April 17, 2022 Worship Services "“Easter Heartburn”
by Pastor Pat Halverson
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SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
April 17, 2022
Easter
Gathering
MUSICAL OFFERING
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.
· Attendance was taken by Ushers as you entered.
· Masks are required by those not vaccinated as well as social distancing
Bulletins are placed in the pews to help with social distancing
· Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
· Please write your prayer request on the Yellow cards. An usher will pick them up during the 1st hymn.
· Please join us after service for fellowship will be continuing with beverages only, Snack start April 3rd in Calvin Hall
PRAYER REQUESTS
Gary Iverson, Bob Bock, Joan Boyd, Wanda Hirl, Marilyn Neymeyer, Joan Pinkston, Maxine Wagner, Annette Conzett, Jo Lefleur, Dr Dyke, Harlan Marx ,Lois Seger, Jon Ryner, Abagail Niles, Helanah Niles, Kay Werner, Ukraine, Doug Nelson, Arlene Pawlik, Angela and Tristan , and Jake Pinkston
PRELUDE
*WORDS OF WORSHIP
The Lord is risen.
He is risen indeed!
Let us worship the risen Christ.
May our worship be acceptable in God’s sight.
*GATHERING PRAYER
Dear Lord, on this most joyful of all our holy days, we remember your gift of grace to the world through Christ. As we sing our praise and learn from your word, we ask that you would inspire our faith. Help us to continue to walk in the footsteps of Jesus until that day we join with all the saints before your throne. Amen.
.
*HYMN “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” #113
CONFESSION AND PARDON
Together, let us confess our sins to the Lord.
O God of all that is good, we come to you knowing our need for your forgiveness. We acknowledge our self-centeredness at times, our pride, our lack of trust, our unwillingness to hear another’s thoughts or see their pain Even as you forgive us, help us to empathize more and judge less, and to offer grace as you have done for us. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
The Apostle John assures us: If we confess our sins to the Lord, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Thanks be to God, amen.
*Passing of the Peace ( facing those across the aisle from you)
Left: May the peace of Christ be with you.
Right: And also with you. May the peace of Christ be with you.
Left: And also with you.
(You may be seated.)
INTERLUDE
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Our Lord, we know that all that we have is from your hand. We now offer a portion of your blessing as an act of worship. We pray that you will guide us to use it to further your good news and ministry of love to others from this place. Amen
Prayer of Illumination
Loving God, as we hear your word, we ask you open our eyes that we may see Jesus in them, and that our hearts may be stirred by his presence, through your Spirit. Amen.
Word
SCRIPTURE LESSON
Luke 24:1-6.
24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:
Luke 24:13-18
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
Luke 24:28-36
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
SERMON “Easter Heartburn”
“Easter Heartburn”
Our world and national history are marked by pivotal moments: last 100 years or so—the stock market crash of ’29, bombing of Pearl Harbor, assassination of President Kennedy, first walk on the moon, fall of the Twin Towers in NYC. Also, big change but not so “pivotal,” are things like…. Well, our younger ones don’t know what it is like to have to walk across the room to turn on a black and white TV with only 3 channels! What big event will be next for us?
Today we recall how Jesus’ closest followers learned of a pivotal event that divided history in half: the empty tomb. There are two men making their way home after being in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. They are walking to Emmaus, a little village not quite seven miles out of town. The hour is getting late. As they walk, they are rehashing the events of the weekend, just like we do after our history-changing events.
As they are walking a stranger overtakes them from behind and asks what they are talking about. The text says, “They stood still, sad-faced.” They reply to him, more or less, “Are you kidding? You haven’t heard?!” They proceed to fill him in. they describe Jesus of Nazareth as “a prophet mighty in word and deed before God and all the people.” He is a compassionate miracle-worker of astounding spiritual and moral insight.
They explain the week’s events from Palm Sunday’s triumph to Good Friday’s darkness. (paraphrase) “We welcomed him as the promised king who would take back the throne of David and oust the Romans. We believed he was God’s Messiah sent to us. By the end of the week the mood in the city turned against him. Jewish religious leaders convinced the people he was a fraud and blasphemer. They turned him over to the Romans to be condemned and crucified. That was Friday. But this morning, when some women went to the tomb to finish wrapped his body in spices for burial, he wasn’t there. They said angels told them he was alive again. Of course, we didn’t listen to them, thinking they were just overwrought with grief. But then a couple of his closet friends also said the tomb was indeed empty.”
Jesus lets them babble on, but then cuts right to the chase. “Oh, how foolish you are! And so slow of heart to believe all that the prophets declared. Did you not know this was necessary, that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” The stranger then began to teach them, beginning way back in Genesis and summarizing the prophets, that the Scriptures pointed to the man Jesus as God’s Messiah.
By then they were near their home and the stranger continued to walk on, but they urged him to stay with them as night was falling. He entered their house and sat with them at the table for a meal. When they offered the bread, he blessed it, broke it and gave it to them. Immediately their eyes were opened and they recognized him. And just as immediately the Lord vanished.
They turned to each other and said, “Did not our hearts burn within us as he was walking with us, opening the meaning of the Scriptures to us?” They got up from the table and headed back to Jerusalem to find the 11 disciples. This was their pivotal moment. This was the moment they realized the significance of Christ’s coming, death and resurrection! Their eyes were opened and they would never be the same.
They meet up with disciples and tell them what happened. They also have good news, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon Peter.” Jesus suddenly appears, stands among them and says, “Shalom.” He then explains the Scriptures again and gives them the task of spreading the good news to all nations, so that all may have the opportunity to know him, to repent and be forgiven.
