Sunday School, November 4, 2018 24 Pentecost B 26, All Saints Sunday
Themes:
All laws are not equal in importance. For example, it is more important not to kill
than not to jay walk, even though both laws have special use.
A religious man wanted to hear from Jesus about which laws
of the 601 laws were the most important.
Jesus said, “Love God and love your neighbor as yourselves.”
If we work to please God and do what is fair to our
neighbors all of the time, then we will be keeping the most important laws.
Some time we might like to replace religious laws for the
more important laws. For example, if
some people made an animal sacrifice to keep a religious law, would that stand
in place of having to tell the truth?
If we come to church because we think that it is a religious
law for us, do we think that we can lie and steal because we have gone to
church?
The practice of less important laws cannot replace the practice
of the greatest laws.
The saints are those who became famous models for us because
they were successful at keeping the law to love God and to love our neighbors
as ourselves. If that is what we are
doing in our lives, then we are learning how to be saints too.
Sermon
Today is All Saints
Sunday and in our lessons from Holy Scripture we have read about read about the
law. We read the charge that Moses gave
to the children of Israel. He told them
that when they went into the Promised Land, that the Law was to be the crucial
identity of their lives. Today, we
believe with the advent of the T-shirt, clothes became the billboard for
textual messages of all sorts. In our
day, a T-shirt allows a person to literally wear their language. But what is our relationship to the text that
we wear. What textual message could I
wear that I could live up to? My T-shirt
could read, “I am a gray and balding older man.” Well, that would be true.
Long before textual
T-shirts, the people of the Hebrew and Jewish faith have worn their texts. Part of the prayer costume for Jews includes
phylacteries. These are leather boxes
with the text of the Torah written within them.
They are strapped around the head and on the wrist. They literally are the worn text of the Torah
and they fulfilled this command of Moses:
“Bind the words of the commandments as a sign on your hand, fix them as
an emblem on your forehead.” In a very
symbolic way the writing of the commandments worn on the hand and the forehead
state the principle that the commandment cannot remain a dead letter upon the
page; the commandments has to take control of one’s thought life and the
commandments have to be internalized into our hands, into our actions and body
language.
What can happen
instead of the Torah living in our minds and in our actions? We can replace justice and fairness by devising
a series of religious ritual behaviors to stand in place of actually doing
justice. So, it became a practice to
make the religious sacrifices of the prescribed animals and that kind of
religious behavior was done, while the orphans and the widows went without
food. So prescribe religious ritual
behavior became a substitute for living a life of justice, compassion and
care. Ritual behavior is easier than
justice. It is very messy business to
try to bring justice to everyone. Clergy
are happy with ritual behavior; the ancient priests of Israel could get some of
the best cuts of meat for their own tables with the prescribed animal
sacrifices. Clergy can fund the church
and their jobs with prescribe obligatory religious and ritual behavior; okay so
you’re not perfect and justice is not realized in society, but just come, give
your tithe, make your confession, receive your absolution and go to Mass, and
you get a clean slate.
On All Saints Day,
we confess Jesus to be the Saint of Saints.
Jesus is the Law of all Laws.
When one speaks in generalizations about faith communities, one would
say that the Torah or the Law is central to Judaism. But what is central to Christianity is Jesus
Christ. In Jesus Christ, the message of
God does not come on stone tablets as written laws; in Jesus Christ, God comes
as embracing the entire personhood. What
is greater? Writing or Personhood? Even though language and writing are what
make human beings the unique creature, the appearance of God in a human being bespeaks
a belief that human beings can only access that which is greater than human
life, through human life. Our belief in
Jesus Christ is a belief that God does not just communicate through writing on
stone tablets; God embraces the entire human experience as a way for us to know
and celebrate the fact that being human, also means recognizing that life
involves a recognition of life that is more than human. It is the more than human life of God that
comes to us in the Jesus Christ.
And what it reveals to us is that in a world of time, we are
always invited to be More than we are right now. We are always invited to surpass ourselves in
excellence. Believing in God means that we
believe in the immensity of the quantity of future occasions of existence and
those future occasions invite us to further invention, further creativity,
further excellence.
The future will
likely change the details of human law of the past. Why?
Because love always requires the details and strategies of love to be
worked out in new situations. We write
laws and will continue to writer laws in new situations because love and
justice are not fixed states of what can ever be permanently attained. Practicing love and justice is never
completed; we have to keep at it again and again. As much as the founders of our country
believed in their laws that “all people were created equal” they were blinded
to achieve that in their actions as long as they accepted tacitly the practice
of slavery and the subjugation of women.
