On the Way to Wonder

Prelude: Shine Jesus Shine, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3iB30gCqAc

Sunday, May 31, 2020
Day of Pentecost

Alleluia! Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Welcome to our virtual worship. The Lord be with you.

GATHERING

Confession and Forgiveness

If you were to keep watch over sins, O Lord, who could stand? Yet with you is forgiveness, and so we confess: (I invite you to reflect in the privacy of your home before a time of confession.)

Confession: Gracious God, have mercy on us. We confess that we have turned away from you, knowingly and unknowingly. We have wandered from your resurrection life. We have strayed from your love for all people. Turn us back to you, O God. Give us new hearts and right spirits, that we may find what is pleasing to you and dwell in your house forever. Amen.

Forgiveness: Receive good news: God turns to you in love. “I will put my spirit in you, and you shall live,” says our God. All your sin is forgiven in the name of ☩ Jesus Christ, who is the free and abounding gift of God’s grace for you. Amen.

 Gathering Hymn: Gracious Spirit Heed Our Pleading, ELW 401, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wiu5XjBsCz0

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Prayer of the Day

O God of glory, your Son Jesus Christ suffered for us and ascended to your right hand. Unite us with Christ and each other in suffering and in joy, that all the world may be drawn into your bountiful presence, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 Selection of the Faithful: Spirit of Gentleness, ELW 396,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTbQiUVdVMQ

Prayer of the Day

O God, on this day you open the hearts of your faithful people by sending into us your Holy Spirit. Direct us by the light of that Spirit, that we may have a right judgment in all things and rejoice at all times in your peace, through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

THE WORD

First Reading : Numbers 11:24-30

²⁴Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. ²⁵Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.
²⁶Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” ²⁸And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” ²⁹But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!” ³⁰And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Psalm: Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

²⁴How manifold are your works, O Lord!
In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
²⁵Yonder is the sea, great and wide, with its swarms too many to number, living          things both small and great.
²⁶There go the ships to and fro, and Leviathan, which you made for the sport of it.
²⁷All of them look to you to give them their food in due season. 
²⁸You give it to them; they gather it; you open your hand, and they are filled with good         things.
²⁹When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath,          they die and return to their dust.
³⁰You send forth your Spirit, and they are created;  and so you renew the face of the               earth.
³¹May the glory of the Lord endure forever; O Lord, rejoice in all   your works. 
³²You look at the earth and it trembles; you touch the mountains and they  smoke.
³³I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will praise my God while  I have my                 being.
³⁴May these words of mine please God. I will rejoice in the Lord.
^35bBless the Lord, O my soul. Hallelujah! 

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13

^3bNo one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.
⁴Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; ⁶and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. ⁷To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

Gospel: John 7:37-39

³⁷On the last day of the festival [of Booths], the great day, while Jesus was standing [in the temple], he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, ³⁸and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ ” ³⁹Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

         SERMON

         Today is Pentecost. Traditionally we read the Acts 2:1-21 passage about the coming of the Holy Spirit. Often the different nationalities represented in the congregation will read a part of that passage in their mother tongue, often at the same time giving the impression of glossolalia, but hopefully symbolizing that God speaks to all nations in their own language. People wear red signifying joy and the fire of the Holy Spirit. Red also symbolizes the blood of the martyrs who died for their faith. Today we are meeting as the church dispersed so some of these traditions are not quite as impactful.

Therefore, I have chosen to use the alternate texts recommended for today. I think there is a very real temptation to equate Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues. Christianity has used this outward experience at a certain historical event as a criteria to critique spiritual reality of others. We decide who’s in or out of God’s box based on speaking in tongues and do not focus on the person of the Spirit. Our first reading shows the Spirit active with the elders at the time of Moses. The second reading from Corinthians shares the early Christians understanding of the Holy Spirit after the events of Pentecost. Today I pray we can focus on the gift of the Holy Spirit and not on symptoms.

