Theater -- Or The Real Deal?
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
In the Old Testament passage assigned by the lectionary for the fifth Sunday after Epiphany, Isaiah excoriates the Israelites for their fasting practices. The Israelites are frustrated with what they perceive as the Lord's failure to meet their expectations, but God (through Isaiah) responds by calling them out for their sham theatricality and false humility, noting: "You serve your own interest on your fast day... you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist" (Isaiah 58:3-4). If one substitutes the words "speech" and/or "speak" for the word "fast," it would be difficult to come up with a better description of the brawling atmosphere in Washington -- despite the attempts at last week's State of the Union extravaganza to make a great show of cross-party comity. In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Mary Austin explores some of the challenges, tough decisions, and equivocations that contribute to the theater of our public affairs -- and some of the parallels this passage suggests between that theater and the similar religious theater of our churches. Empty posturing and false humility are certainly on display at big state affairs like the State of the Union or this week's gathering of the global elite at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. These annual occasions always seem to get a big media buildup -- but with rare exceptions, the rhetoric is forgotten with the next news cycle, particularly when they are overwhelmed by unexpected and "unscripted" events like the ongoing protests in Egypt. Media and government (and clergy) VIPs like to pretend that their statements have weighty meaning -- but how empty and pointless are they when considered from the viewpoint of what actually affects people's lives? As empty and pointless as the fasting for show that Isaiah denounces? As the events in Egypt remind us, real change (as with real faith) is a messy affair... one that rips away the facade of the kabuki theater that all too often characterizes much of our public affairs -- and our worship.
Team member Roger Lovette shares some additional thoughts on the gospel text and its call for us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. In the wake of fresh reports of Christians fleeing persecution in Iraq (and many other places around the world), we need to think about how willing we are to make tough choices that take us out of our comfort zones in order to "restore our saltiness." We may think we're facing tough choices regarding our church finances, or that our politicians are facing difficult options regarding public spending priorities -- but that's nothing compared to those who are facing existential persecution because of their faith, or even those in Egypt who are struggling with the breakdown of basic security. How willing are we to put ourselves in harm's way to let our light shine before others? If Isaiah stood before us, would he judge us as harshly as he did the Israelites' fasting -- or in our actions are we truly letting "[our] light shine before others, so that they may see [our] good works and give glory to [our] Father in heaven"? Roger advises us that Jesus says we are the light of the world -- and so we ought to make use of the gifts we have instead of worrying about what we don't have.
Theater -- Or the Real Deal?
by Mary Austin
Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12)
By now, the State of the Union speech is a distant memory, with the words faded from our minds -- except perhaps for the catchy phrase "our generation's Sputnik moment." The images remain in our minds more fully than the words: the members of Congress, on their best third-grade birthday party behavior, inviting each other to sit together instead of dividing the audience by party affiliation; the awkwardness of giving and receiving invitations, and then having them immediately updated to Twitter.
It's too soon to tell if it was playacting or a small opening toward greater friendship across the aisle -- but it calls to mind the words of Isaiah, who saw a similar kind of showy display in the worship of his day.
Other images are fresher -- protesters in the streets of Cairo, demanding a change in government. What may have started as theater in the streets has quickly become a serious challenge to the 30-year presidency of Hosni Mubarak. Protesters are calling for a new government and reforms to Egypt's economy. Events there change quickly, but the country could well be approaching the kind of real change envisioned by Isaiah.
THE WORLD
The recent shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson has brought politicians up short. The usual language seems inappropriate in a time of shared worry and grief, and yet politicians accustomed to a high level of charged rhetoric are finding it hard to shift gears into a time of substantial cooperation. Elected officials of both parties agree on the need for a stronger economy, more jobs, and attention to the growing deficit. They don't agree on how to get there, or what tools to use. More and more it seems that they lack a common language to even begin the discussion -- or even the will to have a discussion, which implies listening in addition to speaking.
And so we're left with the political theater of the State of the Union. Shifting seats is not the same as shifting views, and sitting elbow to elbow is not the same as working hand in hand.
The recent opening of the Congress was also graced with political theater, as the newly sworn-in representatives took turns reading the Constitution aloud. Recalling our nation's guiding principles is never bad, but editing the Constitution to leave out the uncomfortable bits does a disservice to the complexity of our history. The vote in the House of Representatives to repeal the health care reform bill is also a piece of theater, demonstrating to the voters that the Republicans are keeping their promises. The vote is less about engagement with the real quandaries of the health care system than about checking the vote off a list.
Similarly, the president's call for a five-year freeze on government spending sounds more dramatic than it is, once you factor in the programs exempt from the freeze -- Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Homeland Security, and Defense, plus interest payments on the debt. Those remaining for the freeze consist of only about 14% of the budget. That seems more like business as usual than substantial change.
In Egypt, calls for reform have gained momentum each day last week, leaving the US government struggling with how to respond. Egypt is a US ally in the Middle East, a partner in US interests in the region -- and yet the US doesn't want "to be on the wrong side of history," as several commentators noted as the protests developed. If the people are demonstrating for a real democracy, the US doesn't want to be seen as an ally of repression and corruption.
By Sunday, President Obama was speaking about "an orderly transition," and the coming week will surely show more steps toward a change of government in Egypt. Whether it's political theater or realpolitik, the US government is doing a careful balancing act between being a strong ally in a region where the US is distrusted, and in seeming to support protesters aiming at the democratic values the US holds dear. The president and the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, can't be seen to call for Mubarak's ouster too quickly and risk offending him if he stays, but also can't be seen to unequivocally support an aging authoritarian regime on its way out.
THE WORD
In contrast, the prophet Isaiah is unequivocal.
This passage comes from the writer whom scholars call "Third Isaiah," who wrote chapters 56-66 of the book after the return of the exiles from Babylon to Israel. As he looks at the people of Israel, Isaiah finds the people observing the outer disciplines of worship without the inner changes of heart. They look for God "as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness" (v. 2), the prophet laments.
The people of Israel are performing a kind of religious theater. It all looks good, but is empty of real meaning. The people observe the religiously required fasts, but then quarrel and fight; they put on sackcloth and ashes, but ignore the needy among them. Recently returned home after being exiles, strangers in Babylon, they have forgotten what it is like to be the stranger, the poor one, and the outsider.
