In this week’s epistle pericope Paul takes on a dispute among the Corinthian church over whether it’s acceptable to eat food offered to idols. That may have been a pressing issue within the church, but Paul uses it as an opportunity to discuss a much more important issue -- whether insisting on pointless regulations hinders the faith of others. As he bluntly puts it: “[T]ake care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” Of course, we’re often experts in being stumbling blocks -- especially when we believe that by doing so we’re protecting ourselves and others. That’s certainly a paradigm we see in our political dialogue, exemplified by the ongoing stalemate in Washington as each party accuses the other of obstructionism that prevents “getting things done for the American people.” Last week’s State of the Union address highlights that dynamic, with President Obama threatening to veto bills passed by the new congress, while Republicans have already declared most of his proposals “dead on arrival.”
In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Dean Feldmeyer suggests that the reasons for this are deep-seated -- it’s all about power and the perception of authority. While we often become stumbling blocks for selfish reasons, we like to think that we’re doing so for more altruistic concerns... and our politicians make a point of “positioning” themselves that way in their rhetoric. But what constitutes authority? It’s no coincidence that before Jesus exercises his power over the unclean spirit, our lectionary gospel passage opens by identifying him as one who taught with authority -- and as Dean points out, there’s no greater authority (or source of power) than the Good Shepherd who personifies the word of God.
Team member Leah Lonsbury shares some additional thoughts on the contrast Paul identifies between “puffing up” and “building up” -- something that’s daily on display with proliferating “puff pieces” in the media as coverage of celebrities encroaches more and more on serious journalism. As Leah discusses, that’s a disease that’s especially on display with American mass media, which tends to ignore much of what’s happening in the rest of the world -- a trend that’s exacerbated by our country’s increasing intermixture of opinion with hard news. We rely on the media to bring us news of what is occurring around the country and the world -- but at the same time, Leah reminds us, it’s easy to let that knowledge “puff us up” and distract us from the hard but vital everyday work of building up ourselves, our communities, and our world through exercising love for others.
Authority and Power
by Dean Feldmeyer
Deuteronomy 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28
An old adage warns leaders that “authority is like soap -- the more you use it, the less you have.” Effective leaders use their authority only as a last resort. They know that productive planning more often comes through building consensus and group ownership. People want to be led, but not pushed or forced.
History and literature teach this lesson over and over. Julius Caesar, King Lear, Chairman Mao, Richard Nixon, Captain Kirk, Pontius Pilate, John XXIII, and Superman all come to us as figures who struggled to find a balance between authority and power -- some more successfully than others. And we struggle with it still.
This week’s lectionary readings point us toward the only kind of authority that matters to the people of God -- and that is the authority that flows from God and God’s words.
In the News
Sociologist Max Weber said that the power of one person or group of people to get other people to do what they want them to do comes from four sources: 1) those who obey do so voluntarily; 2) those who obey have something to gain, or believe they have something to gain by obeying; 3) obedience takes place not in the short term but over a long enough period of time that a pattern is established; and 4) the claim of the dominant person or group to have authority is or is thought to be legitimate. This authority to power comes, Weber said, in three types.
Traditional authority comes from the identification of a leader with long-held traditions. Actions are undertaken and the leader is followed because he/she represents the way things have been done for a long time. Religious and clan leaders often lead from authority associated with the traditions they represent.
Rational/Legal authority comes from the identification of a leader with laws or rules that have been established or accepted by those who are being led. Police officers and political leaders are examples of leaders whose orders are followed because they represent laws and systems established by the people they serve and govern.
Charismatic authority comes from the identification of a leader with certain heroic and/or exemplary character traits. Whether or not the leader actually has those traits is not as important as the fact that the followers identify him/her as having them. Religious cult leaders, war heroes, and former athletes often lead from charismatic authority.
Weber understood these to be perfect types, and allowed that leaders in the real world often exhibited characteristics that crossed lines and included more than one type.
