The Love that is Awesome Is God

4 Epiphany  C   January 30, 2022

Jer. 1:4-10 Ps.71:1-6

1 Cor. 13:1-13   Luke 4:21-32

 Lectionary Link

 

Logically, we can understand why many people choose first Corinthians 13 to be read at their weddings.  It is after all, the Love chapter.  But if we read it carefully, we should be awesomely overwhelmed, because it expresses the humanly impossible standard of such love.

 

Thank you St. Paul!  You who never were married, decided to write impossible standards of love for those of us who have become married.

 

This love essay of St. Paul is no quaint Country and Western Prose.  It not enough that the Greeks gave us four words for love; eros for the energy of attraction among people.  phileo for friendship love, for liking our favorite people;  storge was the word for family love, and agape is the profound unconditional love, that is so unconditional that it is believed to be divine love, and divinely inspired love.

 

Obviously, the church in Corinth had the loves of attraction, family, and friendship, but these natural loves had their limits.  The problem in the Corinthian church was not the lack of people having gifts; the problem was the ability of people who were gifted in living together well.  And this what brought about St. Paul's great writing about another kind of love, a love that was needed beyond our natural love.

 

And what kind of love was needed?   A "Love wass patient; love that was kind; love that was not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. That didn’t insist on its own way; was not irritable or resentful; it did not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoiced in the truth. Love that bore all things, believed all things, hoped all things, endured all things."

 

This description of love seems to make it humanly impossible; it is so sublime.  And it is even horrifying to consider the extent of such love.  A love that bears all things is horrifying.  Think of all the horrendous events in the history of people, the extreme events of inhumanity.  And love has had to bear all this?  This kind of Love is about the great dilemma of life, and I would also say it is a divine dilemma too.  What is the dilemma?  How can God and we tolerate the full range of probable things which can happen in life?  How can God's love tolerate the conditions of freedom?  Is forbearing and enduring love incompatible with freedom, since so many things happen in the field of freedom which seem to contradict what love should permit.

 

But with God, Love and freedom co-exist, because the meaning and worth of love is dependent upon the reality of freedom.  If there is no freedom, then the world would be like an automatic machine of behaviors and happenings without moral significance.

 

Love and freedom co-exists because moral significance is crucial to living itself, and to human living.

 

St. Paul is writing to the church and in effect saying, "Because we know how bad we can be in living together, we need to freely explore how good we can be in living together.  And to do so we need help from God's divine love, not just to tolerate and forgive our failures, but to work hard at doing lovely things together, the projects of kindness, gentleness, goodness, self-control, patience, and faithfulness.

 

When Jesus went to his own hometown, he experienced the failure of family love and brotherly love.  His own people seem to be jealous of his reputation for doing really good things.  The early church believed that the rejection of the goodness of Jesus by some, brought the goodness of Jesus to those whom had been foreign to the love of God which had become known to the people who had been given the Hebrew Scriptures.

 

The Love of God is never forced upon anyone; it is forbearing and enduring, and it will continue to be offered wherever it will find acceptance.

 

Let us be today, people who say yes to the Love of God.  The Love of God will not go away, it will bear everything, endure everything, and keep hoping for the very best use of human freedom.

 

May God help us today to receive continually the great gift of God's love so that we might honor in the very possible way the true significance of moral freedom.  Amen.

Sunday School, January 30, 2022 4 Epiphany C

 Sunday School, January 30, 2022  4 Epiphany C

Themes

A wrong excuse:  I’m too young to do something important for God

Being envious

Love

Sometimes we think that we live in a world controlled by adults and so only adults can do important things.  Only adults need to do important things for God.  A child might think, “I’m too young to do something important for God.”

The prophet Jeremiah tried to use this excuse when God called him.  “He told God, “I am only a boy; I can’t do something for God that is as important as what an adult could do.”

Assignment:  What can children do for God in their home and family, at school and in their parish church.  Acolytes, liturgists, watching younger children and special community projects.  Make a list of what children do in your parish church and inform the adults about the importance of the children in the church.

Jesus went back to his hometown and his hometown were envious of his fame and so they did not accept him.

Sometimes if our brother or sister or close friend receives awards, attention or honor, it is hard for us to accept, because we know the person really well and we don’t think that he or she is “that much better” than we are and so it is a temptation for us to be jealous and envious of the gifts and talents of those who are close to us.  We also need to remember that the reason we have gifts and talents is to share them with our community to make our community better and not to make us feel more important than others.  Jesus came to his hometown to share his gifts but his old friends did not accept what he wanted to give them because they were jealous.

