Refugees
For May 7, 2023:
Refugees
by Katy Stenta
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
God is my refuge, but why does the world have to be so scary? It is way easier to feel safe than to be safe in the modern era.
In the News
What is not in the news these days? Some days, we all want to take refuge from the news and binge our favorite TV series and forget the outside world even exists. In the United States, the pervasiveness of neighborly gun violence continues. The most recent story being that a dad asked a neighbor in Texas to stop shooting because his one year old was sleeping, and the result was that the man killed the entire family. We are also teetering toward a debt default. The conflict in Sudan is so bad that as many as 800,000 people could flee. A year into the Russian-Ukrainian War, and the end does not seem to be in sight. Then there is the news that is not being reported on: People in Pakistan are starving and dying in the food lines, according to my congregants. This onslaught of news of death and horror is all too much to take in.
In the Bible
When the Psalms cry out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” it seems to be a universal cry, and yet we seem to be facing more once-in-a-lifetime experiences than average. In the onslaught of globalization, compassion fatigue is real. How can God abandon them? “God must play favorites,” seems to be the only answer here. Do we really believe our God is the God of Hagar in Genesis 16:13? Is our God “the God who sees me?” Sometimes though we all feel like refugees, trying to find that spot of spots, that moment of warmth. What will make us feel safe in the world? My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Do you see me? What is this world you have marooned me on? Are you the God of the refugees, because we are all making our way alone out here?
In the Sermon
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 talks about God as our refuge, for when all is said and done, we are all refugees. I do not think we talk about ourselves that way very often. We say we are lost, or alone. But we humans do not like to think about that deep scary feeling of abandonment. We do not like to talk about how scary life is when we feel like we are untethered, without a claim. Yet our God says that we are precisely the untethered people and that our God is the God of the refugees.
God is our refuge, the refuge for all the people who are about to face the unknown troubles, the unforeseen troubles, the hard things we have not even imagined yet. Not because God wants us to suffer, but because humans like to push the envelope and try to do everything on our own, like teenagers. Then we try to find ways to feel safe. We helicopter parent and spy on one another and buy guns to feel safe, and forget to nurture responsibility, build community, and find time to spend in relationships with one another. We humans are almost always trying to invent our way into a new thing, instead of relying on trust, love, and truth. God is our refuge and our rock — dependable. God knows what it is like to be a refugee and does not disdain them. Instead, God whispers in our ear that it’s all right to rest in God’s arms for a while and to seek sanctuary. God loves the refugee. Can we think of ourselves that way? Can we love ourselves that way? It is something to ponder.
This Is The Way
by Quantisha Mason-Doll
John 14:1-14
In the gospel of John the apostle Thomas has the audacity to question the Lord our God, asking, “…how can we know the way?” This comes after Jesus tells his followers that they have no reason to be troubled and their belief was cause enough to be welcomed into the kingdom of God. Jesus boldly claims that his father’s house has space enough for all who believe. Full stop.
Before you jump to conclusions on my man Thomas, hear me out when I say this: Let that man cook! “Let him cook/let that man cook” is a vernacular placeholder demanding space for another to hone their craft or allow for another to express excitement without judgement. The apostle Thomas is all of us when we are desperate for clarification or validation on a given subject. Imagine the mental gymnastics Thomas goes through on a daily basis. He walks in the presence of the Almighty made flesh — of course his world view might be shifting every minute of every hour of every day. Put some respect on his name. Thomas has chosen to question without blindly following and it’s his faith that guides him to question the path he must follow. Just because we know the destination does not mean we know the proper route. Thomas, like all of humanity, seeks to achieve greatness while avoiding the disappointment of failure.
While thinking about the plight of the long-suffering apostles of Jesus I could not help but relate this gospel reading to the plot of Disney and Lucas films, The Mandalorian. I am not hyper obsessed with the Star Wars universe, but I would not deny the parallels between the Mandalorian cult and modern cult of Christ. I use the term cult loosely, but with purpose, in reference to the growing trend toward religious extremism. A brief overview of important points of the Mandalorian show:
1. The Mandalorian culture is made up of different sects that all follow a code of ethics, called the way, that shape their way of life.
2. There was division among the wider Mandalorian sects centered around the interpretation and levels of adherence to the way which led to destabilization and destruction of the Mandalorian home world.
3. Now it’s up to the Din Djarin, the foundling Grogu, Bo-Katan Kryze, and the Armorer leader of the Tribe to reunite all surviving Mandalorian’s forging a new way.
These three points are an oversimplification of a complex story arc, yet I think The Mandalorian speaks to realities we face as modern Christians and members of the church of Christ. Christianity and its various sects mirror the cult and culture of the Mandalorian’s. We have a collective set of written and unwritten rules that govern the way we move through the world. Modern global Christianity is faced with the reality that being a Christian is now a polarizing subject. There are those among us that have to stress that they are Christian’s but not “those type of Christians.” It’s like how Din Djarin and the Armorer refuse to remove their helmets under punishment of exile while Bo-Katan, born of the royal house Kryze, removes her helmet with little concern for repercussions. All parties are respectfully Christian or Mandalorian yet there is a fear of being perceived as a heretic for following or not following a specific way.
In essence, there is the creation of a non sequitur fallacy. In the Mandalorian, Din Djarin, the Armorer, and Bo-Katan come to realize that survival of their culture and identity as Mandalorian is more important than one specific interpretation of the way. They all acknowledge that they are stronger as one unit and all understanding of the way can and should exist simultaneously.
I draw inspiration from this revelation and the words of Jesus in the gospel of John. Jesus tells us there is enough room in the house of the Father, thus we should not be troubled by the thought of scarcity. Jesus tells Thomas that he knows the way because he knows and believes, though he questions. Jesus reassures Thomas, thus us collectively, that all we have to do is start down a path, stay true to it, not swayed by the evils of Lucy, and we will find the kingdom. Even when Philip pushes, wanting finite answers, Jesus is willing to offer further guidance that still holds true to this day no matter our sect: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these.”
Thus when Jesus tells us, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it,” what should fall from our lips, no matter what way we follow to the kingdom, should be, “I am rooting for you to stay alive.”
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Dean Feldmeyer
John 14:1-14, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
Feeling Safe vs. Being Safe — In A Basket
The story is told of a monastery in Portugal, perched high on a 3,000 foot cliff and accessible only by a terrifying ride in a swaying basket. The basket is pulled with a single rope by several strong men, perspiring under the strain of the fully loaded basket. One American tourist who visited the site got nervous halfway up the cliff when he noticed that the rope was old and frayed. Hoping to relive his fear he asked, "How often do you change the rope?" The monk in charge replied, "Whenever it breaks!"
* * *
John 14:1-14, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
Feeling Safe vs. Being Safe — On An Airplane
Fear or apprehension about flying is so common that they have a name for it: aerophobia. But the fact is, you’re safer flying across the country than you are driving to the airport, according to USA Today.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration compiles and researches accident statistics for the entire country. Its 2008 Traffic Safety Facts Data boils down the millions of accidents and other statistics to 1.27 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. In contrast, the 1998 rate was 1.58 fatalities per 100 million miles of car travel.
The National Transportation Safety Board compiles general aviation accident data. Preliminary statistics for 2008 show only 20 accidents for U.S. air carriers operating scheduled service. This works out to nearly zero accidents per million flying miles. No fatal accidents were recorded, and only five people were seriously injured in airplane accidents.
