All Things
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
There is always some news about it, though it is not always on the front page. This past week the Cassini spacecraft went into orbit around Saturn and sent back spectacular views of the planet's rings. In a few months it's scheduled to drop a probe onto the surface of the satellite Titan, on which conditions may resemble those on the primitive earth. (Detailed information about this mission can be found at http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/ and http://spaceflightnow.com/cassini/index.html.) Earlier this year robotic exploration of the Martian surface was in the news. We're pretty sure that there's no life on Mars now, but it's possible that we'll find traces of life that existed there long ago.
Fossil discoveries about life on earth millions of years ago are often in the news. Photographs by the Hubble Space Telescopes of galaxies billions of light years away -- and thus billions of years back in time -- are now so commonplace that we hardly notice them. Other reports tell of probes into the ultra-small, investigating the basic structure of matter and learning about things people used to think we "weren't meant to know," like the secrets of life itself. It is going on all the time.
"It" is the scientific exploration of the universe. The people who sit in the pews and listen to us preach on Sundays hear about it, read about it in the newspaper or in popular science magazines, and see its dramatic pictures on their television screens. And some of them wonder how what happened in Palestine a few thousand years ago and the rather cozy religious picture that they may have gotten in Sunday school can have any relevance in the universe that science continues to reveal. Traditional Christianity can seem rather parochial. It's not just the size and the age of things but their strangeness -- the mysterious "dark energy" and the idea that everything may be composed of tiny strings -- that is disquieting. It's fascinating, but it isn't cozy.
The Second Lesson for this Sunday, Colossians 1:15-28, is anything but parochial. Verses 15-20 are the great Christ Hymn of Colossians whose key word is "all." "All things" have been created through and for Christ and "hold together" in him, and "all things" are to be reconciled to God through the cross of Christ. If the gospel seems parochial, it's only because its cosmic aspect hasn't been emphasized sufficiently. There is nothing in the universe that doesn't have its place in relation to Christ and that will not be brought to its fulfillment through his death and resurrection.
This is a Sunday to inspire people with the grand vision of scripture -- with "all things" of Colossians and Ephesians, with Psalm 148, in which the whole universe is called to praise God, and with the promise of the renewal of the heaven and the earth. Furthermore, without wanting to sound like bad science fiction, it's a time to call the church to be engaged in a cosmic mission.
First we need to take a closer look at the Christ Hymn of Colossians. The key phrase here is "all things," in Greek ta panta. Look at the passage with those and related words underlined. The Son of God (v.13) is:
... the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all (pases) creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers -- all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything (en pasin). For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
"All things" means all creation -- "things in heaven and on earth." And if it has that significance in the statements about Christ as the agent of creation (cf. John 1:3 and 1 Corinthians 8:6), there is no justification for reducing it to "some things," "spiritual things," "human things," "some people," or anything of the sort in the concluding statement about reconciliation.
Of course there are other passages of scripture that are more somber, that speak about condemnation and warn of the possibility of being lost. The gospel isn't just a simplistic message that everything is going to be all right. But we shouldn't be kept from taking seriously what our text says about "all things" by fears about naive concepts of universalism.
Who is it of whom these things are said? It seems very likely that the author of Colossians (whether Paul or not) made use of a previous hymn, making in it some significant changes.i In particular, the phrases "the church" and "through the blood of his cross" seem to have been added. These are significant because they mean that it is not simply some cosmic spirit, or even the pre-incarnate Christ, whose is primarily in view. The cosmic Christ is Jesus of Nazareth, who died on the cross and is risen. And his body is not the whole universe but the Christian community. (But this identification does not mean that "The great drama ... is for the sake of man alone."ii) Thus the hymn as we have it in Colossians is solidly incarnational: What was needed for the reconciliation of all things took place on Calvary.
On the other hand, the language of "thrones or dominions or rulers or powers" is a mythological way of speaking about the powers at work in the universe. Today we don't think of the celestial bodies or political entities being controlled by angelic beings. But to "demythologize" such texts in an appropriate way doesn't mean just to cut them out of the Bible. We should try instead to understand what things in our present understanding of the world correspond to those ancient concepts. Science today tries (and succeeds pretty well) to make sense of the universe in terms of the basic energies of nature, the gravitational, electro-weak, and strong interactions. Political, economic, and religious structures exert strong influences over human lives, especially when they make use of modern science and technology. In some ways all these entities play the role of the "principalities and powers" of the New Testament.
As we read further in Colossians, and especially in 2:8-19, we see that one of the purposes of the letter is to tell Christians they shouldn't be overawed by the "elemental spirits of the universe" (2:8) or worship them. We should not think of the basic forces of nature as evil, for they are God's creation. But we also should not attribute ultimate meaning -- or meaninglessness -- to them. One function of the Christ Hymn for us is to tell us that we aren't finally at the mercy of "blind forces of nature." Indifferent to us as the universe may sometimes seem to be, its ultimate meaning is found in the one who shed his blood to reconcile all things to God.
That suggests one emphasis for preaching. When we look out over vast stretches of space and time, and when we try to comprehend a world that at its basic levels doesn't operate in accord with our common sense, we don't have to feel lost and alone. Christ didn't come to snatch us out of a hostile world. He is not our savior from the world but the savior of the world.
But we should remember also that the vastness of the universe is not a modern discovery. The ancient astronomer Aristarchus of Samos estimated the distance from the earth to the "sphere of the fixed stars" as about a billion miles, and such estimates were known in the Middle Ages. Today we realize that that's only a bit more than the distance to Saturn, and that even the closest stars are much farther away. But well before the scientific revolution, people, including educated medieval Christians, knew that the earth could be considered a mere point in comparison with cosmos.iii
What I think is of concern to many Christians, and what may cause them to compartmentalize their beliefs, with the scientific picture of the world in one box and religious commitments in another, is the foreignness and apparent spiritual emptiness of the universe. This is, of course, exacerbated by some scientists and popularizers of science who claim that scientific advances have made religion obsolete. (See comments by Carl Sagan under illustrations.) And it has to be admitted that the vast stretches of time that science has disclosed, the 4.5 billion year age of the earth and approximately 14 billion years for the universe, were not known in antiquity.
It's essential that the Church show people -- both within it and outside -- that it is not uncomfortable about the scientific picture of the world and isn't afraid to talk about the issues it raises. Some basic knowledge of modern science on the part of clergy and church educators is needed for this, but it's perhaps more important just to communicate some comfort level with having things like the Big Bang, evolution, or the possibility of extraterrestrial life discussed. Preachers use illustrations from other fields in sermons without feeling that they have to be great experts, and there's no reason they can't do the same with science. In a sermon on the Colossians text, with the Cassini mission as a tie in to the current news, you can say that the distance to Saturn is roughly 100,000 times the earth's diameter, without claiming to be an astrophysicist. But do it in a way that doesn't seem defensive, and don't treat it as a fact that's interesting but not really of any concern for Christian faith.
