"Be Made One"-- yesterday's sermon from John 17: 20-26

Yesterday I was at Fort Oglethorpe UMC for communion Sunday, the 7th Sunday of Easter, and Ascension Sunday.  The preaching focus wasn't really on the Ascension, though one could note that if we are focusing on Christ, then it all fits together, somehow.  I did share a little about the Ascension.

In this post I will include the songs that were sung, the bulletin cover, and a few reflections.

This wasn't my last Sunday at Fort Oglethorpe UMC, but it was my last communion Sunday.  In fact, that means it was my last communion Sunday in the parish.  Unfortunately, I didn't think about that the last time I was at Flintstone and Simpson for communion, which was Easter Sunday.  If I had, I might have done things differently.

I didn't really do things differently yesterday at FOUMC, except that I offered the opportunity for folks to be anointed with oil and receive prayer after they received communion, if they would like. At FOUMC, the laity serve communion, so that freed me up to offer oil and prayer.  I have offered both at the other churches in the past.  I may have done so at FOUMC too, but I don't recall in the moment.

From my perspective, yesterday was a meaningful worship experience-- from the songs sung, to the music played during communion-- mother and daughter combination of piano and violin, respectively, to the prayer for the mission buckets, to the sharing of communion at the table, to the hearing of the word, to visiting with folks before and after the service, etc.  (Not in that order.)

Below is the transcript of the sermon, the recorded sermon, the songs sung/played during the sermon, and the bulletin cover.

May you find something to encourage and edify you in your journey,

Debra

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Recorded sermon: "Be Made One"

“Be Made One”

John 17:20-26 (CEB)

June 2nd, 2019 (Communion Sunday/7^th Sunday of Easter)

Fort Oglethorpe UMC

John 17:20-26 (CEB)

²⁰ “I’m not praying only for them but also for those who believe in me because of their word. ²¹ I pray they will be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. I pray that they also will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me. ²² I’ve given them the glory that you gave me so that they can be one just as we are one. ²³ I’m in them and you are in me so that they will be made perfectly one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you have loved them just as you loved me.

²⁴ “Father, I want those you gave me to be with me where I am. Then they can see my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

²⁵ “Righteous Father, even the world didn’t know you, but I’ve known you, and these believers know that you sent me. ²⁶ I’ve made your name known to them and will continue to make it known so that your love for me will be in them, and I myself will be in them.”

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THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD.

THANKS BE TO GOD.                      

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Today is the 7^th and final Sunday in Easter. 

Today is also considered Ascension Sunday, with Ascension being Thursday, May 30. [explain—our scripture doesn’t coincide with this, however]

The act of Ascension (Jesus literally rising into the sky) is less important than what it signifies — his enthronement, his being exalted to the right hand of the Father, and his authority in heaven and on earth.

Like the Resurrection, the Ascension of Christ is not primarily a historical proposition we investigate to prove or disprove, but instead an article of our faith in God's history with us and our history as God's people. It is affirmed in all the ecumenical creeds on a par with the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ. "He ascended into heaven affirms the core Christian conviction of the fullness of Christ's reign now and in the age to come.

Since Ascension Day always falls on a weekday (always on Thursday), many of our congregations transfer the readings and the celebration of this day to the following Sunday (June 2^nd, Seventh Sunday of Easter)

A FEW NOTES:

Be made one—from verse 23.

One—4x

Love(d)—4x (CEB)

The prayer begins at the end of Jesus’ farewell meal (Keeping Holy Time, year C, 197).  He stopped speaking with his followers and began to pray.  Farewell prayer for original disciples, yet a prayer that enlarges the circle beyond them to include many in the days to come.

Thus, it is a prayer not just for those in his immediate hearing, but for those who came afterwards, for us, and for those with whom we continue to share the love and light of Christ.

The table continues to expand and grow larger.  Imagine that!?!

What do we see from this passage as Jesus’ vision for the church?

How might we pray?

Colossians 3:15 reminds us: “May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this you were called together as parts of one body.”

If we are truly one body, connected, is there unity in Jesus Christ?

“We are One in the spirit/They’ll Know We are Christians”—though not in the UMH, it is in “The Faith We Sing” and many of you may know it, as it was a good ‘old camp song for many years and recently sung by Jars of Clay:

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah they'll know we are Christians by our love

UMH 560, Fred Kaan—“Help us accept each other as Christ accepted us; teach us as sister, brother, each person to embrace.  Be present, Lord, among us, and bring us to believe we are ourselves accepted and meant to love and live.” 

Help us accept each other

as Christ accepted us;

teach us as sister, brother,

each person to embrace.

Be present, Lord, among us

and Bring us to believe:

we are ourselves accepted

and meant to love and live.

Teach us, O Lord, your lessons,

as in our daily life

we struggle to be human

and search for hope and faith.

