Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A

Object: Fancy, dark sunglasses like a famous person might wear.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!

In many church circles, the cry goes out for, “We need good leadership!” Growing pressure is placed on clergy with the declining worship attendance and financial giving as well as lack of volunteers has gone on for decades in many churches. Both church leaders and often judicatories suggest that good leaders are needed. They even redefine pastoral seminary training programs into “leadership development, fund for leaders, formation for spiritual leaders etc.” All of today’s text texts suggest that maybe there needs to be leadership from the grassroots membership in the form of mentors.

Proverbs 22: 1-2, 8-9, 22-23
Riches aren’t important. This set of verses from the Proverbs reminds us that there are more important things than riches. Reputation or a good name is more important than having a lot of money. Both the poor and the rich have this in common. That being said, hoarding wealth isn’t good, but having enough to live on is important. In a nation that prides itself on each citizen “pulling themselves up by their bootstraps” it seems a foreign idea that we should ensure that everyone has enough.

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? (v. 5)

Marsha and Richard had a beautiful home on a wooded lot just outside the suburbs. They worked hard to keep it to their standards and they entertained often. A large staff maintained the grounds and the house. Everything ran quite smoothly.

Marsha was a director of a hospice agency; Richard was the president of a prestigious bank. They had a comfortable life although they didn't spend much time in their home. They preferred to be on the go.

Theme of the Day
God cares for the poor.

Collect of the Day
After praising God for transforming sickness into health and death into life, petitions are offered that the faithful be opened to the power of His presence so they are ready to proclaim God's promises to the world. Providence and Evangelism are the dominant themes.

Psalm of the Day
Psalm 125
* A Song of Ascent (Pilgrims' Song), praying for deliverance from national enemies. This is a group lament.

There is a well-worn axiom that warns against mixing religion and politics. It was probably devised in an attempt to help smooth the rough places in some of those long holiday dinners with seldom-seen relatives. Keep the conversation polite, vague, and unchallenging. That way, all parties can stay through the dessert course and get home in one piece. In truth, there is wisdom in such an unwritten law. However, a serious people of faith must contend with the time after dinner when the relatives have dispersed and it's back to business as usual.

Picture this: You are on your way to the airport to catch a flight to a wedding where you are in the wedding party only to become stuck in traffic. When you finally get to the airport, you have only minutes left to check in. Unfortunately, there's a long line at the airline desk and you know there is no hope of getting to the front of the line in time. Do you:


A. give up and say, "Oh well, they'll just have to go on without me"?

B. march up to the front of the line, push people out of the way and say, "Get out of the way. I'm going first"?

Call To Worship
From Psalm 125.
Leader: Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
People: Which cannot be shaken and endures forever.
Leader: As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
People: So the Lord surrounds his people.
Leader: The power of evil will not control the people of righteousness,
People: For God will do good to the upright,
Leader: And those who turn away from God
People: Will be banished.
Leader: So evil will be overrun,

Call to Worship
Let us open our eyes -
To the wonder of God's goodness, God's love that fills this universe.
Let us open our ears -
To the wisdom of God's Word, the guidance it offers to life's journey.
Let us open our mouths -
To sound forth praise, the good news of redemption and release.
So let our worship be a full participation of self.
So let this company of God's people rejoice.

Invocation