“Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. (Heywood) Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight. Your statues are forever right; give me understanding that I may live. (Psalm 119: 143,144)” It is interesting that these two quotes are juxtaposed, one a secular quote that probably resonates with Paul’s sentiment,” I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” and one that I imagine was written by David fleeing Saul and finding solace and direction from God’s statues. As an elder, I remember the dreams that did not come true no matter how willing my heart was to love, to go, to exercise. That guy did not marry me. That sea voyage did not occur. And in retrospect, I can see that it all worked out for the better as I sought God’s direction and will, not my heart’s longings. Proverbs 11: 6 shares, “The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.” As our hearts reflect God’s heart then God’s will can come into focus. We can saddle the horses but the victory is the Lord’s! Blessings today as you wrestle with the desires of a willing heart and the reality of the world you live in!
Study 9 Another Dream! Daniel 4
June 10, 2020Chapter 4 of Daniel tells how the King of Babylon had a second dream. The first dream in Chapter 2 established Daniel’s credibility and stature in his job. The king dreamt Babylon pictured as the golden head of a great statue whose various sections are made up of various metals of declining value. One interpretation would be that the Babylonian empire was greater than all the empires that followed and King Nebuchadnezzar was its head. WOW. We noted
- God is working out of the box, outside Judaism, concerned about other empires and involved in their development also.
- The King did not connect the dream with God’s sovereignty globally
- A great statue resulted with instructions to worship the statue and not the God who sent the dream.
- The Three Men in the Firey Furnace encounter follows and God rescues them.
In Chapter 4 the King has another dream. It might be significant that we now hear the narration from the King’s point of view.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream
4 King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages that live throughout the earth: May you have abundant prosperity! 2 The signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me I am pleased to recount.
3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his sovereignty is from generation to generation.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living at ease in my home and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that frightened me; my fantasies in bed and the visions of my head terrified me. 6 So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, in order that they might tell me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not tell me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and who is endowed with a spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream:
- How does King Nebuchadnezzar describe God?__________
- How is the King’s response to the second dream similar to his response to his first dream? __________________________
- How is the King’s response different this time? ____________
9 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that you are endowed with a spirit of the holy gods and that no mystery is too difficult for you. Hear the dream that I saw; tell me its interpretation.
10 Upon my bed this is what I saw;
there was a tree at the center of the earth, and its height was great.
11 The tree grew great and strong, its top reached to heaven,
and it was visible to the ends of the whole earth.
12 Its foliage was beautiful, its fruit abundant, and it provided food for all.
The animals of the field found shade under it, the birds of the air nested in its branches, and from it all living beings were fed.
- The King dreamt of a great tree in the center of the earth. The use of a tree to represent a king was common in that day. It might be interesting to draw on a piece of paper a wonderful, productive tree offering shelter. Now name what things in your picture represent in your life. _______________
13 “I continued looking, in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and there was a holy watcher, coming down from heaven. 14 He cried aloud and said:
5 The King visualizes “a holy watcher” that comes down from heaven. How would you represent the holy in your picture?_________________
6 “A holy watcher” probably refers to an angel.
‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches, strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from beneath it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave its stump and roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be bathed with the dew of heaven, and let his lot be with the animals of the field in the grass of the earth.16 Let his mind be changed from that of a human, and let the mind of an animal be given to him. And let seven times pass over him. 17 The sentence is rendered by decree of the watchers, the decision is given by order of the holy ones, in order that all who live may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of mortals; he gives it to whom he will
and sets over it the lowliest of human beings.’
18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to tell me the interpretation. You are able, however, for you are endowed with a spirit of the holy gods.”
7 The rare condition of a human assuming the actions, mentality of an animal is called boanthropy (bo because the King became like an ox. The condition suddenly comes and suddenly goes.) We all fear the unknown humiliation of some condition overtaking us. The likelihood of developing boanthropy is very minimal but alzheimer’s disease is common today. Perhaps poverty is the shadow in our mind. For many, I suspect the violence of today’s riots is pretty terrifying. What is your Achilles heal? What are you afraid of? _______________________
8 But note, the plight that is to overtake the King is not random but has a purpose, v. 17. What is the purpose?____________________ Please note also that the condition is for a time, not for eternity, to teach a lesson not to support reincarnation.
