Proper 8, Pentecost 6, Ordinary Time 13
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle C Gospel Texts
Liturgical Color: Green
Gospel: Luke 9:51-62
Theme: Jesus Sets His Face Toward Jerusalem; the Disciples Want to Blast Those Who Refused to Receive Him; and Jesus Presents One of His Hard Sayings. It is not who we are, but in whom we are, that determines our present and future joy and courage.
Celebrating The Activity Of God
Pastoral Invitation
In the name of the Ever-Present God, welcome to the sixth Sunday in Pentecost. God has called us; we have responded with a "yes" to God's call. This means that we worship on behalf of everyone who chooses to say "no" to God's call today. Our decision does not make us superior; it does make us present; because the church at worship continues to be the acid test for Christ's presence in the world. Today we may wish that we had stayed home because Christ will expose us to one of his hard teachings. So, ready or not, we proceed.
Declaration of Joyful and Challenging Expectations
Pastor and Ministers
P: Jesus, called the Christ, offers us a way of being fully human.
M: He has presented a new style of life, based on love and justice for all persons.
P: He has invited the church to declare and to live this new way of life.
M: We are the church at worship and study, so we will be the church in mission and ministry.
P:
I invite us to celebrate life in Christ, when it's easy and when it's hard.
M: Yes, indeed. Be it so!
Hymn of Praise
"The God of Abraham Praise," Daniel ben Judah, 1404; trans. Max Landsberg and Newton Mann, 1885; alt.; Hebrew melody; adapt. Thomas Olivers and Meyer Lyon, 1770.
Prayer of Praise
Praise be to you, O Lord! Invade us with the power of your love and justice, and create in us a love for you and justice for our fellow humans. Possess us so that our wills will be obedient to your will for us. Show us the futility of trusting in false pride, position, or power; and then, keep on giving us the gift of Holy Spirit, so that we will leave here filled with you, and free to serve others in your grace, that unmerited, undeserved, unearned, unconditional gift of yours to us.
Examining Our Activity
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
Include an additional sheet in the bulletin as follows:
Recognizing Our Humanness
Receiving New Life
One Concern
One Strength
Church's
Program
Church's
People
Church's
Pastor
I
Pray about the Concern
Build on the Strength
Take ten minutes. Ask the people to place these in the offering plate during the offering, signed or unsigned. Follow up any that you can.
Response
Pastor's prayer to receive the gifts of sharing.
Examining The Word
Message with the Children of All Ages
Do you children know how you learn what's supposed to be important to you? (Give time for responses.) We learn what's important for us by noticing what's important to our parents, and then later, by seeing what's important to our friends. For example, our parents may say, "Don't smoke," and then go "Puff, puff" on their cigarette. They may say, "Don't lie," and then when someone phones them, they tell you to say that they're not home. They may say, "Don't cheat," and then you overhear how they're cutting corners on their income tax. Jesus also told us what's supposed to be important, namely, following him and his teachings, even the ones that are hard. It means learning to say "no" and meaning it, even when all our friends say "yes" to the wrong things. (Conclude with a prayer centering on this theme.)
Dramatizing the Scripture
Have "Jesus" and his "disciples" (perhaps the young people) enter from the rear of the sanctuary on their way to "Jerusalem." As they enter the village, have a group of people from the congregation tell him to get out. Then, when "James" and "John" hear their boos, they offer their solution. They leave, and "Jesus" has his conversations with three persons.
Response
"Father, I Adore You," words and music by Terry Coelho, from Let the People Sing. (See Appendix I for address.)
Proclamation of the Good News
This Scripture covers two themes: (1) Seeking revenge. All of us have thoughts of revenge. The Gunsmoke television program was filled with examples and so are our own lives. "Get them before they get us." Jesus has a quick answer to that. (2) Obedience. We all have our excuses, rationalizations, justifications why we cannot take God too seriously. After all, if we took Christ at his word, what would it do to our family, business, pocketbook, and so on?
Response
Once again sing, "Father, I Adore You." After singing, ask the people if they had a response different from their first singing. (Remind them once again and often that their comments, written or verbal, are encouraged. Begin an after-worship sermon discussion group.)
Examining Our Commitment
Stewardship Challenge
Christianity either begins with the receiving of a gift, the gift of God's grace, or it doesn't begin at all. How will you treat that gift with your time, talent, and treasure?
Hymn of Thanksgiving and Commitment
"Take My Life, and Let It Be," Frances Ridley Havergal, 1874; H. A. Cesar Malan, 1827.
Charge to the Congregation
"To take up the cross of Christ is no great action once and for all time; it consists in the continual practice of small duties [responses] [some of] which are distasteful to us [while others bring extreme joy]" (John Henry Newman). (brackets mine)
Meditation
The Christian does the ordinary, and sometimes the extraordinary, things of life. The only thing is, he/she does them without apology, or excuses, or whining.
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "My Heart Ever Faithful," J. S. Bach.
Hymn of Praise: "Blessing and Honor." (See Ascension Sunday.)
Response to the Scripture: "The Lord's Prayer," Gates. (Ask the people to pray while the choir sings, and remind the people what they are actually praying.)
Response to the Proclamation: (Choir and Congregation) "O Christ, Whose Love Has Sought Us Out," John Edgar Park, 1953; alt., 1972. (Use a variation: perhaps the Choir to sing first stanza; everyone hum the second; read the third together; all sing the fourth.)
Hymn of Commitment: "God Is Working His Purpose Out." (See Pentecost 2. Revise the sexist language as you sing.)
