Christ As A Study in Authority and Power

18 Pentecost, a p 21, October 1, 2023
Exodus 17:1-7 Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16
Philippians 2:1-13 Matthew 21:23-32

Lectionary Link

The Christian presentation of God is ironically about the voluntary weakness of God.  And this might seem oxymoronic since the definitional essence of God would mean that God has no rival in power and authority.

Our common notion of power and authority involve persons or entities which are able to dominate, suppress, oppress, intervene anywhere at will and enforce their willful desires upon anyone.  This means our common notion of power means being able to be an individual or a corporate tyrant.

Certainly Machiavelli tried to dress up the ugliness of a tyrant's power with appearances of power diplomacy but the common political meaning of power, is how to get one's power goals by any means possible.

God in Christ in the presentation of his life is a very counter notion of power and authority.

The Gospel interlocutors asked Jesus by what authority he was doing what he did, in his teaching and in his healing, and in his new presentation of what God wants of us.  How Jesus answered was by implying that the authority healing is in effect upon the person healed and the authority of teaching in the enlightening effect upon the learners life.  He did this by asking them about the authority of John the Baptist.  The ministry of John the Baptist had gained a crowd and the success of baptism and repentance in the lives of people was a legitimizing authority and it was so significant that the interlocutors of Jesus did not want to question the authority of John's success.

Where then does authority come from?  It comes from doing the will of God.  Not saying that we will do the right things, but actually doing what is right.  The parable of Jesus indicates that there were people who could not get their words and deeds to line up.  Some said that they would do right but didn't, others initially said they would not do what is right, but then became converted to do what was right.  There is an authority which comes in doing what is right.

The location of where authority is found is in will to act.  What is the crucial feature of authority?  The freedom to act.

And this brings us to the ironic authority and power of God in Christ as it is expressed the famous hymn found in the letter to the Philippians.   The authority of the divine is seen in being emptied into the experience of the human person Jesus.  This bespeaks the voluntary weakness of God in being submitted to the free conditions of living within an incredible field of probabilities.  And one probability was the God-human being completely emptied into the experience of death, the seeming state of having no authority, no power, in the state of lifelessness.  The weakness of God is the power of a totally free Being, God, sharing a degree of freedom with everyone and everything and submitting to those very conditions of freedom.  This is what accounts for moral significance, the honoring of the true conditions of freedom in this life.  This is what makes human choices truly worth something.

And now we are called to the same ironic power of God in Christ.  Where we have power, knowledge, and wealth, we are not suppose to grasp equality with these symbols of power as our identity; rather we are to empty the power, knowledge, and wealth into service on behalf of those who don't have enough.  The witness of Christ to power is to equalize the spread of dignity among the people of the world through knowledge, sharing of wealth, and the empowerment of the value of their lives for the well being of the community.

Just as the power of Christ seemed to be nothing compared with the Caesar and the agents of the Roman Empire, today we have the same situation for those who advocate Christly power.  The tyrants and the hoarding greedy wealthy and fame hounds seem to define what power and authority mean today.  Meanwhile in myriads of ways countless numbers of people are using their power to empower other people through plain everyday ordinary service.  It may not be flashy or noticed but every child who gets tended to exemplifies the kind of power of the humility of Christ who always, everywhere inspires sacrificial service.

We live in this weakness of God, which is known as the sacrificial power of service to others to equalize the spread of manifold gifts which are present within this world.  This sacrificial power is known and manifested in the freedom to do the will God, which is the promotion of love and justice in this world.  Let us discover this emptying grace which gives us the power over selfishness and impels us to serve those in need.  Amen.

Sunday School, October 1, 2023 18 Pentecost A Proper 21

  Sunday School, October 1, 2023  18 Pentecost A Proper 21

Theme:  Learning to make our actions agree with our words.  Discuss the importance of verbal contracts.  If we say we're going to do something, then we need to do.  And also remember when we say we will not do something, we can still change our minds and do the right thing.  Talk about the practical promises children make regarding home chores and school homework.

  Exercise:  With News print.  Have the children list some times they have made promises and broken them.  Have them list things that they say they would not do, but went ahead and did anyway.  But then have them list the things which they promised to do and did, so as to show them how their words and deeds need to be in agreement.

Puppet Show:

Matching Words and Deeds

Noah:  Okay animals, you need to brush your teeth.  There is lots of bad breath on this ark and so you need to brush your teeth.  Ally, please brush your teeth.  Mrs. Noah will help you.