"Is this not the fast that I choose," God asks through the prophet, "to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the throngs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?" (v. 6). The true fast, he continues, is to share food with the hungry, to house the homeless, and to clothe the naked. Then, and only then, does the light of God break forth into the world. God's answer to the people comes after they take up the fast of the heart and spirit. "Then you shall call and the Lord shall answer," the prophet promises.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
Each of our churches also has its own kind of religious theater -- things that must be done in worship so the congregation can concentrate on worship. If we were to depart from the order of service in some churches, people would be so distracted by the change that the Spirit would have no chance to communicate that day. The robes or lack thereof on the clergy, the style of the hymns, and the worship space itself are all deeply held aspects of the service, and changing any of them is fraught with peril. Like the people of Isaiah's day, we sometimes hold onto the forms of worship so tightly that we forget about the Spirit at work. Many more church battles are fought about the hymns, the paint color in the sanctuary, and screens in worship than about mission.
The challenge for us, like the people of God before us, is to get past our displays of faith to the reality of where God is calling us to be. Traditional forms of worship, whatever they may be in our churches, soothe the soul, but they may end up being a substitute for real connection with God. The theater of church may distract us from worshiping with our whole selves.
In the same way, political displays may give the illusion of real change -- until the real thing comes along, and is unmistakable. Stay tuned to see if real change is coming in Egypt. If so, Isaiah would be proud!
ANOTHER VIEW
Stir What You Got
by Roger Lovette
Matthew 5:13-20
In World War II many things were rationed. You had to have ration stamps to buy things like sugar -- and when your stamps ran out there was no more sugar available until the next month's stamps could be used. Restaurants took sugar off the tables because some people were emptying the sugar bowls into their purses and little sacks. So if you went into a restaurant and requested sugar the server would put the sugar into your cup or bowl before you got it. During that time a man came into a restaurant, sat down, and ordered coffee with sugar. When the coffee came he tasted it and asked the server, "Could you bring me some sugar for this coffee?" And the server replied, "Mister, stir what you got" -- and she walked away.
In this week's text from Matthew Jesus is speaking to his disciples and to the community of believers. He said you are salt, you are light, you are a city on a hill. Note the tense here -- not you shall be salt, light, or a city on a hill. He spoke to those all-too-human disciples and that ragged band called church: You are salt and light and city -- present tense.
So much of our faith deals with the oughts and the musts and the shoulds. Jesus used none of these words. He simply said you are. What a dignifying word he gave them. Each one of them -- with their all-too-humanness -- was challenged to accept the wonder of who they really were and to live out their lives in the light of that incredible challenge.
What would it mean for us to believe Jesus was talking about us? He was saying that our being here matters. He was saying that each one of us can make an enormous difference. So we are to stir what we have right now.
Sometimes we worry about our particular church. Down the street another church's parking lot is full and running over. These mega- or mini-megachurches seem to draw everybody. And we look out on Sunday at some empty pews and a sagging budget. Many of us have adopted an inferiority or siege mentality. Pastors and boards are trying desperately to compete with all sorts of new programs. Screens, guitars, drums, praise bands, Reeboks, blue jeans, Saturday night services. Have we forgotten what Jesus said? You are salt... light... a city on a hill. Maybe if we ponder the wonder of this compliment it might just revolutionize our understanding of ourselves.
Our Isaiah text called those exiles that had returned home to a broken land to remember the poor, the dispossessed, the hungry, and the needy among them. Buildings had to be rebuilt. Fields had to be plowed. The Temple had to be restored. But while they were doing this they could not forget who they were. Isaiah did not call them salt or light or city. But the old prophet knew in the doing of their faith in the present tense of their everyday lives that their "light would rise in the darkness and their gloom would be like the noonday" (Isaiah 58:10). That's pretty close to the words in Matthew.
Every age has its particular challenges. In our time we remember again that Jesus called us to live up to our high calling: salt, light, city. The old waitress was right: "We must stir what we got." I wonder what would happen if we took those words seriously?
ILLUSTRATIONS
Living with Less
Isaiah asks us: "Is not this the fast that I choose... Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked poor to cover them and not to hide yourself from your own kin?" (Isaiah 58:6-7).
The website zenfamilyhabits.net offers "Seven Benefits of Living with Less Stuff":
* You don't panic when company arrives unexpectedly because everything is already neat and orderly
* Less time spent cleaning and fixing
* More space
* Easier to pack when you move
* You appreciate what you have because you have less of it
* No need to create an organizing system; small amounts of stuff don't need organization
* Easier to stay on top of things
Isaiah would add: It allows you to give more (of yourself and your stuff) to the poor.
* * *
Living with Less 2.0
College professor Dave Bruno has taken living simply to a level that has brought him international attention.
Troubled by American consumerism and his place in the midst of it, Dave decided to take up what he called the "100 Thing Challenge." He would live for 365 days owning only 100 things. And being a modern, twenty-first-century kind of guy, he wrote a blog about it. Now the blog is a book.
In The 100 Thing Challenge: How I Got Rid of Everything, Remade My Life, and Regained My Soul, Dave talks about how difficult it was to reduce his life to 100 things and how freeing it was as well.
I have dabbled in the blog and I haven't yet read the book, but I'm anxious to see if one of the benefits Dave received from the "100 Thing Challenge" was the one Isaiah described -- the joy of giving the stuff you don't need to those who need it.
-- Dean Feldmeyer
* * *
There are some who hear sayings like "blessed are the meek" or "you are the salt of the earth" or "you are the light of the world" and think they hear marching orders. They consider Jesus' words as a command and immediately begin asking themselves whether they have within themselves "the right stuff" so they can measure up. The Sermon on the Mount becomes, for this anxious sort of Christian, a source of even greater anxiety. It becomes a new law -- an all-but-impossible law to fulfill.
"Mainline, liberal Christians," writes William Willimon, "often think of religion as something we do. Church is where we come to get our assignment for the week -- work on your sexism, your racism, God has no hands but our hands. Suffocating moralism pervades. Where is the good news in that?"