Music for Dismissal: "Postlude," Haydn.
Gospel: Luke 9:51-62
Theme: Jesus Sets His Face Toward Jerusalem; the Disciples Want to Blast Those Who Refused to Receive Him; and Jesus Presents One of His Hard Sayings. It is not who we are, but in whom we are, that determines our present and future joy and courage.
Celebrating The Activity Of God
Pastoral Invitation
In the name of the Ever-Present God, welcome to the sixth Sunday in Pentecost. God has called us; we have responded with a "yes" to God's call. This means that we worship on behalf of everyone who chooses to say "no" to God's call today. Our decision does not make us superior; it does make us present; because the church at worship continues to be the acid test for Christ's presence in the world. Today we may wish that we had stayed home because Christ will expose us to one of his hard teachings. So, ready or not, we proceed.
Declaration of Joyful and Challenging Expectations
Pastor and Ministers
P: Jesus, called the Christ, offers us a way of being fully human.
M: He has presented a new style of life, based on love and justice for all persons.
P: He has invited the church to declare and to live this new way of life.
M: We are the church at worship and study, so we will be the church in mission and ministry.
P:
I invite us to celebrate life in Christ, when it's easy and when it's hard.
M: Yes, indeed. Be it so!
Hymn of Praise
"The God of Abraham Praise," Daniel ben Judah, 1404; trans. Max Landsberg and Newton Mann, 1885; alt.; Hebrew melody; adapt. Thomas Olivers and Meyer Lyon, 1770.
Prayer of Praise
Praise be to you, O Lord! Invade us with the power of your love and justice, and create in us a love for you and justice for our fellow humans. Possess us so that our wills will be obedient to your will for us. Show us the futility of trusting in false pride, position, or power; and then, keep on giving us the gift of Holy Spirit, so that we will leave here filled with you, and free to serve others in your grace, that unmerited, undeserved, unearned, unconditional gift of yours to us.
Examining Our Activity
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
Include an additional sheet in the bulletin as follows:
Recognizing Our Humanness
Receiving New Life
One Concern
One Strength
Church's
Program
Church's
People
Church's
Pastor
I
Pray about the Concern
Build on the Strength
Take ten minutes. Ask the people to place these in the offering plate during the offering, signed or unsigned. Follow up any that you can.
Response
Pastor's prayer to receive the gifts of sharing.
Examining The Word
Message with the Children of All Ages
Do you children know how you learn what's supposed to be important to you? (Give time for responses.) We learn what's important for us by noticing what's important to our parents, and then later, by seeing what's important to our friends. For example, our parents may say, "Don't smoke," and then go "Puff, puff" on their cigarette. They may say, "Don't lie," and then when someone phones them, they tell you to say that they're not home. They may say, "Don't cheat," and then you overhear how they're cutting corners on their income tax. Jesus also told us what's supposed to be important, namely, following him and his teachings, even the ones that are hard. It means learning to say "no" and meaning it, even when all our friends say "yes" to the wrong things. (Conclude with a prayer centering on this theme.)
Dramatizing the Scripture
Have "Jesus" and his "disciples" (perhaps the young people) enter from the rear of the sanctuary on their way to "Jerusalem." As they enter the village, have a group of people from the congregation tell him to get out. Then, when "James" and "John" hear their boos, they offer their solution. They leave, and "Jesus" has his conversations with three persons.
Response
"Father, I Adore You," words and music by Terry Coelho, from Let the People Sing. (See Appendix I for address.)
Proclamation of the Good News
This Scripture covers two themes: (1) Seeking revenge. All of us have thoughts of revenge. The Gunsmoke television program was filled with examples and so are our own lives. "Get them before they get us." Jesus has a quick answer to that. (2) Obedience. We all have our excuses, rationalizations, justifications why we cannot take God too seriously. After all, if we took Christ at his word, what would it do to our family, business, pocketbook, and so on?
Response
Once again sing, "Father, I Adore You." After singing, ask the people if they had a response different from their first singing. (Remind them once again and often that their comments, written or verbal, are encouraged. Begin an after-worship sermon discussion group.)
Examining Our Commitment
Stewardship Challenge
Christianity either begins with the receiving of a gift, the gift of God's grace, or it doesn't begin at all. How will you treat that gift with your time, talent, and treasure?
Hymn of Thanksgiving and Commitment
"Take My Life, and Let It Be," Frances Ridley Havergal, 1874; H. A. Cesar Malan, 1827.
Charge to the Congregation
"To take up the cross of Christ is no great action once and for all time; it consists in the continual practice of small duties [responses] [some of] which are distasteful to us [while others bring extreme joy]" (John Henry Newman). (brackets mine)
Meditation
The Christian does the ordinary, and sometimes the extraordinary, things of life. The only thing is, he/she does them without apology, or excuses, or whining.
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "My Heart Ever Faithful," J. S. Bach.
Hymn of Praise: "Blessing and Honor." (See Ascension Sunday.)
Response to the Scripture: "The Lord's Prayer," Gates. (Ask the people to pray while the choir sings, and remind the people what they are actually praying.)
Response to the Proclamation: (Choir and Congregation) "O Christ, Whose Love Has Sought Us Out," John Edgar Park, 1953; alt., 1972. (Use a variation: perhaps the Choir to sing first stanza; everyone hum the second; read the third together; all sing the fourth.)
Hymn of Commitment: "God Is Working His Purpose Out." (See Pentecost 2. Revise the sexist language as you sing.)
Music for Dismissal: "Postlude," Haydn.
