Conquering Fear
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
This week's lectionary texts, particularly Psalm 23 and the Revelations passage, are often used at funerals because they offer reassurance in the face of great peril. In the context of funerals, of course, the "peril" that is on everyone's minds is the specter of death -- but while one important aspect of these texts is definitely a message of promise to Christian martyrs, their meaning is not confined only to that portal which is the greatest of human fears. There are many things we are afraid of -- as the headlines constantly remind us -- and even when it looks like there is hope for making significant progress regarding some of our most pressing threats (as with the recently concluded "nuclear summit"), the news media still provides us with a steady diet of information that stokes our fear. But as team member Dean Feldmeyer points out in this installment of The Immediate Word, this week's texts all present us with a powerful antidote to the elemental fear that often motivates our baser impulses -- faith in Jesus Christ. Psalm 23 tells us that "the Lord is my shepherd... he restores my soul"; John tells us in Revelation that "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes"; and in the gospel Jesus says, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand." These are powerful words of reassurance that we all need to hear, but are especially needed in times of community tragedy, such as the latest earthquake in China, the mining accident in West Virginia, or the plane crash that wiped out much of the upper echelon of the Polish government. When things are at their bleakest, God is with us offering comfort and protection -- not from the difficulties of the moment, but in a greater sense from the machinations of the Evil One. As the Psalmist puts it plainly: "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me."
Team member Ron Love provides some additional thoughts related to the story of Tabitha. We are told that she "was devoted to good works and acts of charity," and this passage from Acts lifts up what might be termed the "ministry of small things." That's an important message for our congregations to hear, since much of what our people can do are relatively small acts -- but as we all know, every contribution is important and furthers the ministry of Christ, whether it's participating on mission trips, traveling to disaster areas with relief organizations, or more localized things like volunteering at soup kitchens. Yes, we are called to do bold things for Christ -- and there is nothing bolder than martyrdom -- but a collection of small acts of service bundled together can create a great and mighty testimony that can affect lives every bit as much as a single great actor. We can't all be a towering figure such as Martin Luther King -- but we can all, like Tabitha, do our valuable part.
Conquering Fear
by Dean Feldmeyer
John 10:22-30; Revelation 7:9-17; Psalm 23
In his book Conquering Fear, Rabbi Harold Kushner reminds us that "more than 80 times in the Bible, God tells people not to be afraid. God says it to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Moses" (p. 22). God tells that to Joshua four times in their first conversation. He tells it to every one of his prophets. Jesus tells it to his disciples. And the very first words the angel speaks to Mary, the mother of Jesus, are "Don't be afraid."
Maybe one of the reasons God has to reiterate this admonition so often is precisely because there is so much to be afraid of!
The world is a fearful and fearsome place, and it takes a whole lot of faith to face it unafraid.
THE WORLD
Last week our president, while negotiating further nuclear arms reductions with the president of Russia, explained how crucial these talks were by reminding us that there is a very real danger that a nuclear weapon could fall into the hands of terrorists.
People who do not hesitate to set off bombs in subways and crowded department stores, whose only goal seems to be the wounding, maiming, and killing of innocent civilians, would not hesitate to set off a nuclear device in a heavily populated civilian center.
No place is safe from such people, we are told. Be afraid -- be very afraid.
In the past few weeks and months devastating earthquakes have hit Haiti, Chile, and most recently China. Thousands have lost their lives and hundreds of thousands have lost their homes. This week it was not terrorism or human activities of any kind that shut down virtually all air travel over Europe -- it was a volcano. Another hurricane season paces in the gate, anxious to be released upon humankind. Nature, which we count on every day to be predictable and trustworthy, is in revolt. The earth, which we often metaphorically refer to as our "mother," has murdered her children. Nothing, it seems, can be counted upon any more.
TV news reporters shake their heads in dismay as we watch the survivors slog through flood and mud, flee screaming from the tsunami, and scratch at the piles of rubble with their bare hands, hoping desperately to find a loved one still alive. Are we safe? Be afraid -- be very afraid.
The Roman Catholic church shudders under the weight of the sins of some of its priests. Those whom we trusted the most, to whom we made our confessions and in whose hands we placed the care of our souls, have turned out to be just another group of men who must be screened and questioned and tested before we can place our children in their care. Even then, we ask ourselves, how far dare we trust them? If we can't trust our children to the care of our clergy, then can anyone be trusted? Be afraid -- be very afraid.
Some of the most trusted cars in the country won't stop when you push on the brake, and the company didn't tell anyone for fear that it would hurt their reputation.
Our bankers told us we could afford houses that we didn't think we could afford, but we trusted them. If you can't trust George Bailey, who can you trust, right? Now our neighborhoods are dotted with foreclosure and for-sale signs.
The drugs that we were told are safe may cause us to commit suicide. The food and drug administration won't let us be fed food that isn't safe... will it? Will it?
Turns out Rabbi Kushner is right -- there's a lot to be afraid of out there. And no one seems capable of solving the problem. Certainly not government. What is government in America but the political parties who run it -- and they claim that the thing we should be most afraid of is the other political party. Tea partiers have convinced themselves that they are victims of a president who is simultaneously a communist and a fascist, a felon who should not even be in office because he is not really an American citizen. Left-wingers are sure that tea partiers are rich, privileged Caucasians who are at best sore-loser crybabies, and at worst racists.
Big business doesn't seem to be or have the answers. Indeed, big business seems to be at the center of our economic problems as the authors of subprime mortgages, the makers of cars that don't stop, and the recipients of bailouts that rescue them from the consequences of their own bad choices.
So what is a person of faith to do?
"God commands us to not be afraid," says Kushner. "Not because there is nothing to fear but precisely because the world can be such a frightening place, and God realizes that we can never fulfill our potential as human beings if we are paralyzed by fear" (p. 23).
But how? How can be not afraid?
THE WORD
The lectionary texts for April 25 offer three insights to people of faith for conquering our fears.
Psalm 23 -- Probably the most familiar of all the psalms, this pastoral poem begins with a bold claim. We usually put the emphasis on the word "shepherd." Try reading the first line aloud, putting the emphasis instead upon the word "Lord."
The LORD is my shepherd. Not my boss or the company I work for. Not my politics or my politicians, my candidates or my elected officials, not my philosophies nor even my family. None of these does for me what a shepherd does for sheep. Only the Lord God is my shepherd.
It is God who gives me rest and provides me with refreshment when I need it. It is God who comforts me with the divine presence. It is God who feeds and anoints me in my hour of greatest need. It is God who is my shepherd.