Having some feeling for the size and age of the universe that we've examined can help us have some slight feeling for how "big" God is. If in a sermon on this text you can simply convey some affect of the vast spatial and temporal scope of the cosmos as the object of God's creative and redemptive work in Christ, it will be a great start. Some people might be encouraged to ask that issues of religion and science be pursued in a discussion or class setting.iv
The problem of cosmic loneliness could be addressed in such a sermon. (It was not just the size of the universe but "the eternal silence of those infinite spaces" that struck Pascal with terror.v) I found when I used to teach an introductory astronomy course in college that the reason some students believed strongly that there must be intelligent life elsewhere in the universe was that the idea that we might be alone was so unpleasant. We're pretty certain that there's no other intelligent life -- and maybe no other life at all -- beyond the earth in our solar system. But there are other planetary systems, and it's possible that life has evolved in such places. At present we just don't know.
In any case, the message of Colossians is that the purpose of the universe is not some abstract and impersonal goal but Jesus Christ, and ourselves and all things united in him. (Note also Ephesians 1:10 here.) All things were created not only through him but for him, "and in him all things hold together." The love and faithfulness portrayed for us in the gospels is the underlying structure of the universe.
If there are other intelligent species in the universe, perhaps part of the church's calling is to proclaim the gospel to them (without the kind of exploitation that has too often accompanied Christian missions on earth). Ephesians 3:10, again with the same type of mythological language as in our Colossians text, might be taken to suggest as much.
Just because something may sound like science fiction is not a reason to dismiss it. A lot of the people sitting in the pews Sunday, especially the younger ones, watch and read science fiction. Maybe you could make use of genre in some way to express the cosmic scope of the gospel. (The immediate purpose of this would not be to get people to sign up to be galactic missionaries, but to emphasize in another way the unlimited character of the gospel.)
The Body of Christ does of course have missions here on earth. Nothing should obstruct the traditional proclamation of the Word of God to all people. But the significance of Christ for "all things" means that we also have a responsibility for the natural world beyond the human race. One of the foundational works that gave rise to modern environmental theology was Joseph Sittler's address, based on Colossians 1:15-20, to the Third Assembly of the World Council of Churches over forty years ago.vi This week would be a good opportunity for a sermon on caring for creation. The things of the world are not here just for our use but are, as the hymn says, for Christ.
It's important to emphasize the cosmic Christ, but we shouldn't let ourselves become so enraptured with the big picture that we forget the more obvious meaning of the crucial idea of reconciliation in verse 20 -- reconciliation among ourselves. If we have the promise of being reconciled to God through the cross, we should work for reconciliation within the human community, and ask God to be, in the words of the prayer of St. Francis, "instruments of your peace." There hardly seems like a more pressing need today. The level of civility and cooperation between Republicans and Democrats is very low, churches are divided over questions about sexuality, and culture wars continue to pit some Americans against others.
Sometimes there seems to be no hope that we can do anything about these clashes. The message of our text is that the economic, political, technological forces, today's counterpart of the "rulers or powers" of our text, don't have the final say in our lives. Not even "religions" as cultural forces have the last word. On the cross the maker and goal of all things has done what is needed for reconciliation. It is our calling, as members of the body of which he is the head, to cooperate in putting that victory into effect.
Finally, some of these reflections may remind readers of Psalm 8, which might be used this Sunday even though it's not the one appointed in the lectionary. This psalm expresses amazement at the splendor of the heavens and the fact that humanity, though seemingly insignificant in comparison, has been made the object of God's favor. But the "all things under their feet" dominion attributed to humanity there shouldn't be emphasized in a naive way. To do so is unrealistic, because all things aren't under our feet, and dangerous, because our tendency to exploit our environment for our short-term advantage can damage creation. Psalm 8 should be read in the light of Hebrews 2:5-9, which interprets it Christologically. When this is done, it corresponds rather closely to the Colossians text.
Endnotes
i E.g., Eduard Lohse, Colossians and Philemon (Fortress, 1971), pp. 41-61.
ii Lohse, p. 61.
iii C. S. Lewis, "A Reply to Professor Haldane" in Of Other Worlds (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1966), pp. 75-76.
iv Some introductory books that could be resources for such a class are John Polkinghorne, Quarks, Chaos, And Christianity (Crossroad, 1996), Nancy Murphy, Reconciling Science And Theology (Pandora, 1997), and George L. Murphy, Toward A Christian View Of A Scientific World (CSS, 2001).
v Blaise Pascal, The PensHes (Penguin, 1961), #91, p. 57.
vi Joseph Sittler, "Called to Unity", The Ecumenical Review 14, 1961-1962, p. 177. This was reprinted in Currents In Theology And Mission 16.1, 1989, p. 5.
Team Comments
Roger Lovette responds: Arthur Miller wrote in the New York Times years ago:
After the moon we undoubtedly will put men on other planets further and further away from Earth. The climax, which I doubt anyone alive will witness, will come when a scientific expedition finally lands on 125th Street, or the North side of Waterbury, Connecticut.
Stars like 125th Street, the Waterbusy North Side, Watts, Newark and Chicago, are much closer to Earth than the Moon and consequently influence our lives here to a far more profound degree. Day and night they move in their timeless orbits, silent and obscure to Earthmen, excepting when occasionally parts of their surfaces explode, for reasons few of us care to examine, but the astral debris of these explosions has from time to time fallen into our streets and caused local fires and traffic dislocations.
Congress will undoubtedly be wary, as it has been in the past, about spending money on such expeditions, but the economic loss due to these explosions, which some theoreticians say will become more and more frequent, should justify appropriations to find out if there is anything Earthmen can do about them.
Carter Shelley responds: George, you've supplied wonderful details and suggestions for dealing with many things that are out of my sphere of knowledge. Since I asked you for more details about the pre-Copernican worldview, I am adding your email reply to the illustrations section of this week's materials.
While debates over the earth's origins continue to take up copy space in magazines, newspapers, etc. I continue to be struck by how much more expansive and encompassing is the vision of the universe presented in both Genesis and Colossians. The celebrative tone of chapter 1 of Genesis seems to take precedence over any debates about how long God took and whether the authorial intent and message was 7 literal 24-hour days or millions of years. In fact, I suspect the author(s) would have been startled to know that such concerns mattered in nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first century America. The point of the first two chapters of Genesis is God created all that is: sun, moon, stars, the universe. The way God created it all can be described conceptually but not literally. The very way the Priestly author(s) recount the earth's creation through the spoken word and will of God underscores our human inability to grasp or replicate all that God has done. "In the beginning God ..." stands above, beyond and outside the earth God creates. "In the beginning God ..." exists and humanity does not.