Our founders preached a beautiful law and justice but at the same time,
they did not fully realize law as a full completion of the work of justice.
This never finished
work of love and justice is perhaps the chief reason that Jesus settled for the
summary of all of the law into just two laws; love God and love your neighbor
as yourself. St. Paul did a similar
reduction when he said that love fulfills the law.
Does this mean that
love and law are opposed to each other?
Of course not. Law is the
strategy that love and justice need to be actually practiced. We write laws as approximations of what good
and just living means in actual practice.
And how do we know? Well, you ask
people; and people will tell you when they think something is fair or just in
how they are treated.
All of the written
laws can be reduced to love because love is not just having the law written as
text on a T-shirt. Love is not placing
little boxes of Torah on your forehead and hand. Love is when my hands perform deeds of kinds;
love is when my thought think thoughts of kindness. When our body language performs and acts
deeds of love and kindness, then we become living law. We become the law of love and justice.
And who is it who
was the perfect example in life of law and justice? It was Jesus Christ. He was the living law. He was God’s law in Person. He was love and justice personified. And on All Saints Sunday, who do we call
saints? We call saints those who
embodied love and justice in their very deeds.
These were not people who gave us legal texts on how we should live;
they were people who showed how to live by the example of their lives. They were “living laws.”
So on All Saints
Sunday, we are invited to personify the law and the justice of Christ. We can be articulate and brilliant in legal reasoning,
but law is most effective when we see it in practice. Children are perhaps the most impressionable
when they cannot speak and when they cannot read. So in the first three years of their lives
they are formed mostly by the people who model what it is to be human for
them. Parents and mentors are the living
law for the impressionable children.
But we never lose
our childlike impressionability; we forever have this need to be
impressed. And what are we most
impressed by? By the living practice of
love and kindness. We are impressed when
we experience justice and fairness.
All Saints Sunday is
a time to celebrate those who lived love and justice with their lives. It is a time for us to embrace what is
saintly in life. It is time for us to
internalize love and justice and let love and justice be lived through every
word and deed of our lives.
Today, we sing the
song of the saints of God, and we pray, “God help me to be one too. God help me to be love and kindness in word
and deeds.” Amen.
St. John the Divine Episcopal Church
17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Family Service with Holy Eucharist
November 4, 2018: The Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Gathering Songs: When the Saints; O Come Let Us Adore Him,
Jesus Stand Among Us; God Is So Good
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: When The Saints Go Marching In
When the saints go marching in, when the saints go marching
in. Lord I want to be in that number,
when the saints go marching in.
When the girls go marching in…..
When the boys go marching in….
Liturgist: The
Lord be with you.
People: And
also with you.
Liturgist: Let us
pray
Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your
faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run
without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for
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 Deuteronomy
Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. You
shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your
heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home
and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.
Liturgist: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 119
5 Oh, that my ways
were made so direct * that I might keep your statutes!
6 Then I should not
be put to shame, * when I regard all your commandments.
7 I will thank you
with an unfeigned heart, * when I have learned your righteous judgments.
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.
One of the scribes came near and heard the Saducees
disputing with one another, and seeing that Jesus answered them well, he asked
him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered,
"The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall
love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than
these." Then the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you
have truly said that 'he is one, and besides him there is no other'; and 'to
love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the
strength,' and 'to love one's neighbor as oneself,'--this is much more
important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus saw
that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom
of God." After that no one dared to ask him any question.
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 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 for the Offertory: O Come, Let Us Adore Him (Renew # 1)
O come, let us adore him; O come, let us adore him; O come,
let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
We’ll give him all the glory. We’ll give him all the glory; we’ll give him
all the glory, Christ the Lord.
For he alone is worthy.
For he alone is worthy. For he
alone is worthy, Christ the Lord.
We’ll praise his name forever. We’ll praise his name forever. We’ll praise his name forever, Christ the
Lord.
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
Stand Among Us (Renew # 237)
1-Jesus, stand among us in your risen power; let this time
of worship be a hallowed hour.
2-Breathe the Holy Spirit into every heart; bid the fears
and sorrows from each soul depart.
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: God is So Good (# 31 in All the Best)
1-God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He’s so
good to me.
2-He cares for me, He cares for me, He cares for me, He’s so
good to me.
3-I’ll do His will, I’ll do his will, I’ll do his will, He
so good to me.
4-He is my Lord, He is my Lord, He is my Lord, He’s so good
to me.
Dismissal:
Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.
People: Thanks be to God!