If we can accept and live according to this one truth, then our cup of life will overflow and goodness and mercy (if not safety) will follow us our whole lives long.
John 10:22-30 -- Picking up the shepherd metaphor that he has perhaps borrowed from the Hebrew Bible and already expanded upon in the earlier verses of this chapter, John speaks about the relationship Jesus has with his disciples -- then and now.
The elite class of people who run the temple come to Jesus to ask if he was the messiah. His response is to tell them that the question is ridiculous. If he were the messiah would they have to ask? Does a sheep have to question the shepherds to know which one is theirs? No -- they know his voice.
They know his voice because theirs is a unique and intimate relationship. They know him, and he knows them. They recognize his voice, and he can call each of them by name. He recognizes their voices, and even though they all look alike to the untutored eye, he can see the differences and can tell them apart.
Our salvation from fear comes from a God who is like a shepherd to us and from the intimate relationship we have with that shepherd God through Jesus Christ. Oh, and one other thing: no one... no one can steal his sheep from him. Once we have established that intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ, it cannot be severed by any outside force: "No one can snatch it out of the Father's hand."
Revelation 7:9-17 -- This is true even unto death. Even death does not separate us from God. What Paul has made clear in Romans 8, John of Patmos now states in stunning visual imagery and imaginative poetry.
In his vision, he sees the great parade of martyrs, those who have died because of their faith. They are given front row seats in the great Heavenly auditorium. They sit before God's throne and sing God's praise in the heavenly choir.
They are intimately close to God -- so close that the shadow and shade of God's presence falls across them and shelters them from the sun. Their relationship with God feeds, nourishes, and refreshes them. Their shepherd watches over them and "leads them to the springs of the water of life, and... wipes away every tear from their eyes."
Suddenly the image shifts from shepherd to parent, from the soft-spoken, patient, gentle shepherd to the loving, affirming, comforting mother who picks up her fallen child, brushes away the dirt from the skinned knee, produces a band-aid as if from thin air, kisses the pain away, and sends us on our way, back into the life that only a moment ago seemed to be our enemy.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
The promise that God will protect us from harm falls upon ears made deaf by harsh reality. Few are those in our congregations that have not been struck low, beaten down, crushed, and nearly broken by the grief and pain life can often bring to bear. How many of our parishioners have lost loved ones or friends? How many have been laid off or fired? How many have lost a marriage or felt the pangs of regret in their most precious relationships?
To say that God will protect us from life's pain is to demean the very real pain that our people are suffering and to state what they know to be manifestly not the case. No, the sermon to be found in these passages is the pastoral. It is the sermon that reassures and comforts not with promise but with presence. God is present with us.
Life may be painful and difficult. There is much to fear in this life, but while we can and should let our fears and anxieties inform our lives, they should never be allowed to rule them.
Remember Rabbi Kushner's words: "God commands us to not be afraid. Not because there is nothing to fear but precisely because the world can be such a frightening place, and God realizes that we can never fulfill our potential as human beings if we are paralyzed by fear."
But neither does God insist that we conquer our fears in solitude. We are not alone; God is with us even in the darkest hour, even in the valley of the shadow of death.
It is not in the things we own, in our jobs, in our college degrees, in our political opinions, or even in our families that we find our security, but in our intimate relationship with God in Jesus Christ, a relationship that cannot be taken from us -- not even in death.
We are people of the promise -- and God's promise, says Kushner, is this: "Should you one day find yourself in a situation in which you will need special strength to go on, I will give you that strength. If you cannot rebuild your life by yourself, I will inspire people to come to your aid even as I am inspiring people to reach out to the victims you read about. Yes, it is a scary world out there, but you will not have to find your way through it alone, for I will be with you" (p. 56).
ANOTHER VIEW
I Am Tabitha
by Ronald H. Love
Acts 9:36-43
Tabitha is very similar to many of those who gather in our sanctuaries for worship. In fact, we would not be far amiss to say that "I am Tabitha." Tabitha was known for her quiet and unobtrusive day-to-day Christian service. She was not a Peter or a James, great leaders of the early church. She was not a Matthew or a Luke, known for their astounding theological writings. No, Tabitha was known for doing seemingly little things like sewing clothes for the poor and helping others in whatever ways her time and resources allowed. In fact, if it were not for her encounter with Peter, she probably would have remained anonymous to us.
Yet her work did not go on unnoticed. When Peter came to Lydda, the villagers were proud to point to the clothes Tabitha had sewn and share the stories of her caring for others in the community. Tabitha did not establish any new churches or traverse the seas in great missionary ventures; but her ministry at home could never be discounted as insignificant or meaningless. How could one ever measure the lives that were restored and individuals who were offered hope because she took the time to befriend them?
If we look to Peter and James, Matthew and Luke, we probably will never find our calling to ministry. But if we embrace the spirit of Tabitha, we have before us an exemplary example of Christian discipleship. Shall we ever be able to say, "I am Peter?" I sincerely doubt it. Will we be able to say, "I am Tabitha?" I am certain of it.
As you prepare your sermon, you may want to consider the following points:
* Share with your congregation the difference between being a Peter and a Tabitha in the local church.
* Discuss with your people the "little" ways we can become involved in the life of the church and minister to individuals that are really "big" ways. Brainstorm a list of activities that would include some of the following: sending flowers; visiting in the hospital, nursing home, funeral home; weeks and months after a tragic occurrence still offering to bring meals, provide child care, provide transportation, clean, or run errands; performing unseen acts of service in the church such as organizing the pew racks, pulling weeds, cleaning that classroom that has become a storage closet; waiting with a family during surgery. These are just a few of the many acts of service in which one may become involved.
* Point out the importance of anonymity in service. The satisfaction of having done something meaningful should trump the need for formal recognition.
* You may want to share some personal stories of individuals whose "little" acts of kindness had immeasurable blessings upon others.
* You may want to discuss how people can discover those little acts of service that are so important for the ministry of the church, or how people can become involved in daily acts of kindness.
Some other points to ponder:
* Everyone recalls Martin Luther King standing firm on the Selma March. But weren't those who followed equally courageous?
* Confederate general Thomas Jackson became known as "Stonewall" Jackson for standing in battle as a stonewall against overwhelming odds. But wasn't the real stonewall those unnamed soldiers who did not leave their posts in the battlefield trenches?
* The President of the United States is considered the most powerful man in the world. How many individuals in the congregation could name all 44 presidents? Could the congregation collectively name all the vice-presidents, supposedly the second most important person in American politics? Yet we all could name several generations of relatives who have completely transformed our lives. So... what is the definition of importance?
