Proper 28, Pentecost 26, Ordinary Time 33
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle C Gospel Texts
Liturgical Color: Green
Gospel: Luke 21:5-19
Theme: The Destruction of Jerusalem and the Messianic Coming. What kinds of signs do you look for and follow?
Recognizing Who God Is
Music for Preparation
"I Call To Thee, Lord Jesus Christ," J. S. Bach.
Pastoral Invitation
Pastor and Ministers
P: God has the whole world in good hands, God's hands. Do we believe that? Do we act on that belief in our daily routine? If so, then what kinds of expectations do we bring to worship today, expectations of the pastor, of ourselves, of God?
M: We rejoice that God is in charge, even when it seems as though God is not in charge of this world. We bring healthy and unhealthy expectations. We ask God's Spirit to sift out our healthy from unhealthy expectations.
P: God promises to do just that. To do that, we will need to remain open and responsive to wherever God leads us. Are you willing?
M: Yes, we are willing, mixed with some fear. Despite our fear, let's go! So be it! Amen!
Hymn of Praise
"New Songs of Celebration Render," Erik Routley, 1972; alt., 1984; Louis Bourgeois, 1543; rev. 1551.
Prayer of Praise
Incorporate the theme of signs, how we look for signs for much of life, and how God asks us to look for the signs of Christ.
Invitation To Discover Who We Are And Who We Can Become
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
What kinds of signs do you look for and follow? (One minute of silence.) Write down your response. Notice in history how easily people have fallen for the wrong kinds of leaders like those who have led the flocks to their death, for example, Jim Jones, David Koresh, and so on. Most of us will avoid those kinds of signs. Yet, how easily we spend our time and energy debating about the end of the world. Authors make millions of dollars predicting the end, miss the date, write more books changing the date; and multitudes of people buy them. I invite us to consider how we will decide this week, and beyond, to live in the precious present moment, rather than the past or future. (Two minutes of silence.)
Unison Prayer
O God, you are the Alpha and Omega; you alone know the beginning and end of life. Forgive us when we seek to take your place, when we act as though we know as much as you do. Forgive us when we play our "time" games. Forgive us when we get angry at others because they disagree with our schedules of the end-time; when we act as though we have the whole truth and nothing but the truth; that you have given us, and us alone, the insights into your mind. You are the source of all wisdom. We confess that we have not been very wise. We have grown careless in our listening to you, careless with our knowledge and lazy in our habits. So, by your Spirit, clean us up in order to serve you in the here and now. (Two minutes of silence.)
Response
"What Signs Has God Revealed to Us," Jane Parker Huber, 1982; English melody, probably sixteenth century, from Joy In Singing. (See Appendix I for address.)
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Through the person of Jesus the Christ, God offers us everything we need to know for the good life and the God life. We need no substitutes. There is no need to get sidetracked by any detour. The song, "Detour, There's a Muddy Road Ahead," needs no longer to be our theme song. (Have a soloist sing this old country/western song.) God, in Christ, provides every sign we need. Yes!
Response
"Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies," Charles Wesley, 1740; Freylinghausen's Gesangbuch, 1704; rev. in Werner's Choralbuch, 1815, as in Old Church Psalmody, 1847.
Hearing The Truth Of The Good News
Message with the Children of All Ages
Recall some of the signs that you see every day. (Wait.) What happens when you obey them, and when you don't? (Wait.) God also has given us some signs about how to live. Recall some of them. (Wait.) Someone has said, "We never break God's law, we only break ourselves on the law." The law stands if we obey or disobey. For example, if I jump out of a forty-story building, I do not disprove the law of gravity. I prove it. God has given us everything we need to be God's people. (Offer a prayer of thanksgiving.)
Response
"Like a Child," Loretta Ellenberger, from Folk Encounter. (See Appendix I for address.)
Dramatizing the Scripture
Have "Jesus" speak (preferably memorize) the text. At the appropriate time, have someone from the congregation stand and say verse 7, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign when this is about to take place?"
Proclamation of the Good News
You may want to introduce the message with an idea I used some years ago. I wrote a sermon titled, "Sermonettes from Signboards." While driving between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Olympia, Washington, one summer, I jotted down some of the signboard messages along the way. At my convenience, I drew the spiritual messages from those signs. I did offer one caution at the beginning of the sermon. Someone once said that "a pastor who preaches a bunch of sermonettes will raise a bunch of Christianettes."
Responding To What We Say We Believe
Stewardship Challenge
For what kinds of signs do we look in the Scripture which direct our actions. For example, why do we stress Paul's teaching of the necessity of salvation, and play down the fact that ninety percent of Jesus' teaching was a social gospel directed to the poor in heart?
Charge to the Congregation
For what kinds of signs will we look this week, those that bring death or life?
Hymn of Dedication
"What Signs Has God Revealed to Us," Jane Parker Huber, 1982, English melody, probably sixteenth century.
Meditation
"In the end, there are only two possibilities of encountering Jesus: Either we must die, or we will kill him" (Dietrich Bonhoeffer).1
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Medley of some of the new hymns learned during Pentecost. List the pages and invite the congregation to hum or sing in preparation for worship.
Hymn of Praise: "New Songs of Celebration Render," Eric Routley, 1972; alt. 1984; Louis Bourgeois 1543; rev. 1551.
Hymn of Commitment: "To God Compose a Song of Joy," Ruth C. Duck, 1986; Edwin R. Taylor, 1987.
Music for Dismissal: Continue the idea suggested in the music for preparation section.
____________
1. Christ The Center by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, p. 36. English translation copyright © 1966 by William Collins, Sons and Co., Ltd., and Harper and Row Publishers, Inc., Permission Department, 10 East 53rd St., New York, New York 10022-5299.