St. Paul wrote about Love:  He said that “Love is not envious.”    This is also what he wrote about love: “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”  St. Paul wrote to a church in Corinth where people where arguing about who had the best gifts and talents.  He wrote that gifts and talents were not worth anything if they were not accompanied by love.  He wrote that Love is the greatest thing. We should all try to grow in love.

There are three kinds of love that are found in the New Testament:

Love as the magnetic attraction between people.

Friendship love, like when we have favorites or best friends.

But the third kind of love is the kind of love that God has for this world and the kind of love that Christ has shown us.  It is a special love which means we have to treat everyone fairly and with justice even if they are not are favorites or if they are not attractive to us.

We have to love people whom we don’t like or attracted to us.  This is that third kind of special love.

Why do we have to love people whom we don’t like or are not attracted to?  Because we want them to do the same for us.  Not everyone is attracted to us and not everyone likes us as their best or good friend, but we still want them to treat us with kindness and respect and fairness.

Sometimes it is hard to respect people who are not our favorites but this special kind of love is the love from God.  God is love because God’s heart is big enough to make everyone God’s favorite.

We need to continually learn how to make our heart grow larger to be able to love more and more people.

A Sermon:

  How would you define a good student?  Someone who studies hard, does their homework and is always ready to learn new things.

  How would you define a good baseball player?  Someone who can throw a baseball far, hard and accurate.  Someone who can hit homeruns.  Some who can run fast.  Someone who can win the world series.  They are the best baseball players.

  How would you define or talk about a good dancer?  Some one who practices a lot of ballet steps and movements.  Some one who becomes so good that they can dance on the stage with a famous ballet company.

  How would you define a good inventor?  Some one who can design and make new things?

  How would you define a good artist?  Someone who learns how to paint or draw and learns how to create beautiful paintings and sculptures.

  But how would you define a good Christian?  How would you define someone who is following the teaching of Jesus Christ?

  St. Paul wrote about it.  He wrote about the greatest ability in the world.  And do you know what St. Paul said was the greatest thing in the world?

  He said that love was the greatest thing in the world.  St. Paul wrote that we can have many talents and skills, but if we don’t have love, then our talents are not worth anything.   What makes our lives perfect is when we add love to all of our gifts and talents and abilities.

  What is love?  Love is how we should live with God and how we should live with each other.  What is love?  Love is how we act when we are patience, kind, forgiving, cheerful and respectful.

  Jesus said that there are only two rules in life:  Love God with all of your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.  And so if we want to be good Christians, then we will spend our lives learning how to love God and one another.

  Are we to ever stop loving?  No, because love never ends.

  Remember to be a good Christian, we have to always be learning how to love.  God gives us many gifts and talents, and with all of our gifts and talents, we also need to learn how to love.  Love is what is perfect in life.  Whatever we do in our lives, we need to have love accompany it.

  So what is the greatest thing in the world?  Love.  And God is love and God ask us to learn how to love in our lives.  Amen.

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

January 30, 2022 The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Gathering Songs: Jesu, Jesu; I’ve Got Peace Like a River; The Gift of Love; If You’re Happy

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

People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever.  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: Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love, (Renew! # 289)

Refrain: Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love, show us how to serve the neighbors we have from you.

Kneels at the feet of his friends, silently washes their feet, Master who acts as a slave to them.

Neighbors are rich and poor, neighbors are black and white, neighbors are near and far away.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and 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

Liturgist: A reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 71

For you are my hope, O Lord GOD, * my confidence since I was young.

I have been sustained by you ever since I was born; from my mother's womb you have been my strength; *my praise shall be always of you.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

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 Luke

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus read from the book of the prophet Isaiah, and began to say, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" He said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Doctor, cure yourself!' And you will say, 'Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.'" And he said, "Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

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 Phrase: 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 ill. 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 always with you.

People:                        And also with you.

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

Offertory Hymn: I’ve Got Peace Like a River (All the Best Songs, # 195)

1-I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.  I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.

2-I’ve got love like an ocean, I’ve got love like an ocean, I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul.  I’ve got love like an ocean, I’ve got love like an ocean, I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul.