The good news is that Jesus' sayings to his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount are not imperatives, but indicatives. They are not commands, but statements of fact. You are the salt of the earth -- already. You are the light of the world -- yes, you are. You are the city built on the hill that cannot be hid -- this is how others see you.
* * *
Those who seek to follow the spiritual life are like salt in the world. Salt crystals cannot give flavor to food unless they dissolve. If we dissolve the salt in a pot, it disappears but it does not cease to exist. Indeed, it can then give flavor to thousands of grains of rice.
It is the same with us. If we are not melted in the fire of love and spirit, if we do not sacrifice ourselves completely, then we cannot pass on to even a single soul the blissful experience of the spiritual life. If we do not sacrifice ourselves, then we are rather like Lot's wife who was turned to a lifeless pillar of salt. Yesu was melted in the Garden of Gethsemane and gave his life on the cross to open the gate of heaven for all. In the same spirit, we must be prepared to give up our own lives for the spiritual welfare of others. This is what will bring praise to God.
The sword of justice hangs threateningly even now over many souls. We must be willing to sacrifice our own desires -- even our lives -- for the benefit of those in danger of spiritual death. Then the world will recognize that true love abides in us and that we are children of the God who sacrifices himself for us.
-- Sadhu Sundar Singh, Wisdom of the Sadhu, p. 137
* * *
Armed drug cartels have virtually taken over the nation of Mexico. Their violence and control are seemingly impossible to stop. Their corruption is pervasive, and their violence is indescribable. In the cities and districts they control, they have become the government.
American missionaries Sam and Nancy Davis have been working in Mexico for 30 years. They have established children's shelters and churches, and conducted Bible classes. Nancy has participated in all of these ventures, while also performing her duties as a nurse and midwife.
When the Davises came upon an illegal roadblock, placed there by the drug lords for the purpose of extortions, Sam refused to stop. As he drove around the road obstruction, the men fired upon their vehicle, with one bullet striking Nancy Davis in the head. Frantic to find help for his bleeding wife, Sam drove across the border into Texas. It was at a health clinic in the United States that she died. Mexico's attorney general, Ruben Rios Lopez, will not prosecute the case as murder, since Nancy did not die in Mexico.
Nancy, along with her husband, are truly the "light of the world" as they brought the ministry of Jesus to so many people in need of health care, education, and spiritual awakening. Nancy now resides in heaven, but the brilliance of her work will always shine upon the streets and plains of Mexico.
* * *
The unprecedented snowstorms in the Northeast have left two segments of society captive in their own homes -- the elderly and the handicapped. When the able-bodied shovel they make a path that is no larger than the width of their shovel, which provides ample room for them to walk through. But for those in a wheelchair it is a path far to narrow. Those who need handrails to go up and down steps find that they are covered under mounds of shoveled snow, making traveling for them nearly impossible. Advocates for these two groups say it is really a problem of simple awareness (or unawareness) that paths aren't wider and steps and ramps aren't better maintained.
But people are trying to help. Wendy Landman, executive director of the advocacy group WalkBoston, is marshaling volunteer shovelers to go to homes in need of snow removal. The group was originally formed to get pet owners to clean up after their animals in public places. That program proved successful, as people became aware of their civic duty. Landman believes the same principles can be applied to getting citizens to shovel wider paths and keep handrails and ramps snow-free. The same as with pet owners, she now says of snow shoveling: "And we can do the same with shoveling, create a new social norm."
Jesus said we are the "salt of the earth." There are many good leaders, like Wendy Landman, and many wonderful volunteers, like the volunteer shovelers, who do small things that are really great blessings for others. If we unfailingly implement the teachings of Jesus, we can "create a new social norm."
* * *
In Matthew 5:15, Jesus tells us: "No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house."
On the latest installment of the new PBS series Roger Ebert Presents at the Movies, critics Christy Lemire and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky praised Dustin Hoffman's performance in the new film Barney's Version.
In doing so they noted that, since signing on to the Inlaws/Fockers series, Hoffman had developed what they termed a "Robert DeNiro" problem: i.e., one of riding on his fame, phoning in his performances, and taking roles that required no real work, no passion, and no risk.
In this week's passage from Matthew, Jesus warns us about the dangers of phoning in our performance as Christians.
* * *
While in college and seminary, my daughter Sarah worked in retail, starting as a sales associate and working her way up to store manager. As anyone who has ever worked retail knows, the Christmas season is the busiest and consequently most stressful time in the retail industry. Stores are crowded, customers tend to be hurried and short-tempered, the hours are long, and the rewards few.
In recent years Sarah noted that the already stressful season and the work that went with it was made even more stressful by Christians who seemed to lurk out of sight, ready to pounce on any sales clerk who dared to wish them a "happy holiday" or "season's greetings." In most cases the irate Christian customer would simply correct the sales person with a mildly condescending shake of the head or wag of the finger and a verbal correction: "Merry Christmas!"
In one case, however, a woman literally launched a verbal attack at the clerk, accusing her of being part of a conspiracy to "steal" Christmas and "stomp Christianity into the ground." The clerk was nearly in tears when Sarah, the manager, stepped in and apologized on her behalf.
The customer, refusing to be put off, repeated "I am a Christian!" in a loud and indignant voice, to which Sarah replied as calmly as she could, "Again, ma'am, we apologize for offending you. We had no way of knowing that."
Our lamp of faith can be hidden under a bushel of silence, but it can also be hidden under a mountain of indignation, anger, resentment, and bitterness. The rhetorical question still holds: "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"
-- Dean Feldmeyer
* * *
A former Pennsylvania biology teacher, Tom Ritter, has filed a suit in federal court against the Blue Mountain School District. The suit contends that by teaching evolution the school district is promoting atheism, which is the same as teaching a religion. After listing in the brief why evolution is not possible, Ritter concludes, "If evolution is unscientific, why teach it? Because no Creator means no God. In other words, evolution taught without a possible alternative is Atheism. Now Atheism rests on an article of faith (A strong belief that cannot be proven but is nonetheless believed). Therefore Atheism is a religion. And it is illegal to teach religion in the public schools."