Pentecost (“pente” means 50 as Pentecost is 50 days after Easter) derives its name from the Jewish festival celebrating the harvest (Festival of Booths or Festival of Tabernacles) and the giving of the law on Mount Sinai fifty days after Passover. In other words, Jews from all over the world gather in Jerusalem yearly for this Jewish holiday.   So in our text today, John 7, Jesus is preparing his disciples for Acts 2. I doubt the disciples understood any better then than they understood anything else the significance and I doubt we understand the future either, even though God has talked about it.

In this text, before Jesus’ glorification, Jesus calls all who are thirsty to come to receive living water. On Pentecost the disciples were again gathered in an upper room after the crucifixion, after all the experiences with the risen Jesus, after all the questions and conversations. Peter and crew returned to fishing only to find Jesus on the beach with breakfast. Jesus, their hero, has sent them to Jerusalem to wait. How thirsty were these disciples for yet another experience of their Lord? How thirsty are we today as we come to worship? We too have been in “lockdown” for the last two months waiting for the opportunity to return to corporate worship. Pentecost helps us focus on our God who so touches our heart in the Gospels and life of Christ but also is present today in the Holy Spirit. Jesus calls out to the crowd to come to him for water, not to the temple.

I suspect that early in the gospel of John, the Holy Spirit was somehow experienced as the dove that descended at Christ’s baptism, as an aspect of God that came and went throughout the Old Testament but was heavily connected with God as “One” and not as “Trinity.” This verse connects faith, believing in Jesus, with our ability to drink, to take in or experience the Holy Spirit. The example that helps me understand this is the presence of electricity. Somehow electricity is flowing through my house, available but … it is only as I turn on a switch that I experience light, plug in my fan that I experience power, or turn on the TV that I experience news. The Holy Spirit, God, is available to all but it is faith that turns on the connection and it is thirst that drives us to seek. Then from our hearts flow the living waters, the good news that has come to us.

We turn to 1 Corinthians to understand what “rivers of living water” means.

1 Cor 12:3 talks about confession, “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.” One of the amazing aspects of Pentecost is the confession of Jesus by men who previously had been cowering in a room and to people of many nations in their own tongue! The Holy Spirit worked through barriers of fear, of language and of ignorance. Social distancing was eliminated. Not only were people no longer separated, but Jesus was glorified. The Jesus story is lifted up and explained and the cross begins to take on significance and power. Living waters are flowing into lives. People who hear the historical story of Easter, are convicted of their own sinfulness, repent, receive forgiveness and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38) The Holy Spirit becomes the link with God and allows for living waters, confession, to flow and glorify Jesus.

Corinthians continues to say, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; ⁶and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.”   Gifts, services, and activities are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Paul continues to enumerate examples but the part I find important is that the variety of expressions of the work of the Holy Spirit. Certainly people gifted with speaking in tongues are one form of experience of the worship experience but the Holy Spirit empowers people in many other unique and diverse ways. Even as people from all over the world understood the Gospel at Pentecost, each one of us will be an expression of “living water” in our own situation, in our own challenges, in the unique way God chooses to use us “for the common good.”

Perhaps one of the temptations when we talk about the Holy Spirit is to keep the focus on self and the benefits I receive – tongues, gifts, power – but I see the reminder that confession, this gifting is for the common good. We might do good to remind ourselves of the image of the body in 1 Corinthians 12. We are like a body, each necessary for the functioning of the other. Just because I might be the mouth, does not mean I do not need eyes and ears and should not belittle the part they play. I find as I age, the tendency to glorify the gifts that resonate with the values of my culture – strength, beauty, power. I lament, or remember, when I was in the choir, when I was on council, or when I baked a popular dish at the meeting, led the youth group or, or, or. Our gifts, our service, our abilities are for the common good of everyone. We all contribute to the health of the whole.