19 Then Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar, was severely distressed for a while. His thoughts terrified him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or the interpretation terrify you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation for your enemies!
- How would you describe Daniel’s feelings now for this King who carried Daniel away from is home country and threatened to kill him in chapter 2. Do you remember a time when someone you thought of as an enemy grew into being someone you valued? _________________________________
- “Speaking truth to power” is an idiom we use that might describe what is happening here. So what do you think is going on with Daniel? ______
20 The tree that you saw, which grew great and strong, so that its top reached to heaven and was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21 whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and which provided food for all, under which animals of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air had nests— 22 it is you, O king! You have grown great and strong. Your greatness has increased and reaches to heaven, and your sovereignty to the ends of the earth. 23 And whereas the king saw a holy watcher coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field; and let him be bathed with the dew of heaven, and let his lot be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him’— 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king: 25 You shall be driven away from human society, and your dwelling shall be with the wild animals. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen, you shall be bathed with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals, and gives it to whom he will. 26 As it was commanded to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be re-established for you from the time that you learn that Heaven is sovereign. 27 Therefore, O king, may my counsel be acceptable to you: atone for your sins with righteousness, and your iniquities with mercy to the oppressed, so that your prosperity may be prolonged.”
- Daniel gives the King the interpretation followed by sage advice: atone for your sins. Atonement is a big theological word that we usually think of in terms of Jesus atoning for our sins. Atone means to make amends for past wrongs or offenses. Put “at” “one”, atone, return to a previous state. Jesus’ atonement puts us at – one with God, restored to our pre-fall state with God. What might Nebuchadnezzar have to “atone”? ________________
- Daniel follows with advise to repay your “iniquities with mercy to the oppressed.” Ouch. That one hits closer to home as we hear cries for justice from our streets. No specific actions are defined. But I do draw from this study that God is concerned about the King’s acceptance of God’s sovereignty, about the plight of the downtrodden, and uses ordinary people (foreigners) to work out His purposes. Is there someone or something this brings to your mind that you need to work on restoring at-oneness with? ___________
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Chattering
June 10, 2020“The great man is he that does not lose his child’s heart. (Mencious) …whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:4)” These saayings greeted me on my calendar this morning before I turned to Proverbs 10 in my Bible. Mencius, a Chinese philosopher second to Confucius, talks about a child’s heart. Matthew sees children as humble. The dictionary would define humble as coming from “low”. I do not think it means low value but perhaps acknowledging the other as understanding more, a source of wisdom. Proverbs 10 contrasts the righteous person with the fool and sluggard. Verse 8 and verse 10 talk about “the chattering fool” who comes to ruin. Hmmm.
Last night I spent time with my granddaughter who “chattered” on about a book she was reading and a little weaving loom I gave her. The chattering of a child brings strong memories. I remember walking across the desert compound in Kenya with her father, sharing about life. This kid started talking in full sentences with descriptive adjectives. I could not tell one pickup from another but he could tell me it was a blue Toyota, 4WD, with a winch – at age 2. He would chatter on, describing his life to me. A child’s heart reports with joy to the parent. Angry children may well explode about an injustice but as I reflect, I tend to think anger often focuses on the injustice the other did to reporter. It is not chatter.
Verse 8 shares that “the wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.” That ties talking with humility and teachableness. Is chattering, seeking to share and learn? I ponder as I go about my conversations today, am I chattering to the Lord as my parent, talking about my day, open to being taught or am I reporting in to defend myself and tell Him what I think He should be doing? I suspect I often come as an adult, bearing the burden of responsibility, rather than as a child sharing with a parent who has “the whole world in his hands.” I would pray that today we might connect with our child’s heart that shares with “the father” and does not just chatter to hear our own voice. Blessings. He’s listening for you.