Authority in Washington
In his State of the Union address last week President Obama claimed that he has legitimate authority (rational/legal) to pursue his political agenda, and he pointed to the fact that he was twice elected to office by the American people. He was also riding on the bump he recently received in his approval rating to 50 percent -- a nine-point gain in just one month. Congressional Republicans argued, meanwhile, that their authority to move forward with their own priorities was more legitimate than the president’s since they achieved a political majority in both houses in the midterm elections (rational/legal).
President Obama has taken to the road to bring his argument to the American people, counting on his ability as a communicator and public speaker to add some charismatic authority to his already considerable stock of legal/rational authority. In response, congressional Republicans have locked arms, promising to obstruct the president’s every attempt to raise taxes for the rich in order to level the economic playing field for the middle class. On a separate front, they have -- in a clear attempt to reduce the president’s foreign policy authority -- invited Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak before a joint session of Congress on the subject of Iranian sanctions.
Authority in Medicine
Measles was one of those diseases which, thanks to inoculations, had apparently been eradicated from the United States. That is, no one got it anymore. In fact, the government declared in 2000 that measles had been eliminated from the U.S.
But in 1998, British surgeon and medical researcher Andrew Wakefield published a paper wherein he claimed to have found a link between autism and the MMR (Measles/Mumps/Rubella) vaccine. The paper was later shown to be fraudulent; it was completely discredited in the scientific literature and Dr. Wakefield lost his accreditation and medical license, but the bell would prove to be a hard one to “unring.”
Movie star, TV personality, and Playboy model Jenny McCarthy got hold of Wakefield’s paper and, encouraged by the work of Los Angeles pediatrician Jay Gordon, Illinois osteopath Joseph Mercola, and Natural News writer Mike Adams, she went on the talk show circuit spreading trepidation, anxiety, and even panic among parents, especially the wealthy parents of southern California.
To be sure, measles is still a rare disease. In most years there are fewer than 100 cases reported in the United States, and of the 78 cases that have been traced back to Disneyland, about half have been unvaccinated children.
But this story raises some interesting questions about authority.
The medical establishment has proven and shown -- through peer-reviewed, scientific studies -- the safety and efficacy of the MMR vaccine and the fatuous nature of arguments linking it to autism... but about 10 percent of parents in southern California refuse to accept the authority of those doctors and scientists behind the scientific research and reports, preferring to believe what they have heard to the contrary.
Says Michelle Henney, a Los Angeles parent of three who refuses to vaccinate her children, sends them to a private Christian school, prefers “natural medicine” like acupuncture and chiropractic, and never watches mainstream media: “This whole vaccination thing is just a scam to steal your money.”
Authority in Rome
Few are those leaders whose authority is more clearly of the “traditional” type than Pope Francis. He stands as the most recent in a long line of men who have worn the “shoes of Peter,” a line that goes back nearly 2,000 years.
Yet his words, if not necessarily his actions, seem often to bring into question some of the decisions and opinions that are rooted in that tradition.
Last week he said that being a good Catholic did not mean “being like rabbits,” and he scolded a Philippine woman who risked her own life to give birth to seven children. Some were shocked at his words, while others hoped that this would signal a reversal in the Vatican’s long-established ban on artificial birth control. Upon returning home to Rome, however, the pontiff continued to insist that natural birth control (abstinence when a woman is fertile) was sufficient for limiting the size of Catholic families.
In the Scriptures
Deuteronomy
In this week’s text from the Hebrew scriptures, Moses announces to the children of Israel that the Lord has heard their request for a prophet to lead them and has acquiesced to their wishes. But this gift of a leader comes with a warning.
First, this leader will speak not by his or her own authority; instead, God will put God’s words “in the mouth of the prophet.” The authority with which this prophetic leader will speak will be the authority of God. There will be no excuses for not heeding the prophet’s word. “I didn’t know” will not be acceptable. Everyone will know that the prophet speaks by God’s own authority, and willful disobedience will not be tolerated. Those who do not heed the prophet “I myself will hold accountable,” saith the Lord.