I want to point out a couple of things. In v. 16 it says when Jesus walks with them on the road, “their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” Then in v. 31 it reads, “Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” Both of these statements are in the passive voice. The active voice means the activity is done by the subject: I close my eyes. I open my eyes. But in the passive voice, the action is done by another to the subject. Thus it reads, “Their eyes were [closed]…their eyes were opened.”
The question then is, who is it that closes or opens our spiritual eyes? The Bible teaches that Satan blinds the eyes to spiritual truth, and that the Holy Spirit is the one who illumines (e.g., John 6) and sheds light on God’s truth so that we see. In Act 26 Jesus tells the Apostle Paul, v. 18, [I am sending you to the Gentiles] to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are made hold by faith in me.”
The two men on that road to Emmaus at first were unable to see the stranger who was actually the risen Lord, and yet their hearts burned within them as he opened the Scriptures. It was after their “spiritual heartburn” that their eyes were opened to recognize him. Once again Scripture affirms that the cold-hearted cannot see the Lord (no matter how good our arguments!), but that the Lord opens the eyes of those whose hearts have warmed, hearts that are ready to receive him. It was the presence and the word of the Lord that softened their hearts so that the Spirit could open their eyes to recognize the risen Christ.
This morning, are your eyes open to see and receive gladly divine truth of the Lord? Do your sense with a warm heart the presence of the living, risen Christ? Has your heart burned within as we have worshipped him this morning?
I want to make something clear. Faith is not a feeling. Our feelings are too subject to change. So, this “burning heart” that I’m talking about may or may not be accompanied by feelings of joyful zeal. Initially, yes. We might talk about Christians who are “on fire” for the Lord. Jf they were logs in our fireplace, they’d be full of dancing flames. Over time as we walk with the Lord, the burning heart within is more like the heat given off by the coals, more steady and ultimately hotter. The burning within our hearts needs to be stirred at times, just like coals—which is why we gather for worship weekly, and at other times for fellowship, learning or service.
So, the burning heart is not so much a feeling we keep trying to experience. Rather it is more like a steady, humble awareness of the presence of the Lord and our love for him. In seminary there was a group called “The Fellowship of the Burning Hearts.” The Emmaus Road disciples shared that burning heart. They wanted more and the Lord met them and gave them a purpose to spread his gospel.
A city dweller bought a farm and also a cow, so that he could have fresh milk. Shortly after he got it, the cow went dry. He asked his neighbor farmer about it, who agreed that he took great care of that cow. The city guy said, “Yes. In fact, some days if I didn’t need milk, I didn’t take any. Or, if I only needed a quart, I only milked a quart.”
The experienced farmer understood and explained, “Friend, the only way to keep milk flowing is not to take as little as possible from the cow, but to take as much as possible.”
Is that not also true of our Christian faith? If we only turn to God when we have need, we miss the real joy that flows from a daily filling of God’s Spirit. Whatever spiritual heartburn we may have had is long since cooled by neglect.
The Emmaus Road friends had an unforgettable, burning-heart, eye-opening encounter with Jesus Christ, as I hope we have. Dear friends, never let the fire go out through inattentiveness. After our “Easter heartburn” let us never let the well run dry from lack of use. As Peter says in his letter, “Long for the true spiritual milk of the Word.” Jesus tells us to thirst for the “living waters” of the Spirit.
The fellowship of burning hearts is incomparable to anything else, though some compare it to falling in love, and in fact, call one’s relationship to Christ a “sacred romance.” That is to say, our hearts burn when Jesus is near; our hearts burn when the Spirit illumines God’s word; our hearts burn when we are serving the Lord without thought for ourselves, or when giving generously. Faithful devotion to the living Christ is the most profound experience of life, and all the richer when shared with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our hearts burn because God is touching us with holy fire and giving us a glimpse of future glory and the present peace that passes understanding.
Now… for those who, like me, are less-demonstrative with emotions, you may be unsure of your own spiritual “heartburn.” No problem! Again, it’s not merely a feeling, but certainly it is a deep conviction. Plus, we have this marvelous promise from Isaiah 42, v. 3: “…a dimly burning wick [God] will not extinguish.” However you experience the presence of Christ within you, as a bright flame or a dimly burning wick!—God receives it and opens your eyes as you continue to seek him! Jesus is risen. Jesus is here! So let the Easter Heartburn continue!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I pray on behalf of myself, of this church, and on behalf of any who sense your nearness and on behalf of those who want to. Please stay near us. We want to know you better. We want to experience your purpose for our existence, and not just satisfy ourselves. We desire the peace, the joy, the hope and the certainty of your love when the storms assail us. Keep us in the fellowship of the burning hearts. We love you more than anything. We thank you for your overflow of blessings to us. We thank you that some day. we too will be resurrected and will see Jesus face to face, and be like him [1 John]. To you be all glory on earth and in heaven. Amen.
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH 1 Corinthians 15:19-22
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
*HYMN “Christ Is Risen” (Ode to Joy tune) #104
PASTORAL PRAYER AND LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever." -- Amen.
Hymn: “Christ Is Alive” #108
Blessing and Charge
The Lord is risen. He is risen indeed!
May that truth be more than a slogan, but rather the experience of Christ’s presence in our lives. May our “Easter Heartburn” be a reality as we live in this world that is often cold and without heart. May the love of God, the inner strength of the Holy Spirit, and the burning presence of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Go in hope and peace!
*POSTLUDE
* Sections of the service preceded with * are times to stand if you are able to do so.
Bold text is to be read together aloud as a congregation.
.
April 17, 2022
Easter
Gathering
MUSICAL OFFERING
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.
· Attendance was taken by Ushers as you entered.
· Masks are required by those not vaccinated as well as social distancing
Bulletins are placed in the pews to help with social distancing
· Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
· Please write your prayer request on the Yellow cards. An usher will pick them up during the 1st hymn.