In absolute numbers, driving is more dangerous in fatality risk for the average person, with more than 5 million accidents compared to 20 accidents in flying for the entire airline industry, not just commercial airline flights. A more direct comparison per 100 million miles pits driving's 1.27 fatalities and 80 injuries against flying's lack of deaths and almost no injuries, which again shows commercial flights and other general air travel to be safer.
* * *
John 14:1-14, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
Feeling Safe vs. Being Safe – In A Pandemic
According to The Atlantic, one of the many hard lessons we have learned from the Coronavirus pandemic is this: How different feeling safe and being safe actually are. This misperception was played out in millions of homes and workplaces across the country as regular people made good-faith efforts to grapple with the swiftly changing circumstances of American life, absent the resources available to the federal government.
Things that had previously been safe, such as visiting grandparents and attending a friend’s wedding, suddenly became potentially deadly. Things that used to be foreboding, such as the sight of many masked strangers in public, became a source of comfort.
“To understand how humans think about safety, you have to understand how they think about fear. To be safe, people need to be free from the threat of physical or mental harm. But to feel safe, people need to be free from the perception of potential harm, confident that they understand what the likeliest threats are and that they are capable of avoiding them. Whether their perception is accurate is often incidental, at best, to the feeling itself.”
* * *
John 14:1-14, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
Feeling Safe vs. Being Safe — On The Roof
One summer, I took a team of high school juniors and seniors to Appalachia to work for a week on a home repair ministry. We were sent to a two-story house where the asphalt shingled roof was being replaced with a tin roof. The job was started, we were to continue it, the group following us would complete it.
A safety line had been strung between the chimneys on either end of the house and each worker would wear a line around their waist with a 10–15-foot lead attached to the safety line. Before we went up on the roof, however, the leader explained: “Do not think because you have a rope around your waist, that you are going to be safe up there. That rope will probably save your life if you fall, but make no mistake, it’s gonna hurt. Bad. Your gonna break some bones. So, don’t get too cocky just because you have a safety line attached to you. Be careful just like you would if you didn’t.”
* * *
John 14:1-14
Following — In School
S. I. McMillen, in his book None of These Diseases, tells a story of a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she read the question on the application that asked, “Are you a leader?” Being honest and conscientious, she wrote, “No,” and returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: “Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower.”
* * *
John 14:1-14
Following — In Church
There’s a story about a young missionary who was sent to a Spanish speaking country before he completed his studies in the language. Nevertheless, he carried on even though he rarely understood what was going on around him.
One Sunday he decided to worship with the locals in small church but when he arrived it was full of people with the only available seat in the front row. He took the seat and, not understanding what was happening in the service, he decided to simply follow the man sitting next to him and do what he did.
When the music played, the man clapped his hands. So the young missionary clapped his hands. When the man shouted Amen, he shouted Amen. When the man laughed, he laughed. And so it went throughout the service until the very end when, he assumed, was the time of announcements.
The pastor made several announcements, some of which were followed by applause, in which the missionary joined. Finally, the pastor smiled broadly, said something, and when the man sitting next to the missionary stood up the missionary stood as well.
There was a huge gasp from the congregation and, looking around, the young missionary realized that he and the man next to him were the only two standing so he slowly sat back down.
After the service as the young missionary made his way out, he shook the pastor’s hand and the pastor said, in English. “Welcome, visitor. I take it you don’t speak Spanish.”
The young man admitted that he did not.
“I thought that was so,” said the Pastor. “That last announcement was that the Alvarez family was welcoming a new daughter and I asked the father to stand up.”
* * *
John 14:1-14
Following — In Snow
I have never skied in snow but an acquaintance of mine enjoys what he calls “extreme skiing.” I asked him what that was and he said that he went to a place out west and, sometimes, in Canada or Alaska. There, he paid a fee and a helicopter took him, several other skiers, and a guide to the top of a mountain.
When they reached the summit, the helicopter hovered a few feet above the snow while the skiers jumped out, with the guide going first. There’s no waiting around, my friend said. Once your skies hit the snow you’re off, on your way down a mountain you’ve never skied before. It’s such a rush!
I asked him how he knew where to ski, where the dangerous drop-offs and tree stumps and boulders were and how he avoided them. He laughed. That’s what the guide is for, he said. You follow her. In fact, you try, as hard as you can, to put your skis in her tracks. She, it turns out, has skied this particular mountain hundreds of times.
She knows where the dangers are and how to avoid them. Follow her and you’ll be just fine.
* * * * * *
From team member Tom Willadsen:
John 14:1-14
Thomas vs. Philip
In the synoptic gospels Thomas and Philip are only names on the roster of disciples. In John’s gospel they actually have speaking parts. It was Philip who responded immediately when Jesus said, “Follow me” to him in John 1:43. Philip told Nathanael that he (Philip) had found “him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote.” Nathanael was skeptical; Philip replied, “Come and see.”
In John 6, a large crowd had followed Jesus and they needed food. Jesus asked Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” Jesus was testing Philip.
In John 12, some Greeks wanted to see Jesus and they approached Philip, who relayed their request to Andrew.
In the latter part of today’s lesson, Philip asks Jesus to show the Father to the disciples. Clearly, Philip hadn’t been paying attention. Yet it’s Thomas who gets the bad press because of John 21, when Thomas insists on seeing the resurrected Christ for himself. Even though, in John 11, Thomas is the first to volunteer to go to Bethany after hearing that Lazarus has died. Jesus and the disciples had fled Jerusalem late in John 10 because the religious leaders tried to arrest Jesus. In John 11 the other disciples tried to talk Jesus out of returning to Bethany, but Thomas showed no fear.
* * *
John 14:1-14
Remember the setting
John 14:6b, “No one comes to the Father except through me,” is a dangerous verse because it is frequently used as a proof text (“prooftext” and “proof-text” are also considered acceptable; just be consistent) to show that only Christians have access to God or salvation. Today’s gospel lesson is part of a lengthy farewell discourse Jesus had late at night with his disciples. Jesus is reassuring and preparing his closest friends and allies for some frightening, uncertain times in the days ahead.
Some contend that Jesus is invoking the local custom of his people, that to speak to the head of the household, one had to first approach the oldest son.
* * *
John 14:1-14
Addresses, mansions, dwelling places…
In John 14:2 Jesus says, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places…” (NRSV) The Greek for “house” is οικια and the Greek for “dwelling places” is μοναι.
You can have a lot of fun exploring the different renderings of these two terms in various translations. Here’s a summary:
Rooms…house – Contemporary English Version
House…mansions – King James Version
Plenty of room…house – The Message
House…rooms – New International Version
More than enough room…Father’s home – New Living Translation
* * *
Psalm 119:9-32
Repetition, repetition, repetition
In good Hebrew poetic style, the portion of Psalm 119 that is today’s lection uses numerous synonyms for law. Nine different Hebrew root words are rendered into English as “Your word,” “Your commandments,” “Your statutes,” “judgments,” “the way,” “Your testimonies,” “Your precepts,” and “law.”
Law/Torah only appears once.
The word rendered “Your commandments,” which appears three times in this reading, מצותיך might be familiar. Transliterated it’s “mitzvah.” We hear it in “bar mitzvah” and “bat mitzvah.” Casually people sometimes refer to mitzvahs as good deeds.
* * * * * *
From team member Chris Keating:
Acts 7:55-60
Finally Heard
Like many innocent victims, Stephen kept speaking out against his attackers, even though they had closed their ears to his cries. Lamar Johnson, a Missouri man wrongly convicted of murder 28 years ago, might be able to related to Stephen’s experience.