First Corinthians
Someone in Corinth has been claiming to have special knowledge that is not available to the other Christians there. And those claiming this knowledge are also claiming the authority that comes along with special knowledge.
Paul warns, however, that knowledge is not to be trusted in and of itself. Just because a person is knowledgeable does not mean that they are loving, or that their motives are pure, their message is authentic, or their ministry genuine.
Knowledge puffs up, says Paul. But love builds up.
That’s the test of a leader’s authority. Is the leader building up the body? Is the leader making the body stronger? Or is the leader simply making the leader stronger?
By this test we will know if the one who wishes to lead has the legitimate authority to do so.
Mark
The word “authority” appears twice in this passage.
The general and accepted method for teaching scripture in the synagogues at that time was through discussion. The Socratic method of asking questions and debating the answers was thought to be the most genuine path to the truth. Jesus came to the synagogue as one who did not ask and answer, discuss and debate. Jesus spoke as one who had authority, and this shocked his listeners.
And he did not teach with authority simply to exalt his own position in the community. His teaching cast out demons. People were made well by his teaching. His authoritative teaching had power.
That’s another test for the authenticity of one’s teaching -- the power to do good, to heal wounds, to reconcile those who are separated and to make whole that which has been broken.
In the Pulpit
We pastors often lead by all of Weber’s authority types.
We lead by traditional authority when we put on the clerical collar or the vestments and stand as symbols of the long and honored faith traditions of our churches.
We lead by charismatic authority when we use our God-given gifts of rhetoric or empathy or scholarship to capture the imaginations and fire the enthusiasm of our congregations.
And we lead by rational/legal authority when we can point to our seminary degree, our contract with the congregation, or our appointment by the bishop to legitimize our position in the pulpit or at the head of the table.
The texts for today, however, tend to pull the plug on any puffery that we might claim as coming from our education or our ordination.
Real authority to lead the people of God comes from God. Do the words we speak come from the Lord? (Deuteronomy); Do they puff up the preacher or build up the Body of Christ? (1 Corinthians); Do they cast out demons, heal the wounded soul, reconcile the estranged, repair the broken, and do good things? (Mark)
These are the tests that we are called to take regarding our own work, and they are the tests that any Christian is called to take when claiming to have authority in the congregation of the Lord.
SECOND THOUGHTS
by Leah Lonsbury
Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Mark 1:21-28; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet. -- Deuteronomy 18:15
In the 24-hour news cycle culture we live in, we hear lots of voices swirling around us, all claiming to have the real story and the truth we need to know. And don’t forget -- they had the real truth first.
With all these demands on our attention and claims to newscast clout, it can be easy to get sucked into believing that “She/He [reported] to them as one having authority, and not as the [mere mortals over at that rival station]” (Mark 1:22, adapted somewhat).
And then the news becomes the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and the ones delivering it start to look a whole lot like the prophets we must heed.
But it’s always important to remember that the news we hear does not always reflect reality, nor should it dictate our reaction to reality (the real one) or the ways we live and the choices we make as followers of Christ. Co-opting our text from Corinthians for this week, we must keep in mind that “[The news] will not bring us close to God.”
In his blog post “Breaking the American Media Bubble,” author, strategist, and newshound Eric Garland writes about his 2013 week-long experiment in which he relied solely upon “non-American, non-English-language media” to keep up with the world’s news. Here are his four main conclusions and some of his explanations:
Things are happening in countries that are not the United States...
The most important bias you get beyond when leaving US-English media is the presumption that the United States is the only country worth covering with the rest jammed in the “Global” section of some website. For the rest of the world’s media (possible exceptions: Iran, North Korea) events in Perú, Austria, and Thailand are not trivia for people who “studied abroad that one time” -- they are simply the news.
The media is not the most important topic of the media...