· Please join us after service for fellowship will be continuing with beverages only, Snack start April 3rd in Calvin Hall
PRAYER REQUESTS
Gary Iverson, Bob Bock, Joan Boyd, Wanda Hirl, Marilyn Neymeyer, Joan Pinkston, Maxine Wagner, Annette Conzett, Jo Lefleur, Dr Dyke, Harlan Marx ,Lois Seger, Jon Ryner, Abagail Niles, Helanah Niles, Kay Werner, Ukraine, Doug Nelson, Arlene Pawlik, Angela and Tristan , and Jake Pinkston
PRELUDE
*WORDS OF WORSHIP
The Lord is risen.
He is risen indeed!
Let us worship the risen Christ.
May our worship be acceptable in God’s sight.
*GATHERING PRAYER
Dear Lord, on this most joyful of all our holy days, we remember your gift of grace to the world through Christ. As we sing our praise and learn from your word, we ask that you would inspire our faith. Help us to continue to walk in the footsteps of Jesus until that day we join with all the saints before your throne. Amen.
.
*HYMN “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” #113
CONFESSION AND PARDON
Together, let us confess our sins to the Lord.
O God of all that is good, we come to you knowing our need for your forgiveness. We acknowledge our self-centeredness at times, our pride, our lack of trust, our unwillingness to hear another’s thoughts or see their pain Even as you forgive us, help us to empathize more and judge less, and to offer grace as you have done for us. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
The Apostle John assures us: If we confess our sins to the Lord, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Thanks be to God, amen.
*Passing of the Peace ( facing those across the aisle from you)
Left: May the peace of Christ be with you.
Right: And also with you. May the peace of Christ be with you.
Left: And also with you.
(You may be seated.)
INTERLUDE
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Our Lord, we know that all that we have is from your hand. We now offer a portion of your blessing as an act of worship. We pray that you will guide us to use it to further your good news and ministry of love to others from this place. Amen
Prayer of Illumination
Loving God, as we hear your word, we ask you open our eyes that we may see Jesus in them, and that our hearts may be stirred by his presence, through your Spirit. Amen.
Word
SCRIPTURE LESSON
Luke 24:1-6.
24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:
Luke 24:13-18
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
Luke 24:28-36
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
SERMON “Easter Heartburn”
“Easter Heartburn”
Our world and national history are marked by pivotal moments: last 100 years or so—the stock market crash of ’29, bombing of Pearl Harbor, assassination of President Kennedy, first walk on the moon, fall of the Twin Towers in NYC. Also, big change but not so “pivotal,” are things like…. Well, our younger ones don’t know what it is like to have to walk across the room to turn on a black and white TV with only 3 channels! What big event will be next for us?
Today we recall how Jesus’ closest followers learned of a pivotal event that divided history in half: the empty tomb. There are two men making their way home after being in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. They are walking to Emmaus, a little village not quite seven miles out of town. The hour is getting late. As they walk, they are rehashing the events of the weekend, just like we do after our history-changing events.
As they are walking a stranger overtakes them from behind and asks what they are talking about. The text says, “They stood still, sad-faced.” They reply to him, more or less, “Are you kidding? You haven’t heard?!” They proceed to fill him in. they describe Jesus of Nazareth as “a prophet mighty in word and deed before God and all the people.” He is a compassionate miracle-worker of astounding spiritual and moral insight.
They explain the week’s events from Palm Sunday’s triumph to Good Friday’s darkness. (paraphrase) “We welcomed him as the promised king who would take back the throne of David and oust the Romans. We believed he was God’s Messiah sent to us. By the end of the week the mood in the city turned against him. Jewish religious leaders convinced the people he was a fraud and blasphemer. They turned him over to the Romans to be condemned and crucified. That was Friday. But this morning, when some women went to the tomb to finish wrapped his body in spices for burial, he wasn’t there. They said angels told them he was alive again. Of course, we didn’t listen to them, thinking they were just overwrought with grief. But then a couple of his closet friends also said the tomb was indeed empty.”
Jesus lets them babble on, but then cuts right to the chase. “Oh, how foolish you are! And so slow of heart to believe all that the prophets declared. Did you not know this was necessary, that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” The stranger then began to teach them, beginning way back in Genesis and summarizing the prophets, that the Scriptures pointed to the man Jesus as God’s Messiah.
By then they were near their home and the stranger continued to walk on, but they urged him to stay with them as night was falling. He entered their house and sat with them at the table for a meal. When they offered the bread, he blessed it, broke it and gave it to them. Immediately their eyes were opened and they recognized him. And just as immediately the Lord vanished.
They turned to each other and said, “Did not our hearts burn within us as he was walking with us, opening the meaning of the Scriptures to us?” They got up from the table and headed back to Jerusalem to find the 11 disciples. This was their pivotal moment. This was the moment they realized the significance of Christ’s coming, death and resurrection! Their eyes were opened and they would never be the same.
They meet up with disciples and tell them what happened. They also have good news, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon Peter.” Jesus suddenly appears, stands among them and says, “Shalom.” He then explains the Scriptures again and gives them the task of spreading the good news to all nations, so that all may have the opportunity to know him, to repent and be forgiven.
I want to point out a couple of things. In v. 16 it says when Jesus walks with them on the road, “their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” Then in v. 31 it reads, “Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” Both of these statements are in the passive voice. The active voice means the activity is done by the subject: I close my eyes. I open my eyes. But in the passive voice, the action is done by another to the subject. Thus it reads, “Their eyes were [closed]…their eyes were opened.”
