not saying that we are to disregard our pursuit of justice, because that would completely violate the prophecy of Micah. Jesus is not saying that we should cease to condemn gossip and slander because that would totally invalidate Paul’s teaching on unity. Jesus is, however, talking about judging people for who they are, their color, their culture, their backgrounds, their ancestors, their economic status, their social status, their religious status, their relationships, their education, their vocation, their religion, their faith practices, and judging because we simply do not understand another or when we are uncomfortable around another.

Why ‘do not judge’? Because it blocks our own vision, it distorts our perspective, it blinds us to those that God loves. A log in our eye hinders us from being able to remove a speck in the eye of another – or to even really understand their speck.

Jesus is talking to a community, a community called to be salt and light to the world, a world that includes new communities outside of themselves and ourself. ‘Do not judge’ is a call to be a team, not always in agreement, but to support and encourage each other – to love each other. For just as we cannot love each other unless we love God, we also cannot love God if we do not love each other.

Jesus is sending this new team out on the field telling us to genuinely look at ourself, to take the log out of our eyes so we can see. No longer looking at how we can fix each other and instead to look at our ourself so that we can love each other, and in doing that, so we can love God and be open to God’s Spirit to begin the work of transforming us.

Then, it is in recognizing the depth of Jesus’ instructions we surprisingly find ourself already in the process of seeking, searching, and knocking. Not just knowing the words of God, not just accepting the life of the Son, not just looking for the leading of the Spirit. It is a change of perspective, a reordering of priorities, and a vulnerable acceptance of our need for God in the same way everyone else needs God.

Jesus is calling us to be available to God’s transforming power. Jesus is talking to his team, a team that will learn from him and then, we will be salt and light pointing others to Jesus through their lives.

“Therefore, in everything and to everyone, treat others the same way you want them to treat you…after all, this is the Law and the truths from the Prophets.”

I end with the poetry of Erin Conaway, pastor of Seventh and James Baptist Church in Waco, TX. poetry/prayer inspired by Jesus’ first sermon,

When we see the world through your eyes alone we start to care for our neighbors, and the strangers, and the widows, and the orphans, and the drug addicts, and the sinners, and the tax collectors, and the lazy ones, and the suffering ones

There grows within us an enmity of self, a division of ego, and your call to love

Self interest wont give way to love without a war

So, when we get it and when we let it cover us

When we love beyond what’s good for me

When we stand up for others who cannot stand up for us

When we give and live as you called us to do

Conflict, Angst, Tension, Lashing Out, Fights,

They happen within us as well as between us

And, that is when you want us to consider heaven over earth

And to keep working, keep persevering, keep giving, keep loving

Until we get there or until things are here as they are there

Whichever comes first

Bless us merciful one

Fill us with the wholeness with which we were created

Bring Joy in our hearts as you describe it on your terms,

in your way and in your name

Music

How Deep The Father’s Love For Us

Verse 1

How deep the Father’s love for us

How vast beyond all measure

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss

The Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the Chosen One

Bring many sons to glory

Verse 2

Behold the Man upon a cross

My sin upon His shoulders

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice

Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there

Until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life

I know that it is finished

Verse 3

I will not boast in anything

No gifts no pow’r no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ

His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward

I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart

His wounds have paid my ransom

Way Maker

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

Chorus

(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

Verse 3

You are here turning lives around

I worship You I worship You

You are here mending ev’ry heart

I worship You yeah I worship You Lord

Chorus

(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

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

Chorus

(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

Community

Next Sunday, Matthew 13:24-43, Seeds: Good/Bad
Wednesdays Noon Bible Study, February 22-April 5, Lenten Season
Spring Gathering, March 26
San Francisco Immersion Trip, May 17-22, if interested speak w/Rick

Benediction (Blank Slide)

May we go with Jesus’ radical words ‘Happy are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are gentle, those who hunger and thirst, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who have been persecuted. May we go, with the challenge to be salt and light, to be a light shining before others and in so doing, may we see with God’s eyes and glorify God.

Closing Peace

Leader: May the Peace of the Lord go with you.

Response: And also with you.

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