Sunday School, January 29, 2017 4 Epiphany A

Sunday School, January 29, 2017    4 Epiphany A

Theme:

How do we live in a world that sometimes is not fair?

Jesus lived in a world that was not fair for many people.  So how does a person live when life is not always fair?  Do we respond in a cruel way when we are treated cruelly?  Do we try to fight evil by being evil ourselves?

Jesus had some advice which might seem difficult.  He said to love our enemies.  He said we should not use evil to defeat evil; he said we should overcome evil with good.  Why did he say this?

He said this because he believed that God had made us and this world good.  So goodness is what is normal in life.  When people are bad, they are not acting normal.  So we need people who can act with normal good behavior to be examples of how to live.

The Beatitudes are recommended ways for us to learn how to practice a very good life, a happy life, a blessed life.  What are the secrets to happiness?

1-Not being so proud that one thinks that one does not need God’s Spirit.  If we are poor in spirit we will appreciate God’s Holy Spirit in us.

2-We need to be merciful and forgiving and that will help us to know mercy for ourselves.

3-We need to be peaceful and people who make peace with each other.

4-We need to do everything for the right reasons not for selfish reasons.

5-We need to be humbly patient and learn self-control.

6-We need to be willing to suffer for doing the right thing.

7-We need to desire what is right more than food or drink.

When we learn to live this way, we learn to live by overcoming evil with good behaviors.  When we live this way, we have the following rewards: We know we live in God’s kingdom.  We know that we are God’s children.  We know that we can see God at work in our world.  We know that we are God’s children who have inherited all the beauty of this world.  We know that we will have a future reward.  We know that we will have a good afterlife.  We know that we will be forgiven for not being perfect. 

Sermon:

  How do we live when we discover the world is not perfect?  We need some rules to follow?

  And when do we discover that the world is not perfect?  When we find out we cannot get everything that we want.

  As children, we learn that we cannot have everything that we want.  And we cannot do everything that we want.

  At the playground, there may be only two swings; but there are 10 children who want to swing.  What do we do?  We have to learn to share, right?

  Maybe we’re playing baseball, and we want to be the best hitter, but there might be someone bigger and better at hitting the baseball.  Is that fair that someone is bigger and better?  What do we do?

  Maybe we make a mistake and we push someone out of the way to get to a toy…or maybe someone pushes us.  What do we do?  We have to say, “I’m sorry.”  And when someone says, “I’m sorry to us.”  What do we do?  Do we stay angry or do we forgive?

  Remember we might think that a perfect world is where all of our wishes come true and where we get everything that we want.  But there is no such perfect world.  So, we have to live with the one that we have.  So, Jesus gave us rules on how to be happy in a world that is not perfect.

  Jesus said, we can be happy, if we know that we are poor without God and without each other.  We are rich if we have each other and we have God.  So, I should not pretend to be the only person in the world who can get everything that I want.

  Jesus said we can be happy, if we know that we cannot have everything at once.  If God is our father, then we know that in this life and in the next life we will have time to receive the joy of everything.

  Since we cannot have everything, it means that we will lose some things.  We will lose favorite toys, we will lose our health when we get sick.  We lose important pets and people in our lives when they die.  And when we lose, we can learn to be happy when we are able to help other people when they lose things and when they are sad.  There is a joy that comes when we help others.

  Since this world is not perfect and since you and I are not perfect boys and girls or men and women, we must learn how to live with our not being perfect.  So, Jesus said that to be happy we have to forgive and be forgiven.  We have to have mercy.  That means saying, “I’m sorry” when I hurt someone or make a mistake.  That means I don’t stay mad at someone when they hurt me and when they say that they are sorry.

  Since there are so many different people.  And many people want the very same things, and we all believe different things; we can either fight or argue with people.  Or we can be people who make peace.  We make peace by sharing and by being fair.  Jesus said that we will be happy as children of God, if we learn how to make peace.

  Jesus said we will be happy if we have pure hearts.  What does not mean?  I think it means learning to want things in life for the right reasons.  Wanting to be strong to help the weak.  Wanting to be rich to help the poor.  And if we learn to do all things because we care for others, we will see God because that is how God is.  God is loving and caring.

  And then there is a very hard rule.  Jesus said, we are happy if we aren’t the bully.  It is better to be weak than to be strong and hurt other people.  Jesus said that we will find a great reward, if we refuse to be the bully and suffer for doing what is right.

  So, Jesus gave us rules for living in a world that is not perfect.  And we are not perfect either.  But even though we don’t live in a perfect world, we can follow these rules of Jesus and still learn to be happy.