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Choices
June 9, 2020“Choice, not chance, determines destiny. (Unknown) Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve … as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24: 15).” Proverbs 9 presents us with choice today. Two women, Wisdom and Folly, are at the top of the city inviting us into a banquet they have prepared. They call to the simple to come in and eat. Wisdom’s banquet of delicacies will result in understanding, lengthening of days and years. Folly also calls to the simple offering “stolen water” and “food eaten in secrecy.” Her guests fail to realize the people in the house are the dead. The person is simple and must make a choice. Neither hostess demands we enter. The choice is ours. While I realize some choices are forced upon us by life, no one chooses illness or riots or death, how we respond to situations determines our destiny. Whether we choose to respond with love and not hate, with forgiveness and not bitterness, with concerns for the other as well as our goals, all determines the destiny, the outcome of our lives. As we start our days with prayer, meditation, reflection, being in the Word, we tune our hearts to the choices we will need to make today. I doubt which jam we choose or which shirt we wear is that important but other choices touch our values and that is important. As you make choices today, may you her the voice of Wisdom and the Holy Spirit calling you in to their banquet. Blessings.
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Prudence
June 8, 2020Oswald Chambers on my calendar shares, “It isn’t so true that ‘prayer changes things’ as that ‘prayer changes me and I change things.’” During these days when we are clamoring for change and the dismantling of injustice, these words of wisdom feel a bit pointed. At the same time, Proverbs 8, June 8, is dedicated to telling us to gain wisdom. Gain wisdom over wealth and riches. Wisdom is personified as an entity that God called forth before creation of our universe and who delighted to see God creating. What caught my eye, though, was that wisdom is teamed up with prudence. V.12 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence.” I had to look up the word “prudence” to make sure I understood what it means. www defines prudence as being cautious. Showing “good and careful judgment when handling practical matters” or “wise and well-thought-through decision or action” is considered prudent. The first thing we were taught in Swahili language school, on the first day was, “Haraka, haraka, haina Baraka.” Hurry, hurry has no blessing. We Westerners were known as people who ran around in circles, hurry, hurrying.
So how does this all fit together? Prayer is when I take time at certain times of the day or in certain places or perhaps under certain circumstances. I get up in the morning to spend time in the Word but my husband often asks, “What did you learn in the shower?” Prayer changes me as I listen. I slow down and think before acting, ponder my sermon. Prayer is one way to seek wisdom and to be prudent when making decisions. It is not the only way. In our world today when news sells, when communicative avenues are so available, and there seems to be so many experts about so many topics, it feels like Proverbs advice to seek wisdom that dwells with prudence is good advice as we start another week. Wednesday we will look again at how Daniel and friends, navigating culture as ordinary people were wise. You are invited to join us. May you be wise and prudent as you face the challenges in your life today. Blessings!
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Sunday, June 7, 2020 The Holy Trinity
June 6, 2020Prelude: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TascsWZPj8U
Alleluia! Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Welcome to our virtual worship. The Lord be with you. And also with you.
GATHERING
Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, whose steadfast love is everlasting, whose faithfulness endures from generation to generation. Amen.
Confession: Trusting in the mercy of God, let us confess our sin. Reconciling God, we confess that we do not trust your abundance, and we deny your presence in our lives. We place our hope in ourselves and rely on our own efforts. We fail to believe that you provide enough for all. We abuse your good creation for our own benefit. We fear difference and do not welcome others as you have welcomed us. We sin in thought, word, and deed. By your grace, forgive us; through your love, renew us; and in your Spirit, lead us; so that we may live and serve you in newness of life. Amen.
Forgiveness: Beloved of God, by the radical abundance of divine mercy we have peace with God through ☩ Christ Jesus, through whom we have obtained grace upon grace. Our sins are forgiven. Let us live now in hope. For hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you.
Gathering Song: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!, ELW 413,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwuDSw-9cUQ
Prayer of the Day: God of heaven and earth, before the foundation of the universe and the beginning of time you are the triune God: Author of creation, eternal Word of salvation, life-giving Spirit of wisdom. Guide us to all truth by your Spirit, that we may proclaim all that Christ has revealed and rejoice in the glory he shares with us. Glory and praise to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
Selection Of The Faithful: Let All Things Now Living, ELW 881 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShtzdgCUyjI
THE WORD
Alleluia. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;* God’s glory fills the whole earth. Alleluia. (Isa. 6:3)
First Reading: Genesis 1:1–2:4a
1In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
6And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
9And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. 12The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. 13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
14And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
20And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” 21So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
24And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. 25God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.
26Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
27So God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
28God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” 29God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
2:1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. 2And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. 3So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.
4aThese are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
Psalm: Psalm 8
1O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! —
2you whose glory is chanted above the heavens out of the mouths of infants and children; you have set up a fortress against your enemies, to silence the foe and avenger.
3When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
4what are mere mortals that you should be mindful of them,
human beings that you should care for them?
5Yet you have made them little less than divine;
with glory and honor you crown them.
6You have made them rule over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet:
7all flocks and cattle, even the wild beasts of the field,
8the birds of the air, the fish of the sea,
and whatever passes along the paths of the sea.
9O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13
[Paul writes:] 11Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.
13The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20
16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
SERMON
Children’s Sermon: Hum, He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands
Today we start the Pentecost Season. Pentecost is half of the Christian liturgical year, 27 weeks, half a year. The first half of the year we focused on who our God is. Starting with Advent, God fulfills prophecy and incarnates, coming to us, not us to him. At Christmas God goes global with the arrival of the wise-men from the East. During Epiphany we studied how God lived with us as Jesus healing, preaching, and teaching. During Lent we walked with Jesus to the cross. Easter told us of a God who is stronger than death and lives in and through us today. Now we circle back and look at the narrative again but we focus on what difference God makes in our lives. Can you hear Luther’s Small Catechism question, “What does this mean?” What does this mean? Today our text paints three broad themes that we will see unfold in because God in Pentecost: God is communal and so we live in community. God is communicative and so we are charged with communicating the Gospel. God is commanding and we are expected to obey.
God is communal, “…baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” At the very core of the Christian faith is the mystery of the Trinity that we celebrate today. We do not have three gods that share the office of presidency. We do not have a hierarchy of gods that take turns being in power. We believe that our God is trinity, “three persons in one being, one essence.” I still like the example of electricity that powers my house. When I turn on my lamp, it sends forth light. When I turn on my stove, it radiates heat. The TV and radio are visual. One, all, or none can be experienced at the same time without diminishing the electricity present n my house. This triune God fills the pages of Scripture.
So what does that mean to us? We are made in the image of this triune God. We are baptized in the name of this triune God. Triune-ness defines us. Walter Wangaarin in his book, As For Me and My House, presents the explanation I like the most. I do not know who I am without you. It is as I relate to you that I know if I am truly being loving or kind or mean and hurtful. Love is not just something that oozes out of my pores but is a relational quality. Perhaps that is why death of a spouse or divorce are so painful. There is something in the reality of community that defines my identity and is basic to my very being. In the creation story God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness.” I’m sure it has been pointed out the plural-ness of this statement, “our image.” We are made for community. There is something about the riots we are experiencing recently that offends something deep inside us.
Perhaps that is why Paul uses the picture of a body to describe the church. Within the godhead there are different roles and so it is with us. My husband and I complement each other. My friend and I bring something to each other in our friendship. We gather today, not because the church dies if it is not in this building but because corporate worship brings identity to us. I hear the music from the organ. I hear my friends singing. I see their faces, feel their hugs, and we share our prayer concerns. We are made for community and together we say something about God that we cannot say alone. Today in the shadow of the riots, I would like to affirm the gift of “the other”, the other nationality, the other language idioms, the other’s giftedness that reflects the creativity and universality of our God. We are called to value the other, not destroy others, because they help us to understand our God who is triune and understand ourselves who are made for supportive community.
Secondly, God is communicative: “…Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” We believe in a God that communicates, not necessarily boss to slave but as the very essence of trinity. The godhead implies communication. The good news is not just for my own edification and salvation but it is to be communicated to others. I know the ugly stereotype of Christians is the guy standing on the street corner proclaiming a message of those in and those out of favor with God. It is a message of judgment. I do not see that in this passage; a threat that if we don’t believe I am condemned. Rather, I see a God whose heart’s desire is that all should know and be in communication with him. God will handle vengeance and revenge but our job is to communicate His desire to be in relationship. The God who created us values us as a father values a son. We are his children and invited to call him “Our Father.” The Son who saved values us and says, I no longer call you servants but I call you friends. And the Spirit who translates our prayers facilitates these relationships. Our triune God does not sit afar waiting for us to earn our way into his presence but opens communication channels because that is his nature.