Paul wrote extensively about wisdom in his letter to the church in Corinth; yet Paul knew the limits of our human understanding with these compelling words: "no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:11). While discussing the multitude of questions that besiege us in trying to discover the meaning of creation, we ought to teach what we know is true, such as evolution, and temper the rest with the words "no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God."
* * *
Here are a couple of football stories for Super Bowl Sunday from http://www.sportsfeelgoodstories.com/category/football/ which relate to Matthew 5:
One-Armed High School Football Player Inspires Community
ESPN's Sportscenter frequently features one-handed catches by college and pro football receivers.There's something special about footballs thrown in tight spirals that are snared out of the air with just one hand.Perhaps ESPN video crews will find their way to Breckinridge County High School in western Kentucky, where all of the catches made by wide receiver Chance Anthony are completed with just one hand.
Anthony is a senior starter at wide receiver and also starts at linebacker on defense. He was born with the lower part of his right arm missing.As the lead receiver for the team, his receptions have gone for over 200 yards and two touchdowns.He's had 12 solo tackles on defense.
The doctors told his parents when he was born that, "You'll miss it more than he will."Anthony has proven the doctors right.In the weight room, Anthony bench presses 235 pounds.A three-year starter in football, Anthony's great attitude is an inspiration to his team and to his community.
Down Syndrome Football Player Scores TD
The "Ike Special," a hand-off play to junior Ike Ditzenberger, accounted for Snohomish High School's only points in a 35-6 loss against Lake Stevens.Ditzenberger, who has Down Syndrome, scored his first varsity touchdown in collaboration with the Lake Stevens' defense, who were instructed not only to let Ditzenberger score but to also make it look real.
Ditzenberger practices with the JV squad, but the varsity coach has him complete the last run of every practice with the varsity team.His practice runs have helped build team spirit and have enabled Ike to play football like his older brothers.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Let us praise our God!
People: Happy are those who delight in God's instruction.
Leader: It is well with those who deal generously.
People: It is well for those whose conduct is just.
Leader: Their hearts are steady and unafraid.
People: Their righteousness endures forever.
OR
Leader: Come into the presence of the One who created us.
People: We are not worthy to come before God.
Leader: God has created us for love and to be like God.
People: We do not know how to be like God.
Leader: Come and learn of Jesus, and he will show you.
People: We come to follow Jesus and to become like God.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"Christ Is the World's Light"
found in:
UMH: 188
"Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies"
found in:
UMH: 173
H82: 6, 7
PH: 462, 463
LBW: 265
"I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light"
found in:
UMH: 206
H82: 490
Renew: 152
"Immortal, Invisible"
found in:
UMH: 103
H82: 423
PH: 263
NCH: 1
CH: 66
LBW: 526
Renew: 46
"O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright"
found in:
UMH: 247
PH: 69
NCH: 158
CH: 105
LBW: 76
"Spirit of the Living God"
found in:
UMH: 393
PH: 322
AAHH: 320
NNBH: 133
NCH: 283
CH: 259
Renew: 90
"Take My Life and Let It Be"
found in:
UMH: 399
H82: 707
PH: 391
NNBH: 213
NCH: 448
CH: 609
LBW: 406
Renew: 150
"This Little Light of Mine"
found in:
UMH: 585
AAHH: 549
NNBH: 511
NCH: 524, 525
"Arise, Shine"
found in:
CCB: 2
Renew: 123
"Open Our Eyes, Lord"
found in:
CCB: 77
Renew: 91
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
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who created us in your own image: Grant us the grace to be your image, your presence, your light to those we encounter this week; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We come to worship you, O Creator, for you have made us to be like you. Open our ears to hear you speak to us, and open our hearts so that we might be filled with your light. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially the ways in which we offer empty words and gestures where we need to offer you light.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You have made us in your image and you have placed within us your Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, and we have failed to show you forth in ways that are clear and true. We have been filled with our own aims and agendas. We have been more concerned with how we appear than with who we truly are as your children. Forgive us our foolishness and restore your light in our hearts, that we may be a beacon for others to find you. Amen.
Leader: God's light is a precious gift. Be filled with it and share it with others, so it may grow in them and in you.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We worship and adore you who created us in your own divine image. You have called us your own children and blessed us with your presence within.
(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. You have made us in your image and you have placed within us your Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, and we have failed to show you forth in ways that are clear and true. We have been filled with our own aims and agendas. We have been more concerned with how we appear than with who we truly are as your children. Forgive us our foolishness and restore your light in our hearts that we may be a beacon for others to find you.
We thank you for all the ways in which you have shown us your ways of life and truth. We thank you for those who have lived their lives with integrity and shared your light with us. Most of all we thank you for Jesus, who came to show us how we too can live fully in your love and light.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for those who live in darkness amid the futility of empty words and actions. We pray that as you move among them you would take our love and our spirits with you to bless them and guide them. By your Spirit, allow us to truly be the Body of Christ for those around us so that they may be blessed.
(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.
Visuals
1. Images of light from all sorts of sources, including some pictures of the saints radiating light.
2. Pictures of folks at work doing good deeds, and pictures of people either in masks or obviously acting rather than really doing.
Children's Sermon Starter
Use a flashlight with a dark, heavy cloth tied over the lens. Talk about how helpful flashlights are to help us get around in the dark. Talk about how the light really shines (a really big flashlight would be great). Then talk about how it doesn't matter how much light there is in the flashlight if it doesn't get out. It's not just a matter of letting Jesus live within us and being our light -- we must share it with others by our kind words and deeds.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Spice It Up
Matthew 5:13
Object: a salt shaker
Good morning, boys and girls! What kind of foods do you like to put salt on? (let the children respond -- acknowledge each response) We really like to put salt on scrambled eggs and french fries and popcorn. Anything else? French fries without salt taste kind of different, don't they? They taste kind of plain, like something is missing. The same with popcorn -- it needs something to spice it up a little. And scrambled eggs, they're just no good without a little salt.
Salt spices things up. It adds flavor and taste to foods. It makes a difference to our taste buds. Certain foods just aren't the same without salt. Popcorn without salt -- yuck, how boring.