The question then is, who is it that closes or opens our spiritual eyes? The Bible teaches that Satan blinds the eyes to spiritual truth, and that the Holy Spirit is the one who illumines (e.g., John 6) and sheds light on God’s truth so that we see. In Act 26 Jesus tells the Apostle Paul, v. 18, [I am sending you to the Gentiles] to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are made hold by faith in me.”
The two men on that road to Emmaus at first were unable to see the stranger who was actually the risen Lord, and yet their hearts burned within them as he opened the Scriptures. It was after their “spiritual heartburn” that their eyes were opened to recognize him. Once again Scripture affirms that the cold-hearted cannot see the Lord (no matter how good our arguments!), but that the Lord opens the eyes of those whose hearts have warmed, hearts that are ready to receive him. It was the presence and the word of the Lord that softened their hearts so that the Spirit could open their eyes to recognize the risen Christ.
This morning, are your eyes open to see and receive gladly divine truth of the Lord? Do your sense with a warm heart the presence of the living, risen Christ? Has your heart burned within as we have worshipped him this morning?
I want to make something clear. Faith is not a feeling. Our feelings are too subject to change. So, this “burning heart” that I’m talking about may or may not be accompanied by feelings of joyful zeal. Initially, yes. We might talk about Christians who are “on fire” for the Lord. Jf they were logs in our fireplace, they’d be full of dancing flames. Over time as we walk with the Lord, the burning heart within is more like the heat given off by the coals, more steady and ultimately hotter. The burning within our hearts needs to be stirred at times, just like coals—which is why we gather for worship weekly, and at other times for fellowship, learning or service.
So, the burning heart is not so much a feeling we keep trying to experience. Rather it is more like a steady, humble awareness of the presence of the Lord and our love for him. In seminary there was a group called “The Fellowship of the Burning Hearts.” The Emmaus Road disciples shared that burning heart. They wanted more and the Lord met them and gave them a purpose to spread his gospel.
A city dweller bought a farm and also a cow, so that he could have fresh milk. Shortly after he got it, the cow went dry. He asked his neighbor farmer about it, who agreed that he took great care of that cow. The city guy said, “Yes. In fact, some days if I didn’t need milk, I didn’t take any. Or, if I only needed a quart, I only milked a quart.”
The experienced farmer understood and explained, “Friend, the only way to keep milk flowing is not to take as little as possible from the cow, but to take as much as possible.”
Is that not also true of our Christian faith? If we only turn to God when we have need, we miss the real joy that flows from a daily filling of God’s Spirit. Whatever spiritual heartburn we may have had is long since cooled by neglect.
The Emmaus Road friends had an unforgettable, burning-heart, eye-opening encounter with Jesus Christ, as I hope we have. Dear friends, never let the fire go out through inattentiveness. After our “Easter heartburn” let us never let the well run dry from lack of use. As Peter says in his letter, “Long for the true spiritual milk of the Word.” Jesus tells us to thirst for the “living waters” of the Spirit.
The fellowship of burning hearts is incomparable to anything else, though some compare it to falling in love, and in fact, call one’s relationship to Christ a “sacred romance.” That is to say, our hearts burn when Jesus is near; our hearts burn when the Spirit illumines God’s word; our hearts burn when we are serving the Lord without thought for ourselves, or when giving generously. Faithful devotion to the living Christ is the most profound experience of life, and all the richer when shared with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our hearts burn because God is touching us with holy fire and giving us a glimpse of future glory and the present peace that passes understanding.
Now… for those who, like me, are less-demonstrative with emotions, you may be unsure of your own spiritual “heartburn.” No problem! Again, it’s not merely a feeling, but certainly it is a deep conviction. Plus, we have this marvelous promise from Isaiah 42, v. 3: “…a dimly burning wick [God] will not extinguish.” However you experience the presence of Christ within you, as a bright flame or a dimly burning wick!—God receives it and opens your eyes as you continue to seek him! Jesus is risen. Jesus is here! So let the Easter Heartburn continue!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I pray on behalf of myself, of this church, and on behalf of any who sense your nearness and on behalf of those who want to. Please stay near us. We want to know you better. We want to experience your purpose for our existence, and not just satisfy ourselves. We desire the peace, the joy, the hope and the certainty of your love when the storms assail us. Keep us in the fellowship of the burning hearts. We love you more than anything. We thank you for your overflow of blessings to us. We thank you that some day. we too will be resurrected and will see Jesus face to face, and be like him [1 John]. To you be all glory on earth and in heaven. Amen.
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH 1 Corinthians 15:19-22
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
*HYMN “Christ Is Risen” (Ode to Joy tune) #104
PASTORAL PRAYER AND LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever." -- Amen.
Hymn: “Christ Is Alive” #108
Blessing and Charge
The Lord is risen. He is risen indeed!
May that truth be more than a slogan, but rather the experience of Christ’s presence in our lives. May our “Easter Heartburn” be a reality as we live in this world that is often cold and without heart. May the love of God, the inner strength of the Holy Spirit, and the burning presence of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Go in hope and peace!
*POSTLUDE
* Sections of the service preceded with * are times to stand if you are able to do so.
Bold text is to be read together aloud as a congregation.
.
SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
March 20, 2022
Third Sunday in Lent
Gathering
MUSICAL OFFERING
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.
· Attendance was taken by Ushers as you entered.
· masks are required by those not vaccinated as well as social distancing
bulletins are placed in the pews to help with social distancing
· Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
· Please write your prayer request on the Yellow cards. An usher will pick them up during the 1st hymn.