Ally: No, I won't.  I've got more teeth to brush and it takes me too much time.  I won't do.

(Ally, goes away but then sneaks in and lets Mrs. Noah brush his teeth)

Noah:  Roary, go brush your teeth.

Roary: Okay, Mr. Noah.  I will brush my teeth.

(Roary does not brush his teeth)

Noah: Tookey, please go brush your teeth.  Mrs. Noah will help you.

Tookey: Okay, Mr. Noah, I'll get my teeth brushed.

(Tookey goes to Mrs. Noah and gets her teeth brushed)

Noah: Shem, please go and get your teeth brushed.

Shem: No, I will not go. And I won't get my teeth brushed.

(Shem refused to get his teeth brushed)

(Later Noah returns)

Noah:  Okay, it is now inspection time for your teeth.  Ally, let me see your teeth.

Ally: Okay.

Noah: Very good Ally.  You said that you would not brush your teeth but you decided to get them brushed.

Noah: Okay Roary, let me see your teeth.  Your teeth did not get cleaned.  You told me you were going to brush your teeth but you didn't.  I am disappointed with you.

Roary:  Oh, Oh I must have forgotten.  How about if I brush just once a week?

Noah: That won't do.  Your breath smells awful.  Okay Tookey.  What about your teeth?  Wow, your teeth are very clean.  And you did exactly what you said you were going to do.  I'm very proud of you.  Okay Shem.  Let me see your teeth.

Shem: I told you that I wasn't going to brush my teeth and I didn't do it.

Noah:  Well, I am very disappointed Shem.  You need to learn to say and to do the good things for your life.  Brushing your teeth is good for the health of your teeth.  You need to follow the good rules.

Noah:  Okay boys and girls.  We have learned that it is good to say and do good things in our life.  Which animal said I will brush my teeth and he also did it?

Tookey:  I did.

Noah:  Well let's give Tookey a hand.

Noah:  Who said that he would not brush his teeth but he went and brushed his teeth anyway.

Ally: I did.

Noah: That's good Ally but you need to remember to say yes to the good rules for your life.

Still, Ally brushed his teeth so let's give Ally a hand.  Okay, who said that he would brush his teeth but he didn't do it?

Roary: I did.  Sorry.  I told you I would because I did not want to hurt your feelings.

Noah:  But my feelings are still hurt because it is important that you take good care of your teeth.  And by saying that you would brush them and not doing it, you lied to me.  You need to work on your obedience Roary.  Okay, now who said that they would not brush their teeth and didn't do it?

Shem: I did.  I don't want to brush my teeth.  It takes me too long.

Noah:  Shem you have to learn how to follow rules.  The rule to brush our teeth are for the protection of your health.  You need to learn to honor the rules and do them.  So boys and girls, we have learned a lesson.  We need to learn how to make our words agree with what we do.  This is how we can live honest and truthful lives.  Can you remember that today?

Family Liturgy

Gathering Songs: Do Lord; Thy Word; May the Mind of Christ, Our Savior; Awesome God

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: Do Lord  (Christian Children’s Songbook,  # 42)

1.    I’ve got a home in glory land that outshines the sun.  I’ve got a home in glory land that outshines the sun.  I’ve got a home in glory land that outshines the sun, ‘way beyond the blue.

Refrain: Do Lord, oh do Lord, oh, do remember me.  Do Lord, oh, do Lord, oh, do remember me. Do Lord, oh, do Lord, oh, do remember me, way beyond the blue.

2.    I took Jesus as my Savior, you take Him too. I took Jesus as my Savior, you take Him too. I took Jesus as my Savior, you take Him too, ‘way beyond the blue.  Refrain

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:          And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Alleluia (chanted)

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 Letter of Paul to the Philippians

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus…

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 78

Hear my teaching, O my people; * incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

We will recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the LORD, *
and the wonderful works he has done. 

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 Matthew

People:          Glory to you, Lord Christ.

When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, `From heaven,' he will say to us, `Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, `Of human origin,' we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet." So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.  "What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, `Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' He answered, `I will not'; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, `I go, sir'; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him."

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. (chanted)

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.

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 Music:  Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling,   

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 our 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 up 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.