In 1994, Johnson was a 20-year old father of two when his longtime friend Markus Boyd was killed. Johnson was three miles away the night Boyd was shot while sitting outside of his home. The only eyewitness testified that he could only see the eyes of the men who killed Boyd. From the outset, police focused on Johnson even though others verified his alibi. Years after his conviction, the state’s only eyewitness came forward to say police had “bullied” him into naming Johnson.
For more than 30 years, Johnson maintained his innocence, talking to anyone who would listen. When a St. Louis Circuit judge overturned Johnson’s conviction in 2023, he said he finally felt as if he had been heard. Currently, the Missouri Innocence Project is working to pass a law that would allow wrongfully convicted persons with evidence of their innocence the ability to seek exoneration. Currently in Missouri, only those who are sentenced to death can present a claim for innocence in court.
* * *
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
A Rock of Refuge
In the wake of the recent school shooting in Nashville, TN, school safety has once again become a source of concern for parents. In Chicago, nearly three out of four parents report being very concerned about their children being involved in a mass shooting out in public. About 67% reported being worried that a shooting could occur in their child’s school. A 2022 Pew Research survey confirmed that about a third of K-12 parents are either “very or extremely worried” that a shooting could happen at their children’s school.
“As a parent, it’s up to you to keep your children safe,” writes therapist Jeff J. Rocker. “But in a world that feels increasingly unsafe, it’s normal to experience a wide range of negative emotions about your children’s safety, including anxiety, worry and intrusive thoughts that can affect your performance at work.”
* * *
John 14:1-14
Untroubled Hearts
Poet Ross Gay is determined to find ways the troubled hearts of our world can lead to “incitements” of joy. “What if joy,” Gay writes in his book Inciting Joy: Essays, “instead of refuge or relief from heartbreak is what effloresces from us as we help each other carry our heartbreaks?” Spiritual director and pastor Beth Waltemath reviews Gay’s work in the May 2023 edition of Christian Century. She notes that Gay “draws on the ways that pickup basketball, community gardens, reading poetry aloud, listening to great artists cover songs of other greats, laughing, crying, just hanging out, and care for the dying loose the shackles of capitalism’s productivity and White supremacy’s puritanical mindset to ‘rejoyn’ us to gracious and life-giving ways of being.”
* * * * * *
From team member Mary Austin:
John 14:1-14
The Truth
“I am the way, the truth and the life for you,” Jesus tells his friends, and us. We lose the truth part of the message in our churches, and people find more truth in 12 Step programs in the basement than they do upstairs in the sanctuary.
Will Willimon recalls asking a question of a recovering alcoholic in his congregation, “Sam, why have you stopped coming to church?” He replied, “Preacher, after you have been to AA, and taken the cure, and stared your demons in the face, and have to stand naked in front of twenty other drunks and tell every bad thing you have done or thought, and had to ask God and them to forgive you for being you, well, church just seems like such a trivial waste of time.” Church could use a dose of the truth Jesus promised. (from Sinning Like a Christian: A New Look at the 7 Deadly Sins by William H. Willimon)
* * *
John 14:1-14
The Earth as Home
In this farewell message, Jesus helps us think about where our true home is. Farmer Leah Penniman reminds us that one place is the earth, where we all live until we meet up with Jesus in the place he has planned for us. She recalls, “While I was studying traditional farming and Eco spirituality in Ghana with the Queen Mothers of Kroboland, they offered a teaching which has been seared into my soul ever since. Manye Nartike asked: “Is it true that in the United States, a farmer will put the seed into the ground and not pour any libations, offer any prayers, sing, or dance, and expect that seed to grow?” Met with my ashamed silence, she continued, “That is why you are all sick! Because you see the earth as a thing and not as KIN!”
The preparation of our home happens here, too, on the earth that God has given us.
Penniman adds, “If I were to tell you I had lived in the same neighborhood my whole life and didn’t learn the names of the people next door, you might pass some judgments on my character. And yet, here we are in a neighborhood of trees, insects, and amphibians that many of us cannot call by name.” We make ourselves at home, here, too, as we follow Jesus.
* * *
John 14:1-14
The Sound of Home
Jesus promises us a place with him, a new home as we abide in him eternally. But what does that place sound like? Scientists say that some places feed our spirits, based on how they sound.
"Step into the underground concourses of New York’s Penn Station and you might just feel an uneasy sense of claustrophobia that’s hard to explain. Stroll across the hardwood floors at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC and a sense of calmness might descend on you. Why? Each of these buildings has its own unique voice — the way sound behaves in the structure…This “aural architecture” can have a profound effect on the way you experience a building.”
“The way sound interacts with a building’s physical structure can also significantly alter our moods and emotions. For instance, studies show that living in crowded housing can cause a feeling of helplessness. Rooms with loftier ceilings encourage more abstract thought as people feel more free in such airy spaces. Consider the emotional impact of a structure like the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul’s famous former cathedral and mosque, which now houses a museum. Built nearly 1,500 years ago, its domed interior and marble floors and walls can elevate human chants into ethereal sounds that seem to emanate from the depths of the ocean and create a feeling of exaltation in the listener."
No doubt Jesus has already planned for optimal, spirit-feeding sound, in the place he promises us.
* * *
1 Peter 2:2-10
Being Formed Anew
The writer of the epistle urges the believers to be “like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood.” Choose this kind of deliberate growth toward God, the author urges.
Social scientists tell us how to do this. “Instead of saying “I run” (verb), start saying “I am a runner” (noun). Using a noun rather than a verb represents “an opportunity to become a certain kind of person,” says Stanford University psychology professor Gregory M. Walton. This subtle switch is what Walton calls a psychologically precise intervention. “These interventions are much like every day experiences,” he wrote in 2014. “They aim, simply, to alter a specific way in which people think or feel in the normal course of their lives, to help them flourish.”
For example, “individuals who describe themselves with the statement, “I am a voter,” had an increase of 11 percentage points in their voter turnout compared to individuals in a group that self-described with the statement “I vote.” (from Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company by Whitney Johnson)
As people of faith, we can describe ourselves in the way that builds us into the spiritual houses the epistle describes.
* * *
1 Peter 2:2-10
Cornerstone of Healing
As the epistle notes, the most unexpected things can become a cornerstone. Rachel Naomi Remen describes a ritual she uses with her cancer patients before surgery, to heal their spirits the way the surgery will heal their physical illness.
She explains, “People with cancer tell me that experiences of hospitalization and treatment are profoundly isolating. I suspect that this sense of aloneness may even undermine the will to live. When we feel the support of others, many of us can face the unknown with greater strength.”
Before the surgery, she invites people to meet with family and close friends, and to bring an ordinary rock to the meeting. “The ritual begins by having everyone sit in a circle. In any order they wish to speak, each person tells the story of a time when they too faced a crisis. People may talk about the death of important persons, the loss of jobs or of relationships, or even about their own illnesses. The person who is speaking holds the stone the patient has brought. When they finish telling their story of survival, they take a moment to reflect on the personal quality that they feel helped them come through that difficult time. People will say such things as, “What brought me through was determination,” “What brought me through was faith,” “What brought me through was humor.” When they have named the quality of their strength, they speak directly to the person preparing for surgery or treatment, saying, “I put determination into this stone for you,” or, “I put faith into this stone for you.” Often what people say is surprising. Sometimes they tell of crises that occurred when they were young or in wartime that others, even family members, may not have known before, or they attribute their survival to qualities that are not ordinarily seen as strengths. It is usually a moving and intimate meeting and often all the people who participate say that they feel strengthened and inspired by it.”