One of the best things to get away from in US-English media is the juvenile self-obsession of the media with itself, especially the recent focus on helping the poor media conglomerates stay in the black ink by using free labor and/or puerile moron clickbait in place of maturely analyzed news. America now has TV shows about making TV shows, cable programs about making cable news programs, Narcissus on the cusp of drowning.
Opinion is not news...
After about three days of non-US digital news, a realization gently revealed itself: I wasn’t required to wade through page after page of anecdotally-driven opinion pieces masquerading as news. The majority of the clicks out there were of hard news stories, not a series of self-important “here is how I feel about the news” pieces. Sure, there are op-eds, and some great ones, like this piece from a Portuguese official ripping apart the German finance minister for saying that other “countries” were “jealous” of Germany. (International affairs pro tip: countries have interests and policies, not feelings.) What is missing is that which comprises a shocking percentage of US coverage -- thinly researched, perspective-free assertions about what something “means.”
Time for an enriched diet...
To sum up, your choice of media very much shapes your perception of the world; my experiment reminded me that it shapes mine. This week showed me how much American media is focused on propping up authority figures, reinflating unsustainable financial bubbles, and maintaining the lowest possible cultural and intellectual standards.... You wouldn’t be very healthy if your food diet was both limited in diversity and low in quality. Sadly, America’s intellectual diet is increasingly resembling its food choices -- heavily processed, weighted towards a juvenile palate, providing little value for a balanced life.
We know from Paul that neither the metaphorical nor the literal kind of food will bring us close to God. But we also know that the ones we choose to follow -- in mind, in politics, in shaping our worldview and our lives -- need to be the ones who are building up instead of puffing up, in the truths they tell and the ways they deliver those truths (1 Corinthians 8:1). This is true of the words, news, and truths we offer the world as well. Does our “knowledge” puff others and ourselves up with an unsustainable, juvenile, high-processed, and self-centered reality, or does it build us all up with a love that is enriched, matured, and strengthened in Jesus’ new and authoritative teaching (Mark 1:27), the Good News of God? And how good is our own eye for that Good News? Can we spot it in the sanctuary like those whose eyes were opened when Jesus taught them in the synagogue? Can we spot it in the choices we have in our daily lives like Paul did and encouraged the Corinthians to follow suit? Can we spot it in the media that fills our ears, our minds, and even our hearts? Take this as a test case...
Last week, the three major news networks led with a puffed-up story about unpuffed footballs...
From NBC Nightly News: “On our broadcast tonight, full denial from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and from his coach, as a football inflation scandal remains bigger than the upcoming Super Bowl, as the question remains: Who or what was responsible?”
From CBS Evening News: “Tonight, caught in a pressure cooker: Is Tom Brady a cheater? Quarterback Tom Brady responds to reports that the Patriots used deflated footballs in the AFC Championship Game.”
And from ABC World News Tonight: “On this Thursday night, the breaking news, the scandal before the Super Bowl. The star quarterback, Tom Brady, answering the question: Are you a cheater? Tonight, how Brady explains those deflated footballs, who handled them after they were handled by the refs, and what now for the football star with the supermodel wife.”
Meanwhile, the American-backed Yemeni president was held captive and forced to resign; Saudi Arabia’s powerful and complicated King Abdullah died; and Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau claimed responsibility for an attack in Baga, Nigeria that killed as many as 2,000 civilians and destroyed 3,700 homes and businesses.
How does our vision measure up? Can we see the truth about our broken world and human family that the networks have hidden behind some deflated footballs? Who and what will heed as our prophets, our authorities? How will we shape our lives in response? What news will we carry forth and live out as a result? How will we address our puffiness and build up our lives, our neighbors, our communities, and our world in love?
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Ron Love:
Mark 1:21-28; Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Speaking with Authority / Speaking as a Prophet
Pope Francis has an inclination to always break from his prepared text and speak to on what is on his mind at the moment. Recently the 78-year-old pontiff did so regarding a topic one would not usually associate with the pope -- breastfeeding. In speaking to the importance of young mothers giving infants milk -- feeding them -- he substituted from his text “give them milk” to the Italian allattatlei, which means “breastfeed them.” He then went on to say how breastfeeding can help alleviate the hunger of the world.