The Bible tells us that we are the salt of the earth. That means those of us who love God are here to make a difference in our world. We are here to add spice to life so that things don't seem so plain or boring. God wants us to spice things up, just by being around other people.
Salt is strong. It only takes a little to make a big difference. God wants us to make a difference by sharing our strength.
How can we be like salt? We can tell others about Jesus and how much he loves us. We can do nice things for people, and we can help those who need us. We can be like salt by standing up for what is right even when everyone else chooses to do wrong. We can share how happy we are that we have Jesus in our lives. We can be like salt in the world by living lives that please God.
French fries, eggs, and popcorn just aren't the same without salt, and the world just wouldn't be the same without Christian people to spice it up!
Go out and spice up your world this week. God bless you.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, February 6, 2011, issue.
Copyright 2011 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.
Team member Roger Lovette shares some additional thoughts on the gospel text and its call for us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. In the wake of fresh reports of Christians fleeing persecution in Iraq (and many other places around the world), we need to think about how willing we are to make tough choices that take us out of our comfort zones in order to "restore our saltiness." We may think we're facing tough choices regarding our church finances, or that our politicians are facing difficult options regarding public spending priorities -- but that's nothing compared to those who are facing existential persecution because of their faith, or even those in Egypt who are struggling with the breakdown of basic security. How willing are we to put ourselves in harm's way to let our light shine before others? If Isaiah stood before us, would he judge us as harshly as he did the Israelites' fasting -- or in our actions are we truly letting "[our] light shine before others, so that they may see [our] good works and give glory to [our] Father in heaven"? Roger advises us that Jesus says we are the light of the world -- and so we ought to make use of the gifts we have instead of worrying about what we don't have.
Theater -- Or the Real Deal?
by Mary Austin
Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12)
By now, the State of the Union speech is a distant memory, with the words faded from our minds -- except perhaps for the catchy phrase "our generation's Sputnik moment." The images remain in our minds more fully than the words: the members of Congress, on their best third-grade birthday party behavior, inviting each other to sit together instead of dividing the audience by party affiliation; the awkwardness of giving and receiving invitations, and then having them immediately updated to Twitter.
It's too soon to tell if it was playacting or a small opening toward greater friendship across the aisle -- but it calls to mind the words of Isaiah, who saw a similar kind of showy display in the worship of his day.
Other images are fresher -- protesters in the streets of Cairo, demanding a change in government. What may have started as theater in the streets has quickly become a serious challenge to the 30-year presidency of Hosni Mubarak. Protesters are calling for a new government and reforms to Egypt's economy. Events there change quickly, but the country could well be approaching the kind of real change envisioned by Isaiah.
THE WORLD
The recent shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson has brought politicians up short. The usual language seems inappropriate in a time of shared worry and grief, and yet politicians accustomed to a high level of charged rhetoric are finding it hard to shift gears into a time of substantial cooperation. Elected officials of both parties agree on the need for a stronger economy, more jobs, and attention to the growing deficit. They don't agree on how to get there, or what tools to use. More and more it seems that they lack a common language to even begin the discussion -- or even the will to have a discussion, which implies listening in addition to speaking.
And so we're left with the political theater of the State of the Union. Shifting seats is not the same as shifting views, and sitting elbow to elbow is not the same as working hand in hand.
The recent opening of the Congress was also graced with political theater, as the newly sworn-in representatives took turns reading the Constitution aloud. Recalling our nation's guiding principles is never bad, but editing the Constitution to leave out the uncomfortable bits does a disservice to the complexity of our history. The vote in the House of Representatives to repeal the health care reform bill is also a piece of theater, demonstrating to the voters that the Republicans are keeping their promises. The vote is less about engagement with the real quandaries of the health care system than about checking the vote off a list.
Similarly, the president's call for a five-year freeze on government spending sounds more dramatic than it is, once you factor in the programs exempt from the freeze -- Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Homeland Security, and Defense, plus interest payments on the debt. Those remaining for the freeze consist of only about 14% of the budget. That seems more like business as usual than substantial change.
In Egypt, calls for reform have gained momentum each day last week, leaving the US government struggling with how to respond. Egypt is a US ally in the Middle East, a partner in US interests in the region -- and yet the US doesn't want "to be on the wrong side of history," as several commentators noted as the protests developed. If the people are demonstrating for a real democracy, the US doesn't want to be seen as an ally of repression and corruption.
By Sunday, President Obama was speaking about "an orderly transition," and the coming week will surely show more steps toward a change of government in Egypt. Whether it's political theater or realpolitik, the US government is doing a careful balancing act between being a strong ally in a region where the US is distrusted, and in seeming to support protesters aiming at the democratic values the US holds dear. The president and the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, can't be seen to call for Mubarak's ouster too quickly and risk offending him if he stays, but also can't be seen to unequivocally support an aging authoritarian regime on its way out.
THE WORD
In contrast, the prophet Isaiah is unequivocal.
This passage comes from the writer whom scholars call "Third Isaiah," who wrote chapters 56-66 of the book after the return of the exiles from Babylon to Israel. As he looks at the people of Israel, Isaiah finds the people observing the outer disciplines of worship without the inner changes of heart. They look for God "as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness" (v. 2), the prophet laments.
The people of Israel are performing a kind of religious theater. It all looks good, but is empty of real meaning. The people observe the religiously required fasts, but then quarrel and fight; they put on sackcloth and ashes, but ignore the needy among them. Recently returned home after being exiles, strangers in Babylon, they have forgotten what it is like to be the stranger, the poor one, and the outsider.
"Is this not the fast that I choose," God asks through the prophet, "to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the throngs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?" (v. 6). The true fast, he continues, is to share food with the hungry, to house the homeless, and to clothe the naked. Then, and only then, does the light of God break forth into the world. God's answer to the people comes after they take up the fast of the heart and spirit. "Then you shall call and the Lord shall answer," the prophet promises.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
Each of our churches also has its own kind of religious theater -- things that must be done in worship so the congregation can concentrate on worship. If we were to depart from the order of service in some churches, people would be so distracted by the change that the Spirit would have no chance to communicate that day. The robes or lack thereof on the clergy, the style of the hymns, and the worship space itself are all deeply held aspects of the service, and changing any of them is fraught with peril. Like the people of Isaiah's day, we sometimes hold onto the forms of worship so tightly that we forget about the Spirit at work. Many more church battles are fought about the hymns, the paint color in the sanctuary, and screens in worship than about mission.