The patient carries the stone to the hospital, carrying all of the gifts that their loved ones have out into the stone. Dr. Remen says, “I have had several patients go to their chemotherapy, their radiation, or even their surgery with their stones strapped with adhesive tape to the palm of one of their hands or the bottom of their foot. Over the years, many of the oncologists and surgeons in our community have learned about these stones from their patients and are very careful about them. One surgeon even had the staff go through the hospital laundry in search of a stone that was accidentally thrown away with the sheets in the recovery room. I asked him why he had done this and he laughed and said, “Listen, I have seen people do badly after surgery and even die when there was no reason for it other than the fact that they believed they wouldn’t make it. I need all the help I can get.” (from Kitchen Table Wisdom)
In a similar way, we carry the love and grace of Jesus, who is our cornerstone, with us.
* * * * * *
WORSHIP
by George Reed
Call to Worship
One: In you, O God, we seek refuge.
All: In your righteousness deliver us.
One: You are indeed our rock and our fortress.
All: For your name’s sake lead us and guide us.
One: Let your face shine upon your servants.
All: Save us in your steadfast love, O God.
OR
One: God is our refuge and our rock in times of trouble.
All: We cling to the One who holds us in arms of strength.
One: The Christ calls us to follow in the paths of service and love.
All: We hear Christ’s call and we are ready to follow.
One: The Spirit dwells with us in shelter and in service.
All: We will listen to the Spirit’s call in all we do.
Hymns and Songs
O God, Our Help in Ages Past
UMH: 117
H82: 680
AAHH: 170
NNBH: 46
NCH: 25
CH: 67
LBW: 320
ELW: 632
W&P: 84
AMEC: 61
STLT 281
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
UMH: 110
H82: 687/688
PH: 260
GTG: 275
AAHH: 124
NNBH: 37
NCH: 439/440
CH: 65
LBW: 228/229
ELW: 503/504/505
W&P: 588
AMEC: 54
STLT 200
On Eagle’s Wings
UMH: 143
GTG: 43
CH: 77
ELW: 787
W&P: 438
Renew: 112
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
UMH: 140
GTG: 39
AAHH: 158
NNBH: 45
NCH: 423
CH: 86
ELW: 733
W&P: 72
AMEC: 84
Renew: 249
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
UMH: 139
H82: 390
GTG: 35
AAHH: 117
NNBH: 2
NCH: 22
CH: 25
ELW: 858/859
AMEC: 3
STLT 278
Renew: 57
God Will Take Care of You
UMH: 130
AAHH: 137
NNBH: 52
NCH: 460
AMEC: 437
Give to the Winds Thy Fears
UMH: 129
PH: 286
GTG: 815
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
UMH: 127
H82: 690
PH: 281
GTG: 65
AAHH: 138/139/140
NNBH: 232
NCH: 18/19
CH: 622
LBW: 343
ELW: 618
W&P: 501
AMEC: 52/53/65
How Firm a Foundation
UMH: 529
H82: 636/637
PH: 361
GTG: 463
AAHH: 145
NNBH: 48
NCH: 407
CH: 618
LBW: 507
ELW: 796
W&P: 411
AMEC: 433
Out of the Depths I Cry to You
UMH: 515
H82: 666
PH: 240
GTG: 424
NCH: 483
CH: 510
LBW: 295
ELW: 600
Saranam, Saranam (Refuge)
CCB: 73
As We Gather
CCB: 12
Renew: 6
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
GTG: Glory to God, The 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
ELW: 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 is our refuge and our way:
Grant us the faith to trust in your to hold us in your love
even as you send us out into the world;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God our refuge and our way. You are the one who holds us in the palm of your hand and you are the one who leads us into the world. Give us the faith to trust you for both. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
One: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially our wanting only to use God for our own safety and comfort.
All: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have fallen short. You offer us refuge and we are quick to claim that for ourselves but you also lead us out in the way of the Christ. You call us to give ourselves to you and to others and we are afraid and slow to follow. When the Christ calls us to follow we look only at the cross and we are afraid. We fail to remember that resurrection is on the other side of it. Calm our fears so that we may follow the Christ where all your children dwell in safety and love. Amen.
One: God is our refuge and calls us to follow the way into life eternal. Receive God’s loving call and follow the Christ into new life.
Prayers of the People
Praise and glory to you, O God our Refuge and Strength. You are the one who leads us to life eternal and abundant.
(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 fallen short. You offer us refuge and we are quick to claim that for ourselves but you also lead us out in the way of the Christ. You call us to give ourselves to you and to others and we are afraid and slow to follow. When the Christ calls us to follow we look only at the cross and we are afraid. We fail to remember that resurrection is on the other side of it. Calm our fears so that we may follow the Christ where all your children dwell in safety and love.
We give you thanks for all the shelter you offer us. We thank you for the care of our family and friends and of the Church. We thank you for those who work to make the world a safer and better place for us to live. We thank you for your Spirit that sustains us throughout all the twists and turns of life. We thank you for Jesus who loves us and leads us into life. We are grateful for the call to follow in the way of the cross knowing that it leads to life for others and for ourselves.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for all who are in need this day. We pray for those who are in need of shelter and safety. We pray for those beset by violence and hatred. We pray for those who risk themselves in serving others. We pray for ourselves that we may be empowered by your Spirit to venture forth on the Way of the Christ.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father....Amen.
(Or if the Our Father is not used at this point in the service.)
All this we ask in the name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
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CHILDREN'S SERMON
Jesus Is The Way
by Elena Delhagen
John 14:1-14
You will need: a map or two.
First steps:
Hold up the map. (With today’s generation growing up in the age of GPS, some may not even know what a map is!)
Introduction:
“Who can tell me what I’m holding?”
“Yes, this is a map! Do you know what maps are used for?”
Discuss briefly with the children.
Say:
Sometimes we have a hard time getting to places, or perhaps we’re not sure where the place we need to be is located, so maps are very useful for helping to show us the way.
In the gospel lesson from today, Jesus is talking to his disciples and telling them that he would soon be returning to God’s house, but that the disciples don’t need to worry because one day, they will live there, too! In fact, Jesus tells them that God’s house is so big and so welcoming that there’s room for everybody!
Now, the disciples were a little bit confused. They had no idea how they were supposed to get to God’s house! Was it close by? Was it far away? Should they bring a big moving truck, or just a little suitcase? They had so many questions. Perhaps they even started looking for a map that could take them there!
But Jesus comforted his friends. He told them they didn’t need a map to get to God’s house because Jesus is the way we can get there! By following Jesus, we can always be sure that we’re on the right path. Jesus is like our map for life. When we wonder what we should do or how we should act, we can look to Jesus for an example. Should we be kind to others and help them? Yes! Because that’s what Jesus did. Should we tell people about how much God loves them? Yes! Because that’s what Jesus did. We never need to worry about getting lost as long as we follow in Jesus’ footsteps, because he told us that he is the way, the truth, and the life. Will you pray with me?
Pray:
Dear Lord, thank you for sending your Son Jesus to help show us the way to your house. Help us to follow him and be like him, and help us to remember that he shows us the right path we should take. Amen.
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The Immediate Word, May 7, 2023 issue.
Copyright 2023 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.
- Refugees by Katy Stenta based on Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16.
- Second Thoughts: This Is The Way by Quantisha Mason-Doll based on John 14:1-14.