Colossians 1:15-28 builds upon the first words of Genesis and infuses additional significance to them by acknowledging Christ's pre-existence as "the firstborn of all creation." Not only does Christ exist from the beginning; he himself is an agent in the creative acts of God as One who bridges the cosmic world of God and the human world of Galilee, Palestine, Colossae, and our local congregations. We know the "He" referred to is the Christ because of the vital functions he performs in both realms: agent of creation and redeemer of humanity.
Both Genesis 1:1--2:3 and Colossians 1:15-20 work beautifully as affirmations of faith or as hymns of awe and praise for a God who is not limited by human boundaries of sight, science, or earthly finitude. Yet this Cosmic Creator God, whose dual or Trinitarian nature is not explained by the hymn but implied, is understood by the author of this letter to operate intimately and locally in order to redeem "those who were estranged." As members of the church, the body, of which Christ is the head, the members are expected to exercise their spiritual and ethical muscles as ones whose peace with God has been made through "the blood of his cross." Christ serves as the agent of Creation and as the agent of redemption; therefore, the Gentile Christians at Colossae are urged to respond by being blameless and steadfast in their faith, obedience, and witness.
The PBS show Nova offered an excellent program recently on the vastness of the universe. The program itself can be located through the web address printed at the end of this article. After watching the program on black energy and matter, and in reading Dr. Tully, of the University of Hawaii's astronomy department. His observations may help preachers offer a more concrete way of helping the congregation appreciate the vastness of the universe. My personal response to the Nova show and Dr. Tully's observations replicates George's own commendation that we respond with the words and sentiments of Psalm 8.
Illustrations
by Carter Shelley
How Big is the Universe?
How big is the universe? Could it be infinitely large? If the universe has an edge, what is beyond the edge? And if the universe had a beginning, what was going on before that?
Our experience of the everyday world does not prepare us to grasp the concept of an infinite universe. And yet, trying to imagine that the cosmos actually has a boundary does not make things any easier.
There is an edge to what we are able to see and could ever possibly see in the universe. Light travels at 300,000 kilometers per second. That's top speed in this universe -- nothing can go faster -- but it's relatively slow compared to the distances to be traveled. The nearest big galaxy to our Milky Way, the Andromeda galaxy, is two million light-years away. The most distant galaxies we can now see are ten or twelve billion light-years away. We could never see a galaxy that is farther away in light travel time than the universe is old -- an estimated fourteen billion or so years. Thus, we are surrounded by a "horizon" that we cannot look beyond -- a horizon set by the distance that light can travel over the age of the universe.
This horizon describes the visible universe -- a region some 28 billion light years in diameter. But what are the horizons of a civilization that inhabits the most distant galaxies we see? And what about galaxies at the limits of their vision? There is every reason to think that the universe extends a long way beyond the part of the universe we can see. In fact, a variety of observations suggest that our visible patch may be a small fraction -- maybe an infinitely small fraction -- of the whole universe.
(I omitted a large middle section of this online article that can be read in full at its website printed below).
The last couple of years have seen a remarkable convergence of evidence, all suggesting that we live in a universe with a few percent of the normal matter of our everyday experience, maybe 25 percent of something called "dark matter," which is a name given to hide our ignorance of what it is, and 75 percent of this energy that wants to push space apart -- call it "dark energy." If true, then relatively recently in the history of the universe the "dark energy" has become dominant over "dark matter." During the transient dominance of dark matter, it caused the collapse into all the structure of the universe that we have come to know and appreciate.
Maybe we should be less enamored of dark energy. But it is the delight of physicists because it might provide a laboratory for the moment of creation. It may be that the present source of repulsion is quite different from the primordial situation. Certainly the energy density levels and time scales are vastly different. However, if we can understand the mechanism of the present acceleration perhaps we can get a clue about the acceleration at the first instant of our time.
A complicated scenario indeed! So how big is the universe in the inflation model? It begs the question of what is going on at the boundaries and whether information could be communicated across universes. We suppose not. It may well be that only a tiny part of even our own universe is in our horizon, within the domain that we might hope to know. Dr. Brent Tully, the University of Hawaii http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/universe/howbig.html
Psalm 8
"O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens ... When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?"
* * *
There is a common element to all religious experience, although it is seldom found in a pure form. Einstein calls it "cosmic religious feeling." He says of such cosmic religious feeling that "it is very difficult to elucidate this feeling to anyone who is entirely without it, especially as there is no anthropomorphic conception of God corresponding to it."
-- Albert Einstein
"God does not play dice with the world."
-- Albert Einstein
"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."
-- Albert Einstein
***
Excerpts from Carl Sagan's Religion Of Science by Scott Detwiler offer a provocative entrHe into Sunday's sermon:
"The Cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be" (7, p. 4). This provocative statement of the nature of reality opens Cosmos, the magnum opus of Carl Sagan, America's most visible scientist. In the highest-rated public television series and a best-selling book, Sagan sought to turn the public on to science by "the communication of science in an engaging and accessible way" (7, p. xiv). The result of his efforts is that when Americans think of science, they think of Sagan.
[There has been a] long and painful history of erroneous claims which religions have made about the nature of the world ...There is hardly an organized religion with a firm body of doctrine which has not at one time or another persecuted people for the crime of open inquiry (3, p. 284).
Sagan illustrates this point with Galileo's experience with the Catholic church. A more recent example has been religion's disagreement with evolution since the late nineteenth century, which has been "unproductive" and not from the basis of science but led by "those with doctrinal axes to grind" (2, n. pp. 4, 5).
As a result of religion's deceptive actions and especially its confrontation with science, the modern acceptance of religion is contingent upon current scientific compatibility. We must therefore evaluate religion on the same basis as science because all belief, including religion and science, must be based on fact to be legitimately believed (10, p. 24).
The difficulty with religion is that it doesn't critically review its evidence -- "every idea is as good as another" (10, p. 24). The basic tool for the evaluation of science is skepticism, and likewise should it be for religion: "... skeptical scrutiny is the means, in both religion and science, by which deep insights can be winnowed from deep nonsense" (3, p. xiv). http://www.detwiler.us/sagan.html
***
George Murphy on pre-Copernican worldview: There were lots of cosmologies around before Copernicus and to some extent it depends on how "pre" you're concerned with. The picture in Genesis 1 is that of a flat earth with the sky stretched over it like a dome and waters "above the firmament." The picture that was current in the European Middle Ages was basically that of Ptolemy, with earth at the center and sun and planets going around it. Beyond that was the sphere of the "fixed stars" and beyond that "heaven."