So perhaps we need to reflect today who we are in potential relationship with whom we can share our faith with. Perhaps we need to ask who we have broken relationship with and need repair. The text today says “go” and I hear that as “share” and “communicate.”
Lastly, God is commanding. “:…teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you…” Teaching is a communication word but it is interesting that it is followed by “obey.” Faith is not an intellectual feat, memorizing Luther’s Small Catechism. Faith is not a mystical experience defined by how many times I speak in tongues. I think faith is a relationship that grows out of obedience to the God of the universe that offers something our world does not promote or value. We do not forgive others easily. We do not love our enemies. We do not share our coats freely. Christianity does not make us healthy, wealthy, and wise in the world’s eyes. Christ prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “not my will but thine.” Obedience and submission are counter-cultural and fight against our will. As much as we preach a warm cozy relationship with God, we must never forget that he is God and we are his creation. We are the recipients of salvation. We need the Holy Spirit to struggle in prayer with us and counsel us, and lead back to the right path when we go away. We need to be still and know that he is God as Psalm 8 so nicely reminds us today. As we obey and work together with him, faith grows.
We come to the end of our first service during this time of sheltering. I know that the church is alive and real even when we are not meeting in this building but I also know that the church building has always been a symbol of sanctuary and safety in crisis. It is here that we gather in community and communicate with each other in the midst of the trials of our world. We remind each other that God sees and hears and is active. It is here that we bow our head and seek the Holy Spirit to minister to our tired souls. We must always remember Christ’s final words, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Thank you Lord, AMEN.
Hymn of the Day: Come Join the Dance of Trinity , ELW 412 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ55zGuti04
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 sins, 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
Called into unity with one another and the whole creation, let us pray for our shared world.
God of community, you form us as your church. Guide our bishops, pastors, deacons, and all the baptized in sharing your life-giving good news with all the world. Strengthen us to be bold in our proclamation. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of creation, you called everything into being. Sustain this world with your renewing care. Inspire us to see waterways, plant life, birds, fish, insects, and mammals and call them good. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of counsel, all authority belongs to you. Encourage the leaders of this and every land to seek peace, equality, and unity. Instill wisdom in advocates who work toward justice in often ignored communities. Calm the riots that have scarred your earth and bring reconciliation and recovery with justice. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of care, you created us in your image. Help us see your likeness in one another. Open our eyes to see and attend to all who face oppression and suffering. Console, heal, and nourish all in need. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of companionship, you accompany this body of faith. As the rhythms of summer begin, protect all who travel, renew all who will enjoy a time of sabbath, and shelter all who will not be protected from the sun’s heat. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of compassion, you comfort us in our grief with the promise of the resurrection. We give you thanks for the saints of all time and in our lives. Be with the grieving who have lost loved ones during these days of confusion. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Receive these prayers, O God, and those too deep for words; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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
God of goodness and growth, all creation is yours, and your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. Thank you for the gifts you have blessed us with and we ask you to multiply that which we return to you. Water and word, wine and bread: these are signs of your abundant grace. Nourish us through these gifts, that we might proclaim your steadfast love in our communities and in the world, through Jesus Christ, our strength and our song. Amen.
THE MEAL
Communion:
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
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
As we remember the blessing of communion, we remember that we have been united by your presence among us. Empower us to go forth sustained by these gifts so that we may share your neighborly love with all, through Jesus Christ, the giver of abundant life. Amen.
THE SENDING
Blessing
Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
God, the creator, ☩ Jesus, the Christ, and the Holy Spirit, the comforter, bless you and keep you in eternal love. Amen.
Sending Song: Holy God, We Praise Your Name, ELW 414, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5vLtzrM_4E
Dismissal
Go in peace. Christ is with you. Thanks be to God.
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Ants
June 6, 2020June 6, Proverbs 6, verse 6, “Go to the ant, you sluggard, consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” This verse always intrigues me because the ant is respected. I can hear myself mutter at the little fellow, “How did you get there? Where did you come from?” This week as I sat drinking a cup of coffee for my morning break, I noticed a huge black ant crawling on my sleeve. I was on a lawn chair at the end of the garage, not touching anything. That ant just appeared. He was assisted as I flicked him over to the grass and muttered. The ant is not like the bee that has workers hunting and reporting where the pollen is. Indeed it always seems to be seeking randomly. Is it following a smell, a trail of unseen spilt food, or what? I don’t know but it crawls across my counter. Let me make some wild connections.