- Sermon illustrations by Dean Feldmeyer, Tom Willadsen, Mary Austin, and Chris Keating.
- Worship resources by George Reed.
- Children's sermon: Jesus is The Way by Elena Delhagen based on John 14:1-14.
Refugees
by Katy Stenta
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
God is my refuge, but why does the world have to be so scary? It is way easier to feel safe than to be safe in the modern era.
In the News
What is not in the news these days? Some days, we all want to take refuge from the news and binge our favorite TV series and forget the outside world even exists. In the United States, the pervasiveness of neighborly gun violence continues. The most recent story being that a dad asked a neighbor in Texas to stop shooting because his one year old was sleeping, and the result was that the man killed the entire family. We are also teetering toward a debt default. The conflict in Sudan is so bad that as many as 800,000 people could flee. A year into the Russian-Ukrainian War, and the end does not seem to be in sight. Then there is the news that is not being reported on: People in Pakistan are starving and dying in the food lines, according to my congregants. This onslaught of news of death and horror is all too much to take in.
In the Bible
When the Psalms cry out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” it seems to be a universal cry, and yet we seem to be facing more once-in-a-lifetime experiences than average. In the onslaught of globalization, compassion fatigue is real. How can God abandon them? “God must play favorites,” seems to be the only answer here. Do we really believe our God is the God of Hagar in Genesis 16:13? Is our God “the God who sees me?” Sometimes though we all feel like refugees, trying to find that spot of spots, that moment of warmth. What will make us feel safe in the world? My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Do you see me? What is this world you have marooned me on? Are you the God of the refugees, because we are all making our way alone out here?
In the Sermon
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 talks about God as our refuge, for when all is said and done, we are all refugees. I do not think we talk about ourselves that way very often. We say we are lost, or alone. But we humans do not like to think about that deep scary feeling of abandonment. We do not like to talk about how scary life is when we feel like we are untethered, without a claim. Yet our God says that we are precisely the untethered people and that our God is the God of the refugees.
God is our refuge, the refuge for all the people who are about to face the unknown troubles, the unforeseen troubles, the hard things we have not even imagined yet. Not because God wants us to suffer, but because humans like to push the envelope and try to do everything on our own, like teenagers. Then we try to find ways to feel safe. We helicopter parent and spy on one another and buy guns to feel safe, and forget to nurture responsibility, build community, and find time to spend in relationships with one another. We humans are almost always trying to invent our way into a new thing, instead of relying on trust, love, and truth. God is our refuge and our rock — dependable. God knows what it is like to be a refugee and does not disdain them. Instead, God whispers in our ear that it’s all right to rest in God’s arms for a while and to seek sanctuary. God loves the refugee. Can we think of ourselves that way? Can we love ourselves that way? It is something to ponder.
This Is The Way
by Quantisha Mason-Doll
John 14:1-14
In the gospel of John the apostle Thomas has the audacity to question the Lord our God, asking, “…how can we know the way?” This comes after Jesus tells his followers that they have no reason to be troubled and their belief was cause enough to be welcomed into the kingdom of God. Jesus boldly claims that his father’s house has space enough for all who believe. Full stop.
Before you jump to conclusions on my man Thomas, hear me out when I say this: Let that man cook! “Let him cook/let that man cook” is a vernacular placeholder demanding space for another to hone their craft or allow for another to express excitement without judgement. The apostle Thomas is all of us when we are desperate for clarification or validation on a given subject. Imagine the mental gymnastics Thomas goes through on a daily basis. He walks in the presence of the Almighty made flesh — of course his world view might be shifting every minute of every hour of every day. Put some respect on his name. Thomas has chosen to question without blindly following and it’s his faith that guides him to question the path he must follow. Just because we know the destination does not mean we know the proper route. Thomas, like all of humanity, seeks to achieve greatness while avoiding the disappointment of failure.
While thinking about the plight of the long-suffering apostles of Jesus I could not help but relate this gospel reading to the plot of Disney and Lucas films, The Mandalorian. I am not hyper obsessed with the Star Wars universe, but I would not deny the parallels between the Mandalorian cult and modern cult of Christ. I use the term cult loosely, but with purpose, in reference to the growing trend toward religious extremism. A brief overview of important points of the Mandalorian show:
1. The Mandalorian culture is made up of different sects that all follow a code of ethics, called the way, that shape their way of life.
2. There was division among the wider Mandalorian sects centered around the interpretation and levels of adherence to the way which led to destabilization and destruction of the Mandalorian home world.
3. Now it’s up to the Din Djarin, the foundling Grogu, Bo-Katan Kryze, and the Armorer leader of the Tribe to reunite all surviving Mandalorian’s forging a new way.
These three points are an oversimplification of a complex story arc, yet I think The Mandalorian speaks to realities we face as modern Christians and members of the church of Christ. Christianity and its various sects mirror the cult and culture of the Mandalorian’s. We have a collective set of written and unwritten rules that govern the way we move through the world. Modern global Christianity is faced with the reality that being a Christian is now a polarizing subject. There are those among us that have to stress that they are Christian’s but not “those type of Christians.” It’s like how Din Djarin and the Armorer refuse to remove their helmets under punishment of exile while Bo-Katan, born of the royal house Kryze, removes her helmet with little concern for repercussions. All parties are respectfully Christian or Mandalorian yet there is a fear of being perceived as a heretic for following or not following a specific way.
In essence, there is the creation of a non sequitur fallacy. In the Mandalorian, Din Djarin, the Armorer, and Bo-Katan come to realize that survival of their culture and identity as Mandalorian is more important than one specific interpretation of the way. They all acknowledge that they are stronger as one unit and all understanding of the way can and should exist simultaneously.
I draw inspiration from this revelation and the words of Jesus in the gospel of John. Jesus tells us there is enough room in the house of the Father, thus we should not be troubled by the thought of scarcity. Jesus tells Thomas that he knows the way because he knows and believes, though he questions. Jesus reassures Thomas, thus us collectively, that all we have to do is start down a path, stay true to it, not swayed by the evils of Lucy, and we will find the kingdom. Even when Philip pushes, wanting finite answers, Jesus is willing to offer further guidance that still holds true to this day no matter our sect: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these.”
Thus when Jesus tells us, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it,” what should fall from our lips, no matter what way we follow to the kingdom, should be, “I am rooting for you to stay alive.”
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Dean FeldmeyerJohn 14:1-14, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
Feeling Safe vs. Being Safe — In A Basket
The story is told of a monastery in Portugal, perched high on a 3,000 foot cliff and accessible only by a terrifying ride in a swaying basket. The basket is pulled with a single rope by several strong men, perspiring under the strain of the fully loaded basket. One American tourist who visited the site got nervous halfway up the cliff when he noticed that the rope was old and frayed. Hoping to relive his fear he asked, "How often do you change the rope?" The monk in charge replied, "Whenever it breaks!"
* * *
John 14:1-14, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
Feeling Safe vs. Being Safe — On An Airplane
Fear or apprehension about flying is so common that they have a name for it: aerophobia. But the fact is, you’re safer flying across the country than you are driving to the airport, according to USA Today.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration compiles and researches accident statistics for the entire country. Its 2008 Traffic Safety Facts Data boils down the millions of accidents and other statistics to 1.27 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. In contrast, the 1998 rate was 1.58 fatalities per 100 million miles of car travel.