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 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, 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:  May the Mind of Christ, My Savior, (Renew! # 285)

1.    May the mind of Christ, my Savior, live in me from day to day, by his love and power controlling all I do and say.

2.    May the word of God dwell richly in my heart from hour to hour, so that all may see I triumph only through his power.

3.    May the peace of God, my Father, rule my life in everything, that I may be calm to comfort sick and sorrowing.

4.    May the love of Jesus fill me as the waters fill the sea.  Him exalting, self abasing: this is victory.

5.    May we run the race before us, strong brave to face the foe, looking only unto Jesus as we onward go.

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: Awesome God, (Renew! # 245)

Our God is an awesome God, he reigns from heaven above, with wisdom, power and love our God is an awesome God.  (Sing three times)

Dismissal:   

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

People:      Thanks be to God! 

The Authority of Charismatic Kindness

17 Pentecost, a p 21, September 27, 2020

Exodus 17:1-7 Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16
Philippians 2:1-13 Matthew 21:23-32

Lectionary Link

Do you know what can often make us jealous, if we are insecure?  The charisma of someone else, especially if they are in our own field of "expertise."  We might have the degrees and the positions of authority, but then someone comes along who just is so charismatic that they get through to people and get such a response, that it makes us a bit jealous.  A real sign of emotional and spiritual maturity is when one can rejoice in the gifts and charisma of other people, especially if it is being used to help people and made them better.

Today, appointed Gospel is an argument motivated by jealousy.  Religious leaders were jealous of the appeal and the effectiveness of the ministry of Jesus.  They were jealous because they saw the response of people to his ministry of teaching and healing, and his ministry inclusion which included the declaration of sins forgiven.

"Jesus, where do you get the authority to practice your ministry, your teaching, your healing?  Show us your Seminary Diploma.  Did you graduate from the Shammai or Hillel rabbinical tradition?  We know that you didn't, so what gives you permission to teach without being licensed by us?"

Now the answer in John's Gospel to this was: "I do the work that my Father gave me to do."  But in this Matthew account, he did not want to play their game.  He only exposed their jealousy.  

"You want to know about my authority?  Well, what about John the Baptist?  In his authority, he required everyone to get baptized, even you observant Jews.  Was his authority to require baptism from God or was it just his own charismatic whim?"

Jesus stumped them because they only thought politically.  "If we say John's baptism is not from God, we have to worry about his popularity among the people.  And if we say John's baptism is from God, then we would have to accept the charismatic authority of Jesus to teach, preach, heal and declare the forgiveness of sins."

Then Jesus told a parable to contrast the end results of religious authority.  One type of religious authority resulted in hypocrisy.  The other type of authority resulted in a person repenting and changing his life.

Jesus was implying that some religious authority was a public proclamation of doing God's will, but in the practice of love and justice, God's will was not obeyed.  So, one could be religiously and ritually observant seeming to be say, "yes" to God, but then in one's actual behaviors one could be a complete hypocrite.

The charismatic authority of Jesus was appealing to the people who were publicly saying "no" to God, but in their actions they were converted to repentance and doing the right thing.

What is the conclusion?  Do we have the grace of charismatic authority to appeal to people's lives to change their lives?  Changed from being avowed deniers of God into being repentant people engaged in do acts of obedience to the Good News of God in Christ?

Jesus was saying, "authority is the charisma to help people change their no words, into yes actions."    And that is the kind of charismatic authority which we seek.  Charismatic means grace filled; we are charismatic when we can live the love and kindness of God before others in such a way that they want to become better people.

How does this happen?  The Christological hymn of St. Paul about Jesus gives us some insights.  Jesus is God emptied in human life; God reduced for humans to perceive and understand that God wants us to live up to the divine image on our lives.  God, in Jesus, is the invitation to find our Good News and change our negative words and experience the power of doing positive deeds.

You and I need to find through identity with Christ this emptying method; it is when we can empty our egos by making them fluid and encompassing in a way to let other people in so that they can be won by kindness, acceptance and love.

God has won us in Jesus by emptying the divine life into human form.  We too, are called to empty ourselves so that we can live our lives with winsome appeals to others so that they can know that they want to be better.

Today, you and I are invited to find the authority of the charisma of love and kindness in our lives.  It is an authority that cannot show up on a diploma or certificate.  It is the authority of winsome kindness, which cannot be faked.  Let us empty ourselves today so that the authority of charismatic kindness can be winsome in the lives of others today.  Amen.