I don't want to make the mistake of suggesting that pre-modern people all thought that the earth was physically the biggest part of the universe: The Greek astronomers and those in the Middle Ages knew that the universe was huge in comparison with the earth and Psalm 8 points in the same direction. Ancient science as well as modern knew that the earth is a mere point relative to the distances to the stars. But the question is whether popular Christianity has an adequate understanding of the scope of creation -- and redemption.
The only person burned at the stake who espoused Copernican views was Giordano Bruno, but he had a number of other unconventional views and his Copernican's wasn't the main reason he was condemned. The popular notion that the skies of sixteenth and seventeenth century Europe were lit up with the flames of burning astronomers is pure fiction.
Worship Resources
by Julia Strope
Call To Worship
God's greatness is seen all around this planet. Look at the sky! At the moon and the stars --
God put them securely in place!
God made everything we see -- including humankind! (bold for congregation)
Everything God made is very good.
When God laid the foundations of the earth, Wisdom was there, like an architect.
And God was pleased with the human race; God was happy with the World.
In another time and place, Jesus was born, lived, taught, died and rose to new life, making the living God visible. Jesus had in himself the full nature of God. We call ourselves the Body of Christ Jesus, the Church.
In Christ, God brings all things -- on earth and in heaven, in the whole cosmos! -- to the Divine Self.
Thanks be to God !
from Psalm 8 and Proverbs 8
Prayer Of Adoration (unison)
Creator God --
We revel in the beauty around us.
Your imagination shows up in colors of flowers and birds,
in textures of lilies and cone flowers, sunny skies and cloudy horizons.
We enjoy all you have made.
We are grateful, too, for the inspiration of Word and sacraments.
Our minds are open for your enthusing presence. Amen.
*Hymn suggestions
"God, Who Stretched The Spangled Heavens" HOLY MANNA
"All Things Bright And Beautiful" ROYAL OAK
"Thank You, God For Water, Soil And Air" AMSTEIN
"When In Our Music God Is Glorified" ENGELBERG
"O God, In A Mysterious Way" DUNDEE
"Many And Great, O God Are Thy Things" LAQUIPARLE
Community Confession from Colossians 1:15-20
Living God --
The wondrous stories in scripture remind us that your ways are
beyond our comprehension -- a son who offers peace and life to
all the world!
Forgive our betrayals and entanglements in attitudes and activities
which block your intentions for us and all Creation.
Renew our faith that the cosmos is destined for life with you.
Set us free from anxiety so we can participate with your plans.
Amen.
Personal Confession (silent)
Word Of Grace And Assurance Of Forgiveness
God hears us and makes us clean like new fallen snow;
God empowers us by the Holy Spirit to speak and live
so neighbors far and near experience divine love.
God grounds us and the whole world in the grace of Christ.
Receive this good news and be at peace with yourself! Amen.
Congregational Response
How Great Thou Art (stanza one)
*An Affirmation based on Colossians 1:15-20
God has created all things in heaven and on earth -- in the whole universe!
Christ existed with God before all things and holds all things open to God.
In Christ we see the nature of God; in Christ we are make friends of God
that we may receive the life and peace to be the Body of Christ --
the Church -- throughout the world.
This is good news: everyone will hear about peace which passes human
understanding. Amen!
Intercessory Prayer
Energy of the Universe --
Thank you for the Christ who makes us Church -- faith companions through the exoduses and exiles in life into places of joy and justice.
God of Beginnings and Endings --
We pray for peace in our country and in nations far away. Creation groans at the violence done to the earth and to all creatures. Let peace enter human hearts so we may all enjoy you and the world. Move us and Iraq to a sustainable working relationship; heal the hurts of the many families who have lost sons and daughters. End the horrors occurring in Africa and begin a new sense of equality between tribes.
God of Black Holes and Bright Stars --
In so many ways we are blessed. Still, we are human and we endure all the aspects of being made from clay: we break and need to be mended; we age and our shine dulls; we get old and loose our agility and quick healing abilities. Uphold us through these parts of our human journey; sustain us while we are ill and lonely and bring us to a sense of contentment.
Offertory Statement
This is the climax of our worship:
We give to God our whole selves and gifts of money, talents and time in order for God's domain to be vibrant in our town.
*Doxology Old Hundredth, inclusive
*Prayer Of Thanksgiving
Living God --
Thank you for who we are becoming and for what we have.
Unbury our talents and skills; use us and these moneys to reconcile peoples to peoples and to the earth. Amen.
*Benediction
May the aromas of boxwood, rosemary and basil call you to thank God for summer goodness.
May the tastes of peaches and berries remind you that you too carry the seeds of life for the next generation.
May the enthusiasm of Holy Spirit spill God's love and forgiveness wherever you go.
Children's Sermon
By Wesley T. Runk
Text: vv. 15-16: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers -- all things have been created through him and for him. Colossians 1:15-28
Object: A picture of Saturn or pictures of other planets set in the universe
Good morning, boys and girls. A few weeks ago our newspapers and television showed pictures of the planet Saturn. They were close up pictures that scientists saw for the first time. The spaceship without people had to fly between the very colorful rings that surround Saturn. It was a very thrilling moment because we saw for the first time the shape of the rings and how different they were. Some day soon the spaceship will land on Saturn and take even more pictures. Just think this will be the first time that even the scientists will have such a close look at one of the planets in our universe. And these will only be pictures because no man has ever visited Saturn. Where else has man been besides the planet earth? (let them answer) That's right, the moon. It has only happened a couple of times. No one has ever visited the sun. No one has ever been to Mars or Jupiter or Venus or any of the other planets. Some day we hope to visit these places. Maybe when you grow up you will plan your vacation to visit the moon or Mars. Won't that be exciting?
At night you can see all of the stars and the moon and some of the planets and it looks like a very big universe doesn't it? (let them answer) Remember there have only been a few men that have visited the moon and all of us live on earth. I wonder how much time God has spent on the moon or the planets like Saturn, Jupiter, or Mars? Do you think God thinks about places like Venus or the moon? (let them answer)
The Bible teaches us something about that very subject. In the book of Colossians Saint Paul writes that all things in heaven and on earth were created by God. As a matter of fact the Bible tells us that these things were made for Jesus Christ. That's why they are there because he not only made them but they were made for Jesus Christ. There are things made by God that we have never seen. They are invisible. There are things that God has made that we have not even thought about but they are there. Some of them are on the planets, some of them are on the stars, some of them are in space beyond anything we can see.
Our God is a great God. He is more intelligent than anything we can imagine. He has imagination and strength and he continues to create new things in our universe. But God not only makes planets and stars and suns but he also makes people like you and me. Imagine how perfect God must be to create the biggest things in the world but also the tiniest. But of all the things God has ever made, he loves you the best of them all. You are even more important to him than a place like Saturn.