* The Associated Press has investigated 21 countries spanning six continents to list priests accused in sexual abuse. Their names and charges and disposition were then printed. But this list does not show the thousands upon thousands of priests who faithfully and dutifully perform the business of the church without blemish.
* Zdenka Fantlova, a Czechoslovakian Jew, is searching for the unnamed British officer who ordered her back into line to await treatment at the Red Cross station at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp 65 years ago. Noticing that she was near death, he took her out of line and personally escorted her to the health clinic.
* Former GI Carl Levy said about his service during World War II, "In those days, a lowly infantryman was a lonely infantryman." He may not be the general who was given credit for the liberation of Dachau, but his role cannot be disputed. Levy was recently invited to Washington, DC, to participate in a ceremony honoring the unsung heroes of concentration camp liberation.
* The Pittsburgh-Post Gazette recently published a "Where Are They Now?" update on the members of 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates team in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of their victory over the unstoppable New York Yankees dynasty in a dramatic seven-game World Series. Most baseball fans are familiar with second-baseman Bill Mazeroski's sensational ninth-inning home run that ended the final game, and many remember Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente. But do you know the names of the other members of the team? Pitcher Vernon Law may come to mind, but how about Gino Cimoli and Fred Green? It was a team that won the championship. One player's contributions, even those of legendary ones like Clemente or Mazeroski, are not any greater than the contributions made by the other players who wore the uniform.
In preparing your sermon this week, look for ways that the congregants can confess "I am Tabitha."
ILLUSTRATIONS
In triune brain theory proposed by Dr. Paul D. MacLean, we are told that deep in our brain is a portion that resembles in structure and function the brain of a reptile. Here are the instincts that are meant to keep us alive, our "fight or flight" program. Part of this portion of the brain is the amygdala, the center that responds to a threat. When the amygdala is triggered it causes the brain to go into survival mode. To accomplish this, it cuts back (and sometimes completely shuts down) the influence of the pre-frontal lobes where rational thought is situated.
The response of the amygdala is very quick in order to protect us, but it is slow to shut down. So when God shows up with a big job for us it is important for God to deal with fear -- fear makes it difficult or even impossible to think clearly.
* * *
Rabbi Edwin H. Friedman has offered some advice for us to be a "non-anxious presence" as advocated in Bowen (Family Systems) Theory. He reminds us that beyond our reptilian brain there is the mammalian brain where our emotions are situated. Here the emotional drive to be a separate individual does battle with the emotional drive to be connected to others. If we do not attend to our rational thought process, our behavior will be directed by the fear of not belonging or of being swallowed up by others.
* * *
One day a young man of wealth and social standing was riding his horse and came upon a leper. The leper's sores were totally repulsive to the young man, yet he found a sense of compassion growing within him. Denying his fear, he dismounted from his horse, gave the leper all the money he had with him, and kissed the leper's hand. That young man was Francis Bernadone, whom we know as St. Francis of Assisi.
* * *
The most visible problem caused by the eruption of the volcano lying underneath Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull glacier has been the total disruption of European air travel -- but even though the rural area in the immediate vicinity of the volcano is lightly populated and wind patterns have kept the volcanic ash away from the densely populated capital of Reykjavik, there is still a very serious health risk for the people and livestock who live in the area, as inhaling the particulates contained in the ash can lead to fluoride poisoning. An Associated Press article describes how local farmers were forced to drive through the dense fog to locate and round up their cattle so that they could "put them in the barn, block all the windows, and bring them clean food and water as long as the earth is contaminated." This is especially important since, according to a local farmer, "The animals like the salty taste of [the ash], so even if there's just a bit they will be in danger."
Doesn't our Lord function for us in much the same way as those Icelandic dairy farmers -- attempting to gather us up and keep us safe from existential threats that face us, especially ones that we are attracted to the taste of? He is our shepherd and hears our voices... the question is: Do we hear his?
* * *
A young man who had grown up and spent his whole life in the city accepted as his first call out of seminary a small rural church in western North Dakota. As they used to say at seminary, "western North Dakota is not the most remote place on earth, but you can sure see it from there." Anyway, as it so happened that his duties began just before Advent, and his first project would be the annual Christmas program with the Sunday school class. One of the first things he did at the first rehearsal was to assign the sheep. Now, these farm kids knew animals, and in no time a half-dozen sheep began wandering around the middle of rehearsal, crawling under the altar and walking out the door. Finally the pastor stopped the chaos and said, "Stop moving. Pay attention. What are you doing?" And with a surprised look on her face, one girl replied innocently, "We're sheep" -- as if no other explanation was necessary.
Many of us probably learned about sheep the same way as this young pastor -- from Hallmark cards, babies' nurseries, and Little Bo Peep. But their fleece is not as white as snow and the sheep do not always follow Bo Peep wherever she goes. And what's more, at least from my experience at the state fair, you can often smell sheep before they arrive.
I think Jesus also knew sheep -- he knew they were easily lost, defenseless before wolves, and in deep need of a shepherd.
* * *
He Leadeth Me
He leadeth me,
in pastures green? No, not always.
Sometimes He who knoweth best
in kindness leadeth me in weary ways
Where heavy shadows be;
Out of the sunshine warm and soft and bright,
Out of the sunshine into the darkest night.
I oft would yield to sorrow and to fright
Only for this: I know He holds my hand
So, whether led in green or desert land
I trust, although I cannot understand.
He leadeth me.
Beside still waters? No, not always so.
Oft times the heavy tempest round me blow,
And o'er my soul the waves and billows go.
But when the storm beats wildest, and I cry
Aloud for help, the Master standeth by
And whispers to my soul: "Lo, it is I."
Above the tempest wild I hear him say:
"Beyond the darkness lies the perfect day;
In every path of thine I lead the way."
So whether on the hilltops, high and fair
I dwell, or in the sunless valleys, where
The shadows lie -- what matter? He is there.
And more than this; where're the pathway lead
He gives to me no helpless, broken reed,
But His Own hand, sufficient for my need.
So where He leads me I can safely go.
And in the blest hereafter I shall know
Why in His wisdom He hath led me so.
* * *
There was a college professor who taught freshman English. The first assignment in his class was a 500-word essay on the topic "Why are you attending college?"
The results were predictable: there was a certain sameness to most of these papers. They seemed to have been written according to a formula. In paper after paper, students described college as a means to an end, a way of achieving success, status, prosperity, and security. Only two essays stood out from the rest. These went beyond individual needs and desires. They spoke of how college would help the writers make a difference in the world, working for the good of others.
The professor felt mightily encouraged to read these two essays -- until he realized who had written them. The authors were not from the United States. These students who valued service over success came from Angola and Lebanon.