The ant has no commander or leader that we can see. Likewise, the motives driving a person’s heart are unseen and often misunderstood. Our leader as Christians is not seen either and our actions as people in this world “should be” counter cultural. Following the voice of the Holy Spirit, Christians have appeared in all sorts of places working in ways the world does not understand. I think of Mother Teresa in the slums of Calcutta. I think of Florence Nightingale and the nursing work that grew from her activity. I see the volunteers helping clean up after the riots. Orphanages to care for unwanted children. Perhaps to many the activity makes no sense and is irksome but perhaps like the ant, God sees and understands.
The second thing mentioned is that the ant stores food. Perhaps today we are challenged to reflect on what we are storing up in our hearts for the harvest. If we store hate and bitterness then the harvest is bleak but if I collect gratitude and dwell on good memories, I know I am a happier camper. It does not make injustice go away but I am stronger to make my little contribution. I suspect, I often see myself as that tiny little ant scurrying across the counter or down the sleeve, looking leaderless, looking random and wondering if the little I collect today matters, but Proverbs calls us to ponder the ant and “be wise.” Blessings as you go about today!
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Friends
June 5, 2020“Friendship is not a reward for our discrimination and good taste in finding one another. It is the instrument by which God reveals in each of us the beauty of all the others. (C.S. Lewis)” What a poignant statement on my calendar to start today as all the demonstrations cool, cleanup is under way and as I tackle a sermon. Sunday is Trinity Sunday. The God we Christians understand and worship is triune, “three distinct Persons in one divine Being, or Essence” according to Luther’s Small Catechism. What does this mean? We are created in the image of a triune God, each one of us distinct and yet part of a whole we call the “human” race. As we look into the eyes and face of another, we learn something about the God who created that person, gifted that person, and allowed that person to come into our lives. When we think of the Trinity, we do not think of hierarchy or value, one being more important or impressive. The Godhead works together in unity, supporting and enriching each other. Perhaps one grief of these days is that we battle for visibility, for significance, for value. We want to be seen as essential in some way. We want to feel our lives matter and that we are contributing in some way to life. Isolation hurts. “Church” is our “safe place.” We are valued and “sheltered” under the wings of the Almighty, and there we meet with friends who are different from us, with different gifts and points of view about life, from different parts of town and socio-economic levels, all with a common purpose, to worship the God who made us all. I pray as we return to worship together in our sanctuary that we will see it not as a reward for our wonderfulness but a gift from a Triune God who draws all of us together to be the body of Christ. Let us rejoice in our differences. And let us rejoice in the technology that allows those who are not able to come, to be safe at home and connected. Blessings!
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Reflection
June 4, 2020Solomon waxes eloquent in Proverbs 4 about the value of wisdom. “Wisdom is supreme. v.7” He shares some of the values of wisdom. Wisdom is defined as “the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment…” That seems to imply that it takes time and it takes reflection and it takes insightful friends to converse with. I would add that in the reflection process, opening my spiritual ears to God’s Spirit. Solomon goes on to say in v. 23, “Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” Wellspring means “original and bountiful source of something.”
The breaking of dawn, for me, is one of the times of the day that I set aside to reflect as the day starts. I remember being in the former famine relief camp and waking to the sound of cattle lowing and people organizing to go for their eternal search for water in the desert and wood for fuel. Later as a teacher in the agricultural area of Kenya, I would wake and sit on my porch praying, a twin wrapped in a shawl on my lap, as the light crept brighter and brighter over Mt. Elgon. My favorite is watching sunrise over the ocean, seeing boats on the horizon, crabs ooching on the sand, coffee and kids warming my heart. Finding a time and place to seek wisdom is important.