The National Transportation Safety Board compiles general aviation accident data. Preliminary statistics for 2008 show only 20 accidents for U.S. air carriers operating scheduled service. This works out to nearly zero accidents per million flying miles. No fatal accidents were recorded, and only five people were seriously injured in airplane accidents.
In absolute numbers, driving is more dangerous in fatality risk for the average person, with more than 5 million accidents compared to 20 accidents in flying for the entire airline industry, not just commercial airline flights. A more direct comparison per 100 million miles pits driving's 1.27 fatalities and 80 injuries against flying's lack of deaths and almost no injuries, which again shows commercial flights and other general air travel to be safer.
* * *
John 14:1-14, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
Feeling Safe vs. Being Safe – In A Pandemic
According to The Atlantic, one of the many hard lessons we have learned from the Coronavirus pandemic is this: How different feeling safe and being safe actually are. This misperception was played out in millions of homes and workplaces across the country as regular people made good-faith efforts to grapple with the swiftly changing circumstances of American life, absent the resources available to the federal government.
Things that had previously been safe, such as visiting grandparents and attending a friend’s wedding, suddenly became potentially deadly. Things that used to be foreboding, such as the sight of many masked strangers in public, became a source of comfort.
“To understand how humans think about safety, you have to understand how they think about fear. To be safe, people need to be free from the threat of physical or mental harm. But to feel safe, people need to be free from the perception of potential harm, confident that they understand what the likeliest threats are and that they are capable of avoiding them. Whether their perception is accurate is often incidental, at best, to the feeling itself.”
* * *
John 14:1-14, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
Feeling Safe vs. Being Safe — On The Roof
One summer, I took a team of high school juniors and seniors to Appalachia to work for a week on a home repair ministry. We were sent to a two-story house where the asphalt shingled roof was being replaced with a tin roof. The job was started, we were to continue it, the group following us would complete it.
A safety line had been strung between the chimneys on either end of the house and each worker would wear a line around their waist with a 10–15-foot lead attached to the safety line. Before we went up on the roof, however, the leader explained: “Do not think because you have a rope around your waist, that you are going to be safe up there. That rope will probably save your life if you fall, but make no mistake, it’s gonna hurt. Bad. Your gonna break some bones. So, don’t get too cocky just because you have a safety line attached to you. Be careful just like you would if you didn’t.”
* * *
John 14:1-14
Following — In School
S. I. McMillen, in his book None of These Diseases, tells a story of a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she read the question on the application that asked, “Are you a leader?” Being honest and conscientious, she wrote, “No,” and returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: “Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower.”
* * *
John 14:1-14
Following — In Church
There’s a story about a young missionary who was sent to a Spanish speaking country before he completed his studies in the language. Nevertheless, he carried on even though he rarely understood what was going on around him.
One Sunday he decided to worship with the locals in small church but when he arrived it was full of people with the only available seat in the front row. He took the seat and, not understanding what was happening in the service, he decided to simply follow the man sitting next to him and do what he did.
When the music played, the man clapped his hands. So the young missionary clapped his hands. When the man shouted Amen, he shouted Amen. When the man laughed, he laughed. And so it went throughout the service until the very end when, he assumed, was the time of announcements.
The pastor made several announcements, some of which were followed by applause, in which the missionary joined. Finally, the pastor smiled broadly, said something, and when the man sitting next to the missionary stood up the missionary stood as well.
There was a huge gasp from the congregation and, looking around, the young missionary realized that he and the man next to him were the only two standing so he slowly sat back down.
After the service as the young missionary made his way out, he shook the pastor’s hand and the pastor said, in English. “Welcome, visitor. I take it you don’t speak Spanish.”
The young man admitted that he did not.
“I thought that was so,” said the Pastor. “That last announcement was that the Alvarez family was welcoming a new daughter and I asked the father to stand up.”
* * *
John 14:1-14
Following — In Snow
I have never skied in snow but an acquaintance of mine enjoys what he calls “extreme skiing.” I asked him what that was and he said that he went to a place out west and, sometimes, in Canada or Alaska. There, he paid a fee and a helicopter took him, several other skiers, and a guide to the top of a mountain.
When they reached the summit, the helicopter hovered a few feet above the snow while the skiers jumped out, with the guide going first. There’s no waiting around, my friend said. Once your skies hit the snow you’re off, on your way down a mountain you’ve never skied before. It’s such a rush!
I asked him how he knew where to ski, where the dangerous drop-offs and tree stumps and boulders were and how he avoided them. He laughed. That’s what the guide is for, he said. You follow her. In fact, you try, as hard as you can, to put your skis in her tracks. She, it turns out, has skied this particular mountain hundreds of times.
She knows where the dangers are and how to avoid them. Follow her and you’ll be just fine.
* * * * * *
From team member Tom Willadsen:John 14:1-14
Thomas vs. Philip
In the synoptic gospels Thomas and Philip are only names on the roster of disciples. In John’s gospel they actually have speaking parts. It was Philip who responded immediately when Jesus said, “Follow me” to him in John 1:43. Philip told Nathanael that he (Philip) had found “him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote.” Nathanael was skeptical; Philip replied, “Come and see.”
In John 6, a large crowd had followed Jesus and they needed food. Jesus asked Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” Jesus was testing Philip.
In John 12, some Greeks wanted to see Jesus and they approached Philip, who relayed their request to Andrew.
In the latter part of today’s lesson, Philip asks Jesus to show the Father to the disciples. Clearly, Philip hadn’t been paying attention. Yet it’s Thomas who gets the bad press because of John 21, when Thomas insists on seeing the resurrected Christ for himself. Even though, in John 11, Thomas is the first to volunteer to go to Bethany after hearing that Lazarus has died. Jesus and the disciples had fled Jerusalem late in John 10 because the religious leaders tried to arrest Jesus. In John 11 the other disciples tried to talk Jesus out of returning to Bethany, but Thomas showed no fear.
* * *
John 14:1-14
Remember the setting
John 14:6b, “No one comes to the Father except through me,” is a dangerous verse because it is frequently used as a proof text (“prooftext” and “proof-text” are also considered acceptable; just be consistent) to show that only Christians have access to God or salvation. Today’s gospel lesson is part of a lengthy farewell discourse Jesus had late at night with his disciples. Jesus is reassuring and preparing his closest friends and allies for some frightening, uncertain times in the days ahead.
Some contend that Jesus is invoking the local custom of his people, that to speak to the head of the household, one had to first approach the oldest son.
* * *
John 14:1-14
Addresses, mansions, dwelling places…
In John 14:2 Jesus says, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places…” (NRSV) The Greek for “house” is οικια and the Greek for “dwelling places” is μοναι.
You can have a lot of fun exploring the different renderings of these two terms in various translations. Here’s a summary:
Rooms…house – Contemporary English Version
House…mansions – King James Version
Plenty of room…house – The Message
House…rooms – New International Version
More than enough room…Father’s home – New Living Translation
* * *
Psalm 119:9-32
Repetition, repetition, repetition
In good Hebrew poetic style, the portion of Psalm 119 that is today’s lection uses numerous synonyms for law. Nine different Hebrew root words are rendered into English as “Your word,” “Your commandments,” “Your statutes,” “judgments,” “the way,” “Your testimonies,” “Your precepts,” and “law.”
Law/Torah only appears once.
The word rendered “Your commandments,” which appears three times in this reading, מצותיך might be familiar. Transliterated it’s “mitzvah.” We hear it in “bar mitzvah” and “bat mitzvah.” Casually people sometimes refer to mitzvahs as good deeds.