· Please join us after service for fellowship will be continuing with beverages only, in Calvin Hall
PRAYER REQUESTS
Gary Iverson, Bob Bock, Joan Boyd, Wanda Hirl, Marilyn Neymeyer, Joan Pinkston, Maxine Wagner, Annette Conzett, Jo Lefleur, Dr Dyke, Harlan Marx ,Lois Seger, Jon Ryner, Abagail Niles, Helanah Niles, Kay Werner, Ukraine, Doug Nelson, and Arlene Pawlik
PRELUDE
*CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 63:1 and Isaiah 55:1
O God, you are my God. At dawn I search for you. My soul thirsts for you.
My body longs for you in a dry, parched land where there is no water.
Let all who thirst come to the waters;
let all who are hungry come and eat.
*GATHERING PRAYER
Lord, there are times we feel an emptiness inside, as if we are hungry or thirsty, but food and drink do not satisfy. Help us to understand when our soul is seeking spiritual food, and remind us each day to find that nourishment in you. May this time of worship be a feast for our souls. Amen.
*Hymn Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah #282
*CONFESSION AND PARDON (From the Book of Common Worship)
Let us make our confession to God:
God of mercy, you sent Jesus Christ to seek and save the lost.
We confess that we have strayed from you and turned aside from your way.
We are misled by pride, for we see ourselves pure when we are stained,
and great when we are small.
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON Isaiah 55:3
“Listen, so that you may live: the steadfast love of the Lord never fails.”
Because God’s steadfast love was shared with us through Jesus, we are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
*Passing of the Peace ( facing those across the aisle from you)
Left: May the peace of Christ be with you.
Right: And also with you. May the peace of Christ be with you.
Left: And also with you.
(You may be seated.)
Interlude
Word
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 55:1-9, NLT
1 “Is anyone thirsty?
Come and drink--
even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk--
it’s all free!
2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?
Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.
You will enjoy the finest food.
3 “Come to me with your ears wide open.
Listen, and you will find life.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you.
I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.
4 See how I used him to display my power among the peoples.
I made him a leader among the nations.
5 You also will command nations you do not know,
and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey,
because I, the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.”
6 Seek the Lord while you can find him.
Call on him now while he is near.
7 Let the wicked change their ways
and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.
8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your
NEW TESTAMENT LESSON 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, NLT
1 I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, 7 or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” 8 And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day. 9 Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. 10 And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. 11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
GOSPEL LESSON Luke 13:1-9, NLT
About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2 “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? 3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. 4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? 5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”
6 Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’
8 “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer.
9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”
Sermon “A Thirst for God ”
Word
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 55:1-9, NLT
1 “Is anyone thirsty?
Come and drink— even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free!
2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?
Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.
You will enjoy the finest food.
3 “Come to me with your ears wide open.
Listen, and you will find life.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you.
I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.
4 See how I used him to display my power among the peoples.
I made him a leader among the nations.
5 You also will command nations you do not know,
and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey,
because I, the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.”
6 Seek the Lord while you can find him.
Call on him now while he is near.
7 Let the wicked change their ways
and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.
8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
SERMON Thirst for God
I’ve long been fascinated with the opening verses of this poem in Isaiah. I like the invitation to the feast, but I find it odd that we are asked to buy what we need without price. I picture going to an open market and being told everything is free. If I have come very hungry and thirsty but without the means to buy anything, that would be the ultimate gift in that moment.
Have you had times when you got so hungry or thirsty you could barely function? I get that way sometimes. Thursday my stew was in the crock pot not destined to come out until 7:30. I went in the kitchen to start making the soda bread about 5:30, but I was so hungry I had to set out a snack first. I nibbled a couple bites of cheese and sausage, then struggled to make the soda bread. When it was finally in the oven I ate more cheese and sausage until I thought I could make it to 7:30. The evening before I had a moment when I was so thirsty I couldn’t stand it. I tried putting it off, because I was in the middle of something I wanted to finish, but that didn’t last long. I was so thirsty I couldn’t concentrate. I had to get up for some water before I could continue.Most of us are attuned enough to our bodies that we know when we are hungry or thirsty. Then it’s up to us to do something about it within whatever means are available to us. In terms of our physical hunger and thirst, those of us who have enough food and water or other beverage and the means to restock our shelves are truly blessed, and being blessed we hopefully share what we can with those less fortunate.
But what about our souls? Do you recognize the signs when you are spiritually hungry and thirsty? When the empty space within you is craving spiritual nourishment, nothing in the refrigerator is going to quench that thirst or assuage that hunger. When we are spiritually starving we must turn to God who invites us, come and drink! Come and buy food without price. God provided manna and quail and even water in the desert for Moses and all the Hebrew pilgrims in the wilderness, forty years’ worth, one day at a time. God also provides the bread of heaven and living water when we are in a spiritual wasteland.
When it is my spirit that has run dry, I don’t have the means to refill it myself. I have to come to God to quench my spiritual thirst. I come through what John Wesley called the means of grace; it’s basically the same list as spiritual disciplines. Our spiritual practices are the means of receiving God’s grace, as if going to particular stalls in a spiritual open market. God is the host of the market and invites you to come and get your fill at the stall of your choice, whether prayer, music, reading, giving, serving, or others, they all offer you spiritual nourishment by connecting you more closely with the creator and lover of your soul.
I felt some of that wasteland many times in the two weeks since I last worshipped with you; I came up against multiple challenges. I hit my emotional brick wall more than once as layers of stress stacked up. Perhaps you experience that sometimes, too. But when I backed off and waited for God to replenish me in body, mind, and spirit, then I could go back and tackle the problem again a few hours later or a few days later. When it comes to other things in the world around us over which I have no control, I could lift them to God in prayer, and then I have to leave them in God’s hands and go back to the things that God has set within my reach. Perhaps you need to do that sometimes as well.
