Sunday School, October 27, 2024 23 Pentecost, B proper 25

  Sunday School, October 27, 2024   23 Pentecost, B proper 25

 

Themes

How does everyone do the work of a priest?  A priest is one who prays for others.  In the life of Job, we are told that Job’s fortunes turned when he prayed for his friends.  The lesson of Job shows us that we need to turn everything that happens to us into prayer for others.  Why?  Because the things which happen to us also happen to others.  It means we share common life experiences with each other and so when we have a hard time, we should not just feel sad for ourselves we should also remember that there are other people who will have a hard time as well.  And if we turn our experience to the opportunity for prayer, then we will not feel sorry for ourselves, but we will have faith to believe our lives are connected with other people.

So let us remember our lives are given to us to pray for each other and so in our prayer we act like priests.

The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that Jesus was the best priest of all because he shared our lives and he prayed for us and he continues to pray for us.  Jesus knows how we feel because he lived through some very difficult times.  And so he understands us.

The Gospel story is about Jesus healing a blind man and giving him his sight.  The Gospels tell us that Jesus is the Light of the world and because of his teaching he helps us to see better how we should live.  Education is like light and receiving our sight.  As we learn more we can see how to do more things and live better lives.  Our ignorance is like blindness and as we learn more we receive new sight.

Jesus came to help us to learn more and see our lives better.  We are like Bartimaeus because we are always asking Jesus to open the eyes of our understanding so that we can understand what we should do and say.

A sermon on Seeing

  I want for us to pretend for a while that we cannot see.  Let’s close our eyes and pretend that we are blind, just like the man Bartimaeus.

  When you close your eyes, everything is dark, isn’t it?  Can you imagine living like this all of time?  How could you play?  How could you watch the television?  How could you get dressed? How could you eat?  You and I would have to learn how to do things in special ways if we were blind.

  We might have to get a seeing-eye dog to help lead and guide us to the right places.  People who are not able to see are heroes.  When they learn how to adjust to being blind and keep their hope and their happiness they inspire us to be thankful and also they teach us to live with faith and hope in our lives.

A person who is blind teaches us to never give up at trying to live well in our lives.

  So even though the blind man Bartimaeus had lost his seeing, he did not lose his faith and his hope.  He had more faith and hope than the other people who could see.

  And he had faith and hope to ask Jesus for a favor.  And even when people tried to keep him away from Jesus, he only cried out with more faith and more hope.  And Jesus did a great favor for him.  He helped him to see again.

  I hope that you and I never lose our ability to see.  But in our lives we sometimes will lose some very important things.

  But let us remember that when we lose important things, there are some things that we never have to lose:  We never have to lose faith, or hope, or love, or friendship.  And if we never lose faith or hope, we will be able to know that God is always close to us.

  Can you remember today, always to have faith and hope?  No matter what happens?  These are special gifts from God that we never have to lose.  Amen.

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

October 27, 2024: The Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Open Our Eyes; I Want to Walk As a Child of the Light,  Jesus, Name Above All Names; May the Lord

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: Open Our Eyes, Lord   (Renew! # 91)

Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus, to reach out and touch him and say that we love him.  Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen, open our eyes Lord, we want to see Jesus.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Litany Phrase: 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 book of Job

And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then there came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they ate bread with him in his house; they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him; and each of them gave him a piece of money and a gold ring.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 104

I will bless the LORD at all times; * his praise shall ever be in my    mouth.

I will glory in the LORD; * let the humble hear and rejoice.

Proclaim with me the greatness of the LORD; * let us exalt his Name together.

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 Mark

People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus and his disciples came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you." So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again." Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon:  Fr. 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.

Song: I Want to Walk As a Child of the Light, (Renew # 152)

1          I want to walk as a child of the light; I want to follow Jesus.  God set the stars to bring light to the world; the star of my life is Jesus.  Refrain: In Him there is no darkness at all, the night and the day are both alike.  The Lamb is the light of the city of God: Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

2          I want to see the brightness of God; I want to look at Jesus.  Clear Sun of righteousness, shine on my path, and show me the way to the Father.     Refrain

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.

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.

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,

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 Song:  Jesus, Name Above All Names, Renew! # 26

Jesus, Name above all names, beautiful Savior, glorious Lord,

Emmanuel, God is with us, blessed Redeemer, Living Word.

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: May the Lord (Sung to the tune of Edelweiss)

May the Lord, Mighty God, Bless and keep you forever, Grant you peace, perfect peace,

Courage in every endeavor.  Lift up your eyes and see His face, Trust His grace forever. 

May the Lord, Mighty god Bless and keep you for ever.