-- adapted from an item by Mark Trotter, cited in Homiletics Online
* * *
To be where God is -- to follow Jesus -- means going beyond the limits of our own comfort and safety. It means receiving our lives as gifts instead of guarding them as our own possessions. It means sharing the life we have been given instead of bottling it for our own consumption. It means giving up the notion that we can build dams to contain the bright streams of our lives and letting them go instead, letting them swell their banks and spill their wealth until they carry us down to where they run, full and growing fuller, into the wide and glittering sea.
-- Barbara Brown Taylor, The Seeds of Heaven (Westminster, 2004)
* * *
I couldn't remember the point anymore; a lot of rewards had come my way, but I felt like a veteran greyhound at the racetrack who finally figures out that she's been chasing mechanical bunnies; all that energy, and it's not even a real rabbit.
-- Anne Lamott, Traveling Mercies (Pantheon, 1999), p. 266
* * *
The great heresy of our time is the belief that having more can substitute for being more.
-- French philosopher Gabriel Marcel
* * *
The most prophetic thing that Thomas Merton ever did was to say to a drugstore clerk who asked him which brand of toothpaste he preferred, "I don't care." Intrigued by the clerk's response, Merton wrote, "He almost dropped dead. I was supposed to feel strongly about Colgate or Pepsodent or Crest... and they all have a secret ingredient." He concluded that "the worst thing you can do is not care about these things."
Merton wrote in the early 1960s, long before the art of making us care about "the secret ingredient" had so aggressively entered into every aspect of American life. We can't ride a bus, open a magazine, or go online without being asked to consider which insurance company offers the best rates or which paper towel picks up the most dirt. [Now] is a good time to reclaim our senses and reply with a resounding, "I don't care!"
-- Kathleen Norris, "Apocalypse Now," in The Christian Century, November 15, 2005
* * *
We have many commodities but little satisfaction, little sense of the sufficiency of anything. The scarcity of satisfaction makes of our many commodities an infinite series of commodities, the new commodities invariably promising greater satisfaction than the older ones. In fact, the industrial economy's most marketed commodity is satisfaction, and this commodity, which is repeatedly promised, bought, and paid for, is never delivered.
-- Wendell Berry, cited by L. Shannon Jung in Food for Life (Augsburg Fortress, 2004), p. 3
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: God is our shepherd.
People: We have no other needs.
Leader: Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
People: I will fear no evil.
Leader: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us always.
People: We shall dwell in the house of God for ever.
OR
Leader: Fear not, God is with us!
People: But the world is a scary place.
Leader: The world is scary, but God is with us.
People: The evil of the world overwhelms me.
Leader: But it doesn't overwhelm God.
People: We will trust in God and we will overcome.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"Be Still, My Soul"
found in:
UMH: 534
AAHH: 135
NNBH: 263
NCH: 488
CH: 566
"Give to the Winds Thy Fears"
found in:
UMH: 129
PH: 286
"We Shall Overcome"
found in:
UMH: 533
AAHH: 542
NNBH: 501
NCH: 570
CH: 630
"Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"
found in:
UMH: 349
NNBH: 195
"Out of the Depths I Cry to You"
found in:
UMH: 515
H82: 666
PH: 240
NCH: 483
CH: 510
LBW: 295
"Hope of the World"
found in:
UMH: 178
H82: 472
PH: 360
NCH: 46
CH: 538
LBW: 493
"Leaning on the Everlasting Arms"
found in:
UMH: 133
AAHH: 371
NNBH: 262
NCH: 471
CH: 560
"O Mary, Don't You Weep"
found in:
UMH: 134
"All I Need Is You"
found in:
CCB: 100
"The Steadfast Love of the Lord"
found in:
CCB: 28
Renew: 23
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who created us to live without fear in your love: Grant us the grace to truly trust in your compassion and care that we may not fear anything in this life or the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We have come to this time of worship, O God, to offer our praise and thanksgivings to you. We come in awe of your greatness, and you offer to receive us in love and compassion. Help us not to fear that which is around us, since we are always held in your gracious hand. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially the ways in which we let our fears determine how we act.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We have focused our eyes on those things around us, and in our fear of them we have forsaken your path. We fear the evil things around us. We fear the thought of being poor or naked or homeless. We fear becoming ill and dying. We fear being embarrassed or ridiculed. We fear life. Forgive us, and by the power of your Spirit fill us with such faith in you that we will never fear. Amen.
Leader: God's love and grace is sufficient for us. God loves us perfectly, and perfect love casts out fear. May the grace of God grow in your hearts as you live bravely in the presence and power of God.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We worship you, our God and our Shepherd, for you are the one who is and was and is to come. You are the Eternal One who holds us safely in your own hand.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We have focused our eyes on those things around us, and in our fear of them we have forsaken your path. We fear the evil things around us. We fear the thought of being poor or naked or homeless. We fear becoming ill and dying. We fear being embarrassed or ridiculed. We fear life. Forgive us and by the power of your Spirit fill us with such faith in you that we will never fear.
We give you thanks for all the times we have been aware of your presence in our midst. We give you thanks for all the times you have walked with us and carried us and we were unaware of your being there. We thank you for those you have sent to nurture and assist us in the difficult times of life. Most of all we thank you for Jesus, who came to share the good news with us that we do not need to fear for you are always with us and for us.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray to you for those who live in fear. We know that life is hard for many who are hungry, homeless, and lost. We pray that as you encircle them with your love and care, you would enable us to be a brave presence helping them to trust you and to give up their fears.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father... Amen.
(or if the Lord's Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Visuals
a picture of Jesus asleep in the boat during the storm or walking on the stormy sea
Children's Sermon Starter
Ask the children if they have ever been afraid. Think of a time when you were afraid but didn't need to be. There are things we need to be careful about (we don't stick our hands into a fire, walk into a busy street, or take rides from strangers), but God loves us and we never have to be afraid of losing God's love. God's love is forever.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Safe in His Hands
John 10:22-30
Good morning, boys and girls! Jesus tells us some wonderful things in our gospel today. He says that his sheep will hear his voice and follow him, that they will never be lost, and that nobody can take them away from him. Now, who are his sheep? (let them answer) Yes, that's right. We are his sheep! You and I! Doesn't it make you feel good that we are safe in his hands and nobody can drag us away from him? (let them answer)
Okay, let me show you what Jesus is saying to us. Let me be Jesus for a moment and __________ (pick a child who will let you hold him or her firmly) can come to me. Now, as I hold __________ firmly, I want __________ (pick a small child who will not pull too hard) to try to take him/her away from me. You see, __________ can't take __________ away from me because I am holding him/her firmly. That's how Jesus holds onto us and keeps us safe.