  

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

January 29, 2017: The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Gathering Songs:

Here  In This Place, Christ Beside Me,  Just a Closer Walk, Peace Before Us

Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit

People: And Blessed be God’s Kingdom, Now and forever. Amen.

Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.

And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.

Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song: Here In This Place (Renew # 14)

Here in this place new light is streaming, now is the darkness vanished away; see in this space our fears and our dreamings brought here to you in the light of this day.  Gather us in the lost and forsaken, gather us in, the blind and the lame; call to us now, and we shall awaken, we shall arise at the sound of our name.

Here we are young, our lives are a mystery, we are the old who yearn for your face; we have been sung throughout all of history, called to be light to the whole human race.  Gather us in, the rich and the haughty, gather us in, the proud and the strong; give us a heart so meek and so lowly, give us the courage to enter the song.

Here we will take the wine and the water, here we will take the bread of new birth, here you shall call your sons and your daughters, call us anew to be salt for the earth.  Give us to drink the wine of compassion, give us to eat the bread that is you; nourish us well, and teach us to fashion lives that are holy and hearts that are true.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, you are able to rule all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear our prayer requests, and especially in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 Litany of Praise: Chant: Alleluia

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia

O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia

O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

A Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians

For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord.

Peope: Thanks be to God

Please read with me from Psalm 139

Put your trust in the LORD and do good; * dwell in the land and feed on its riches.

Take delight in the LORD, * and he shall give you your heart's desire.

Litany of Thanksgiving: Chant: Thanks be to God!

Litanist:

For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!

For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!

For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!

For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!

For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!

For work and for play. Thanks be to God!

For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!

For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!

For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.

   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Jesus taught his disciples these lessons:  You will be happy in God’s kingdom if realize that you are not the only person in the world, but you are rich with friends and the presence of God.  You are happy and comforted when you help others, because your sad experience now helps you to minister to those who are sad.  You are happy when you don’t hoard the gifts of this earth, since God is your father, you will inherit everything.  You are happy when you desire justice as much as you desire and need food and water, because you will be full of joy.  You are happy when you forgive others because then you will know that God forgives you too. You will be happy when you do everything with the best motive for then you will see God everywhere.  You are happy if you are always making peace, because that proves that you are sons and daughters of God.  You are happy if you are mistreated when you are standing for justice, because doing justice means that you are a citizen of the kingdom of heaven.  You are happy and can rejoice even when things are said against you because you follow me; remember that you are not alone.  Many great prophets have been mistreated too.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon:

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany of Asking:  Chant: Christ, have mercy.

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be sick. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Youth Liturgist:          The Peace of the Lord be with you always.

People:                        And also with you.

Offertory: Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering

 Offertory Song:  Christ Beside Me   (Renew! # 164)

1          Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me—King of my heart;  Christ within me, Christ below me, Christ above me—never to part.

2            Christ on my right hand, Christ on my left hand, Christ all around me—shield in the strife:  Christ in my sleeping, Christ in my sitting, Christ in my rising—light of my life

3          Christ be in all hearts, thinking about me, Christ be on all tongues, telling of me; Christ be the vision, in eyes that see me, in ears that hear me, Christ ever be.

4  Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me—King of my heart; Christ within me, Christ below me, Christ above me—never to part.

Doxology (Stand)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host.

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist.

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

All are born into the family of God by Baptism.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his family to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.

Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we

   Forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.  Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

(All may gather around the altar)

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat

  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as  

  this food and drink that becomes a part of us.

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Bless and sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, “Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this Holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ; and that his  presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By  Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory

 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing, (Children may rejoin their parents and take up their instruments)

Our Father (Sung): (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed by thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:       Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration.

Communion Song: Just A Closer Walk With Thee (LEVAS # 71)

Chorus: Just a closer walk with thee, Grant it Jesus, is my plea, Daily walking close to thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

I am weak but thou art strong; Jesus keep me from all wrong; I’ll be satisfied as long As I walk, let me walk close to thee.

Through this world of toil and snares, If I falter, Lord, who cares?  Who with me my burden shares?  None but thee, dear Lord, none but thee.

When my feeble life is o’er, time for me will be no more; Guide me gently, safely o’er to Thy kingdom shore, to thy shore.

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;

We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.

And His Presence has been known to us.

We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers

    and sisters in Christ.

Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the

     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,

As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: Peace Before Us (Wonder Love and Praise # 791)

1-Peace before us, peace behind us, peace under our feet.  Peace within us, peace over us, let all around us be peace.

2-Love before us…. 3-Light before us….4-Christ before….

Dismissal:   

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ. 

People: Thanks be to God!