Dismissal:   

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

People: Thanks be to God! 

  

God in the Whirlwind of Life

22 Pentecost b P.24 October 20,2024
Job 38:1-7, (34-41) Psalm 104:1-9, 25, 37b
Hebrews 5:1-10 Mark 10:35-45

Lectionary Link

In the wisdom book of Job which challenges the shallow idea that good luck is the defining sign of God's love and blessing, Job is presented as the example of bad things happening to a good person.

The various dialogues between Job and his friends, God and Satan, and Job and God are warnings to human beings about being too certain of causality in all manner of things, especially in presuming to know in precise and full ways why bad or good things happen to anyone.

In the last dialogue of God speaking to Job, God does so from the whirlwind, the storm, the tempest.  In a twister all things are put in motion and they lose their permanent location.  All one can do is to watch the spinning and wait for things to land into a location.  The realm of probabilities is the possibility of all things in time getting shuffled and rearranged, particularly from the perspectives that have been familiar to us.  What probably can happen to us and anyone can and will surprise and baffle us at times in our lives particularly when we've gotten used to sameness of the things which have been happening to us.

God from the whirlwind bespeaks to me of the great whirlwind of the body of probabilities which confronts us at anytime in this life.  In this great body of probabilities, all infinite things are in infinite causal relationships with each other, so how can we as particular and limited beings understand precise causality in the great realm of probabilities?

The writer of the book of Job essentially proclaims that Plenitude of Possibilities and Probabilities is too great for us to know because we don't have the capacity to bear them. Hence, we need to be very careful about presuming to know too much about what causes all specific things.

Bad things can make us victims, but when people assume that bad things happen because we have done something bad, then we are made twice the victims.  How can coping and healing and recovery happen when we are made twice the victim by people who victimize people with bad luck by piling guilt upon them?

How are you and I to relate to God as this great realm of probabilities?  We cannot help but be worshipful like the Psalmist.  "O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness! you are clothed with majesty and splendor." God's greatness is the complete realm of probabilities of creative freedom and this is awesome. We cannot help but be humble and humbled about the genuine freedom of things to happen.

Like Job, we can often wonder if we have an advocate, a lawyer, a redeemer, in the midst of this great realm of what can probably happen.

The witness of the Gospel is that Jesus is the advocate and redeemer of humanity. How so? By being the priest of God to humanity. The writer of the book of Hebrews understands Jesus to be the priest of God to humanity? And what does being such an eternal priest mean, as opposed to the mere temporal priesthood of the Levites or of the church? It means God taking on an intercessory identity with human experience. It is the emptying of omni-probability into a particular probable person Jesus who is made completely vulnerable to the human cycle of birth to death. And he is known in the afterlife as a foretaste of our future afterlife. In short, Jesus is the funneled emptying of the divine into serving the entire human condition, to show a way to live through the varying probabilities of what can happen to any of us.

From the Gospel of Mark to the writer's community, the words of Jesus re-echoed the service nature of what it means to best as a human being. The disciples of Jesus are presented as people who want to be served with high positions in a triumphant Christ the King Empire. And Jesus said, "Wrong, my kingdom, my realm is within the actual conditions of human probabilities, and within this realm, to be your human best is to be one who serves others.

Jesus says that we are given ministry as wisdom, power, knowledge, and material resources to serve those who do not have the same to experience the needed dignity and joy of life. We are called to an enlightened view of causality which is: We are to exercise the ministry of causing justice, forgiveness, peace, and the well being of the vulnerable people in life with the gifts of our lives.

Jesus was the priest of God to this world, the church is the priest of Christ to the world, and the church has particular ordained priests, not to exhaust what priesthood means, but to remind the church about her priestly ministry. Our priestly ministry is to have a identity with people for the purpose of intercession and insightful service to their needs.

Let us embrace the service ministry to which we are called and commissioned by Jesus Christ. We do not know all probabilities in the whirlwind of life, but we do know that with the gift of service to others, we can be in the flow of causing future goodness. Amen.

Sunday School, October 20, 2024 22 Pentecost B proper 24

  Sunday School, October 20, 2024  22 Pentecost B proper 24

Themes:

God spoke to Job out of a whirlwind and stated the obvious:  “Job, you are not God.  You are not big enough or smart enough to understand everything or why everything happens.”

Discussion:

What do we do when we feel small?

How do we accept the fact that we have limitation?

How do we accept the fact that we cannot know why everything happens?

It should be easy for us to realize that we are small because the world that we live in is so big and great, it overwhelms us with awesomeness.

We want to know that this great big world which can be frightening can also be very friendly to us.  We believe in God because we believe that what is Awesome can also be friendly.