Lastly, I note that Corinthians reminds us that the Holy Spirit chooses how to gift people. Did we hear that? The Holy Spirit is the one who chooses if speaking in tongues is to be our gift or singing or leadership or what. We come thirsty wanting to experience God in the depths of our being but it is the Holy Spirit who chooses how and when to meet us. It is so easy to assume that because my experience or lack of experience is not like another’s that the Holy Spirit is not on the job. I grope around looking for the light switch, trying to find the remote, lamenting and I forget that the God of the universe is around me, able to speak all languages, able to bring to my heart the sins I need to confess, able to empower me to meet the challenges of the day as the Spirit knows is best.
In our text today, Jesus was not yet glorified but he calls to the thirsty, promising the gift of the Holy Spirit, promising that streams of living water will flow out of us. As Lutherans, we believe the gift of the Holy Spirit is in response to faith. God responds to the faith of parents who bring babies to be baptized and says, “forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.” We believe we are saved by Christ’s death on the cross, not because we say certain words or have certain experiences, are a certain age or intelligence level. I love to share: in that handshake between God and his people, when we don’t remember who we are, when we can’t express who we are, or forget who we are, God holds on to us. He calls to us today, “All who are thirsty, come unto me and the one who believes in me, drink.”

I invite you to recite with me Luther’s explanation of the Third Article of the Creed, the article talking about the Holy Spirit.

“I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, and sanctified and kept me in the true faith;

even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith;

in which Christian Church He daily and richly forgives all sins to me and all believers,

and will at the Last Day raise up me and all the dead and give unto me and all believers in Christ eternal life.

 THIS IS MOST CERTAINLY TRUE.

Hymn of the Day O Living Breath of God, ELW 407, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRpJ2rSyXjo

 Nicene Creed. Let us join our voices virtually confessing our faith:

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and   earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made of one Being with the Father;  through him all things were made.  For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary and became truly human.  For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the          right hand of the Father.  He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.  We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We  acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

(Or you can listen to the Creed in vocal form: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuDI-sk2nJU)

Prayers of Intercession

Uplifted by the promised hope of healing and resurrection, we join the people of God in all times and places in praying for the church, the world, and all who are in need.

We call on your spirit of unity, giving thanks for our different vocations. Activate and utilize the diverse gifts present in your church, that they reveal your love for all. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We call on your spirit of life, present in air, wind, humidity, storms, and oxygen in our atmosphere, breathing energy into all things. Heal with your breath the whole creation, especially those who struggle to breathe due to air pollution. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We call on your spirit of righteousness. Wherever we as a people are divided, unite us. Wherever we are prideful, humble us. Give each one of us a heart for justice and empathy. We especially remember the struggles in Minneapolis this weak. Be with the grieving, comfort the angry, reach into the chaos and bring peace. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We call on your spirit of healing. Bless nurses, doctors, midwives, chaplains, counselors, and hospice workers as they care for those in need. We pray for all who long for comfort (especially). Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We call on your spirit of friendship. As Elizabeth welcomed Mary to her home, give us a spirit of welcome to those whom we meet in this congregation and outside these doors. Surprise us daily with unexpected grace, that we rejoice in every blessing you send. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 We call on your spirit of hope. As you have led your saints in all times and places, stir in us the desire to follow their example, leading us from death to new life in you. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

With bold confidence in your love, almighty God, we place all for whom we pray into your eternal care; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE MEAL

 Peace: If you are worship with someone else, turn and share, “The peace of Christ be with you always.” Response, “And also with you.” You might use your finger to mark you children or loved one with a cross on their forehead. If you are practicing social distancing, put your palms together in-front of your chest and open them outward to the other to show your blessing of them. Peace!

Offering Prayer: (We cannot pass the offering plate but we can respond to God’s for his gracious gifts to us.)

Merciful God, our ordinary gifts seem small for such a celebration, but you make of them an abundance, just as you do with our lives. Feed us again at this table for service in your name, in the strength of the risen Christ. Amen.

Communion: I invite you to talk a little piece of bread and eat it. Christ is as close to you as the bread in your mouth and stomach. Always remember. Now take a sip of your drink. Christ is as close to you as the blood in your body, strengthening you. Always remember.

Prayer after Communion:  Life-giving God, you have fed us with your word, and our hearts burn within us. You have opened us to your presence. Now send us forth to share the gifts of Easter with all in need; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 Lord’s Prayer:  Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come. thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

THE SENDING

Blessing:  May the One who brought forth Jesus from the dead raise you to new life, fill you with hope, and turn your mourning into dancing. Almighty God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. Amen.