3-I’ve got joy like a fountain, I’ve got joy like a fountain, I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul.  I’ve got joy like a fountain, I’ve got joy like a fountain, I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul.

Children’s Choir:  Amazing Grace

Doxology

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.

Baptism is a celebration of birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends 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 to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God 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.

Children may gather around the altar

The Celebrant now praises God for the salvation of the world through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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.

The Prayer continues with these words

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: (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 be 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: 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 Hymn: The Gift of Love   (Renew! # 155)

1-Though I may speak with bravest fire, and have the gift to all inspire and have not love: my words are vain; as sounding brass, and hopeless gain.

2-Though I may give all I possess, and striving so my love profess, but not be given by love within, the profit soon turns strangely thin.

3-Come, Spirit, come, our hearts control, our spirits long to be made whole.  Let inward love guide every deed; by this we worship, and are freed.

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: If You’re Happy and You Know It  (Christian Children’s Songbook  # 124)

1-If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.  If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.  If you’re happy and you know, then your face should surely show it, if you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.

2-If you’re happy and you know it make a high five.  If you’re happy and you know it, make a high five.  If you’re happy and you know, then your face should surely show it.  If you’re happy and you know it, make a high five.

3-Make a low five….

4-If you’re happy and you know it, shout, Amen!  If you’re happy and you know it shout, Amen!

If you’re happy and you know it, then your face should surely show it, if you’re happy and you know it shout, Amen!

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God! 

   

Love's Epiphany: "It's like déjà vu all over again."

4 Epiphany  C   February 3, 2019

Jer. 1:4-10     Ps.71:1-6

1 Cor. 13:1-13   Luke 4:21-32

Lectionary Link

I have been preaching the lectionary now for almost 38 years.  What does that mean?  It means that I am given four assigned readings each Sunday, two from the Hebrew Scriptures and the Psalms, one from the Epistles and one from the Gospel.  The assigned readings are supposed to fit the day and/or the season.  Some associations are "no brainers" like guess what readings and topics we are assigned on Easter and Christmas and Pentecost?  But in the ordinary times during the seasons of Epiphany and Pentecost, the associations don't seem so obvious.  Sometimes the readings like the ones for today are like disparate pictures thrown into a collage and handed to the preacher daring us to find connections and themes to try to bring in aesthetic insights into the Scripture collage of today's appointed readings.

And what is is our collage for today?  Let start with one of the greatest poetic utterances about love ever written.  And this was written by Paul who is also known for his highly didactic or teaching discourse or for his reproving exhortations to his misbehaving congregations.

His poem to love follows some church discipline issues in the Corinthian church.  Apparently the Corinthian church was a very spiritually gifted church, so gifted that people competed about the value and importance of their gifts.  But this situation is often the condition of the world; we have the creativity to go to outer space, create the internet and build nuclear weapons to destroy the world but we don't seem to be creative enough to feed and clothe or give housing and health care to everyone in the world.  So what's the problem?  The problem is that we need the regulating influence of great love.  Paul wrote about this great regulating influence of love.  And what can love regulate?  Love's influence embraced, has the power for people to check their egos at the door and rather than compete with their gifts, love inspires people to harmonize their gifts for the common good.

I have always been floored by this writing by Paul because of the startling profundity.  Like when he writes, "love believes all things."  What does that mean?  For me, it means that love is like the sun shining on the good and evil and all of the conditions of freedom found in our world.  So love is profoundly honest to the free conditions of the world.  This does not mean that love accepts everything as equal in value; love is accepting the entire field of values but love is the lure for us to choose the highest values.

Since love believes in all things, it instructs to be honest about all of the contradictions within the field of freedom.  The Gospel poses such contradictions, like the familiar love, familial love, hometown love that can morph into hateful jealous love and jealous love is a woeful contradiction.   Jesus preached in his hometown synagogue and proclaimed that his life calling was to bring good news.  How did many in his hometown respond?  "Jesus, you've gotten too big for your breeches.  You're just Joe and Mary's boy."  What did the hometown folk full of badly skewed jealous love do?  His hometown folk wanted to throw him off a cliff and kill him before his time.  And isn't this what probably killed Jesus?  Jealousy about the genius and profundity of his wisdom, authority and deeds.  The good news of the life of Jesus became a threat to people who were jealous and threatened by such profound goodness.