So, if you think we are excited about visiting Saturn for the first time then think of how excited you and I are when we visit with God in prayer and worship and our everyday living. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, July 18, 2004, issue.
Copyright 2004 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., P.O. Box 4503, Lima, Ohio 45802-4503.
Fossil discoveries about life on earth millions of years ago are often in the news. Photographs by the Hubble Space Telescopes of galaxies billions of light years away -- and thus billions of years back in time -- are now so commonplace that we hardly notice them. Other reports tell of probes into the ultra-small, investigating the basic structure of matter and learning about things people used to think we "weren't meant to know," like the secrets of life itself. It is going on all the time.
"It" is the scientific exploration of the universe. The people who sit in the pews and listen to us preach on Sundays hear about it, read about it in the newspaper or in popular science magazines, and see its dramatic pictures on their television screens. And some of them wonder how what happened in Palestine a few thousand years ago and the rather cozy religious picture that they may have gotten in Sunday school can have any relevance in the universe that science continues to reveal. Traditional Christianity can seem rather parochial. It's not just the size and the age of things but their strangeness -- the mysterious "dark energy" and the idea that everything may be composed of tiny strings -- that is disquieting. It's fascinating, but it isn't cozy.
The Second Lesson for this Sunday, Colossians 1:15-28, is anything but parochial. Verses 15-20 are the great Christ Hymn of Colossians whose key word is "all." "All things" have been created through and for Christ and "hold together" in him, and "all things" are to be reconciled to God through the cross of Christ. If the gospel seems parochial, it's only because its cosmic aspect hasn't been emphasized sufficiently. There is nothing in the universe that doesn't have its place in relation to Christ and that will not be brought to its fulfillment through his death and resurrection.
This is a Sunday to inspire people with the grand vision of scripture -- with "all things" of Colossians and Ephesians, with Psalm 148, in which the whole universe is called to praise God, and with the promise of the renewal of the heaven and the earth. Furthermore, without wanting to sound like bad science fiction, it's a time to call the church to be engaged in a cosmic mission.
First we need to take a closer look at the Christ Hymn of Colossians. The key phrase here is "all things," in Greek ta panta. Look at the passage with those and related words underlined. The Son of God (v.13) is:
... the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all (pases) creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers -- all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything (en pasin). For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
"All things" means all creation -- "things in heaven and on earth." And if it has that significance in the statements about Christ as the agent of creation (cf. John 1:3 and 1 Corinthians 8:6), there is no justification for reducing it to "some things," "spiritual things," "human things," "some people," or anything of the sort in the concluding statement about reconciliation.
Of course there are other passages of scripture that are more somber, that speak about condemnation and warn of the possibility of being lost. The gospel isn't just a simplistic message that everything is going to be all right. But we shouldn't be kept from taking seriously what our text says about "all things" by fears about naive concepts of universalism.
Who is it of whom these things are said? It seems very likely that the author of Colossians (whether Paul or not) made use of a previous hymn, making in it some significant changes.i In particular, the phrases "the church" and "through the blood of his cross" seem to have been added. These are significant because they mean that it is not simply some cosmic spirit, or even the pre-incarnate Christ, whose is primarily in view. The cosmic Christ is Jesus of Nazareth, who died on the cross and is risen. And his body is not the whole universe but the Christian community. (But this identification does not mean that "The great drama ... is for the sake of man alone."ii) Thus the hymn as we have it in Colossians is solidly incarnational: What was needed for the reconciliation of all things took place on Calvary.
On the other hand, the language of "thrones or dominions or rulers or powers" is a mythological way of speaking about the powers at work in the universe. Today we don't think of the celestial bodies or political entities being controlled by angelic beings. But to "demythologize" such texts in an appropriate way doesn't mean just to cut them out of the Bible. We should try instead to understand what things in our present understanding of the world correspond to those ancient concepts. Science today tries (and succeeds pretty well) to make sense of the universe in terms of the basic energies of nature, the gravitational, electro-weak, and strong interactions. Political, economic, and religious structures exert strong influences over human lives, especially when they make use of modern science and technology. In some ways all these entities play the role of the "principalities and powers" of the New Testament.
As we read further in Colossians, and especially in 2:8-19, we see that one of the purposes of the letter is to tell Christians they shouldn't be overawed by the "elemental spirits of the universe" (2:8) or worship them. We should not think of the basic forces of nature as evil, for they are God's creation. But we also should not attribute ultimate meaning -- or meaninglessness -- to them. One function of the Christ Hymn for us is to tell us that we aren't finally at the mercy of "blind forces of nature." Indifferent to us as the universe may sometimes seem to be, its ultimate meaning is found in the one who shed his blood to reconcile all things to God.
That suggests one emphasis for preaching. When we look out over vast stretches of space and time, and when we try to comprehend a world that at its basic levels doesn't operate in accord with our common sense, we don't have to feel lost and alone. Christ didn't come to snatch us out of a hostile world. He is not our savior from the world but the savior of the world.
But we should remember also that the vastness of the universe is not a modern discovery. The ancient astronomer Aristarchus of Samos estimated the distance from the earth to the "sphere of the fixed stars" as about a billion miles, and such estimates were known in the Middle Ages. Today we realize that that's only a bit more than the distance to Saturn, and that even the closest stars are much farther away. But well before the scientific revolution, people, including educated medieval Christians, knew that the earth could be considered a mere point in comparison with cosmos.iii
What I think is of concern to many Christians, and what may cause them to compartmentalize their beliefs, with the scientific picture of the world in one box and religious commitments in another, is the foreignness and apparent spiritual emptiness of the universe. This is, of course, exacerbated by some scientists and popularizers of science who claim that scientific advances have made religion obsolete. (See comments by Carl Sagan under illustrations.) And it has to be admitted that the vast stretches of time that science has disclosed, the 4.5 billion year age of the earth and approximately 14 billion years for the universe, were not known in antiquity.
It's essential that the Church show people -- both within it and outside -- that it is not uncomfortable about the scientific picture of the world and isn't afraid to talk about the issues it raises. Some basic knowledge of modern science on the part of clergy and church educators is needed for this, but it's perhaps more important just to communicate some comfort level with having things like the Big Bang, evolution, or the possibility of extraterrestrial life discussed. Preachers use illustrations from other fields in sermons without feeling that they have to be great experts, and there's no reason they can't do the same with science. In a sermon on the Colossians text, with the Cassini mission as a tie in to the current news, you can say that the distance to Saturn is roughly 100,000 times the earth's diameter, without claiming to be an astrophysicist. But do it in a way that doesn't seem defensive, and don't treat it as a fact that's interesting but not really of any concern for Christian faith.