 Sending Hymn:  God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind, ELW 400, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNlznc7yWdM

Dismissal:  Christ is risen, just as he said. Go in peace. Share the good news. Alleluia!

Thanks be to God. Alleluia!

Here is a message from the Bishop. You need not join Vimeo but just tap the arrow and the message from him will play. Blessings.

https://vimeo.com/422203929.

Prelude: How Can I Keep From Singing, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLPP3XmYxXg

Alleluia! Christ is risen.  Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Welcome to our virtual worship. The Lord be with you.

GATHERING

Confession and Forgiveness

If you were to keep watch over sins, O Lord, who could stand? Yet with you is forgiveness, and so we confess: (I invite you to reflect in the privacy of your home before a time of confession.)

Confession: Gracious God, have mercy on us. We confess that we have turned away from you, knowingly and unknowingly. We have wandered from your resurrection life. We have strayed from your love for all people. Turn us back to you, O God. Give us new hearts and right spirits, that we may find what is pleasing to you and dwell in your house forever. Amen.

Forgiveness: Receive good news: God turns to you in love. “I will put my spirit in you, and you shall live,” says our God. All your sin is forgiven in the name of ☩ Jesus Christ, who is the free and abounding gift of God’s grace for you. Amen.

 Gathering Hymn: There is No East or West, ELW 650, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNRyGGSOQLQ

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Prayer of the Day

O God of glory, your Son Jesus Christ suffered for us and ascended to your right hand. Unite us with Christ and each other in suffering and in joy, that all the world may be drawn into your bountiful presence, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 Selection of the Faithful: Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ, ELW 674 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYnF86ZzHH8

THE WORD

Alleluia. I will not leave you orphaned, says the Lord. I am coming to you. Alleluia. (John 14:18)

First Reading: Acts 1:6-14

⁶When [the apostles] had come together, they asked [Jesus], “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ⁹When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. ¹¹They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
¹²Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. ¹⁴All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

Psalm: Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35

¹Let God arise, and let God’s enemies be scattered;
let those who hate God flee.
²As smoke is driven away, so you should drive them away;
as the wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
³But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; let them also be merry and                    joyful.
⁴Sing to God, sing praises to God’s name; exalt the one who rides the clouds; I Am          is that name, rejoice before God! 
⁵In your holy habitation, O God, you are a father to orphans, defender of  widows;
⁶you give the solitary a home and bring forth prisoners into  freedom; but the                rebels shall live in desert places.
⁷O God, when you went forth before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,
⁸the earth quaked, and the skies poured down rain, at the presence of God,                     the God of Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of    Israel.
⁹You sent a bountiful rain, O God; you restored your inheritance when it languished.
¹⁰Your people found their home in it; in your goodness, O God, you have made                provision for the poor. 
³²Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord.
³³You ride in the heavens, O God, in the ancient heavens;
you send forth your voice, your mighty voice.
³⁴Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel; whose strength is in the skies.
³⁵How wonderful you are in your holy places, O God of Israel,
giving strength and power to your people! Blessed be God!

Second Reading: 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11

¹²Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.
^5:6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. ⁷Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. ⁸Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. ⁹Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. ¹⁰And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. ¹¹To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

Gospel: John 17:1-11

¹After Jesus had spoken these words [to his disciples], he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, ²since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ³And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ⁴I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. ⁵So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.
⁶“I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. ⁷Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; ⁸for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. ⁹I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. ¹⁰All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. ¹¹And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.”

SERMON

Thursday was Ascension and next Sunday is Pentecost. Easter season is coming to a close and God’s story is not over! Let me say that again so it can soak in. God’s story is not over! John started his gospel with “the Word become flesh” after being involved at creation, is the light of the world, has incarnated, and was rejected by his creation. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (Jn 1:12)” The Bible is our glimpse into God’s story and God’s heart that was before time and does not end with the cross, with our confirmation, with our baptism, or with the our birth of faith. Perhaps we are at the end of the “incarnation phase” of Christ’s life but our reading today gives us a clue that we are about to enter the “after Pentecost” phase. There is more to come! Today we sit with the disciples in the upper room, and listen to Jesus’ last prayer, his prayer before we walk to Calvary and on to Pentecost. Today we listen to The High Priestly Prayer.