There are better responses to the great love of God in Jesus Christ.  Being jealous is a total waste and misuse of life energy.  What is a better response?  To be called by great love to find one's ministry, mission and purpose in life.  The love of God calls us to find out who we really are as our destiny and when we discover our destiny we have the eternal sense that it always was supposed to be.  The prophet Jeremiah and the psalmist confessed that when they discovered their calling they felt like God had known them from the womb and from the time when they were completely clueless about their destiny.  When we are clueless about our purposes and destinies, we can be sure that God who is love has and knows our purpose and destiny.  And we await for the epiphanies to discover our purpose and destiny.  We await to say in the words of the master of malapropisms, Yogi Berra, "It's like deja vu, all over again!"

As gifted and as talented as we might be as people, the love which Paul wrote about is also very honestly humble: "Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

According to Paul, love makes us humble relativists.  In classical and many forms of modern philosophies, it is a supreme insult to be called a relativist.  But St. Paul makes the profound confession of a relativist; he wrote, "now I see only in part."  Paul and anyone can only see in part.  Relativism is admitting to having only partial knowledge.  No human being has the capacity to be all-knowing.  We can only know in part; we can only be relativists.  But what can we also know?  We can know that our part is related to the greater whole, the greater plenitude.  And so it is more honest to confess that the greater Plenitude knows us than to say that we know the fullness of Plenitude.  So the love written about by St. Paul invites us to the natural humility of admitting our partial knowledge.

And if our knowledge and our gifts are partial, it does not mean that they are insignificant.  Each one us is invited to an epiphany of the love Christ to discover our purpose and our destiny for being here in the congregation of fellow Christians.  We are to arise and take up our gifts for the benefit of this parish and we are to look to this great love to orchestrate our gifts so our egos don't get in the way.  This is how we are to grow to be more perfect in love together.

When Jesus went to his hometown, people who were jealous wanted to kill him out of their lives.  Jesus comes to this place, here and now as another one of his hometowns.  Let us welcome him as the Lord of Love who is with us to help us find our personal destiny and our destiny as a parish going forwards.  Amen.

Sunday School, February 3, 2019 4 Epiphany C

Sunday School, February 3, 2019  4 Epiphany C

Themes

A wrong excuse:  I’m too young to do something important for God

Being envious

Love

Sometimes we think that we live in a world controlled by adults and so only adults can do important things.  Only adults need to do important things for God.  A child might think, “I’m too young to do something important for God.”

The prophet Jeremiah tried to use this excuse when God called him.  “He told God, “I am only a boy; I can’t do something for God that is as important as what an adult could do.”

Assignment:  What can children do for God in their home and family, at school and in their parish church.  Acolytes, liturgists, watching younger children and special community projects.  Make a list of what children do in your parish church and inform the adults about the importance of the children in the church.

Jesus went back to his hometown and his hometown were envious of his fame and so they did not accept him.

Sometimes if our brother or sister or close friend receives awards, attention or honor, it is hard for us to accept, because we know the person really well and we don’t think that he or she is “that much better” than we are and so it is a temptation for us to be jealous and envious of the gifts and talents of those who are close to us.  We also need to remember that the reason we have gifts and talents is to share them with our community to make our community better and not to make us feel more important than others.  Jesus came to his hometown to share his gifts but his old friends did not accept what he wanted to give them because they were jealous.

St. Paul wrote about Love:  He said that “Love is not envious.”    This is also what he wrote about love: “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”  St. Paul wrote to a church in Corinth where people where arguing about who had the best gifts and talents.  He wrote that gifts and talents were not worth anything if they were not accompanied by love.  He wrote that Love is the greatest thing. We should all try to grow in love.

There are three kinds of love that are found in the New Testament:

Love as the magnetic attraction between people.

Friendship love, like when we have favorites or best friends.

But the third kind of love is the kind of love that God has for this world and the kind of love that Christ has shown us.  It is a special love which means we have to treat everyone fairly and with justice even if they are not are favorites or if they are not attractive to us.

We have to love people whom we don’t like or attracted to us.  This is that third kind of special love.

Why do we have to love people whom we don’t like or are not attracted to?  Because we want them to do the same for us.  Not everyone is attracted to us and not everyone likes us as their best or good friend, but we still want them to treat us with kindness and respect and fairness.

Sometimes it is hard to respect people who are not our favorites but this special kind of love is the love from God.  God is love because God’s heart is big enough to make everyone God’s favorite.

We need to continually learn how to make our heart grow larger to be able to love more and more people.