The challenge for us, like the people of God before us, is to get past our displays of faith to the reality of where God is calling us to be. Traditional forms of worship, whatever they may be in our churches, soothe the soul, but they may end up being a substitute for real connection with God. The theater of church may distract us from worshiping with our whole selves.
In the same way, political displays may give the illusion of real change -- until the real thing comes along, and is unmistakable. Stay tuned to see if real change is coming in Egypt. If so, Isaiah would be proud!
ANOTHER VIEW
Stir What You Got
by Roger Lovette
Matthew 5:13-20
In World War II many things were rationed. You had to have ration stamps to buy things like sugar -- and when your stamps ran out there was no more sugar available until the next month's stamps could be used. Restaurants took sugar off the tables because some people were emptying the sugar bowls into their purses and little sacks. So if you went into a restaurant and requested sugar the server would put the sugar into your cup or bowl before you got it. During that time a man came into a restaurant, sat down, and ordered coffee with sugar. When the coffee came he tasted it and asked the server, "Could you bring me some sugar for this coffee?" And the server replied, "Mister, stir what you got" -- and she walked away.
In this week's text from Matthew Jesus is speaking to his disciples and to the community of believers. He said you are salt, you are light, you are a city on a hill. Note the tense here -- not you shall be salt, light, or a city on a hill. He spoke to those all-too-human disciples and that ragged band called church: You are salt and light and city -- present tense.
So much of our faith deals with the oughts and the musts and the shoulds. Jesus used none of these words. He simply said you are. What a dignifying word he gave them. Each one of them -- with their all-too-humanness -- was challenged to accept the wonder of who they really were and to live out their lives in the light of that incredible challenge.
What would it mean for us to believe Jesus was talking about us? He was saying that our being here matters. He was saying that each one of us can make an enormous difference. So we are to stir what we have right now.
Sometimes we worry about our particular church. Down the street another church's parking lot is full and running over. These mega- or mini-megachurches seem to draw everybody. And we look out on Sunday at some empty pews and a sagging budget. Many of us have adopted an inferiority or siege mentality. Pastors and boards are trying desperately to compete with all sorts of new programs. Screens, guitars, drums, praise bands, Reeboks, blue jeans, Saturday night services. Have we forgotten what Jesus said? You are salt... light... a city on a hill. Maybe if we ponder the wonder of this compliment it might just revolutionize our understanding of ourselves.
Our Isaiah text called those exiles that had returned home to a broken land to remember the poor, the dispossessed, the hungry, and the needy among them. Buildings had to be rebuilt. Fields had to be plowed. The Temple had to be restored. But while they were doing this they could not forget who they were. Isaiah did not call them salt or light or city. But the old prophet knew in the doing of their faith in the present tense of their everyday lives that their "light would rise in the darkness and their gloom would be like the noonday" (Isaiah 58:10). That's pretty close to the words in Matthew.
Every age has its particular challenges. In our time we remember again that Jesus called us to live up to our high calling: salt, light, city. The old waitress was right: "We must stir what we got." I wonder what would happen if we took those words seriously?
ILLUSTRATIONS
Living with Less
Isaiah asks us: "Is not this the fast that I choose... Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked poor to cover them and not to hide yourself from your own kin?" (Isaiah 58:6-7).
The website zenfamilyhabits.net offers "Seven Benefits of Living with Less Stuff":
* You don't panic when company arrives unexpectedly because everything is already neat and orderly
* Less time spent cleaning and fixing
* More space
* Easier to pack when you move
* You appreciate what you have because you have less of it
* No need to create an organizing system; small amounts of stuff don't need organization
* Easier to stay on top of things
Isaiah would add: It allows you to give more (of yourself and your stuff) to the poor.
* * *
Living with Less 2.0
College professor Dave Bruno has taken living simply to a level that has brought him international attention.
Troubled by American consumerism and his place in the midst of it, Dave decided to take up what he called the "100 Thing Challenge." He would live for 365 days owning only 100 things. And being a modern, twenty-first-century kind of guy, he wrote a blog about it. Now the blog is a book.
In The 100 Thing Challenge: How I Got Rid of Everything, Remade My Life, and Regained My Soul, Dave talks about how difficult it was to reduce his life to 100 things and how freeing it was as well.
I have dabbled in the blog and I haven't yet read the book, but I'm anxious to see if one of the benefits Dave received from the "100 Thing Challenge" was the one Isaiah described -- the joy of giving the stuff you don't need to those who need it.
-- Dean Feldmeyer
* * *
There are some who hear sayings like "blessed are the meek" or "you are the salt of the earth" or "you are the light of the world" and think they hear marching orders. They consider Jesus' words as a command and immediately begin asking themselves whether they have within themselves "the right stuff" so they can measure up. The Sermon on the Mount becomes, for this anxious sort of Christian, a source of even greater anxiety. It becomes a new law -- an all-but-impossible law to fulfill.
"Mainline, liberal Christians," writes William Willimon, "often think of religion as something we do. Church is where we come to get our assignment for the week -- work on your sexism, your racism, God has no hands but our hands. Suffocating moralism pervades. Where is the good news in that?"
The good news is that Jesus' sayings to his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount are not imperatives, but indicatives. They are not commands, but statements of fact. You are the salt of the earth -- already. You are the light of the world -- yes, you are. You are the city built on the hill that cannot be hid -- this is how others see you.
* * *
Those who seek to follow the spiritual life are like salt in the world. Salt crystals cannot give flavor to food unless they dissolve. If we dissolve the salt in a pot, it disappears but it does not cease to exist. Indeed, it can then give flavor to thousands of grains of rice.