As Isaiah wrote long ago. God still makes covenant with us to be our God if we will be God’s people. Living in that covenant, we are still encouraged to seek God while our God can be found. Turn to God in every moment of need; then trust God to provide what is needed, and patiently wait on God’s timing. I’m not saying patience is easy; I just know it is needed. God’s ways are indeed beyond our imagination. God’s ways are not our ways, but they are better from God’s greater perspective. To live as God’s child, I choose to trust that. So, when my soul is parched because of my personal challenges or my concern for the world, I must turn to God.
As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he referred back to that hunger and thirst the
Hebrews experienced in the wilderness.
NEW TESTAMENT LESSON 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, NLT
1 I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, 7 or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” 8 And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.
9 Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. 10 And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. 11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.
12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
SERMON Thirst for God
Paul reminded the Corinthians and reminds us too that God still guides and provides as he did for Moses and others so very long ago. The question now as then was not whether God would provide, but whether people would live within the boundaries God set. Just as God gave laws to the Hebrews through the commandments, so God has set some basic dos and don’ts for people throughout time. Jesus summarized all the commandments in this way, 37 “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40, NLT)
Not everyone in the wilderness was allowed to enter the Promised Land. In fact, of those who set out from Egypt only Joshua and Caleb were allowed to enter because of their trust in God’s providence. Even Moses, Aaron, and Miriam disappointed God at some point along the way and suffered for it. Those who chose to complain, to test God, to set up a false God, to disrespect God, they all died along the way by God’s hand. It was the new generation who entered Canaan under Joshua’s leadership. But they in turn would also have to choose whether or not to live by God’s intentions or by their own agendas.
What Paul told the Corinthians holds true for us today. We will be tempted by many things in this life, Christians no less than anyone else. Moses, Aaron, and Miriam were not immune and neither are we. But God will also provide the means to endure if we hold fast to our faith and to our God. Whatever emptiness we want to fill, whatever challenge we must face, whatever frustration comes our way, God will guide and provide if we turn to God rather than rely on our own thinking or the ways of the world. As it says in Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Paul’s message is the same; we have to trust God.
You’re going to need that level of trust as you consider today’s Gospel lesson.
GOSPEL LESSON Luke 13:1-9, NLT
About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2 “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? 3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. 4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? 5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”
6 Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’
8 “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”
SERMON A Thirst for God
The opening paragraph of this passage is not one we hear often. You may find it jarring as I did. Is Jesus nonchalant about the death of those killed while at worship. We expect Jesus to be as shocked as we are when we hear of tragic incidents at Temple or Church or Mosque. Were these tragedies? Yes, every bit as much as the deaths we hear about on the news today! Did they die because of their own sin? In these cases and in most others, no! The tragedy of an untimely death caused by other humans or by natural disaster is unsettling. Yet whether believer or non-believer, all humans will die at some point by some means. Jesus took this opportunity to remind his audience of that simple truth.
Paul also wrote about this in his letter to the Romans, First that “everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23) Second, “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” No matter how deep our faith and faithfulness to God, somewhere along the way we are still sinners, just as Moses and Aaron and Miriam were. But the Good News is that even though we will die because of sin, we will have new life beyond the grave because of Jesus the Christ. This is the hope of our faith, and it is the message of Good Friday and Easter as we live through the season of Lent each year.
I find that hope symbolized in Jesus’ story of the gardener. Like the man who planted the fig tree that continually failed to bear fruit, so God is disappointed in humanity each time we fail to live up to those Greatest Commandments of love and respect for God, love and respect for others and for ourselves. I can imagine God sighing at each missed opportunity, each time we cross a line we should not cross, each failure to protect the vulnerable around us, each time we let something else take God’s place in our lives, etc., etc., etc. And yet? And yet, the gardener, who to me seems to be Jesus himself, says Wait a bit. Give them another chance. Let me see if the Holy Spirit and I can help them change, help them do better next time. Then Jesus continues to work in our lives (if we let him) toward that goal, that we will pay more attention to God and live as God intended. The potential consequences for the failure to do so are still there, but Jesus gives us another chance to start fresh with help from the Holy Spirit.
As you continue through this season of Lent, be honest with yourself and with God about the ways in which you struggle and about the struggle we are going through as the human species on this planet. Ask God to help you change what you are able to change about your self and how you interact with others, with God, and with the world. Hold fast to what you believe is right in God’s eyes and help where you can. There will still be things you cannot change because the choices are not yours to make. But you can lift these often to God in prayer, asking the Spirit to work on the hearts of those who do make those choices.
At the same time notice what the gardener planned to do, to fertilize and nourish that unproductive fig tree. Don’t remain in a spiritual desert. The Living Waters and Bread of Heaven are phrases the Gospel writer John used to describe Christ Jesus. Come to those living waters. Eat and drink; be nourished and filled with Christ on a regular basis, so that you can flourish and bear fruit in this world.
*Hymn: Alas and Did My Savior Bleed #78
PASTORAL PRAYER AND LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever." -- Amen.
OFFERING OUR LIVES
Lord we give you thanks for filling our lives with good things that nourish and sustain us. We offer back to you our lives in service to your kingdom. Amen
*DOXOLOGY Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow #592
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Apostle’s Creed (Ecumenical) p. 14
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,
He is seated on the right hand of the Father,
And he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Sending
*HYMN How Great Thou Art #467
*CHARGE & BLESSING
POSTLUDE
* Sections of the service preceded with * are times to stand if you are able to do so.
Bold text is to be read together aloud as a congregation.
March 20, 2022
Third Sunday in Lent
Gathering
MUSICAL OFFERING
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.
· Attendance was taken by Ushers as you entered.
· masks are required by those not vaccinated as well as social distancing
bulletins are placed in the pews to help with social distancing
· Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
· Please write your prayer request on the Yellow cards. An usher will pick them up during the 1st hymn.