Having some feeling for the size and age of the universe that we've examined can help us have some slight feeling for how "big" God is. If in a sermon on this text you can simply convey some affect of the vast spatial and temporal scope of the cosmos as the object of God's creative and redemptive work in Christ, it will be a great start. Some people might be encouraged to ask that issues of religion and science be pursued in a discussion or class setting.iv
The problem of cosmic loneliness could be addressed in such a sermon. (It was not just the size of the universe but "the eternal silence of those infinite spaces" that struck Pascal with terror.v) I found when I used to teach an introductory astronomy course in college that the reason some students believed strongly that there must be intelligent life elsewhere in the universe was that the idea that we might be alone was so unpleasant. We're pretty certain that there's no other intelligent life -- and maybe no other life at all -- beyond the earth in our solar system. But there are other planetary systems, and it's possible that life has evolved in such places. At present we just don't know.
In any case, the message of Colossians is that the purpose of the universe is not some abstract and impersonal goal but Jesus Christ, and ourselves and all things united in him. (Note also Ephesians 1:10 here.) All things were created not only through him but for him, "and in him all things hold together." The love and faithfulness portrayed for us in the gospels is the underlying structure of the universe.
If there are other intelligent species in the universe, perhaps part of the church's calling is to proclaim the gospel to them (without the kind of exploitation that has too often accompanied Christian missions on earth). Ephesians 3:10, again with the same type of mythological language as in our Colossians text, might be taken to suggest as much.
Just because something may sound like science fiction is not a reason to dismiss it. A lot of the people sitting in the pews Sunday, especially the younger ones, watch and read science fiction. Maybe you could make use of genre in some way to express the cosmic scope of the gospel. (The immediate purpose of this would not be to get people to sign up to be galactic missionaries, but to emphasize in another way the unlimited character of the gospel.)
The Body of Christ does of course have missions here on earth. Nothing should obstruct the traditional proclamation of the Word of God to all people. But the significance of Christ for "all things" means that we also have a responsibility for the natural world beyond the human race. One of the foundational works that gave rise to modern environmental theology was Joseph Sittler's address, based on Colossians 1:15-20, to the Third Assembly of the World Council of Churches over forty years ago.vi This week would be a good opportunity for a sermon on caring for creation. The things of the world are not here just for our use but are, as the hymn says, for Christ.
It's important to emphasize the cosmic Christ, but we shouldn't let ourselves become so enraptured with the big picture that we forget the more obvious meaning of the crucial idea of reconciliation in verse 20 -- reconciliation among ourselves. If we have the promise of being reconciled to God through the cross, we should work for reconciliation within the human community, and ask God to be, in the words of the prayer of St. Francis, "instruments of your peace." There hardly seems like a more pressing need today. The level of civility and cooperation between Republicans and Democrats is very low, churches are divided over questions about sexuality, and culture wars continue to pit some Americans against others.
Sometimes there seems to be no hope that we can do anything about these clashes. The message of our text is that the economic, political, technological forces, today's counterpart of the "rulers or powers" of our text, don't have the final say in our lives. Not even "religions" as cultural forces have the last word. On the cross the maker and goal of all things has done what is needed for reconciliation. It is our calling, as members of the body of which he is the head, to cooperate in putting that victory into effect.
Finally, some of these reflections may remind readers of Psalm 8, which might be used this Sunday even though it's not the one appointed in the lectionary. This psalm expresses amazement at the splendor of the heavens and the fact that humanity, though seemingly insignificant in comparison, has been made the object of God's favor. But the "all things under their feet" dominion attributed to humanity there shouldn't be emphasized in a naive way. To do so is unrealistic, because all things aren't under our feet, and dangerous, because our tendency to exploit our environment for our short-term advantage can damage creation. Psalm 8 should be read in the light of Hebrews 2:5-9, which interprets it Christologically. When this is done, it corresponds rather closely to the Colossians text.
Endnotes
i E.g., Eduard Lohse, Colossians and Philemon (Fortress, 1971), pp. 41-61.
ii Lohse, p. 61.
iii C. S. Lewis, "A Reply to Professor Haldane" in Of Other Worlds (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1966), pp. 75-76.
iv Some introductory books that could be resources for such a class are John Polkinghorne, Quarks, Chaos, And Christianity (Crossroad, 1996), Nancy Murphy, Reconciling Science And Theology (Pandora, 1997), and George L. Murphy, Toward A Christian View Of A Scientific World (CSS, 2001).
v Blaise Pascal, The PensHes (Penguin, 1961), #91, p. 57.
vi Joseph Sittler, "Called to Unity", The Ecumenical Review 14, 1961-1962, p. 177. This was reprinted in Currents In Theology And Mission 16.1, 1989, p. 5.
Team Comments
Roger Lovette responds: Arthur Miller wrote in the New York Times years ago:
After the moon we undoubtedly will put men on other planets further and further away from Earth. The climax, which I doubt anyone alive will witness, will come when a scientific expedition finally lands on 125th Street, or the North side of Waterbury, Connecticut.
Stars like 125th Street, the Waterbusy North Side, Watts, Newark and Chicago, are much closer to Earth than the Moon and consequently influence our lives here to a far more profound degree. Day and night they move in their timeless orbits, silent and obscure to Earthmen, excepting when occasionally parts of their surfaces explode, for reasons few of us care to examine, but the astral debris of these explosions has from time to time fallen into our streets and caused local fires and traffic dislocations.
Congress will undoubtedly be wary, as it has been in the past, about spending money on such expeditions, but the economic loss due to these explosions, which some theoreticians say will become more and more frequent, should justify appropriations to find out if there is anything Earthmen can do about them.
Carter Shelley responds: George, you've supplied wonderful details and suggestions for dealing with many things that are out of my sphere of knowledge. Since I asked you for more details about the pre-Copernican worldview, I am adding your email reply to the illustrations section of this week's materials.
While debates over the earth's origins continue to take up copy space in magazines, newspapers, etc. I continue to be struck by how much more expansive and encompassing is the vision of the universe presented in both Genesis and Colossians. The celebrative tone of chapter 1 of Genesis seems to take precedence over any debates about how long God took and whether the authorial intent and message was 7 literal 24-hour days or millions of years. In fact, I suspect the author(s) would have been startled to know that such concerns mattered in nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first century America. The point of the first two chapters of Genesis is God created all that is: sun, moon, stars, the universe. The way God created it all can be described conceptually but not literally. The very way the Priestly author(s) recount the earth's creation through the spoken word and will of God underscores our human inability to grasp or replicate all that God has done. "In the beginning God ..." stands above, beyond and outside the earth God creates. "In the beginning God ..." exists and humanity does not.