It is the same with us. If we are not melted in the fire of love and spirit, if we do not sacrifice ourselves completely, then we cannot pass on to even a single soul the blissful experience of the spiritual life. If we do not sacrifice ourselves, then we are rather like Lot's wife who was turned to a lifeless pillar of salt. Yesu was melted in the Garden of Gethsemane and gave his life on the cross to open the gate of heaven for all. In the same spirit, we must be prepared to give up our own lives for the spiritual welfare of others. This is what will bring praise to God.
The sword of justice hangs threateningly even now over many souls. We must be willing to sacrifice our own desires -- even our lives -- for the benefit of those in danger of spiritual death. Then the world will recognize that true love abides in us and that we are children of the God who sacrifices himself for us.
-- Sadhu Sundar Singh, Wisdom of the Sadhu, p. 137
* * *
Armed drug cartels have virtually taken over the nation of Mexico. Their violence and control are seemingly impossible to stop. Their corruption is pervasive, and their violence is indescribable. In the cities and districts they control, they have become the government.
American missionaries Sam and Nancy Davis have been working in Mexico for 30 years. They have established children's shelters and churches, and conducted Bible classes. Nancy has participated in all of these ventures, while also performing her duties as a nurse and midwife.
When the Davises came upon an illegal roadblock, placed there by the drug lords for the purpose of extortions, Sam refused to stop. As he drove around the road obstruction, the men fired upon their vehicle, with one bullet striking Nancy Davis in the head. Frantic to find help for his bleeding wife, Sam drove across the border into Texas. It was at a health clinic in the United States that she died. Mexico's attorney general, Ruben Rios Lopez, will not prosecute the case as murder, since Nancy did not die in Mexico.
Nancy, along with her husband, are truly the "light of the world" as they brought the ministry of Jesus to so many people in need of health care, education, and spiritual awakening. Nancy now resides in heaven, but the brilliance of her work will always shine upon the streets and plains of Mexico.
* * *
The unprecedented snowstorms in the Northeast have left two segments of society captive in their own homes -- the elderly and the handicapped. When the able-bodied shovel they make a path that is no larger than the width of their shovel, which provides ample room for them to walk through. But for those in a wheelchair it is a path far to narrow. Those who need handrails to go up and down steps find that they are covered under mounds of shoveled snow, making traveling for them nearly impossible. Advocates for these two groups say it is really a problem of simple awareness (or unawareness) that paths aren't wider and steps and ramps aren't better maintained.
But people are trying to help. Wendy Landman, executive director of the advocacy group WalkBoston, is marshaling volunteer shovelers to go to homes in need of snow removal. The group was originally formed to get pet owners to clean up after their animals in public places. That program proved successful, as people became aware of their civic duty. Landman believes the same principles can be applied to getting citizens to shovel wider paths and keep handrails and ramps snow-free. The same as with pet owners, she now says of snow shoveling: "And we can do the same with shoveling, create a new social norm."
Jesus said we are the "salt of the earth." There are many good leaders, like Wendy Landman, and many wonderful volunteers, like the volunteer shovelers, who do small things that are really great blessings for others. If we unfailingly implement the teachings of Jesus, we can "create a new social norm."
* * *
In Matthew 5:15, Jesus tells us: "No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house."
On the latest installment of the new PBS series Roger Ebert Presents at the Movies, critics Christy Lemire and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky praised Dustin Hoffman's performance in the new film Barney's Version.
In doing so they noted that, since signing on to the Inlaws/Fockers series, Hoffman had developed what they termed a "Robert DeNiro" problem: i.e., one of riding on his fame, phoning in his performances, and taking roles that required no real work, no passion, and no risk.
In this week's passage from Matthew, Jesus warns us about the dangers of phoning in our performance as Christians.
* * *
While in college and seminary, my daughter Sarah worked in retail, starting as a sales associate and working her way up to store manager. As anyone who has ever worked retail knows, the Christmas season is the busiest and consequently most stressful time in the retail industry. Stores are crowded, customers tend to be hurried and short-tempered, the hours are long, and the rewards few.
In recent years Sarah noted that the already stressful season and the work that went with it was made even more stressful by Christians who seemed to lurk out of sight, ready to pounce on any sales clerk who dared to wish them a "happy holiday" or "season's greetings." In most cases the irate Christian customer would simply correct the sales person with a mildly condescending shake of the head or wag of the finger and a verbal correction: "Merry Christmas!"
In one case, however, a woman literally launched a verbal attack at the clerk, accusing her of being part of a conspiracy to "steal" Christmas and "stomp Christianity into the ground." The clerk was nearly in tears when Sarah, the manager, stepped in and apologized on her behalf.
The customer, refusing to be put off, repeated "I am a Christian!" in a loud and indignant voice, to which Sarah replied as calmly as she could, "Again, ma'am, we apologize for offending you. We had no way of knowing that."
Our lamp of faith can be hidden under a bushel of silence, but it can also be hidden under a mountain of indignation, anger, resentment, and bitterness. The rhetorical question still holds: "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"
-- Dean Feldmeyer
* * *
A former Pennsylvania biology teacher, Tom Ritter, has filed a suit in federal court against the Blue Mountain School District. The suit contends that by teaching evolution the school district is promoting atheism, which is the same as teaching a religion. After listing in the brief why evolution is not possible, Ritter concludes, "If evolution is unscientific, why teach it? Because no Creator means no God. In other words, evolution taught without a possible alternative is Atheism. Now Atheism rests on an article of faith (A strong belief that cannot be proven but is nonetheless believed). Therefore Atheism is a religion. And it is illegal to teach religion in the public schools."
Paul wrote extensively about wisdom in his letter to the church in Corinth; yet Paul knew the limits of our human understanding with these compelling words: "no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:11). While discussing the multitude of questions that besiege us in trying to discover the meaning of creation, we ought to teach what we know is true, such as evolution, and temper the rest with the words "no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God."
* * *
Here are a couple of football stories for Super Bowl Sunday from http://www.sportsfeelgoodstories.com/category/football/ which relate to Matthew 5:
One-Armed High School Football Player Inspires Community
ESPN's Sportscenter frequently features one-handed catches by college and pro football receivers.There's something special about footballs thrown in tight spirals that are snared out of the air with just one hand.Perhaps ESPN video crews will find their way to Breckinridge County High School in western Kentucky, where all of the catches made by wide receiver Chance Anthony are completed with just one hand.