Gospel: Luke 21:5-19
Theme: The Destruction of Jerusalem and the Messianic Coming. What kinds of signs do you look for and follow?
Recognizing Who God Is
Music for Preparation
"I Call To Thee, Lord Jesus Christ," J. S. Bach.
Pastoral Invitation
Pastor and Ministers
P: God has the whole world in good hands, God's hands. Do we believe that? Do we act on that belief in our daily routine? If so, then what kinds of expectations do we bring to worship today, expectations of the pastor, of ourselves, of God?
M: We rejoice that God is in charge, even when it seems as though God is not in charge of this world. We bring healthy and unhealthy expectations. We ask God's Spirit to sift out our healthy from unhealthy expectations.
P: God promises to do just that. To do that, we will need to remain open and responsive to wherever God leads us. Are you willing?
M: Yes, we are willing, mixed with some fear. Despite our fear, let's go! So be it! Amen!
Hymn of Praise
"New Songs of Celebration Render," Erik Routley, 1972; alt., 1984; Louis Bourgeois, 1543; rev. 1551.
Prayer of Praise
Incorporate the theme of signs, how we look for signs for much of life, and how God asks us to look for the signs of Christ.
Invitation To Discover Who We Are And Who We Can Become
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
What kinds of signs do you look for and follow? (One minute of silence.) Write down your response. Notice in history how easily people have fallen for the wrong kinds of leaders like those who have led the flocks to their death, for example, Jim Jones, David Koresh, and so on. Most of us will avoid those kinds of signs. Yet, how easily we spend our time and energy debating about the end of the world. Authors make millions of dollars predicting the end, miss the date, write more books changing the date; and multitudes of people buy them. I invite us to consider how we will decide this week, and beyond, to live in the precious present moment, rather than the past or future. (Two minutes of silence.)
Unison Prayer
O God, you are the Alpha and Omega; you alone know the beginning and end of life. Forgive us when we seek to take your place, when we act as though we know as much as you do. Forgive us when we play our "time" games. Forgive us when we get angry at others because they disagree with our schedules of the end-time; when we act as though we have the whole truth and nothing but the truth; that you have given us, and us alone, the insights into your mind. You are the source of all wisdom. We confess that we have not been very wise. We have grown careless in our listening to you, careless with our knowledge and lazy in our habits. So, by your Spirit, clean us up in order to serve you in the here and now. (Two minutes of silence.)
Response
"What Signs Has God Revealed to Us," Jane Parker Huber, 1982; English melody, probably sixteenth century, from Joy In Singing. (See Appendix I for address.)
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Through the person of Jesus the Christ, God offers us everything we need to know for the good life and the God life. We need no substitutes. There is no need to get sidetracked by any detour. The song, "Detour, There's a Muddy Road Ahead," needs no longer to be our theme song. (Have a soloist sing this old country/western song.) God, in Christ, provides every sign we need. Yes!
Response
"Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies," Charles Wesley, 1740; Freylinghausen's Gesangbuch, 1704; rev. in Werner's Choralbuch, 1815, as in Old Church Psalmody, 1847.
Hearing The Truth Of The Good News
Message with the Children of All Ages
Recall some of the signs that you see every day. (Wait.) What happens when you obey them, and when you don't? (Wait.) God also has given us some signs about how to live. Recall some of them. (Wait.) Someone has said, "We never break God's law, we only break ourselves on the law." The law stands if we obey or disobey. For example, if I jump out of a forty-story building, I do not disprove the law of gravity. I prove it. God has given us everything we need to be God's people. (Offer a prayer of thanksgiving.)
Response
"Like a Child," Loretta Ellenberger, from Folk Encounter. (See Appendix I for address.)
Dramatizing the Scripture
Have "Jesus" speak (preferably memorize) the text. At the appropriate time, have someone from the congregation stand and say verse 7, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign when this is about to take place?"
Proclamation of the Good News
You may want to introduce the message with an idea I used some years ago. I wrote a sermon titled, "Sermonettes from Signboards." While driving between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Olympia, Washington, one summer, I jotted down some of the signboard messages along the way. At my convenience, I drew the spiritual messages from those signs. I did offer one caution at the beginning of the sermon. Someone once said that "a pastor who preaches a bunch of sermonettes will raise a bunch of Christianettes."
Responding To What We Say We Believe
Stewardship Challenge
For what kinds of signs do we look in the Scripture which direct our actions. For example, why do we stress Paul's teaching of the necessity of salvation, and play down the fact that ninety percent of Jesus' teaching was a social gospel directed to the poor in heart?
Charge to the Congregation
For what kinds of signs will we look this week, those that bring death or life?
Hymn of Dedication
"What Signs Has God Revealed to Us," Jane Parker Huber, 1982, English melody, probably sixteenth century.
Meditation
"In the end, there are only two possibilities of encountering Jesus: Either we must die, or we will kill him" (Dietrich Bonhoeffer).1
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Medley of some of the new hymns learned during Pentecost. List the pages and invite the congregation to hum or sing in preparation for worship.
Hymn of Praise: "New Songs of Celebration Render," Eric Routley, 1972; alt. 1984; Louis Bourgeois 1543; rev. 1551.
Hymn of Commitment: "To God Compose a Song of Joy," Ruth C. Duck, 1986; Edwin R. Taylor, 1987.
Music for Dismissal: Continue the idea suggested in the music for preparation section.
____________
1. Christ The Center by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, p. 36. English translation copyright © 1966 by William Collins, Sons and Co., Ltd., and Harper and Row Publishers, Inc., Permission Department, 10 East 53rd St., New York, New York 10022-5299.