Colossians 1:15-28 builds upon the first words of Genesis and infuses additional significance to them by acknowledging Christ's pre-existence as "the firstborn of all creation." Not only does Christ exist from the beginning; he himself is an agent in the creative acts of God as One who bridges the cosmic world of God and the human world of Galilee, Palestine, Colossae, and our local congregations. We know the "He" referred to is the Christ because of the vital functions he performs in both realms: agent of creation and redeemer of humanity.
Both Genesis 1:1--2:3 and Colossians 1:15-20 work beautifully as affirmations of faith or as hymns of awe and praise for a God who is not limited by human boundaries of sight, science, or earthly finitude. Yet this Cosmic Creator God, whose dual or Trinitarian nature is not explained by the hymn but implied, is understood by the author of this letter to operate intimately and locally in order to redeem "those who were estranged." As members of the church, the body, of which Christ is the head, the members are expected to exercise their spiritual and ethical muscles as ones whose peace with God has been made through "the blood of his cross." Christ serves as the agent of Creation and as the agent of redemption; therefore, the Gentile Christians at Colossae are urged to respond by being blameless and steadfast in their faith, obedience, and witness.
The PBS show Nova offered an excellent program recently on the vastness of the universe. The program itself can be located through the web address printed at the end of this article. After watching the program on black energy and matter, and in reading Dr. Tully, of the University of Hawaii's astronomy department. His observations may help preachers offer a more concrete way of helping the congregation appreciate the vastness of the universe. My personal response to the Nova show and Dr. Tully's observations replicates George's own commendation that we respond with the words and sentiments of Psalm 8.
Illustrations
by Carter Shelley
How Big is the Universe?
How big is the universe? Could it be infinitely large? If the universe has an edge, what is beyond the edge? And if the universe had a beginning, what was going on before that?
Our experience of the everyday world does not prepare us to grasp the concept of an infinite universe. And yet, trying to imagine that the cosmos actually has a boundary does not make things any easier.
There is an edge to what we are able to see and could ever possibly see in the universe. Light travels at 300,000 kilometers per second. That's top speed in this universe -- nothing can go faster -- but it's relatively slow compared to the distances to be traveled. The nearest big galaxy to our Milky Way, the Andromeda galaxy, is two million light-years away. The most distant galaxies we can now see are ten or twelve billion light-years away. We could never see a galaxy that is farther away in light travel time than the universe is old -- an estimated fourteen billion or so years. Thus, we are surrounded by a "horizon" that we cannot look beyond -- a horizon set by the distance that light can travel over the age of the universe.
This horizon describes the visible universe -- a region some 28 billion light years in diameter. But what are the horizons of a civilization that inhabits the most distant galaxies we see? And what about galaxies at the limits of their vision? There is every reason to think that the universe extends a long way beyond the part of the universe we can see. In fact, a variety of observations suggest that our visible patch may be a small fraction -- maybe an infinitely small fraction -- of the whole universe.
(I omitted a large middle section of this online article that can be read in full at its website printed below).
The last couple of years have seen a remarkable convergence of evidence, all suggesting that we live in a universe with a few percent of the normal matter of our everyday experience, maybe 25 percent of something called "dark matter," which is a name given to hide our ignorance of what it is, and 75 percent of this energy that wants to push space apart -- call it "dark energy." If true, then relatively recently in the history of the universe the "dark energy" has become dominant over "dark matter." During the transient dominance of dark matter, it caused the collapse into all the structure of the universe that we have come to know and appreciate.
Maybe we should be less enamored of dark energy. But it is the delight of physicists because it might provide a laboratory for the moment of creation. It may be that the present source of repulsion is quite different from the primordial situation. Certainly the energy density levels and time scales are vastly different. However, if we can understand the mechanism of the present acceleration perhaps we can get a clue about the acceleration at the first instant of our time.
A complicated scenario indeed! So how big is the universe in the inflation model? It begs the question of what is going on at the boundaries and whether information could be communicated across universes. We suppose not. It may well be that only a tiny part of even our own universe is in our horizon, within the domain that we might hope to know. Dr. Brent Tully, the University of Hawaii http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/universe/howbig.html
Psalm 8
"O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens ... When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?"
* * *
There is a common element to all religious experience, although it is seldom found in a pure form. Einstein calls it "cosmic religious feeling." He says of such cosmic religious feeling that "it is very difficult to elucidate this feeling to anyone who is entirely without it, especially as there is no anthropomorphic conception of God corresponding to it."
-- Albert Einstein
"God does not play dice with the world."
-- Albert Einstein
"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."
-- Albert Einstein
***
Excerpts from Carl Sagan's Religion Of Science by Scott Detwiler offer a provocative entrHe into Sunday's sermon:
"The Cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be" (7, p. 4). This provocative statement of the nature of reality opens Cosmos, the magnum opus of Carl Sagan, America's most visible scientist. In the highest-rated public television series and a best-selling book, Sagan sought to turn the public on to science by "the communication of science in an engaging and accessible way" (7, p. xiv). The result of his efforts is that when Americans think of science, they think of Sagan.
[There has been a] long and painful history of erroneous claims which religions have made about the nature of the world ...There is hardly an organized religion with a firm body of doctrine which has not at one time or another persecuted people for the crime of open inquiry (3, p. 284).
Sagan illustrates this point with Galileo's experience with the Catholic church. A more recent example has been religion's disagreement with evolution since the late nineteenth century, which has been "unproductive" and not from the basis of science but led by "those with doctrinal axes to grind" (2, n. pp. 4, 5).
As a result of religion's deceptive actions and especially its confrontation with science, the modern acceptance of religion is contingent upon current scientific compatibility. We must therefore evaluate religion on the same basis as science because all belief, including religion and science, must be based on fact to be legitimately believed (10, p. 24).
The difficulty with religion is that it doesn't critically review its evidence -- "every idea is as good as another" (10, p. 24). The basic tool for the evaluation of science is skepticism, and likewise should it be for religion: "... skeptical scrutiny is the means, in both religion and science, by which deep insights can be winnowed from deep nonsense" (3, p. xiv). http://www.detwiler.us/sagan.html
***
George Murphy on pre-Copernican worldview: There were lots of cosmologies around before Copernicus and to some extent it depends on how "pre" you're concerned with. The picture in Genesis 1 is that of a flat earth with the sky stretched over it like a dome and waters "above the firmament." The picture that was current in the European Middle Ages was basically that of Ptolemy, with earth at the center and sun and planets going around it. Beyond that was the sphere of the "fixed stars" and beyond that "heaven."
I don't want to make the mistake of suggesting that pre-modern people all thought that the earth was physically the biggest part of the universe: The Greek astronomers and those in the Middle Ages knew that the universe was huge in comparison with the earth and Psalm 8 points in the same direction. Ancient science as well as modern knew that the earth is a mere point relative to the distances to the stars. But the question is whether popular Christianity has an adequate understanding of the scope of creation -- and redemption.