But, look what happens if __________ decides to leave me. (let the child leave without holding on to him or her) You see, there is no problem for __________ to leave if he/she wants to. We can walk away from Jesus. He won't hold on to us if we want to leave, but he won't let anybody take us away from him as long as we want to be his child. Do all of you want to stay with Jesus and be his children? (let them answer) Good! As long as you don't leave him, he won't leave you!
Prayer: Dear Jesus: Thank you so much for holding us and keeping us safe. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, April 25, 2010, issue.
Copyright 2010 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 or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
Team member Ron Love provides some additional thoughts related to the story of Tabitha. We are told that she "was devoted to good works and acts of charity," and this passage from Acts lifts up what might be termed the "ministry of small things." That's an important message for our congregations to hear, since much of what our people can do are relatively small acts -- but as we all know, every contribution is important and furthers the ministry of Christ, whether it's participating on mission trips, traveling to disaster areas with relief organizations, or more localized things like volunteering at soup kitchens. Yes, we are called to do bold things for Christ -- and there is nothing bolder than martyrdom -- but a collection of small acts of service bundled together can create a great and mighty testimony that can affect lives every bit as much as a single great actor. We can't all be a towering figure such as Martin Luther King -- but we can all, like Tabitha, do our valuable part.
Conquering Fear
by Dean Feldmeyer
John 10:22-30; Revelation 7:9-17; Psalm 23
In his book Conquering Fear, Rabbi Harold Kushner reminds us that "more than 80 times in the Bible, God tells people not to be afraid. God says it to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Moses" (p. 22). God tells that to Joshua four times in their first conversation. He tells it to every one of his prophets. Jesus tells it to his disciples. And the very first words the angel speaks to Mary, the mother of Jesus, are "Don't be afraid."
Maybe one of the reasons God has to reiterate this admonition so often is precisely because there is so much to be afraid of!
The world is a fearful and fearsome place, and it takes a whole lot of faith to face it unafraid.
THE WORLD
Last week our president, while negotiating further nuclear arms reductions with the president of Russia, explained how crucial these talks were by reminding us that there is a very real danger that a nuclear weapon could fall into the hands of terrorists.
People who do not hesitate to set off bombs in subways and crowded department stores, whose only goal seems to be the wounding, maiming, and killing of innocent civilians, would not hesitate to set off a nuclear device in a heavily populated civilian center.
No place is safe from such people, we are told. Be afraid -- be very afraid.
In the past few weeks and months devastating earthquakes have hit Haiti, Chile, and most recently China. Thousands have lost their lives and hundreds of thousands have lost their homes. This week it was not terrorism or human activities of any kind that shut down virtually all air travel over Europe -- it was a volcano. Another hurricane season paces in the gate, anxious to be released upon humankind. Nature, which we count on every day to be predictable and trustworthy, is in revolt. The earth, which we often metaphorically refer to as our "mother," has murdered her children. Nothing, it seems, can be counted upon any more.
TV news reporters shake their heads in dismay as we watch the survivors slog through flood and mud, flee screaming from the tsunami, and scratch at the piles of rubble with their bare hands, hoping desperately to find a loved one still alive. Are we safe? Be afraid -- be very afraid.
The Roman Catholic church shudders under the weight of the sins of some of its priests. Those whom we trusted the most, to whom we made our confessions and in whose hands we placed the care of our souls, have turned out to be just another group of men who must be screened and questioned and tested before we can place our children in their care. Even then, we ask ourselves, how far dare we trust them? If we can't trust our children to the care of our clergy, then can anyone be trusted? Be afraid -- be very afraid.
Some of the most trusted cars in the country won't stop when you push on the brake, and the company didn't tell anyone for fear that it would hurt their reputation.
Our bankers told us we could afford houses that we didn't think we could afford, but we trusted them. If you can't trust George Bailey, who can you trust, right? Now our neighborhoods are dotted with foreclosure and for-sale signs.
The drugs that we were told are safe may cause us to commit suicide. The food and drug administration won't let us be fed food that isn't safe... will it? Will it?
Turns out Rabbi Kushner is right -- there's a lot to be afraid of out there. And no one seems capable of solving the problem. Certainly not government. What is government in America but the political parties who run it -- and they claim that the thing we should be most afraid of is the other political party. Tea partiers have convinced themselves that they are victims of a president who is simultaneously a communist and a fascist, a felon who should not even be in office because he is not really an American citizen. Left-wingers are sure that tea partiers are rich, privileged Caucasians who are at best sore-loser crybabies, and at worst racists.
Big business doesn't seem to be or have the answers. Indeed, big business seems to be at the center of our economic problems as the authors of subprime mortgages, the makers of cars that don't stop, and the recipients of bailouts that rescue them from the consequences of their own bad choices.
So what is a person of faith to do?
"God commands us to not be afraid," says Kushner. "Not because there is nothing to fear but precisely because the world can be such a frightening place, and God realizes that we can never fulfill our potential as human beings if we are paralyzed by fear" (p. 23).
But how? How can be not afraid?
THE WORD
The lectionary texts for April 25 offer three insights to people of faith for conquering our fears.
Psalm 23 -- Probably the most familiar of all the psalms, this pastoral poem begins with a bold claim. We usually put the emphasis on the word "shepherd." Try reading the first line aloud, putting the emphasis instead upon the word "Lord."
The LORD is my shepherd. Not my boss or the company I work for. Not my politics or my politicians, my candidates or my elected officials, not my philosophies nor even my family. None of these does for me what a shepherd does for sheep. Only the Lord God is my shepherd.
It is God who gives me rest and provides me with refreshment when I need it. It is God who comforts me with the divine presence. It is God who feeds and anoints me in my hour of greatest need. It is God who is my shepherd.
If we can accept and live according to this one truth, then our cup of life will overflow and goodness and mercy (if not safety) will follow us our whole lives long.
John 10:22-30 -- Picking up the shepherd metaphor that he has perhaps borrowed from the Hebrew Bible and already expanded upon in the earlier verses of this chapter, John speaks about the relationship Jesus has with his disciples -- then and now.
The elite class of people who run the temple come to Jesus to ask if he was the messiah. His response is to tell them that the question is ridiculous. If he were the messiah would they have to ask? Does a sheep have to question the shepherds to know which one is theirs? No -- they know his voice.
They know his voice because theirs is a unique and intimate relationship. They know him, and he knows them. They recognize his voice, and he can call each of them by name. He recognizes their voices, and even though they all look alike to the untutored eye, he can see the differences and can tell them apart.