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From team member Chris Keating:Acts 7:55-60
Finally Heard
Like many innocent victims, Stephen kept speaking out against his attackers, even though they had closed their ears to his cries. Lamar Johnson, a Missouri man wrongly convicted of murder 28 years ago, might be able to related to Stephen’s experience.
In 1994, Johnson was a 20-year old father of two when his longtime friend Markus Boyd was killed. Johnson was three miles away the night Boyd was shot while sitting outside of his home. The only eyewitness testified that he could only see the eyes of the men who killed Boyd. From the outset, police focused on Johnson even though others verified his alibi. Years after his conviction, the state’s only eyewitness came forward to say police had “bullied” him into naming Johnson.
For more than 30 years, Johnson maintained his innocence, talking to anyone who would listen. When a St. Louis Circuit judge overturned Johnson’s conviction in 2023, he said he finally felt as if he had been heard. Currently, the Missouri Innocence Project is working to pass a law that would allow wrongfully convicted persons with evidence of their innocence the ability to seek exoneration. Currently in Missouri, only those who are sentenced to death can present a claim for innocence in court.
* * *
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
A Rock of Refuge
In the wake of the recent school shooting in Nashville, TN, school safety has once again become a source of concern for parents. In Chicago, nearly three out of four parents report being very concerned about their children being involved in a mass shooting out in public. About 67% reported being worried that a shooting could occur in their child’s school. A 2022 Pew Research survey confirmed that about a third of K-12 parents are either “very or extremely worried” that a shooting could happen at their children’s school.
“As a parent, it’s up to you to keep your children safe,” writes therapist Jeff J. Rocker. “But in a world that feels increasingly unsafe, it’s normal to experience a wide range of negative emotions about your children’s safety, including anxiety, worry and intrusive thoughts that can affect your performance at work.”
* * *
John 14:1-14
Untroubled Hearts
Poet Ross Gay is determined to find ways the troubled hearts of our world can lead to “incitements” of joy. “What if joy,” Gay writes in his book Inciting Joy: Essays, “instead of refuge or relief from heartbreak is what effloresces from us as we help each other carry our heartbreaks?” Spiritual director and pastor Beth Waltemath reviews Gay’s work in the May 2023 edition of Christian Century. She notes that Gay “draws on the ways that pickup basketball, community gardens, reading poetry aloud, listening to great artists cover songs of other greats, laughing, crying, just hanging out, and care for the dying loose the shackles of capitalism’s productivity and White supremacy’s puritanical mindset to ‘rejoyn’ us to gracious and life-giving ways of being.”
* * * * * *
From team member Mary Austin:John 14:1-14
The Truth
“I am the way, the truth and the life for you,” Jesus tells his friends, and us. We lose the truth part of the message in our churches, and people find more truth in 12 Step programs in the basement than they do upstairs in the sanctuary.
Will Willimon recalls asking a question of a recovering alcoholic in his congregation, “Sam, why have you stopped coming to church?” He replied, “Preacher, after you have been to AA, and taken the cure, and stared your demons in the face, and have to stand naked in front of twenty other drunks and tell every bad thing you have done or thought, and had to ask God and them to forgive you for being you, well, church just seems like such a trivial waste of time.” Church could use a dose of the truth Jesus promised. (from Sinning Like a Christian: A New Look at the 7 Deadly Sins by William H. Willimon)
* * *
John 14:1-14
The Earth as Home
In this farewell message, Jesus helps us think about where our true home is. Farmer Leah Penniman reminds us that one place is the earth, where we all live until we meet up with Jesus in the place he has planned for us. She recalls, “While I was studying traditional farming and Eco spirituality in Ghana with the Queen Mothers of Kroboland, they offered a teaching which has been seared into my soul ever since. Manye Nartike asked: “Is it true that in the United States, a farmer will put the seed into the ground and not pour any libations, offer any prayers, sing, or dance, and expect that seed to grow?” Met with my ashamed silence, she continued, “That is why you are all sick! Because you see the earth as a thing and not as KIN!”
The preparation of our home happens here, too, on the earth that God has given us.
Penniman adds, “If I were to tell you I had lived in the same neighborhood my whole life and didn’t learn the names of the people next door, you might pass some judgments on my character. And yet, here we are in a neighborhood of trees, insects, and amphibians that many of us cannot call by name.” We make ourselves at home, here, too, as we follow Jesus.
* * *
John 14:1-14
The Sound of Home
Jesus promises us a place with him, a new home as we abide in him eternally. But what does that place sound like? Scientists say that some places feed our spirits, based on how they sound.
"Step into the underground concourses of New York’s Penn Station and you might just feel an uneasy sense of claustrophobia that’s hard to explain. Stroll across the hardwood floors at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC and a sense of calmness might descend on you. Why? Each of these buildings has its own unique voice — the way sound behaves in the structure…This “aural architecture” can have a profound effect on the way you experience a building.”
“The way sound interacts with a building’s physical structure can also significantly alter our moods and emotions. For instance, studies show that living in crowded housing can cause a feeling of helplessness. Rooms with loftier ceilings encourage more abstract thought as people feel more free in such airy spaces. Consider the emotional impact of a structure like the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul’s famous former cathedral and mosque, which now houses a museum. Built nearly 1,500 years ago, its domed interior and marble floors and walls can elevate human chants into ethereal sounds that seem to emanate from the depths of the ocean and create a feeling of exaltation in the listener."
No doubt Jesus has already planned for optimal, spirit-feeding sound, in the place he promises us.
* * *
1 Peter 2:2-10
Being Formed Anew
The writer of the epistle urges the believers to be “like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood.” Choose this kind of deliberate growth toward God, the author urges.
Social scientists tell us how to do this. “Instead of saying “I run” (verb), start saying “I am a runner” (noun). Using a noun rather than a verb represents “an opportunity to become a certain kind of person,” says Stanford University psychology professor Gregory M. Walton. This subtle switch is what Walton calls a psychologically precise intervention. “These interventions are much like every day experiences,” he wrote in 2014. “They aim, simply, to alter a specific way in which people think or feel in the normal course of their lives, to help them flourish.”
For example, “individuals who describe themselves with the statement, “I am a voter,” had an increase of 11 percentage points in their voter turnout compared to individuals in a group that self-described with the statement “I vote.” (from Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company by Whitney Johnson)
As people of faith, we can describe ourselves in the way that builds us into the spiritual houses the epistle describes.
* * *
1 Peter 2:2-10
Cornerstone of Healing
As the epistle notes, the most unexpected things can become a cornerstone. Rachel Naomi Remen describes a ritual she uses with her cancer patients before surgery, to heal their spirits the way the surgery will heal their physical illness.
She explains, “People with cancer tell me that experiences of hospitalization and treatment are profoundly isolating. I suspect that this sense of aloneness may even undermine the will to live. When we feel the support of others, many of us can face the unknown with greater strength.”
Before the surgery, she invites people to meet with family and close friends, and to bring an ordinary rock to the meeting. “The ritual begins by having everyone sit in a circle. In any order they wish to speak, each person tells the story of a time when they too faced a crisis. People may talk about the death of important persons, the loss of jobs or of relationships, or even about their own illnesses. The person who is speaking holds the stone the patient has brought. When they finish telling their story of survival, they take a moment to reflect on the personal quality that they feel helped them come through that difficult time. People will say such things as, “What brought me through was determination,” “What brought me through was faith,” “What brought me through was humor.” When they have named the quality of their strength, they speak directly to the person preparing for surgery or treatment, saying, “I put determination into this stone for you,” or, “I put faith into this stone for you.” Often what people say is surprising. Sometimes they tell of crises that occurred when they were young or in wartime that others, even family members, may not have known before, or they attribute their survival to qualities that are not ordinarily seen as strengths. It is usually a moving and intimate meeting and often all the people who participate say that they feel strengthened and inspired by it.”