A Sermon:

  How would you define a good student?  Someone who studies hard, does their homework and is always ready to learn new things.

  How would you define a good baseball player?  Someone who can throw a baseball far, hard and accurate.  Someone who can hit homeruns.  Some who can run fast.  Someone who can win the world series.  They are the best baseball players.

  How would you define or talk about a good dancer?  Some one who practices a lot of ballet steps and movements.  Some one who becomes so good that they can dance on the stage with a famous ballet company.

  How would you define a good inventor?  Some one who can design and make new things?

  How would you define a good artist?  Someone who learns how to paint or draw and learns how to create beautiful paintings and sculptures.

  But how would you define a good Christian?  How would you define someone who is following the teaching of Jesus Christ?

  St. Paul wrote about it.  He wrote about the greatest ability in the world.  And do you know what St. Paul said was the greatest thing in the world?

  He said that love was the greatest thing in the world.  St. Paul wrote that we can have many talents and skills, but if we don’t have love, then our talents are not worth anything.   What makes our lives perfect is when we add love to all of our gifts and talents and abilities.

  What is love?  Love is how we should live with God and how we should live with each other.  What is love?  Love is how we act when we are patience, kind, forgiving, cheerful and respectful.

  Jesus said that there are only two rules in life:  Love God with all of your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.  And so if we want to be good Christians, then we will spend our lives learning how to love God and one another.

  Are we to ever stop loving?  No, because love never ends.

  Remember to be a good Christian, we have to always be learning how to love.  God gives us many gifts and talents, and with all of our gifts and talents, we also need to learn how to love.  Love is what is perfect in life.  Whatever we do in our lives, we need to have love accompany it.

  So what is the greatest thing in the world?  Love.  And God is love and God ask us to learn how to love in our lives.  Amen.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

February 3, 2019 The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Gathering Songs: Jesu, Jesu; I’ve Got Peace Like a River; The Gift of Love; If You’re Happy

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

People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever.  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: Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love, (Renew! # 289)

Refrain: Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love, show us how to serve the neighbors we have from you.

Kneels at the feet of his friends, silently washes their feet, Master who acts as a slave to them.

Neighbors are rich and poor, neighbors are black and white, neighbors are near and far away.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and 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

Liturgist: A reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 71

For you are my hope, O Lord GOD, * my confidence since I was young.

I have been sustained by you ever since I was born; from my mother's womb you have been my strength; *my praise shall be always of you.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

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 Luke

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus read from the book of the prophet Isaiah, and began to say, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" He said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Doctor, cure yourself!' And you will say, 'Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.'" And he said, "Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

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 Phrase: 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 ill. 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 always with you.

People:                        And also with you.

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

Offertory Hymn: I’ve Got Peace Like a River (All the Best Songs, # 195)

1-I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.  I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.

2-I’ve got love like an ocean, I’ve got love like an ocean, I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul.  I’ve got love like an ocean, I’ve got love like an ocean, I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul.

3-I’ve got joy like a fountain, I’ve got joy like a fountain, I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul.  I’ve got joy like a fountain, I’ve got joy like a fountain, I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul.

Children’s Choir:  Amazing Grace

Doxology

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.

Baptism is a celebration of birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends 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 to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God 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.

Children may gather around the altar

The Celebrant now praises God for the salvation of the world through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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.

The Prayer continues with these words

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: (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 be 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: 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 Hymn: The Gift of Love   (Renew! # 155)

1-Though I may speak with bravest fire, and have the gift to all inspire and have not love: my words are vain; as sounding brass, and hopeless gain.

2-Though I may give all I possess, and striving so my love profess, but not be given by love within, the profit soon turns strangely thin.

3-Come, Spirit, come, our hearts control, our spirits long to be made whole.  Let inward love guide every deed; by this we worship, and are freed.

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: If You’re Happy and You Know It  (Christian Children’s Songbook  # 124)

1-If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.  If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.  If you’re happy and you know, then your face should surely show it, if you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.

2-If you’re happy and you know it make a high five.  If you’re happy and you know it, make a high five.  If you’re happy and you know, then your face should surely show it.  If you’re happy and you know it, make a high five.

3-Make a low five….

4-If you’re happy and you know it, shout, Amen!  If you’re happy and you know it shout, Amen!

If you’re happy and you know it, then your face should surely show it, if you’re happy and you know it shout, Amen!

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God!