Teach us to care for people,

for all - not just for some,

to love them as we find them

or as they may become.

Let your acceptance change us

so that we may be moved

in living situations

to do the truth in love;

to practice your acceptance

until we know by heart

the table of forgiveness

and laughter's healing art.

Lord, for today's encounters

with all who are in need,

who hunger for acceptance,

for justice and for bread,

we need new eyes for seeing,

new hands for holding on:

renew us with your Spirit;

Lord, free us, make us one!

Make a friend “campaign” that Pastor Justin has started…. How that ties in with what we did/tried to do with “Get Their Name”—

1. Get their name

2. Start a conversation

3. From an authentic relationship over time

4. Lead to a faith moment / sharing

5. Invite to come and see

6. Let the Holy Spirit take it from there

How are you doing in making new friends?  Are you still stuck at where to start?  Why not start in the shopping plaza right next door?  There are employees at each store.  What about the schools across the street?  We already have a connection with the high school through feeding the football players and the band and allowing them space here for testing.  We have one student still there.  What if a couple of folks intentionally made connections with the school?  I wonder if the teachers there need encouraging or prayer?  What can we, as the local church, the church right across the street, do / be for the students and staff?

Yesterday was Rachel Held Evan’s funeral, held at 1^st Centenary UMC.  I wasn’t able to go nor was I able to watch the live stream.  A friend went and shared with me some of the details.  She shared the benediction, the farewell prayer with me. It is a fairly long one, so I won’t share all of it.  However, as we contemplate Jesus’ farewell prayer for us to be one, I think these words from the benediction at Rachel Held Evan’s service tie in well for our consideration:

“Blessed are the agnostics.  Blessed are they who doubt.  Blessed are those who have nothing to offer.  Blessed are the preschoolers who cut in line at communion.  Blessed are the poor in spirit.  You are of heaven and Jesus blesses you.

Blessed are those whom no one else notices.  The kids who sit alone at middle-school lunch tables.  The laundry guys at the hospital.  The sex workers and the night-shift street sweepers.  The closeted.  The teens who have to figure out ways to hide the new cuts on their arms.  Blessed are the meek.  You are of heaven and Jesus blesses you.

Blessed are they who have loved enough to know what loss feels like.  Blessed are the mothers of the miscarried.  Blessed are they who can’t fall apart because they have to keep it together for everyone else.  Blessed are those who “still aren’t over it yet.”  Blessed are those who mourn.  You are of heaven and Jesus blesses you.

I imagine Jesus standing here blessing us because that is our Lord’s nature.  This Jesus cried at his friend’s tomb, turned the other cheek, and forgave those who hung him on a cross.  He was God’s Beatitude—God’s blessing to the weak in a world that admires only the strong.

Jesus invites us into a story bigger than ourselves and our imaginations, yet we all get to tell that story with the scandalous particularity of this moment and this place.  We are storytelling creatures because we are fashioned in the image of a storytelling God.  May we never neglect that gift.  May we never lose our love for telling the story.  Amen.” (Benediction at Rachel Held Evan’s service by Nadia Bolz-Weber on 6/1/19 at 1^st Centenary UMC, Chattanooga, TN, bulletin)

This was read by Nadia Bolz-Weber at the service, who shared that the last three sentences were written by Rachel.  Indeed, they come from her book, “Inspired” n page 164—“We are storytelling creatures because we are fashioned in the image of a storytelling God.  May we never neglect that gift.  May we never lose our love for telling the tale.”

Jesus constantly invites us into the story and to the table.  We are reminded today of Jesus’ final prayer for us to be one and how we need each other in community. 

As we prepare our hearts and minds to come to the table, hear this closing prayer shared this week, on Wednesday morning, from a colleague that he got from the Daily Prayer App (Common Worship: Daily Prayer) of Church House Publishing, a publishing house of the Church of England.

     

Grant to your people, good Lord,
the spirit of unity,
that they may dwell together in your love,
and so bear to the world
the ointment of your healing and the
dew of your blessing;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

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Songs:
Gathering Hymn "Standing on the Promises" -- UMH 374

Praise Music: "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High"

"Oceans"

Special Music-- "He's Everything"

Closing Hymn-- "Seek Ye First"-- UMH 405

Call to Worship:

L: I tell you this:

It is a wonderful thing when members of the family

live together in love and peace.

P: They shall be like trees planted beside flowing rivers.

L: May the church be one, just as Christ and God are one,

that Christ may be glorified in us.

P: They shall yield good fruit in its season,

and their leaf shall never wither.

L: The grace, mercy and peace, of the Lord Jesus,

be with you all.

P: And also with you.