Our salvation from fear comes from a God who is like a shepherd to us and from the intimate relationship we have with that shepherd God through Jesus Christ. Oh, and one other thing: no one... no one can steal his sheep from him. Once we have established that intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ, it cannot be severed by any outside force: "No one can snatch it out of the Father's hand."
Revelation 7:9-17 -- This is true even unto death. Even death does not separate us from God. What Paul has made clear in Romans 8, John of Patmos now states in stunning visual imagery and imaginative poetry.
In his vision, he sees the great parade of martyrs, those who have died because of their faith. They are given front row seats in the great Heavenly auditorium. They sit before God's throne and sing God's praise in the heavenly choir.
They are intimately close to God -- so close that the shadow and shade of God's presence falls across them and shelters them from the sun. Their relationship with God feeds, nourishes, and refreshes them. Their shepherd watches over them and "leads them to the springs of the water of life, and... wipes away every tear from their eyes."
Suddenly the image shifts from shepherd to parent, from the soft-spoken, patient, gentle shepherd to the loving, affirming, comforting mother who picks up her fallen child, brushes away the dirt from the skinned knee, produces a band-aid as if from thin air, kisses the pain away, and sends us on our way, back into the life that only a moment ago seemed to be our enemy.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
The promise that God will protect us from harm falls upon ears made deaf by harsh reality. Few are those in our congregations that have not been struck low, beaten down, crushed, and nearly broken by the grief and pain life can often bring to bear. How many of our parishioners have lost loved ones or friends? How many have been laid off or fired? How many have lost a marriage or felt the pangs of regret in their most precious relationships?
To say that God will protect us from life's pain is to demean the very real pain that our people are suffering and to state what they know to be manifestly not the case. No, the sermon to be found in these passages is the pastoral. It is the sermon that reassures and comforts not with promise but with presence. God is present with us.
Life may be painful and difficult. There is much to fear in this life, but while we can and should let our fears and anxieties inform our lives, they should never be allowed to rule them.
Remember Rabbi Kushner's words: "God commands us to not be afraid. Not because there is nothing to fear but precisely because the world can be such a frightening place, and God realizes that we can never fulfill our potential as human beings if we are paralyzed by fear."
But neither does God insist that we conquer our fears in solitude. We are not alone; God is with us even in the darkest hour, even in the valley of the shadow of death.
It is not in the things we own, in our jobs, in our college degrees, in our political opinions, or even in our families that we find our security, but in our intimate relationship with God in Jesus Christ, a relationship that cannot be taken from us -- not even in death.
We are people of the promise -- and God's promise, says Kushner, is this: "Should you one day find yourself in a situation in which you will need special strength to go on, I will give you that strength. If you cannot rebuild your life by yourself, I will inspire people to come to your aid even as I am inspiring people to reach out to the victims you read about. Yes, it is a scary world out there, but you will not have to find your way through it alone, for I will be with you" (p. 56).
ANOTHER VIEW
I Am Tabitha
by Ronald H. Love
Acts 9:36-43
Tabitha is very similar to many of those who gather in our sanctuaries for worship. In fact, we would not be far amiss to say that "I am Tabitha." Tabitha was known for her quiet and unobtrusive day-to-day Christian service. She was not a Peter or a James, great leaders of the early church. She was not a Matthew or a Luke, known for their astounding theological writings. No, Tabitha was known for doing seemingly little things like sewing clothes for the poor and helping others in whatever ways her time and resources allowed. In fact, if it were not for her encounter with Peter, she probably would have remained anonymous to us.
Yet her work did not go on unnoticed. When Peter came to Lydda, the villagers were proud to point to the clothes Tabitha had sewn and share the stories of her caring for others in the community. Tabitha did not establish any new churches or traverse the seas in great missionary ventures; but her ministry at home could never be discounted as insignificant or meaningless. How could one ever measure the lives that were restored and individuals who were offered hope because she took the time to befriend them?
If we look to Peter and James, Matthew and Luke, we probably will never find our calling to ministry. But if we embrace the spirit of Tabitha, we have before us an exemplary example of Christian discipleship. Shall we ever be able to say, "I am Peter?" I sincerely doubt it. Will we be able to say, "I am Tabitha?" I am certain of it.
As you prepare your sermon, you may want to consider the following points:
* Share with your congregation the difference between being a Peter and a Tabitha in the local church.
* Discuss with your people the "little" ways we can become involved in the life of the church and minister to individuals that are really "big" ways. Brainstorm a list of activities that would include some of the following: sending flowers; visiting in the hospital, nursing home, funeral home; weeks and months after a tragic occurrence still offering to bring meals, provide child care, provide transportation, clean, or run errands; performing unseen acts of service in the church such as organizing the pew racks, pulling weeds, cleaning that classroom that has become a storage closet; waiting with a family during surgery. These are just a few of the many acts of service in which one may become involved.
* Point out the importance of anonymity in service. The satisfaction of having done something meaningful should trump the need for formal recognition.
* You may want to share some personal stories of individuals whose "little" acts of kindness had immeasurable blessings upon others.
* You may want to discuss how people can discover those little acts of service that are so important for the ministry of the church, or how people can become involved in daily acts of kindness.
Some other points to ponder:
* Everyone recalls Martin Luther King standing firm on the Selma March. But weren't those who followed equally courageous?
* Confederate general Thomas Jackson became known as "Stonewall" Jackson for standing in battle as a stonewall against overwhelming odds. But wasn't the real stonewall those unnamed soldiers who did not leave their posts in the battlefield trenches?
* The President of the United States is considered the most powerful man in the world. How many individuals in the congregation could name all 44 presidents? Could the congregation collectively name all the vice-presidents, supposedly the second most important person in American politics? Yet we all could name several generations of relatives who have completely transformed our lives. So... what is the definition of importance?
* The Associated Press has investigated 21 countries spanning six continents to list priests accused in sexual abuse. Their names and charges and disposition were then printed. But this list does not show the thousands upon thousands of priests who faithfully and dutifully perform the business of the church without blemish.
* Zdenka Fantlova, a Czechoslovakian Jew, is searching for the unnamed British officer who ordered her back into line to await treatment at the Red Cross station at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp 65 years ago. Noticing that she was near death, he took her out of line and personally escorted her to the health clinic.
* Former GI Carl Levy said about his service during World War II, "In those days, a lowly infantryman was a lonely infantryman." He may not be the general who was given credit for the liberation of Dachau, but his role cannot be disputed. Levy was recently invited to Washington, DC, to participate in a ceremony honoring the unsung heroes of concentration camp liberation.