· Please join us after service for fellowship will be continuing with beverages only, in Calvin Hall
PRAYER REQUESTS
Gary Iverson, Bob Bock, Joan Boyd, Wanda Hirl, Marilyn Neymeyer, Joan Pinkston, Maxine Wagner, Annette Conzett, Jo Lefleur, Dr Dyke, Harlan Marx ,Lois Seger, Jon Ryner, Abagail Niles, Helanah Niles, Kay Werner, Ukraine, Doug Nelson, and Arlene Pawlik
PRELUDE
*CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 63:1 and Isaiah 55:1
O God, you are my God. At dawn I search for you. My soul thirsts for you.
My body longs for you in a dry, parched land where there is no water.
Let all who thirst come to the waters;
let all who are hungry come and eat.
*GATHERING PRAYER
Lord, there are times we feel an emptiness inside, as if we are hungry or thirsty, but food and drink do not satisfy. Help us to understand when our soul is seeking spiritual food, and remind us each day to find that nourishment in you. May this time of worship be a feast for our souls. Amen.
*Hymn Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah #282
*CONFESSION AND PARDON (From the Book of Common Worship)
Let us make our confession to God:
God of mercy, you sent Jesus Christ to seek and save the lost.
We confess that we have strayed from you and turned aside from your way.
We are misled by pride, for we see ourselves pure when we are stained,
and great when we are small.
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON Isaiah 55:3
“Listen, so that you may live: the steadfast love of the Lord never fails.”
Because God’s steadfast love was shared with us through Jesus, we are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
*Passing of the Peace ( facing those across the aisle from you)
Left: May the peace of Christ be with you.
Right: And also with you. May the peace of Christ be with you.
Left: And also with you.
(You may be seated.)
Interlude
Word
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 55:1-9, NLT
1 “Is anyone thirsty?
Come and drink--
even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk--
it’s all free!
2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?
Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.
You will enjoy the finest food.
3 “Come to me with your ears wide open.
Listen, and you will find life.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you.
I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.
4 See how I used him to display my power among the peoples.
I made him a leader among the nations.
5 You also will command nations you do not know,
and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey,
because I, the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.”
6 Seek the Lord while you can find him.
Call on him now while he is near.
7 Let the wicked change their ways
and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.
8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your
NEW TESTAMENT LESSON 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, NLT
1 I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, 7 or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” 8 And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day. 9 Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. 10 And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. 11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
GOSPEL LESSON Luke 13:1-9, NLT
About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2 “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? 3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. 4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? 5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”
6 Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’
8 “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer.
9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”
Sermon “A Thirst for God ”
Word
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 55:1-9, NLT
1 “Is anyone thirsty?
Come and drink— even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free!
2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?
Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.
You will enjoy the finest food.
3 “Come to me with your ears wide open.
Listen, and you will find life.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you.
I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.
4 See how I used him to display my power among the peoples.
I made him a leader among the nations.
5 You also will command nations you do not know,
and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey,
because I, the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.”
6 Seek the Lord while you can find him.
Call on him now while he is near.
7 Let the wicked change their ways
and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.
8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
SERMON Thirst for God
I’ve long been fascinated with the opening verses of this poem in Isaiah. I like the invitation to the feast, but I find it odd that we are asked to buy what we need without price. I picture going to an open market and being told everything is free. If I have come very hungry and thirsty but without the means to buy anything, that would be the ultimate gift in that moment.
Have you had times when you got so hungry or thirsty you could barely function? I get that way sometimes. Thursday my stew was in the crock pot not destined to come out until 7:30. I went in the kitchen to start making the soda bread about 5:30, but I was so hungry I had to set out a snack first. I nibbled a couple bites of cheese and sausage, then struggled to make the soda bread. When it was finally in the oven I ate more cheese and sausage until I thought I could make it to 7:30. The evening before I had a moment when I was so thirsty I couldn’t stand it. I tried putting it off, because I was in the middle of something I wanted to finish, but that didn’t last long. I was so thirsty I couldn’t concentrate. I had to get up for some water before I could continue.Most of us are attuned enough to our bodies that we know when we are hungry or thirsty. Then it’s up to us to do something about it within whatever means are available to us. In terms of our physical hunger and thirst, those of us who have enough food and water or other beverage and the means to restock our shelves are truly blessed, and being blessed we hopefully share what we can with those less fortunate.
But what about our souls? Do you recognize the signs when you are spiritually hungry and thirsty? When the empty space within you is craving spiritual nourishment, nothing in the refrigerator is going to quench that thirst or assuage that hunger. When we are spiritually starving we must turn to God who invites us, come and drink! Come and buy food without price. God provided manna and quail and even water in the desert for Moses and all the Hebrew pilgrims in the wilderness, forty years’ worth, one day at a time. God also provides the bread of heaven and living water when we are in a spiritual wasteland.
When it is my spirit that has run dry, I don’t have the means to refill it myself. I have to come to God to quench my spiritual thirst. I come through what John Wesley called the means of grace; it’s basically the same list as spiritual disciplines. Our spiritual practices are the means of receiving God’s grace, as if going to particular stalls in a spiritual open market. God is the host of the market and invites you to come and get your fill at the stall of your choice, whether prayer, music, reading, giving, serving, or others, they all offer you spiritual nourishment by connecting you more closely with the creator and lover of your soul.
I felt some of that wasteland many times in the two weeks since I last worshipped with you; I came up against multiple challenges. I hit my emotional brick wall more than once as layers of stress stacked up. Perhaps you experience that sometimes, too. But when I backed off and waited for God to replenish me in body, mind, and spirit, then I could go back and tackle the problem again a few hours later or a few days later. When it comes to other things in the world around us over which I have no control, I could lift them to God in prayer, and then I have to leave them in God’s hands and go back to the things that God has set within my reach. Perhaps you need to do that sometimes as well.