The patient carries the stone to the hospital, carrying all of the gifts that their loved ones have out into the stone. Dr. Remen says, “I have had several patients go to their chemotherapy, their radiation, or even their surgery with their stones strapped with adhesive tape to the palm of one of their hands or the bottom of their foot. Over the years, many of the oncologists and surgeons in our community have learned about these stones from their patients and are very careful about them. One surgeon even had the staff go through the hospital laundry in search of a stone that was accidentally thrown away with the sheets in the recovery room. I asked him why he had done this and he laughed and said, “Listen, I have seen people do badly after surgery and even die when there was no reason for it other than the fact that they believed they wouldn’t make it. I need all the help I can get.” (from Kitchen Table Wisdom)
In a similar way, we carry the love and grace of Jesus, who is our cornerstone, with us.
* * * * * *
WORSHIPby George Reed
Call to Worship
One: In you, O God, we seek refuge.
All: In your righteousness deliver us.
One: You are indeed our rock and our fortress.
All: For your name’s sake lead us and guide us.
One: Let your face shine upon your servants.
All: Save us in your steadfast love, O God.
OR
One: God is our refuge and our rock in times of trouble.
All: We cling to the One who holds us in arms of strength.
One: The Christ calls us to follow in the paths of service and love.
All: We hear Christ’s call and we are ready to follow.
One: The Spirit dwells with us in shelter and in service.
All: We will listen to the Spirit’s call in all we do.
Hymns and Songs
O God, Our Help in Ages Past
UMH: 117
H82: 680
AAHH: 170
NNBH: 46
NCH: 25
CH: 67
LBW: 320
ELW: 632
W&P: 84
AMEC: 61
STLT 281
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
UMH: 110
H82: 687/688
PH: 260
GTG: 275
AAHH: 124
NNBH: 37
NCH: 439/440
CH: 65
LBW: 228/229
ELW: 503/504/505
W&P: 588
AMEC: 54
STLT 200
On Eagle’s Wings
UMH: 143
GTG: 43
CH: 77
ELW: 787
W&P: 438
Renew: 112
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
UMH: 140
GTG: 39
AAHH: 158
NNBH: 45
NCH: 423
CH: 86
ELW: 733
W&P: 72
AMEC: 84
Renew: 249
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
UMH: 139
H82: 390
GTG: 35
AAHH: 117
NNBH: 2
NCH: 22
CH: 25
ELW: 858/859
AMEC: 3
STLT 278
Renew: 57
God Will Take Care of You
UMH: 130
AAHH: 137
NNBH: 52
NCH: 460
AMEC: 437
Give to the Winds Thy Fears
UMH: 129
PH: 286
GTG: 815
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
UMH: 127
H82: 690
PH: 281
GTG: 65
AAHH: 138/139/140
NNBH: 232
NCH: 18/19
CH: 622
LBW: 343
ELW: 618
W&P: 501
AMEC: 52/53/65
How Firm a Foundation
UMH: 529
H82: 636/637
PH: 361
GTG: 463
AAHH: 145
NNBH: 48
NCH: 407
CH: 618
LBW: 507
ELW: 796
W&P: 411
AMEC: 433
Out of the Depths I Cry to You
UMH: 515
H82: 666
PH: 240
GTG: 424
NCH: 483
CH: 510
LBW: 295
ELW: 600
Saranam, Saranam (Refuge)
CCB: 73
As We Gather
CCB: 12
Renew: 6
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
GTG: Glory to God, The 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
ELW: 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 is our refuge and our way:
Grant us the faith to trust in your to hold us in your love
even as you send us out into the world;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God our refuge and our way. You are the one who holds us in the palm of your hand and you are the one who leads us into the world. Give us the faith to trust you for both. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
One: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially our wanting only to use God for our own safety and comfort.
All: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have fallen short. You offer us refuge and we are quick to claim that for ourselves but you also lead us out in the way of the Christ. You call us to give ourselves to you and to others and we are afraid and slow to follow. When the Christ calls us to follow we look only at the cross and we are afraid. We fail to remember that resurrection is on the other side of it. Calm our fears so that we may follow the Christ where all your children dwell in safety and love. Amen.
One: God is our refuge and calls us to follow the way into life eternal. Receive God’s loving call and follow the Christ into new life.
Prayers of the People
Praise and glory to you, O God our Refuge and Strength. You are the one who leads us to life eternal and abundant.
(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 fallen short. You offer us refuge and we are quick to claim that for ourselves but you also lead us out in the way of the Christ. You call us to give ourselves to you and to others and we are afraid and slow to follow. When the Christ calls us to follow we look only at the cross and we are afraid. We fail to remember that resurrection is on the other side of it. Calm our fears so that we may follow the Christ where all your children dwell in safety and love.
We give you thanks for all the shelter you offer us. We thank you for the care of our family and friends and of the Church. We thank you for those who work to make the world a safer and better place for us to live. We thank you for your Spirit that sustains us throughout all the twists and turns of life. We thank you for Jesus who loves us and leads us into life. We are grateful for the call to follow in the way of the cross knowing that it leads to life for others and for ourselves.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for all who are in need this day. We pray for those who are in need of shelter and safety. We pray for those beset by violence and hatred. We pray for those who risk themselves in serving others. We pray for ourselves that we may be empowered by your Spirit to venture forth on the Way of the Christ.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father....Amen.
(Or if the Our Father 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 SERMONJesus Is The Way
by Elena Delhagen
John 14:1-14
You will need: a map or two.
First steps:
Hold up the map. (With today’s generation growing up in the age of GPS, some may not even know what a map is!)
Introduction:
“Who can tell me what I’m holding?”
“Yes, this is a map! Do you know what maps are used for?”
Discuss briefly with the children.
Say:
Sometimes we have a hard time getting to places, or perhaps we’re not sure where the place we need to be is located, so maps are very useful for helping to show us the way.
In the gospel lesson from today, Jesus is talking to his disciples and telling them that he would soon be returning to God’s house, but that the disciples don’t need to worry because one day, they will live there, too! In fact, Jesus tells them that God’s house is so big and so welcoming that there’s room for everybody!
Now, the disciples were a little bit confused. They had no idea how they were supposed to get to God’s house! Was it close by? Was it far away? Should they bring a big moving truck, or just a little suitcase? They had so many questions. Perhaps they even started looking for a map that could take them there!
But Jesus comforted his friends. He told them they didn’t need a map to get to God’s house because Jesus is the way we can get there! By following Jesus, we can always be sure that we’re on the right path. Jesus is like our map for life. When we wonder what we should do or how we should act, we can look to Jesus for an example. Should we be kind to others and help them? Yes! Because that’s what Jesus did. Should we tell people about how much God loves them? Yes! Because that’s what Jesus did. We never need to worry about getting lost as long as we follow in Jesus’ footsteps, because he told us that he is the way, the truth, and the life. Will you pray with me?
Pray:
Dear Lord, thank you for sending your Son Jesus to help show us the way to your house. Help us to follow him and be like him, and help us to remember that he shows us the right path we should take. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, May 7, 2023 issue.
Copyright 2023 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.