Application: The church must speak to difficult and often uncomfortable subjects if we are to bring forth social change.
*****
Mark 1:21-28; Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Speaking with Authority / Speaking as a Prophet
Alex Malarkey has admitted that the story of going to heaven and returning to tell of the glories of the celestial paradise and the saints and people he encountered and recorded in his book The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven was all fabricated. At the age of 6 he was paralyzed in a car accident, and during his recuperation he made the entire story up. Though readers made the book a New York Times bestseller, Tyndale House is no longer publishing the book.
Application: Theologically we know only one person went to heaven and returned, and that was Jesus. Yet people are so desirous to have insight into the unknown that they surrender reason for myth. As the true spokespersons for the Lord, we must disavow the false prophets of the silly and inane.
*****
Mark 1:21-28; Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Speaking with Authority / Speaking as a Prophet
With the Super Bowl upon us this day, the television advertisements are as much a part of the action as what occurs between the goalposts. The commercials are renowned for their creativity, and often establish themselves as a part of our culture. In fact, it is known that some people only watch the game to see the ads. According to social media shares, the most popular Super Bowl spot of all time did not feature the Budweiser Clydesdales or Mean Joe Greene for Coke; instead it was Volkswagen’s 2011 ad titled “The Force.” In it a little boy dressed as Darth Vader thinks he has successfully used “the force” to start his father’s VW Passat, when in fact his father used his car’s keyless remote to start it. A recent study notes that the ad has attracted 5,279,722 social media viewings.
Application: The message we share can have a lasting impact on the lives of others.
*****
Mark 1:21-28; Deuteronomy 18:15-20
A new app is now available called Memo, which is being promoted as the new water cooler. It allows individuals in an office to gossip with one another on business e-mail accounts without being detected by management -- encryption lets the users know one another while remaining anonymous to managers.
Application: There is no need for us to remain anonymous when sharing the prophetic word of the Lord.
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From team member Mary Austin:
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Stumbling Blocks
Managing pain -- and the right amount of medication -- can be a stumbling block in recovering from surgery or trauma. Now the medication itself is becoming a stumbling block for many, as the rate of addiction to prescription medication has risen dramatically: “The proportion of drug addicts checking into rehab that abuse prescription medications has seen a fourfold increase in the past decade, according to a study released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).”
The report says that people don’t believe they can become addicted to medication prescribed for them. “Researchers found that the increase in patients checking into rehab with prescription drug abuse issues was similarly striking across age, gender, level of education, and employment status. ‘It cuts across all age groups and socioeconomic levels,’ says Rob Covin, author of Overcoming Prescription Drug Addiction.... What accounts for this mounting prescription drug problem?” Researchers say that “it has a lot to do with how Americans view the medications,” and don’t perceive a risk.
*****
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Stumbling Blocks, Part Two
For those who vowed to lose weight this year, stumbling blocks to sane, healthy eating abound. Scientist Brian Wansink has devoted his life as a researcher to studying how we eat mindlessly, and how purveyors of food lure us into eating more. He says, “Our studies show that the average person makes around 250 decisions about food every day -- Breakfast or no breakfast? Pop-tart or bagel? Part of it or all of it? Kitchen or car? Yet out of these 200+ food decisions, most we cannot really explain.”
After conducting hundreds of food studies, Wansink says that “most people think they are too smart to be influenced by candy dishes, television, or the shape of a glass. When we show someone that they ate 31% more because we gave them a large scoop at the ice cream social, they will deny it. That’s what is so astonishing. No one wants to admit they were tricked by something as mundane as the size of a scoop or the shape of a glass. That’s what makes these so dangerous to our diets.”