* The Pittsburgh-Post Gazette recently published a "Where Are They Now?" update on the members of 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates team in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of their victory over the unstoppable New York Yankees dynasty in a dramatic seven-game World Series. Most baseball fans are familiar with second-baseman Bill Mazeroski's sensational ninth-inning home run that ended the final game, and many remember Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente. But do you know the names of the other members of the team? Pitcher Vernon Law may come to mind, but how about Gino Cimoli and Fred Green? It was a team that won the championship. One player's contributions, even those of legendary ones like Clemente or Mazeroski, are not any greater than the contributions made by the other players who wore the uniform.
In preparing your sermon this week, look for ways that the congregants can confess "I am Tabitha."
ILLUSTRATIONS
In triune brain theory proposed by Dr. Paul D. MacLean, we are told that deep in our brain is a portion that resembles in structure and function the brain of a reptile. Here are the instincts that are meant to keep us alive, our "fight or flight" program. Part of this portion of the brain is the amygdala, the center that responds to a threat. When the amygdala is triggered it causes the brain to go into survival mode. To accomplish this, it cuts back (and sometimes completely shuts down) the influence of the pre-frontal lobes where rational thought is situated.
The response of the amygdala is very quick in order to protect us, but it is slow to shut down. So when God shows up with a big job for us it is important for God to deal with fear -- fear makes it difficult or even impossible to think clearly.
* * *
Rabbi Edwin H. Friedman has offered some advice for us to be a "non-anxious presence" as advocated in Bowen (Family Systems) Theory. He reminds us that beyond our reptilian brain there is the mammalian brain where our emotions are situated. Here the emotional drive to be a separate individual does battle with the emotional drive to be connected to others. If we do not attend to our rational thought process, our behavior will be directed by the fear of not belonging or of being swallowed up by others.
* * *
One day a young man of wealth and social standing was riding his horse and came upon a leper. The leper's sores were totally repulsive to the young man, yet he found a sense of compassion growing within him. Denying his fear, he dismounted from his horse, gave the leper all the money he had with him, and kissed the leper's hand. That young man was Francis Bernadone, whom we know as St. Francis of Assisi.
* * *
The most visible problem caused by the eruption of the volcano lying underneath Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull glacier has been the total disruption of European air travel -- but even though the rural area in the immediate vicinity of the volcano is lightly populated and wind patterns have kept the volcanic ash away from the densely populated capital of Reykjavik, there is still a very serious health risk for the people and livestock who live in the area, as inhaling the particulates contained in the ash can lead to fluoride poisoning. An Associated Press article describes how local farmers were forced to drive through the dense fog to locate and round up their cattle so that they could "put them in the barn, block all the windows, and bring them clean food and water as long as the earth is contaminated." This is especially important since, according to a local farmer, "The animals like the salty taste of [the ash], so even if there's just a bit they will be in danger."
Doesn't our Lord function for us in much the same way as those Icelandic dairy farmers -- attempting to gather us up and keep us safe from existential threats that face us, especially ones that we are attracted to the taste of? He is our shepherd and hears our voices... the question is: Do we hear his?
* * *
A young man who had grown up and spent his whole life in the city accepted as his first call out of seminary a small rural church in western North Dakota. As they used to say at seminary, "western North Dakota is not the most remote place on earth, but you can sure see it from there." Anyway, as it so happened that his duties began just before Advent, and his first project would be the annual Christmas program with the Sunday school class. One of the first things he did at the first rehearsal was to assign the sheep. Now, these farm kids knew animals, and in no time a half-dozen sheep began wandering around the middle of rehearsal, crawling under the altar and walking out the door. Finally the pastor stopped the chaos and said, "Stop moving. Pay attention. What are you doing?" And with a surprised look on her face, one girl replied innocently, "We're sheep" -- as if no other explanation was necessary.
Many of us probably learned about sheep the same way as this young pastor -- from Hallmark cards, babies' nurseries, and Little Bo Peep. But their fleece is not as white as snow and the sheep do not always follow Bo Peep wherever she goes. And what's more, at least from my experience at the state fair, you can often smell sheep before they arrive.
I think Jesus also knew sheep -- he knew they were easily lost, defenseless before wolves, and in deep need of a shepherd.
* * *
He Leadeth Me
He leadeth me,
in pastures green? No, not always.
Sometimes He who knoweth best
in kindness leadeth me in weary ways
Where heavy shadows be;
Out of the sunshine warm and soft and bright,
Out of the sunshine into the darkest night.
I oft would yield to sorrow and to fright
Only for this: I know He holds my hand
So, whether led in green or desert land
I trust, although I cannot understand.
He leadeth me.
Beside still waters? No, not always so.
Oft times the heavy tempest round me blow,
And o'er my soul the waves and billows go.
But when the storm beats wildest, and I cry
Aloud for help, the Master standeth by
And whispers to my soul: "Lo, it is I."
Above the tempest wild I hear him say:
"Beyond the darkness lies the perfect day;
In every path of thine I lead the way."
So whether on the hilltops, high and fair
I dwell, or in the sunless valleys, where
The shadows lie -- what matter? He is there.
And more than this; where're the pathway lead
He gives to me no helpless, broken reed,
But His Own hand, sufficient for my need.
So where He leads me I can safely go.
And in the blest hereafter I shall know
Why in His wisdom He hath led me so.
* * *
There was a college professor who taught freshman English. The first assignment in his class was a 500-word essay on the topic "Why are you attending college?"
The results were predictable: there was a certain sameness to most of these papers. They seemed to have been written according to a formula. In paper after paper, students described college as a means to an end, a way of achieving success, status, prosperity, and security. Only two essays stood out from the rest. These went beyond individual needs and desires. They spoke of how college would help the writers make a difference in the world, working for the good of others.
The professor felt mightily encouraged to read these two essays -- until he realized who had written them. The authors were not from the United States. These students who valued service over success came from Angola and Lebanon.
-- adapted from an item by Mark Trotter, cited in Homiletics Online
* * *
To be where God is -- to follow Jesus -- means going beyond the limits of our own comfort and safety. It means receiving our lives as gifts instead of guarding them as our own possessions. It means sharing the life we have been given instead of bottling it for our own consumption. It means giving up the notion that we can build dams to contain the bright streams of our lives and letting them go instead, letting them swell their banks and spill their wealth until they carry us down to where they run, full and growing fuller, into the wide and glittering sea.