One of the ways in which we don’t handle our smallness is that we want to prove that we are better than other people.  Perhaps if we can make ourselves more important that other people we will not feel so small.

The disciples James and John wanted to have a higher place in the life of Jesus than their friends.  So they asked Jesus if they could be the closest and most important people to him.  Jesus reminded them that this was not the way to become important or to feel important.  The way to become important was to serve and help each other.  Because we are all so small in this Awesome Great World, we need to pull together and help each other.  This is how we can feel good and important.  We can become very important if we help others.

Jesus was called a great High Priest, not because he tried to be great, but because He was God who decided to appear in the small world of men and women as a Person.  As a Person he showed us that the Awesome and Great God is friendly, kind and loving.  Jesus was a Great High Priest, not because he asked to be great but because he was great in serving others.

So how can we handle our sense of being small in this great and awesome world?  We can know that there is a Great and Awesome God who is a Friendly Presence in our World and who gave us Jesus to show us how friendly God is.

We can handle our sense of being small by serving each other through love and kindness.

Sermon on “Me first” or “We first”

The disciples of Jesus were fighting about having the best seats, closest to Jesus.  And were saying, “Me first.”

  Have you ever said, “Me First?”  Do you ever want to have the best seat?  Do you ever want to be the first in line?  Do you ever want to have the biggest piece of cake?  Do you ever want to win the race?  Do you ever want to win all of the games that you play with your friends?  Do you ever want to have more toys than all your friends?

  As little babies we are born in this world saying, “Me first.”  As babies we need to have food and clothes and a house and everything given to us.  As babies we cry when we need things and mom and dad wait on us and give us everything that we need.

  So as babies, we always act like we are saying “me first.”

  So how do we know when we are growing up?  We are growing up when we get taller and stronger, when we learn to walk and talk and go to school.

  But there is another way that we grow up.  It’s when we learn to say, “We first” and not just“me first.”

  It is very hard to change from “me first” to “we first.”  If we have a younger brother or sister, we have to let Mom and Dad share their time with baby brother and sister.  And so we learn how to share.  We learn how to say “we first” not “me first.”

  When we go to school, there may be only two swings on the playground and there may be 20 students.  So one person cannot be on the swing for all of the time.  We have to share the swings so that everyone gets a turn.  We learn to say, “we first, not “me first.”

  Remember if God said, “me first.”  God would not have created this world.

  Remember if parents said, “me first,” they would not ever have children.  Because to have babies and children, a parent cannot say, “me first” but “we first.”

  Jesus tried to teach his disciples a lesson.  He said to live best is to change from “me first” to “we first.”  “We first” means that we learn to share with other people.

  We come each Sunday to this meal the Holy Eucharist to remember that Jesus is teaching us to go from saying, “me first,” to “we first.” Because when we share, we are all first and best together.

  Can you say, “We first?”  I will learn how to share.  Amen.

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

October 20, 2024: The Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: The Lord Is Present, I Got Peace Like a River,  I Love you Lord, Awesome God

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: The Lord Is Present  (Renew! # 55)

The Lord is present in his sanctuary, let us praise the Lord.  The Lord is present in his people gathered here, let us praise the Lord.  Praise him, praise him, let us praise the Lord.  Praise him, praise him, let us praise Jesus.

The Lord is present in his sanctuary, let us sing to the Lord.  The Lord is present in his people gathered here, let us sing to the Lord.  Sing to him, sing to him, let us sing to the Lord.  Sing to him, sing to him, let us sing to Jesus.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Litany Phrase: 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 book of Job

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind: "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements-- surely you know!  Or who stretched the line upon it?  On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy? "

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 104

Bless the LORD, O my soul; * O LORD my God, how excellent is your greatness! you are clothed with majesty and splendor.

You wrap yourself with light as with a cloak * and spread out the heavens like a curtain.

You lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above; * you make the clouds your chariot; you ride on the wings of the wind.

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 Mark

People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They replied, "We are able." Then Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."  When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon:  Fr. 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.

Song: I’ve Got Peace Like a River (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 122)

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…. 

3          I’ve got joy……

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.

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.

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 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 Song:  I Love You, Lord (Renew! # 36)

I love you Lord, and I lift my voice to worship you, O my soul, rejoice!  Take joy, my King, in what you hear:  may it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear.

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! 

 

Asking for what One Already Has

21 Pentecost b P.23 October 13,2024
Job 23:1-9, 16-17 Psalm 22:1-15
Hebrews 4:12-16 Mark 10:17-27

Lectionary Link

What if I am asking for something that I already have?  Like, God, will you let me in this room?  But Phil, why are you asking for something that you already have?