*****
Mark 1:21-28
Getting More Authority
Authority is built into Jesus by virtue of who he is, but human leaders wonder what they can do to gain authority and make the best use of it. The Harvard Business Review says that authority is paradoxical: “In chaotic times, an executive’s instinct may be to strive for greater efficiency by tightening control. But the truth is that relinquishing authority and giving employees considerable autonomy can boost innovation and success at knowledge firms, even during crises. Our research provides hard evidence that leaders who give in to the urge to clamp down can end up doing their companies a serious disservice.” More rules and policies don’t motivate anyone, but substantial autonomy can bring out the best in all of us. “Furthermore, we’ve found that contrary to what many CEOs assume, leadership is not really about delegating tasks and monitoring results; it is about imbuing the entire workforce with a sense of responsibility for the business. This applies mainly to knowledge organizations, but even production-oriented companies can benefit from having employees who feel more empowered and engaged.” Could it be true for the church, and our volunteers, too?
*****
Mark 1:21-28
What Leaders Should Do
Entrepreneur Bill Taylor offers advice to new managers, suggesting that if they don’t want to repeat the mistakes of the past, they should ask themselves five questions. The answers to these questions will develop their authority as leaders. As Taylor says, “If you’re the new boss, how do you make sure that you don’t repeat the bad habits of the old bosses who drove you crazy? My advice is to develop solid answers to five make-or-break questions for aspiring leaders.”
His first question is Why should great people want to work with you? “The best leaders understand that the most talented performers aren’t motivated primarily by money or status. Great people want to work on exciting projects. Great people want to feel like impact players. Put simply, great people want to feel like they’re part of something greater than themselves.”
The second question is Do you know a great person when you see one? “It’s a lot easier to be the right kind of leader if you’re running a team or department filled with the right kind of people. Indeed, as I reflect on the best workplaces I’ve visited, I’ve come to appreciate how much time and energy leaders spend on who gets to be there. These workplaces may feel different, but the organizing principle is the same: When it comes to evaluating talent, character counts for as much as credentials. Do you know what makes your star performers tick -- and how to find more performers who share those attributes?”
You can read Taylor’s other questions here.
*****
Mark 1:21-28
Speaking With Authority
Jesus speaks with such authority that the people around him marvel, but that’s rarely true for the rest of us. Writer Peter Bregman suggests that we speak for three reasons: 1.) To help ourselves; 2.) To help others; and 3.) To connect with each other. However, he says, the surprise is “how frequently we fool ourselves into thinking we’re achieving those objectives when, in reality, we’re thwarting them.” We often undermine our stated goal.
Observing himself in a group setting, he says, “several times I had the urge to say something simply to show that I knew the answer. Or to get attention. Or to increase my power in the group. It became clear to me that my urge to speak in those moments came from my desire to feel special. I wanted people to like me and to think highly of me. But who likes the guy trying to show off?... In fact, I was amazed at how often I wanted to speak simply to assure myself that I was here. I had a role. I was noticed.”
A sore throat, and the inability to speak, gave Bregman time to think about what he wanted to say. He suggests that “before speaking, we ask ourselves one simple question: Is what I’m about to say going to detract from one of the three reasons I speak? If the answer is yes, consider saving your voice. My throat is better now and I can speak as much as I want. Which left me feeling a little nervous; now that I know how easy it is to be self-defeating, will I keep myself on the productive side of the speaking equation?... These past few days, when I get the urge to talk, I find myself doing a little calculation in my head: If I only have so much speaking I can do in a day, is this thing I’m about to say a worthwhile use of my voice?”
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From team member Chris Keating:
Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Who Shall Speak for the Nation?
Fidel Castro has broken his silence on improving relations between Cuba and the United States, in essence lending his authority to actions taken by his brother Raul Castro. A letter written by the elder Castro acknowledges that while he distrusts the policies of the United States, he backs negotiations to improve relationships.