The only person burned at the stake who espoused Copernican views was Giordano Bruno, but he had a number of other unconventional views and his Copernican's wasn't the main reason he was condemned. The popular notion that the skies of sixteenth and seventeenth century Europe were lit up with the flames of burning astronomers is pure fiction.
Worship Resources
by Julia Strope
Call To Worship
God's greatness is seen all around this planet. Look at the sky! At the moon and the stars --
God put them securely in place!
God made everything we see -- including humankind! (bold for congregation)
Everything God made is very good.
When God laid the foundations of the earth, Wisdom was there, like an architect.
And God was pleased with the human race; God was happy with the World.
In another time and place, Jesus was born, lived, taught, died and rose to new life, making the living God visible. Jesus had in himself the full nature of God. We call ourselves the Body of Christ Jesus, the Church.
In Christ, God brings all things -- on earth and in heaven, in the whole cosmos! -- to the Divine Self.
Thanks be to God !
from Psalm 8 and Proverbs 8
Prayer Of Adoration (unison)
Creator God --
We revel in the beauty around us.
Your imagination shows up in colors of flowers and birds,
in textures of lilies and cone flowers, sunny skies and cloudy horizons.
We enjoy all you have made.
We are grateful, too, for the inspiration of Word and sacraments.
Our minds are open for your enthusing presence. Amen.
*Hymn suggestions
"God, Who Stretched The Spangled Heavens" HOLY MANNA
"All Things Bright And Beautiful" ROYAL OAK
"Thank You, God For Water, Soil And Air" AMSTEIN
"When In Our Music God Is Glorified" ENGELBERG
"O God, In A Mysterious Way" DUNDEE
"Many And Great, O God Are Thy Things" LAQUIPARLE
Community Confession from Colossians 1:15-20
Living God --
The wondrous stories in scripture remind us that your ways are
beyond our comprehension -- a son who offers peace and life to
all the world!
Forgive our betrayals and entanglements in attitudes and activities
which block your intentions for us and all Creation.
Renew our faith that the cosmos is destined for life with you.
Set us free from anxiety so we can participate with your plans.
Amen.
Personal Confession (silent)
Word Of Grace And Assurance Of Forgiveness
God hears us and makes us clean like new fallen snow;
God empowers us by the Holy Spirit to speak and live
so neighbors far and near experience divine love.
God grounds us and the whole world in the grace of Christ.
Receive this good news and be at peace with yourself! Amen.
Congregational Response
How Great Thou Art (stanza one)
*An Affirmation based on Colossians 1:15-20
God has created all things in heaven and on earth -- in the whole universe!
Christ existed with God before all things and holds all things open to God.
In Christ we see the nature of God; in Christ we are make friends of God
that we may receive the life and peace to be the Body of Christ --
the Church -- throughout the world.
This is good news: everyone will hear about peace which passes human
understanding. Amen!
Intercessory Prayer
Energy of the Universe --
Thank you for the Christ who makes us Church -- faith companions through the exoduses and exiles in life into places of joy and justice.
God of Beginnings and Endings --
We pray for peace in our country and in nations far away. Creation groans at the violence done to the earth and to all creatures. Let peace enter human hearts so we may all enjoy you and the world. Move us and Iraq to a sustainable working relationship; heal the hurts of the many families who have lost sons and daughters. End the horrors occurring in Africa and begin a new sense of equality between tribes.
God of Black Holes and Bright Stars --
In so many ways we are blessed. Still, we are human and we endure all the aspects of being made from clay: we break and need to be mended; we age and our shine dulls; we get old and loose our agility and quick healing abilities. Uphold us through these parts of our human journey; sustain us while we are ill and lonely and bring us to a sense of contentment.
Offertory Statement
This is the climax of our worship:
We give to God our whole selves and gifts of money, talents and time in order for God's domain to be vibrant in our town.
*Doxology Old Hundredth, inclusive
*Prayer Of Thanksgiving
Living God --
Thank you for who we are becoming and for what we have.
Unbury our talents and skills; use us and these moneys to reconcile peoples to peoples and to the earth. Amen.
*Benediction
May the aromas of boxwood, rosemary and basil call you to thank God for summer goodness.
May the tastes of peaches and berries remind you that you too carry the seeds of life for the next generation.
May the enthusiasm of Holy Spirit spill God's love and forgiveness wherever you go.
Children's Sermon
By Wesley T. Runk
Text: vv. 15-16: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers -- all things have been created through him and for him. Colossians 1:15-28
Object: A picture of Saturn or pictures of other planets set in the universe
Good morning, boys and girls. A few weeks ago our newspapers and television showed pictures of the planet Saturn. They were close up pictures that scientists saw for the first time. The spaceship without people had to fly between the very colorful rings that surround Saturn. It was a very thrilling moment because we saw for the first time the shape of the rings and how different they were. Some day soon the spaceship will land on Saturn and take even more pictures. Just think this will be the first time that even the scientists will have such a close look at one of the planets in our universe. And these will only be pictures because no man has ever visited Saturn. Where else has man been besides the planet earth? (let them answer) That's right, the moon. It has only happened a couple of times. No one has ever visited the sun. No one has ever been to Mars or Jupiter or Venus or any of the other planets. Some day we hope to visit these places. Maybe when you grow up you will plan your vacation to visit the moon or Mars. Won't that be exciting?
At night you can see all of the stars and the moon and some of the planets and it looks like a very big universe doesn't it? (let them answer) Remember there have only been a few men that have visited the moon and all of us live on earth. I wonder how much time God has spent on the moon or the planets like Saturn, Jupiter, or Mars? Do you think God thinks about places like Venus or the moon? (let them answer)
The Bible teaches us something about that very subject. In the book of Colossians Saint Paul writes that all things in heaven and on earth were created by God. As a matter of fact the Bible tells us that these things were made for Jesus Christ. That's why they are there because he not only made them but they were made for Jesus Christ. There are things made by God that we have never seen. They are invisible. There are things that God has made that we have not even thought about but they are there. Some of them are on the planets, some of them are on the stars, some of them are in space beyond anything we can see.
Our God is a great God. He is more intelligent than anything we can imagine. He has imagination and strength and he continues to create new things in our universe. But God not only makes planets and stars and suns but he also makes people like you and me. Imagine how perfect God must be to create the biggest things in the world but also the tiniest. But of all the things God has ever made, he loves you the best of them all. You are even more important to him than a place like Saturn.
So, if you think we are excited about visiting Saturn for the first time then think of how excited you and I are when we visit with God in prayer and worship and our everyday living. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, July 18, 2004, issue.
Copyright 2004 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., P.O. Box 4503, Lima, Ohio 45802-4503.