Anthony is a senior starter at wide receiver and also starts at linebacker on defense. He was born with the lower part of his right arm missing.As the lead receiver for the team, his receptions have gone for over 200 yards and two touchdowns.He's had 12 solo tackles on defense.
The doctors told his parents when he was born that, "You'll miss it more than he will."Anthony has proven the doctors right.In the weight room, Anthony bench presses 235 pounds.A three-year starter in football, Anthony's great attitude is an inspiration to his team and to his community.
Down Syndrome Football Player Scores TD
The "Ike Special," a hand-off play to junior Ike Ditzenberger, accounted for Snohomish High School's only points in a 35-6 loss against Lake Stevens.Ditzenberger, who has Down Syndrome, scored his first varsity touchdown in collaboration with the Lake Stevens' defense, who were instructed not only to let Ditzenberger score but to also make it look real.
Ditzenberger practices with the JV squad, but the varsity coach has him complete the last run of every practice with the varsity team.His practice runs have helped build team spirit and have enabled Ike to play football like his older brothers.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Let us praise our God!
People: Happy are those who delight in God's instruction.
Leader: It is well with those who deal generously.
People: It is well for those whose conduct is just.
Leader: Their hearts are steady and unafraid.
People: Their righteousness endures forever.
OR
Leader: Come into the presence of the One who created us.
People: We are not worthy to come before God.
Leader: God has created us for love and to be like God.
People: We do not know how to be like God.
Leader: Come and learn of Jesus, and he will show you.
People: We come to follow Jesus and to become like God.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"Christ Is the World's Light"
found in:
UMH: 188
"Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies"
found in:
UMH: 173
H82: 6, 7
PH: 462, 463
LBW: 265
"I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light"
found in:
UMH: 206
H82: 490
Renew: 152
"Immortal, Invisible"
found in:
UMH: 103
H82: 423
PH: 263
NCH: 1
CH: 66
LBW: 526
Renew: 46
"O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright"
found in:
UMH: 247
PH: 69
NCH: 158
CH: 105
LBW: 76
"Spirit of the Living God"
found in:
UMH: 393
PH: 322
AAHH: 320
NNBH: 133
NCH: 283
CH: 259
Renew: 90
"Take My Life and Let It Be"
found in:
UMH: 399
H82: 707
PH: 391
NNBH: 213
NCH: 448
CH: 609
LBW: 406
Renew: 150
"This Little Light of Mine"
found in:
UMH: 585
AAHH: 549
NNBH: 511
NCH: 524, 525
"Arise, Shine"
found in:
CCB: 2
Renew: 123
"Open Our Eyes, Lord"
found in:
CCB: 77
Renew: 91
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
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who created us in your own image: Grant us the grace to be your image, your presence, your light to those we encounter this week; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We come to worship you, O Creator, for you have made us to be like you. Open our ears to hear you speak to us, and open our hearts so that we might be filled with your light. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially the ways in which we offer empty words and gestures where we need to offer you light.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You have made us in your image and you have placed within us your Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, and we have failed to show you forth in ways that are clear and true. We have been filled with our own aims and agendas. We have been more concerned with how we appear than with who we truly are as your children. Forgive us our foolishness and restore your light in our hearts, that we may be a beacon for others to find you. Amen.
Leader: God's light is a precious gift. Be filled with it and share it with others, so it may grow in them and in you.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We worship and adore you who created us in your own divine image. You have called us your own children and blessed us with your presence within.
(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. You have made us in your image and you have placed within us your Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, and we have failed to show you forth in ways that are clear and true. We have been filled with our own aims and agendas. We have been more concerned with how we appear than with who we truly are as your children. Forgive us our foolishness and restore your light in our hearts that we may be a beacon for others to find you.
We thank you for all the ways in which you have shown us your ways of life and truth. We thank you for those who have lived their lives with integrity and shared your light with us. Most of all we thank you for Jesus, who came to show us how we too can live fully in your love and light.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for those who live in darkness amid the futility of empty words and actions. We pray that as you move among them you would take our love and our spirits with you to bless them and guide them. By your Spirit, allow us to truly be the Body of Christ for those around us so that they may be blessed.
(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.
Visuals
1. Images of light from all sorts of sources, including some pictures of the saints radiating light.
2. Pictures of folks at work doing good deeds, and pictures of people either in masks or obviously acting rather than really doing.
Children's Sermon Starter
Use a flashlight with a dark, heavy cloth tied over the lens. Talk about how helpful flashlights are to help us get around in the dark. Talk about how the light really shines (a really big flashlight would be great). Then talk about how it doesn't matter how much light there is in the flashlight if it doesn't get out. It's not just a matter of letting Jesus live within us and being our light -- we must share it with others by our kind words and deeds.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Spice It Up
Matthew 5:13
Object: a salt shaker
Good morning, boys and girls! What kind of foods do you like to put salt on? (let the children respond -- acknowledge each response) We really like to put salt on scrambled eggs and french fries and popcorn. Anything else? French fries without salt taste kind of different, don't they? They taste kind of plain, like something is missing. The same with popcorn -- it needs something to spice it up a little. And scrambled eggs, they're just no good without a little salt.
Salt spices things up. It adds flavor and taste to foods. It makes a difference to our taste buds. Certain foods just aren't the same without salt. Popcorn without salt -- yuck, how boring.
The Bible tells us that we are the salt of the earth. That means those of us who love God are here to make a difference in our world. We are here to add spice to life so that things don't seem so plain or boring. God wants us to spice things up, just by being around other people.
Salt is strong. It only takes a little to make a big difference. God wants us to make a difference by sharing our strength.
How can we be like salt? We can tell others about Jesus and how much he loves us. We can do nice things for people, and we can help those who need us. We can be like salt by standing up for what is right even when everyone else chooses to do wrong. We can share how happy we are that we have Jesus in our lives. We can be like salt in the world by living lives that please God.
French fries, eggs, and popcorn just aren't the same without salt, and the world just wouldn't be the same without Christian people to spice it up!
Go out and spice up your world this week. God bless you.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, February 6, 2011, issue.
Copyright 2011 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.