~Bruce Prewer

https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2012/04/call-to-worship-prayer-easter-7b.html

Be Imitators of God-- August 12th sermon from Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Last week's sermon (8/12) continued the Ephesians message and was "Be Imitators of God".  During the week I felt led to do something different during the Benediction and after a conversation, decided to go for it.

At the end of the service I went down in front of the altar railing (as is normal when I stay at Flintstone).  But then I gave instructions for everyone to move from their pews to form a circle around the section of pews to my left, allowing some who needed to stay seated on the back pew to do so.  I mentioned that as they were moving to get in place, the song that was coming up on the screen was "They Will Know We Are Christians".  I asked them to join in with the chorus or more if they knew it.  The version I chose included Scripture throughout the video.  Though I had intended to used invitational language and invite rather than instruct, all joined in, except our next to youngest, who was in the middle of us all.  Usually he participates in everything from helping with the offering and giving out hugs.  But last week he stayed put.  The beauty of the moment was that, he, too, was in the circle.

At the end of the sermon, there will be a link to the song used for the benediction, as well as the song used at the beginning of worship, "Unfinished" by Mandisa. 

Here is the sermon, with the reminder that things were added or taken away.

Maybe there is something here to encourage you.

Blessings on your journey,

Debra

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“Be Imitators of God”

Ephesians 4: 25-5:2 (CEB)

August 12, 2018 (12^th Sunday after Pentecost)

Flintstone UMC

Ephesians 4: 25-5:2 (CEB)

²⁵ Therefore, after you have gotten rid of lying, Each of you must tell the truth to your neighbor  because we are parts of each other in the same body. ²⁶ Be angry without sinning. Don’t let the sun set on your anger. ²⁷ Don’t provide an opportunity for the devil. ²⁸ Thieves should no longer steal. Instead, they should go to work, using their hands to do good so that they will have something to share with whoever is in need.

²⁹ Don’t let any foul words come out of your mouth. Only say what is helpful when it is needed for building up the community so that it benefits those who hear what you say. ³⁰ Don’t make the Holy Spirit of God unhappy—you were sealed by him for the day of redemption. ³¹ Put aside all bitterness, losing your temper, anger, shouting, and slander, along with every other evil. ³² Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ.

5 Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children. ² Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. He was a sacrificial offering that smelled sweet to God.

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THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD.

THANKS BE TO GOD.

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It sounds fairly simple, doesn’t it?  Be imitators of God.  Do what God does.  Live like God.  Act like God.  How simple is it? 

Today’s passage provides us with practical ways we can imitate God, ways in which we can live out godly action.  The passage starts off in 4:25 and begin to close in 5:1 with “therefore”.  Anytime you see a “therefore” in a verse, you want to ask yourself, ‘what’s it there for?’

Immediately prior to the beginning of the passage,  in verses 23 and 24, the apostle had told them, “renew the thinking in your mind by the Spirit ²⁴ and clothe yourself with the new person created according to God’s image in justice and true holiness.”  The first “therefore” leads into how to go about this transformation.  The second “therefore” follows all the ways to be imitators of God and reiterates once again what to be, how, and why.  The importance of the transformed life is highlighted here for us.

Let’s go through the passage again and see what things might help us be imitators of God.  Note that there is a mix of “dos” and “don’ts”.  What catches your attention most today?

--Get rid of lying.

--Tell the truth to our neighbor.

--Be angry without sinning. Wait.  Does that mean it’s okay to be angry?  Yes.  It’s what we do with our anger, how we act on it, what we allow it to do to ourselves and others that makes it not okay.  Notice that the passage reminds us to keep a short leash on anger—“don’t let the sun go down  (or set) on your anger.” This is to keep us from allowing it to fester or for bitterness to set in.  If we practice dealing with our anger and frustrations, then we are less likely to take it to the next level.

--Don’t provide an opportunity for the devil.  (This can go with the anger or stand on its own.)

--Don’t steal.

--Work.

--Don’t allow foul words to come out of your mouth.

--Only say what is helpful for building up the community. (Are you familiar with the expression, “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”?  It sounds similar to these two put together, doesn’t it?)

--Don’t make the Holy Spirit unhappy.  (Though it doesn’t give details here, we get that we’re not to…..)

--Put aside all bitterness, losing your temper, anger, shouting, and slander… and every other kind of evil (in case you were looking for a loophole.)

If these are mostly the don’ts  and what NOT to do, then, how are we to IMITATE God?  What does imitating God look like?

Some things have been given already, but the more positive focus comes next in verse 32:

--Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each another, in the same way God forgave you in Christ.  (Oh.  God forgave us in Christ and we are to imitate God by doing the same for others.  Hmmm.)