-- Barbara Brown Taylor, The Seeds of Heaven (Westminster, 2004)
* * *
I couldn't remember the point anymore; a lot of rewards had come my way, but I felt like a veteran greyhound at the racetrack who finally figures out that she's been chasing mechanical bunnies; all that energy, and it's not even a real rabbit.
-- Anne Lamott, Traveling Mercies (Pantheon, 1999), p. 266
* * *
The great heresy of our time is the belief that having more can substitute for being more.
-- French philosopher Gabriel Marcel
* * *
The most prophetic thing that Thomas Merton ever did was to say to a drugstore clerk who asked him which brand of toothpaste he preferred, "I don't care." Intrigued by the clerk's response, Merton wrote, "He almost dropped dead. I was supposed to feel strongly about Colgate or Pepsodent or Crest... and they all have a secret ingredient." He concluded that "the worst thing you can do is not care about these things."
Merton wrote in the early 1960s, long before the art of making us care about "the secret ingredient" had so aggressively entered into every aspect of American life. We can't ride a bus, open a magazine, or go online without being asked to consider which insurance company offers the best rates or which paper towel picks up the most dirt. [Now] is a good time to reclaim our senses and reply with a resounding, "I don't care!"
-- Kathleen Norris, "Apocalypse Now," in The Christian Century, November 15, 2005
* * *
We have many commodities but little satisfaction, little sense of the sufficiency of anything. The scarcity of satisfaction makes of our many commodities an infinite series of commodities, the new commodities invariably promising greater satisfaction than the older ones. In fact, the industrial economy's most marketed commodity is satisfaction, and this commodity, which is repeatedly promised, bought, and paid for, is never delivered.
-- Wendell Berry, cited by L. Shannon Jung in Food for Life (Augsburg Fortress, 2004), p. 3
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: God is our shepherd.
People: We have no other needs.
Leader: Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
People: I will fear no evil.
Leader: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us always.
People: We shall dwell in the house of God for ever.
OR
Leader: Fear not, God is with us!
People: But the world is a scary place.
Leader: The world is scary, but God is with us.
People: The evil of the world overwhelms me.
Leader: But it doesn't overwhelm God.
People: We will trust in God and we will overcome.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"Be Still, My Soul"
found in:
UMH: 534
AAHH: 135
NNBH: 263
NCH: 488
CH: 566
"Give to the Winds Thy Fears"
found in:
UMH: 129
PH: 286
"We Shall Overcome"
found in:
UMH: 533
AAHH: 542
NNBH: 501
NCH: 570
CH: 630
"Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"
found in:
UMH: 349
NNBH: 195
"Out of the Depths I Cry to You"
found in:
UMH: 515
H82: 666
PH: 240
NCH: 483
CH: 510
LBW: 295
"Hope of the World"
found in:
UMH: 178
H82: 472
PH: 360
NCH: 46
CH: 538
LBW: 493
"Leaning on the Everlasting Arms"
found in:
UMH: 133
AAHH: 371
NNBH: 262
NCH: 471
CH: 560
"O Mary, Don't You Weep"
found in:
UMH: 134
"All I Need Is You"
found in:
CCB: 100
"The Steadfast Love of the Lord"
found in:
CCB: 28
Renew: 23
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who created us to live without fear in your love: Grant us the grace to truly trust in your compassion and care that we may not fear anything in this life or the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We have come to this time of worship, O God, to offer our praise and thanksgivings to you. We come in awe of your greatness, and you offer to receive us in love and compassion. Help us not to fear that which is around us, since we are always held in your gracious hand. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially the ways in which we let our fears determine how we act.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We have focused our eyes on those things around us, and in our fear of them we have forsaken your path. We fear the evil things around us. We fear the thought of being poor or naked or homeless. We fear becoming ill and dying. We fear being embarrassed or ridiculed. We fear life. Forgive us, and by the power of your Spirit fill us with such faith in you that we will never fear. Amen.
Leader: God's love and grace is sufficient for us. God loves us perfectly, and perfect love casts out fear. May the grace of God grow in your hearts as you live bravely in the presence and power of God.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We worship you, our God and our Shepherd, for you are the one who is and was and is to come. You are the Eternal One who holds us safely in your own hand.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We have focused our eyes on those things around us, and in our fear of them we have forsaken your path. We fear the evil things around us. We fear the thought of being poor or naked or homeless. We fear becoming ill and dying. We fear being embarrassed or ridiculed. We fear life. Forgive us and by the power of your Spirit fill us with such faith in you that we will never fear.
We give you thanks for all the times we have been aware of your presence in our midst. We give you thanks for all the times you have walked with us and carried us and we were unaware of your being there. We thank you for those you have sent to nurture and assist us in the difficult times of life. Most of all we thank you for Jesus, who came to share the good news with us that we do not need to fear for you are always with us and for us.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray to you for those who live in fear. We know that life is hard for many who are hungry, homeless, and lost. We pray that as you encircle them with your love and care, you would enable us to be a brave presence helping them to trust you and to give up their fears.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father... Amen.
(or if the Lord's Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Visuals
a picture of Jesus asleep in the boat during the storm or walking on the stormy sea
Children's Sermon Starter
Ask the children if they have ever been afraid. Think of a time when you were afraid but didn't need to be. There are things we need to be careful about (we don't stick our hands into a fire, walk into a busy street, or take rides from strangers), but God loves us and we never have to be afraid of losing God's love. God's love is forever.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Safe in His Hands
John 10:22-30
Good morning, boys and girls! Jesus tells us some wonderful things in our gospel today. He says that his sheep will hear his voice and follow him, that they will never be lost, and that nobody can take them away from him. Now, who are his sheep? (let them answer) Yes, that's right. We are his sheep! You and I! Doesn't it make you feel good that we are safe in his hands and nobody can drag us away from him? (let them answer)
Okay, let me show you what Jesus is saying to us. Let me be Jesus for a moment and __________ (pick a child who will let you hold him or her firmly) can come to me. Now, as I hold __________ firmly, I want __________ (pick a small child who will not pull too hard) to try to take him/her away from me. You see, __________ can't take __________ away from me because I am holding him/her firmly. That's how Jesus holds onto us and keeps us safe.
But, look what happens if __________ decides to leave me. (let the child leave without holding on to him or her) You see, there is no problem for __________ to leave if he/she wants to. We can walk away from Jesus. He won't hold on to us if we want to leave, but he won't let anybody take us away from him as long as we want to be his child. Do all of you want to stay with Jesus and be his children? (let them answer) Good! As long as you don't leave him, he won't leave you!
Prayer: Dear Jesus: Thank you so much for holding us and keeping us safe. Amen.
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The Immediate Word, April 25, 2010, issue.
Copyright 2010 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 or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
