Intro
Mia culpa, summer has kind of kicked my butt, so I am getting behind. For week 7, our Young Adult Volunteer did an excellent job preaching, and I did not write a blog post. The next week, we had Vacation Bible School, and I did not get to a blog post. This week, I have two funerals, and am getting to something, at least. It will not be as extensive as usual, but I will share what I have. Thanks for reading.
7. Responding to God’s Activity in the World Through Service to Others
Possible Scriptures
Isaiah 58:6-11
This one should be pretty familiar. Isaiah’s call on the people to join in the ‘fast’ of YHWH, to bring liberation, righteousness, and justice to those who need it. If God’s people will do what they are called to do, God’s glory will rise like the sunrise, and “you shall be like a watered garden” (clear allusion to the garden of Eden).
Matthew 25:31-46
Matthew’s famous parable of the sheep and the goats. This will be very familiar for those who have gone through the Narrative Lectionary this last year, and/or who are familiar with the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s Matthew 25 invitation, where there are a bunch of resources.
Sermon by Caroline Kothari
Worship Resources
Call to Worship (Matthew 25)
ONE: I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
MANY: I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.
Prayer of the Day
God of the poor, you see the suffering of your children, and provide for them through the hands of your children. You call us as servants, always ready to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, free the captive and enslaved, bind up the brokenhearted, and visit those confined. You so identify with the needs of your children that when we serve them, we are serving you. Help us to respond to your ongoing activity in the world through our service to others. Amen.
Hymn Suggestions
Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore (GTG 721)
Called as Partners in Christ’s Service (GTG 761)
Go My Children With My Blessing (GTG 547)
Together We Serve (GTG 767)
8. Living Responsibly in the Personal, Family, Vocational, Political, Cultural, and Social Relationships of Life
Possible Scriptures
Psalm 24
A Psalm of David claiming that God alone is enthroned above all. Everything ultimately belongs to God, which means that every part of our lives belongs to God.
“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”
― Abraham Kuyper
Jeremiah 29:1-14
Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles, letting them know that they are in it for the long-haul. Buy a house, plant a garden, start a family, and marry your children off. Seek the welfare of the nation to which God has sent you, for in its welfare, you will find your welfare. This is one of my favorites!
Romans 12:1-2, 9-21
I know that we read this one a few weeks ago, but it is such a good one, especially this idea of not being conformed to this present age (the current cultural assumptions/political situation), but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Politics Vs. Partisan
This was a major focus of my sermon, partially because of our current political climate (i.e. the real-time collapse of democracy), my particular ‘purple’ congregation, and the recent unpleasantness with a member (rooted ultimately in the fact that we vote differently).
‘Politics’ is a word that is often misused, and this is especially the case when there is an overlap of the world of politics and the world of religion. “Politics has no place in the church’ we hear, mostly because we are sick of ‘politics’ in every single other realm of our lives. However, Politics comes from the same Greek root as ‘Polis’ a Greek city-state, like Athens or Sparta. ‘Politics’ then has to do with the life of the city, the care of the people in it. So when the Hebrew prophets cried out against the elites because of the oppression of the poor, it was a deeply political statement. When Jesus told his disciples to share what you have with others, it was a political statement. When the early disciples declared that Jesus, not Caesar, was Lord, it was a deeply political statement.
When we say ‘politics,’ what we very often mean is ‘partisan’ holding up one political party or ideology (and the galaxy of other statements and issues that go along with that). Our world is deeply partisan, and everything, from Barbie to Bud Light, seem to be a battleground in the partisan war. In a partisan world, we see those who are aligned with the other side as enemy combatants, who have not faithfully come to a different conclusion, but those who are either too stupid to know that they have been manipulated, or are being outright evil and manipulative themselves.
Perhaps the church is the only place that we should be able to look across the aisle at one another and see one another as fellow followers of Christ and children of God, who happen to have different thoughts and opinions about the way that we should serve one another. This is the place that we should be able to have faithful disagreements, and listen to someone else’s perspective (even if we still disagree afterwards). It often is not that way, but our hope remains. Here we can recognise that we are not ultimately Republican, Democrat, (Forward, Green, No Labels, etc), or truly Independent; we are not even ultimately American (or whatever National identity we have); we are children of the kindom of heaven, called to serve the welfare of the city and nation in which we find ourselves.
Sermon
Worship Resources
Call to Worship (2 Corinthians 5:19-20)
ONE: In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself.
MANY: So we are ambassadors of Christ.
Prayer of the Day
God of exiles, you do not call us to be conformed to this present age, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. You call us to live out the gospel in our lives, bringing every aspect in line with your righteousness and grace. Help us to be ambassadors of your reconciling love in a world deeply divided. Amen.
Hymn Suggestions
Together We Serve (GTG 767)
Seek Ye First The Kingdom of God (GTG 175)
God of Grace and God of Glory (GTG 307)
9. Working in the World for Peace, Justice, Freedom, and Human Fulfillment
Possible Scriptures
Luke 1:46-55- The Magnificat
The Magnificat is Mary’s song of joy, surely inspired by Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2. In it she proclaims the justice of God that lifts up the lowly, as well as tears those who put themselves high down. It is a glorious song of God’s final judgment of the world that would be home at an Occupy rally. However, this is not a Marxist situation where the poor, having nowhere else to turn, eat the rich; this is ultimately a statement of hope and faith that the God of the Universe who redeemed the enslaved from Egypt will listen to the cries of the oppressed and make all things right.
Micah 6:1-7:7
This is perhaps one of the most famous texts in the Hebrew Scriptures. It begins with a court case, God is asking God’s people to give an account for their lack of righteousness and justice. We then have the statement of what God requires of humanity (something that has already been clearly stated), to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. Chapter seven then explores the consequences of a lack of righteousness, a hunger that is never filled, inter-family and community strife, utter desolation (sounds kind of familiar doesn’t it?). I would highly recommend the Bible Worm Podcast on this text.
Worship Resources
Call to Worship (Micah 6:8 MESSAGE)
ONE: God has already made it plain how to live, what to do, what GOD is looking for in men and women.
MANY: It’s quite simple. Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously- take God seriously.
Prayer of the Day
God of the oppressed. You call us to righteousness in our relationships, to treat you, our friends, our family, and complete strangers well. You call us to justice, to be fair in our practices, and to treat everyone with equity. You call us to humility, not thinking of ourselves as better than others. You call us to work in the world for peace, justice, freedom, and human fulfillment. Help us to lives lives worthy of your gospel. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Hymn Suggestions
O God of Every Nation (GTG #756)
Lift Every Voice and Sing (GTG #339)
Here I Am Lord (GTG #69 >nice<)