5:1—Reiterates how we are to live, as imitators of God, as dearly loved children.  Why as children?  Have you ever noticed how children so easily imitate?  They imitate facial expressions, sounds, tones, words, etc.  Just this past week, a meme (a picture with words came across my FB feed from Clergy Coaching Network):

Clergy Coaching Network, August 7th

--Children imitate us.  We teach them.  If we are to imitate God, what aspects of God’s character and God’s teachings are we imitating? 

Today’s passage ends with the best way we are to imitate God: “Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself up for us.”

To be an imitator of God means that we will live a life of love, as did Christ.  Christ gave his life out of love for us. 

Love.  Imitating God is about love.

Listen closely to these next two verses I’m about to share.  Don’t think you know them just because you start to hear them.  I’m reading from the New Living Translation:

¹⁶ “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

(John 3:16-17)

This is how God loved the world.  God loved the world through Jesus.  We are called to love the world too, as imitators of God.

What does loving the world look like for us?  In our times, in our community, in our work place, in our family, how do we imitate God?

“Imitating God” means putting our focus on the actions that flow from God’s character.” ~ Richard Ward (Feasting on the Word, 331) 

BENEDICTION: "They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love"

OPENING SONG: "Unfinished" by Mandisa

Abiding... United in Purpose

This morning I knew I needed to spend some time abiding, so I picked up my copy of Macrina Wiederkeher's Abide: Keeping Vigil with the Word of God, a Bible, and a cup of coffee.  I headed outside to the patio.  It was already warm, but still nice to be outside.

I found my place in the book.

I am nearing the end of it.  Chapter 5-- "Return to Your Original Love"

In the introduction for this chapter, there are words that challenge me: "How easy it is to allow the flame of our early devotion to be snuffed out because of busyness and deadlines." (168)  Yep.  There are times when it is a battle to make space to be with God, to listen to God, etc.  Sometimes I am able to carve out time.  At other times it isn't enough.  Truthfully, the busier it is, the more time I need carved out.  Isn't that a paradox.  I do try to go on walks so I can listen and pray.  I use the time in my car for that too.  Yet, that isn't always enough when there is so much going on. I know that I need to fully abide, to "Be still and know" (Psalm 46:10)

Actually, I know the time is coming soon for a day apart and I just need to go ahead and schedule it with The SoulCare Project.  If I schedule it, it will be on my calendar and I will go.

Back to this morning's abiding.

Today's reading is 1 Corinthians 3 and the title for Macrina's chapter is "United In Purpose".

The focus verse is verse 10.

This passage mentions the spiritually immature, not dealing with others or God in healthy ways.  It exhorts the believers to move beyond their personal desires and focus more on what is God's purpose and way.  There is more, but that's a start.  I linked to the passage above and from there you can choose whatever version you would like to read.  It starts out in The Message version on BibleGateway.

In Macrina's chapter she notes: "The fact that he is preaching these words suggests that Paul has been informed of disharmony and divisions in the community.  He has heard about their quarreling." (170)

Later she writes: "Paul's response to all this bickering was that they should make every effort to become united in mind and purpose.  They are to return to their original love and embrace again the moment they became one in Jesus Christ." (170)

That reminds me of the song "They Will Know We Are Christians".  If we are not showing love to one another in the body of Christ, if we are not loving God, then how can we love others?

This paragraph was food for thought for me:

"When we see the heartbreaking violence and evils enacted by well-educated and intelligent people in our world today, it does seem that the so-called wisdom of this world is absurdity.  We certainly are not united in purpose.  We are far from putting on the mind of Christ." ((171)

A challenging question: "What kind of transformation needs to take place in our lives in order for us to live without divisions?" (171)

In the "Reflection and Prayer" section, this question stood out to me above the others: "Is giving up your own will a part of your spiritual practice?" (174)

As I seek to live, love, and lead like Jesus, I desire to be united in purpose with others in the kingdom.  Loving God, loving others, and making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world is what it boils down to for me as I look at who Christ was, how he lived, what he said.

As Christ came to serve and not be served, may it be so with us.

As Christ said in John 6:38-- "for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me." (NRSV)

How do I see kingdom life? Here are some quick thoughts.  I see it that we are: to live, love, and lead like Jesus; to serve others; to love God and others; to do the will of God;  to be united in purpose; to be growing in faith; to be connected to the vine and connected in community.  

May it be so as the journey continues.

Peace and blessings to you on your journey, 

Debra

P.S.  You might desire to pray the closing prayer from this section.  Here it is:

"O Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,
It is love we need.  Your intent has always been to gather us together as one people.  How difficult it is for us to have one mind and one heart.  Look upon our hearts and minds so scattered and divided in their many loves. Plant in each of us a desire to be united with Jesus in a common purpose.  Make our longing for unity deeper than our longing to do our own will.  Give us a heart for others.  Give us the signs, the wisdom, and the love we need to learn the art of forgiveness, which is really the art of loving.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen." (174)