Jesus starts, “The hour has come!” For what? First I read the word “glorify.” The glorification of Jesus by finishing the work he came for, glorifies the God who sent him, and glorifies the followers given him by God for eternal life who will follow. The work of the cross glorifies God, glorifies Jesus, and glorifies us. Glorify is a very churchy word we do not use often and which I want to give some texture today.

Let’s try to get our minds around the idea of “glory”, As we celebrate Memorial Day this weekend, I reflect on the name for the USA flag, “Old Glory”. I looked up its history. Old Glory is the second most important symbol in identifying the USA. Our national anthem is the first. In 1816 William Driver, age 13, ran away from his home in Salem Massachusetts, to become a cabin boy on a ship. By age 21 he assumed command of his own ship. His mother and other women sewed him a flag that he flew from his mast. He called the flag “Old Glory.” His voyages were successful and the flag was his emblem, good luck charm, and his protector. At age 34 his wife died and he moved to Nashville, TN, to raise his three daughters. Old Glory went with him and flew over his home through the Civil War, and survived, to be fought over by his family. That original flag, it is thought, ended up in the Smithsonian Institute and has become the beloved name of the flags that fly over the USA. We refer to our flags as Old Glory. This story, I believe, gives us insight into what “glory” means.

We were not present to see the glory Jesus had before creation but we can imagine life was perfect, without sin, “good,” like that original flag we never saw. The flag was made by a loving mother and given to a beloved son who cherished it on sea, on land, in peace, and in war. “Glory” carries with in it the love, dreams, and goals of the creator for the life unfolding. The creator is honored as the support behind the life that unfolds. As William Driver succeeded, I can imagine his mother’s heart was proud. His success, his glory is hers also. As Jesus finishes his work on the cross, God is glorified, and we wear the cross as a symbol of that glory.

Jesus was given authority over the creation to bring us to eternal life. Glory also involves purpose. A glorious sunset comes and goes in shining awe but Jesus’ work that he is about to finish, involves the goal of giving us eternal life. As we by faith become part of that plan, God receives honor, praise and worship. Even as Old Glory was created with a dream and mission, so our lives were created with purpose and on good days and bad we are in the process of bringing glory to God who carries us. As Jesus heads to the cross to fulfill the purpose of his incarnation, we travel with him and are part of the story, part of the mission, and part of the glory.

Jesus prays, “⁵So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.” The cross and our faith return us to the glory before creation, sinless and in direct communication with God. Old Glory flew over William Drivers ship, over his home in war, over his family and was placed in the Smithsonian to become an emblem of the American dream. It went full circle – new and folded in hope and old and worn as am emblem of victory. In the same way, we were given to Christ, who loved us, taught us and walks with us on the seas of life and in the ditches of the wars of our lives, to take us to be part of his glory for eternity. It feels to me like glory has a sense of perseverance through trials.
Jesus goes on to explain eternal life, “And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” “Know you,” not “know about you”. Core to this prayer is not only glorification but also relationship. There cannot be glory without relationship. Honoring Old Glory was not based on the quality of the cloth, the majesty of seeing the flag fly or the symbolism of the stars and stripes but, I would like to believe, it is cherished because of the relationship that flag represented. Old Glory now represents our country, our identity and all the privileges that go with it. As we grow in relationship to Jesus, understanding more and more his words and truth, trusting more and more his wisdom given us, we grow in relationship and in our glorification of God.

¹¹And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.” Jesus prays God to protect us so that we may maintain unity. Glory is not a message about health, wealth and prosperity focused on us but of unity that reflects back to God.