The former dictator’s silence on the historic December announcement made some wonder if the younger Castro had acted without seeking his brother’s approval. Monday’s letter made it clear that despite Fidel Castro’s distrust of the United States, Raul Castro had acted with full authority. It seemed to tamp down rumors of Fidel’s death or that he didn’t stand behind his brother’s actions.
*****
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Power Plays: What Would Paul Say about the Super Bowl?
It’s Super Bowl Sunday, and football will be on everyone’s minds. Well, make that football and food. What could be more American than eating bowl after bowl of tortilla chips and cheesy-chili dip or piling plates with pizza? If it’s good for the economy -- Papa John’s is hoping to take more than a million orders during the game -- and tastes great, what’s not to like about Super Bowl Sunday?
The championship palates of Americans would cause the Corinthian Christians’ eyes to pop (and perhaps their bellies as well). After Thanksgiving, it’s the second biggest day of eating. The Corinthians had their idols, but Americans have their chicken wings -- 1.25 billion of which will be eaten on Sunday. That’s enough to cover the distance between Seattle and New England 28 times.
Paul might say that it is not just wings, however, but also prayers. Specifically, Paul urges that our liberty to eat whatever we want -- including eight million pounds of guacamole -- not create a stumbling block to others. On a day that celebrates dominance and triumph, Paul wants us to recall the importance of mutuality, community, and the strength shown in weakness. (See Matthew Skinner’s essay in the Huffington Post’s religion blog for a more detailed view.)
*****
Mark 1:21-28
Speaking with Authority
Greg O’Brien has 35 years of experience as a writer, reporter, and editor. He’s just released a new book, and is a frequent speaker.
He also has Alzheimer’s disease. At age 59, O’Brien was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. He’s recently published a memoir and writes extensively about his struggle with the disease. He is also a popular speaker -- perhaps because he speaks with authority, detailing his daily struggle with this incurable disease.
“There are millions more [people] out there who are suffering through the stages of early-onset Alzheimer’s who are afraid to seek help. They’re afraid to talk to people,” he says. “If I could help give them that voice so maybe things get a little better for them, then that’s good.”
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: You who fear God, praise him and stand in awe.
People: For God did not hide God’s face from us.
Leader: All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to God.
People: All the families of the nations shall worship before our God.
Leader: Posterity will serve God; future generations will be told about God.
People: They will proclaim God’s deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that God has done it.
OR
Leader: Come and worship the God who creates all that is good.
People: We offer our praise and adoration to our Creator God.
Leader: God creates us and calls us into a life of love and service.
People: Our lives belong to God, and we offer them gladly.
Leader: As God has created us, God calls us to build up others.
People: We are God’s people, and we will love as God loves.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
“Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”
found in:
UMH: 89
H82: 376
PH: 464
AAHH: 120
NNBH: 40
NCH: 4
CH: 2
LBW: 551
ELA: 836
W&P: 59
AMEC: 75
STLT: 29
“The Care the Eagle Gives Her Young”
found in:
UMH: 118
NCH: 468
CH: 76
“Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation”
found in:
UMH: 559
H82: 518
PH: 416, 417
NCH: 400
CH: 275
LBW: 367
ELA: 645
AMEC: 518
“Blest Be the Tie That Binds”
found in:
UMH: 557
PH: 438
AAHH: 341
NNBH: 298
NCH: 393
CH: 433
LBW: 370
ELA: 656
W&P: 393
AMEC: 522
“Where Charity and Love Prevail”
found in:
UMH: 549
H82: 581
NCH: 396
LBW: 126
ELA: 359
“In Christ There Is No East or West”
found in:
UMH: 548
H82: 529
PH: 439, 440
AAHH: 398, 399
NNBH: 299
NCH: 394, 395
CH: 687
LBW: 259
ELA: 650
W&P: 600, 603
AMEC: 557
“The Gift of Love”
found in:
UMH: 408
AAHH: 522
CH: 526
W&P: 397
Renew: 155
“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
found in:
UMH: 384
H82: 657
PH: 376
AAHH: 440
NNBH: 65
NCH: 43
CH: 517
LBW: 315
ELA: 631
W&P: 358
AMEC: 455
Renew: 196
“Unity”
found in:
CCB: 59
“O How He Loves You and Me!”