We are in the midst of two major societal dynamics right now with restrictions from Covid-19 being lifted but fear remains, with clean up from riots going on in many places with the demands for justice ringing in our ears. Let us take time today to reflect and to seek wisdom. Perhaps the present throws us into our past experiences with illness or injustice or isolation that can give us empathy for what people are struggling with today. We do have knowledge and know that God has brought us thus far. Life is not fair but we can keep improving. We can remember what helped us cope before. Good judgment is perhaps how we evaluate our experiences and knowledge in light of the truths of God’s word. Let us guard our hearts and allow God to bubble up His love and comfort as we grieve for our troubled world. He cares and He is present working out a plan we do not understand even as He did at the cross. Blessings as we journey together for a better world.
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Daniel 3 and Social Protest
June 3, 2020Study 8 Daniel 3:8-30 June 3, 2020
We have been following Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they adjust to their new country where they were forced to go through military conquest. Test 1 was diet. We saw Daniel negotiate with the head steward for a ten-day trial diet that allowed them to observe Jewish dietary laws. Success. Test 2 was revealing an unknown dream of the king and then give an interpretation. This time Daniel plead for time and called his friends to prayer. Success. Test 3, the dream of the king being a giant statue and the king is the golden head of a statue. Now a statue has been built and all have been ordered to worship it. Public defiance seems to be their strategy this time. Let’s read.
8 Accordingly, at this time certain Chaldeans came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble, shall fall down and worship the golden statue, 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These pay no heed to you, O king. They do not serve your gods and they do not worship the golden statue that you have set up.”
- When the time of public celebration comes, our heroes refuse. Perhaps you will remember that is what got Mordecai in trouble in the book of Esther. Their non-compliance was noted and reported. If feels a bit like tattling to me but it is obvious our heroes chose passive resistance. Our whole country and other places in the world are expressing outrage right now over unnecessary deaths of people of color and demonstrations are occurring nationwide. Hmmm. In fact, Christianity has lived in tension with government rulers through out history. I want to applaud the Biblical heroes who confronted misused power but I feel the tension with the command to turn the other cheek..
- I assured my daughter that I was alive for the Watts riots, for Vietnam, for Civil rights demonstrations and I suspect most of you were too. We carry those memories. Others carry memories of unjust divorces and other conflicts that has left deep scars and fears of conflict. As you reflect on a time of conflict, how was conflict handled back in the day? ________________ How would you describe “nonviolent resistance”?___________________________ Advantages/Disadvantages________________________
- Reflect on what parameters and guidelines you have in your thinking to help you navigate opposition to situations you find you don’t agree with? ____________________________
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought in; so they brought those men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods and you do not worship the golden statue that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble to fall down and worship the statue that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire, and who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter. 17 If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.”
- Our three men, minus Daniel, are confronted by the king about their public stance and given a chance to recant. Write three adjectives you might use to describe their response to the king? ________
- Read Matthew 5: 23 and Matthew 18:15-17. Are these Biblical guidelines for resolving disputes workable for you? _________
- Looking at the men’s response, might lead us to reflect on how our faith hinges on prayers being answered the way we think God should act. Have you felt that way? _______________
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face was distorted. He ordered the furnace heated up seven times more than was customary, 20 and ordered some of the strongest guards in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 So the men were bound, still wearing their tunics, their trousers, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. 22 Because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace was so overheated, the raging flames killed the men who lifted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 But the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down, bound, into the furnace of blazing fire.
- The king was filled with rage. Today we face rage at injustice. Heating a furnace seven times hotter sounds like the burning going on today. What solution might we offer? I note the innocent men that died from the order. I note the “cross” the three had to face. I bow my head in grief. That must have been terrifying.
- How do you understand the power of the cross to defeat evil, rage? _________________________________________
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up quickly. He said to his counselors, “Was it not three men that we threw bound into the fire?” They answered the king, “True, O king.” 25 He replied, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the fourth has the appearance of a god.”[e] 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men; the hair of their heads was not singed, their tunics were not harmed, and not even the smell of fire came from them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him. They disobeyed the king’s command and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that utters blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins; for there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
- God did choose to protect the three men in the fiery furnace. That does not always happen. Are there elements of this part of the story that stand out to you?
- Prayer is never pointless regardless of how God chooses to act. Let us be faithful to pray for people of all races caught in the furnace of riots and rage today.
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On the Way to Wonder 