As Isaiah wrote long ago. God still makes covenant with us to be our God if we will be God’s people. Living in that covenant, we are still encouraged to seek God while our God can be found. Turn to God in every moment of need; then trust God to provide what is needed, and patiently wait on God’s timing. I’m not saying patience is easy; I just know it is needed. God’s ways are indeed beyond our imagination. God’s ways are not our ways, but they are better from God’s greater perspective. To live as God’s child, I choose to trust that. So, when my soul is parched because of my personal challenges or my concern for the world, I must turn to God.
As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he referred back to that hunger and thirst the
Hebrews experienced in the wilderness.
NEW TESTAMENT LESSON 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, NLT
1 I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, 7 or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” 8 And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.
9 Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. 10 And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. 11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.
12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
SERMON Thirst for God
Paul reminded the Corinthians and reminds us too that God still guides and provides as he did for Moses and others so very long ago. The question now as then was not whether God would provide, but whether people would live within the boundaries God set. Just as God gave laws to the Hebrews through the commandments, so God has set some basic dos and don’ts for people throughout time. Jesus summarized all the commandments in this way, 37 “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40, NLT)
Not everyone in the wilderness was allowed to enter the Promised Land. In fact, of those who set out from Egypt only Joshua and Caleb were allowed to enter because of their trust in God’s providence. Even Moses, Aaron, and Miriam disappointed God at some point along the way and suffered for it. Those who chose to complain, to test God, to set up a false God, to disrespect God, they all died along the way by God’s hand. It was the new generation who entered Canaan under Joshua’s leadership. But they in turn would also have to choose whether or not to live by God’s intentions or by their own agendas.
What Paul told the Corinthians holds true for us today. We will be tempted by many things in this life, Christians no less than anyone else. Moses, Aaron, and Miriam were not immune and neither are we. But God will also provide the means to endure if we hold fast to our faith and to our God. Whatever emptiness we want to fill, whatever challenge we must face, whatever frustration comes our way, God will guide and provide if we turn to God rather than rely on our own thinking or the ways of the world. As it says in Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Paul’s message is the same; we have to trust God.
You’re going to need that level of trust as you consider today’s Gospel lesson.
GOSPEL LESSON Luke 13:1-9, NLT
About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2 “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? 3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. 4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? 5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”
6 Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’
8 “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”
SERMON A Thirst for God
The opening paragraph of this passage is not one we hear often. You may find it jarring as I did. Is Jesus nonchalant about the death of those killed while at worship. We expect Jesus to be as shocked as we are when we hear of tragic incidents at Temple or Church or Mosque. Were these tragedies? Yes, every bit as much as the deaths we hear about on the news today! Did they die because of their own sin? In these cases and in most others, no! The tragedy of an untimely death caused by other humans or by natural disaster is unsettling. Yet whether believer or non-believer, all humans will die at some point by some means. Jesus took this opportunity to remind his audience of that simple truth.
Paul also wrote about this in his letter to the Romans, First that “everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23) Second, “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” No matter how deep our faith and faithfulness to God, somewhere along the way we are still sinners, just as Moses and Aaron and Miriam were. But the Good News is that even though we will die because of sin, we will have new life beyond the grave because of Jesus the Christ. This is the hope of our faith, and it is the message of Good Friday and Easter as we live through the season of Lent each year.
I find that hope symbolized in Jesus’ story of the gardener. Like the man who planted the fig tree that continually failed to bear fruit, so God is disappointed in humanity each time we fail to live up to those Greatest Commandments of love and respect for God, love and respect for others and for ourselves. I can imagine God sighing at each missed opportunity, each time we cross a line we should not cross, each failure to protect the vulnerable around us, each time we let something else take God’s place in our lives, etc., etc., etc. And yet? And yet, the gardener, who to me seems to be Jesus himself, says Wait a bit. Give them another chance. Let me see if the Holy Spirit and I can help them change, help them do better next time. Then Jesus continues to work in our lives (if we let him) toward that goal, that we will pay more attention to God and live as God intended. The potential consequences for the failure to do so are still there, but Jesus gives us another chance to start fresh with help from the Holy Spirit.
As you continue through this season of Lent, be honest with yourself and with God about the ways in which you struggle and about the struggle we are going through as the human species on this planet. Ask God to help you change what you are able to change about your self and how you interact with others, with God, and with the world. Hold fast to what you believe is right in God’s eyes and help where you can. There will still be things you cannot change because the choices are not yours to make. But you can lift these often to God in prayer, asking the Spirit to work on the hearts of those who do make those choices.
At the same time notice what the gardener planned to do, to fertilize and nourish that unproductive fig tree. Don’t remain in a spiritual desert. The Living Waters and Bread of Heaven are phrases the Gospel writer John used to describe Christ Jesus. Come to those living waters. Eat and drink; be nourished and filled with Christ on a regular basis, so that you can flourish and bear fruit in this world.
*Hymn: Alas and Did My Savior Bleed #78
PASTORAL PRAYER AND LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever." -- Amen.
OFFERING OUR LIVES
Lord we give you thanks for filling our lives with good things that nourish and sustain us. We offer back to you our lives in service to your kingdom. Amen
*DOXOLOGY Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow #592
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Apostle’s Creed (Ecumenical) p. 14
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,
He is seated on the right hand of the Father,
And he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Sending
*HYMN How Great Thou Art #467
*CHARGE & BLESSING
POSTLUDE
* Sections of the service preceded with * are times to stand if you are able to do so.
Bold text is to be read together aloud as a congregation.