Old Glory flew over the divisiveness of the Civil War, over our soldiers in WW1 and WW2, over us in Vietnam, Desert Storm and more. All these wars sought to pull people apart. The cross similarly represents the desire of God’s heart that our unity be preserved. We are called to love our neighbor, forgive our enemies, be kind to those in need. “Now faith, hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor. 13” All of this is impossible in our human strength of will and we need God’s protection from that which drives us apart. The church remains united because of relationships that unite us to God and to each other regardless of our imperfections. We are not so good at that but Jesus’ prayer was protection in our divisions and in our fears.

So where does that leave us today. On this Memorial Day weekend when we remember those men and women who gave their lives in popular and unpopular wars to fight for peace as they understood it, we stand between Ascension and Pentecost still working for peace and prosperity. We are grateful for their lives and what these people have meant to us. The battle for a kind world is not over yet and God’s story is not over. The hour has come for us to finish the work God entrusts with us in our lives. Jesus did not “social distance” to heaven until he returns to judge, but assumed the glory with the Father. He completed his work on earth and empowered us to continue the story. Our lives and our faith, which may feel small and invisible, are involved in bringing glory, honor and praise to God for eternity. May we not bow to that which divides and may we nurture those habits that keep us in relationship with others and with God, our source of strength, life and protection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkZ11WgLEZg

Hymn of Day: You are Mine, ELW 581, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EuIIl7yHfc

Apostles’ Creed. Let us join our voices virtually confessing our faith:

I believe in God, the Father almighty,  creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;  he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of s ins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Or you can listen to the Creed in vocal form: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuDI-sk2nJU

Prayers of Intercession

Uplifted by the promised hope of healing and resurrection, we join the people of God in all times and places in praying for the church, the world, and all who are in need.

O God, call your people to be one, as you are one. Unite your church in the truth of your gospel, the love of our neighbor, and the call to proclaim your reign to all people. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Breathe life into your creation. Guide your people as we explore the mysteries of the universe. We pray for the work of scientists and mathematicians whose skill enriches our understanding. As doctors and researchers study Covid-19, keep them safe and give them answers to their questions. We need your help. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Make your justice known among the nations of the earth. Protect the vulnerable who do not have resources to social distance, buy masks, or water to wash hands. Redirect those who use violence and greed as weapons. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Come to the aid of your children. We pray for those engulfed in grief, those without supportive families, and for all who are isolated, powerless, or afraid, that all may rest their anxieties in your care. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Give courage to all who embark on new ventures. We especially remember this day those who risked their lives to serve in our armed forces. Grant safety to those serving at home or abroad, and assure them of your never-failing strength. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 Raise all your saints to eternal life. Until that day, we give you thanks for the faithful examples of those who have listened to your voice and now rest in you. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

With bold confidence in your love, almighty God, we place all for whom we pray into your eternal care; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE MEAL

 Peace: If you are worship with someone else, turn and share, “The peace of Christ be with you always.” Response, “And also with you.” You might use your finger to mark you children or loved one with a cross on their forehead. If you are practicing social distancing, put your palms together in-front of your chest and open them outward to the other to show your blessing of them. Peace!

Offering Prayer: (We cannot pass the offering plate but we can respond to God’s for his gracious gifts to us.)

Merciful God, our ordinary gifts seem small for such a celebration, but you make of them an abundance, just as you do with our lives. Feed us again at this table for service in your name, in the strength of the risen Christ. Amen.

 Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come. thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Communion: I invite you to talk a little piece of bread and eat it. Christ is as close to you as the bread in your mouth and stomach. Always remember. Now take a sip of your drink. Christ is as close to you as the blood in your body, strengthening you. Always remember.

Prayer after Communion

Life-giving God, you have fed us with your word, and our hearts burn within us. You have opened us to your presence. Now send us forth to share the gifts of Easter with all in need; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE SENDING

Blessing

May the One who brought forth Jesus from the dead raise you to new life, fill you with hope, and turn your mourning into dancing. Almighty God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. Amen.

Sending Hymn: Blest Be the Ties that Bind, ELW 656, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBReueMEzqo

Dismissal

Christ is risen, just as he said. Go in peace. Share the good news. Alleluia!

Thanks be to God. Alleluia!