St. Paul is quoted in Acts of the Apostle in saying, "we live and move and have our being in God."  And yet many, many people are asking, "God, what can I do to live and move and have my being in God?"

God is the big Container in whom we live.  God as such a container is an everlasting container with an everlasting memory, so like the Psalmist wrote, there is no place that anyone can go that would be devoid of God's presence.

So what's the problem?  The problem is living our lives and not being aware of what always, already is, namely God's presence as the great and expanding Container of everything.

Not being aware of our location in the divine is serious psychological and spiritual alienation.  The rich young man came to Jesus wanting affirmation in his ability to earn God's favor.  "Jesus, I've been good.  I've kept the rules, and I want you as a teacher to confirm my goodness.  Is there anything else that I need to put on my resume of goodness?"

That was a very dangerous question to ask Jesus.  If anyone thinks that we earn a blessing from God by doing good works, then one misses the point.   If you think that works gets you an eternal blessing, then Jesus is going to give you the next hard work to do.  So, he said to the rich man, "sell all you and give to the poor, and follow me in the lifestyle that I live."

Jesus then remarked that it is difficult for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God.  And that baffled the disciples who inherited the common belief that wealth was a sign of God's blessing.  If God is blessing one with wealth, surely that is evidence that one is in the kingdom of God.

Job was a very wealthy man; surely that meant that God favored and blessed him.  But the story of Job is that outwards signs of success does not equate with God's blessing.  Why?

Because the blessing of God and being in the kingdom of God is prior to whatever may happen to anyone.

The poor rich man who came to Jesus seeking recognition was alienated from what he already had.  He already was a son of God made in God's image.  He already lived and moved and had his being in God.  His problem was being alienated from the original grace and blessing in life in thinking that he had to do more to attain what he already had by grace.

Jesus was the Son of God yet he lived without a home, and he died upon the cross with his followers believing he repeated the Psalmist lament, "My God, why have you forsaken me?"  What kind of blessing and inheritance is a death upon a cross?

The truth of Jesus is that he was the human form of God coming into full identity with human experience, and yet remaining God's Son who lived in God's creation, God's kingdom.  He came to show us that we need not be alienated from our original blessing as children of God and as living in creation as the wealth of God's kingdom, God's realm.

The young rich man needed a converting enlightenment to realize that he could do nothing to become someone whom he already was.  He by birth was a son of God;  he by birth lived and moved and had his being in God, in God's realm.

Let us today accept our birthright as children of God.  Let us accept the wealth of living and moving and having our being in God's realm.

But let us lives as best as we can accepting the blessing of God and loving God with all our hearts, and loving our neighbor as ourselves.  What seems humanly impossible is the original possibility given to us by God our heavenly parent who has given us a divine realm to live in both in life and death.  Amen.

Job 23:1-9, 16-17

Job said:

"Today also my complaint is bitter;
his hand is heavy despite my groaning.

Oh, that I knew where I might find him,
that I might come even to his dwelling!

I would lay my case before him,
and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would learn what he would answer me,
and understand what he would say to me.

Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
No; but he would give heed to me.

There an upright person could reason with him,
and I should be acquitted forever by my judge.

"If I go forward, he is not there;
or backward, I cannot perceive him;

on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him;
I turn to the right, but I cannot see him.

God has made my heart faint;
the Almighty has terrified me;

If only I could vanish in darkness,
and thick darkness would cover my face!"

The Psalm

Psalm 22:1-15

Deus, Deus meus

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? *
and are so far from my cry
and from the words of my distress?

2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not answer; *
by night as well, but I find no rest.

3 Yet you are the Holy One, *
enthroned upon the praises of Israel.

4 Our forefathers put their trust in you; *
they trusted, and you delivered them.

5 They cried out to you and were delivered; *
they trusted in you and were not put to shame.

6 But as for me, I am a worm and no man, *
scorned by all and despised by the people.

7 All who see me laugh me to scorn; *
they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying,

8 "He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him; *
let him rescue him, if he delights in him."

9 Yet you are he who took me out of the womb, *
and kept me safe upon my mother's breast.

10 I have been entrusted to you ever since I was born; *
you were my God when I was still in my mother's womb.

11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, *
and there is none to help.

12 Many young bulls encircle me; *
strong bulls of Bashan surround me.

13 They open wide their jaws at me, *
like a ravening and a roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water;
all my bones are out of joint; *
my heart within my breast is melting wax.

15 My mouth is dried out like a pot-sherd;
my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; *
and you have laid me in the dust of the grave.


Hebrews 4:12-16

The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The Gospel

Mark 10:17-31

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’” He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”