found in:
CCB: 38
Renew: 27
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELA: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who has given us to each other for building one another up: Grant us the grace to give others a helping hand and to avoid being a stumbling block to them; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God, for you created us in community to build up one another. Open our hearts and minds, and send your Spirit upon us that we may desire to be a helping hand rather than a stumbling block. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially our lack of care for one another.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We enjoy the intelligence we were created with and we enjoy learning new things. We love it when we know things that others do not. We like to think that this makes us better than them. Somehow in all this knowledge we forget about love. We are more interested in inflating our own status; we forget that those we are making look small are our sisters and brothers. We forget that they are the Christ, and what we do to them we do to our God. Forgive us, and bring us back to our right minds. Help us to see with the power of the Spirit that we may love and build up one another. Amen.
Leader: God knows our frailty and our love of self-importance. God also knows that the Christ Spirit dwells within us and can make us more loving people. Receive God’s love, and through God’s Spirit allow yourselves to grow in love.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord’s Prayer)
We praise you, O God, our Creator and our Redeemer. You live in love and lift up your creation.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We enjoy the intelligence we were created with and we enjoy learning new things. We love it when we know things that others do not. We like to think that this makes us better than them. Somehow in all this knowledge we forget about love. We are more interested in inflating our own status; we forget that those we are making look small are our sisters and brothers. We forget that they are the Christ, and what we do to them we do to our God. Forgive us, and bring us back to our right minds. Help us to see with the power of the Spirit that we may love and build up one another.
We give you thanks for the abilities and possibilities we have been born with. We thank you for the ability to learn and to grow in knowledge. But most of all we thank you for the ability you have given us to grow in love.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for one another in our need, and especially for those who feel beat down and deflated by those who puff themselves up against them.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father . . . Amen.
(or if the Lord’s Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children’s Sermon Starter
Have you ever had friends who whispered about something? You know they have a secret, but you don’t know what it is. It is no fun when we feel left out because we don’t know something. That happens to adults too, even in the church! Knowing things, knowledge, can make us feel important, but sometimes by making others feel less important. The lesson today reminds us that love, taking care of each other, makes everybody feel better -- and that is the best way.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
Authority
Mark 1:21-28
Object: a grade-school or junior-high diploma
When I graduated from grade school, I received this piece of paper. (Show the diploma.) Does anybody know what this piece of paper is called? (Let the children answer.) It is called a “diploma.” How do you suppose the school decided to give me one of these? (Let them answer.) Why? (Let them answer.) A diploma is a mark of authority. It shows that I have learned a certain amount of material and gives me the authority to go on to the next level. You will also get a diploma because of your learning. When you have a diploma from your school, then you can go on to more schooling.
Sometimes people are given other diplomas. Someone who graduates from medical school, for example, is given a medical diploma. That means the school thinks that person has learned enough about disease and the human body to become a doctor. When a person graduates from seminary, that person receives a divinity diploma. That means the school thinks that person has learned enough about God and the church to become a minister. Can you think of other kinds of diplomas people receive? (Let them answer.)
A diploma is a mark of authority. It shows that a person has learned enough to be good at what they are doing.
Do you think Jesus had a diploma? (Let them answer.) No, we know he did not have a diploma. Yet Jesus had great authority or power. He could do things that no other human being could do. He didn’t need a piece of paper called a diploma to prove himself. What he said and what he did proved his power and authority. One day when Jesus went to the synagogue, the people were amazed at his authority. What he said proved to them that he knew God and had God’s power with him.
Prayer: Dearest Lord Jesus: Thank you for your power and authority. Amen.
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The Immediate Word, February 1, 2015, issue.
Copyright 2015 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
