Joy In the Midst of Sadness
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
For April 3, 2022:
Joy In the Midst of Sadness
by Katy Stenta
Psalm 126, Isaiah 43:16-21, John 12:1-8
In the Scriptures
Psalm 126 promises restoration. There is a promise of joy, even though what has been sown before was sown in tears. It is the promise of the new thing that is in Isaiah 43:16-21. The entire promise is one of resurrection after death. But let’s first dwell in the Old Testament before skipping to Easter. Isaiah 43:18-19 tells us not to be held back by the old things: “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old, I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” As an old world is dying away, do we feel on the cusp of a new thing? Or do we merely dwell in what used to be? Why is it so hard for humans to feel joy when we are in transition? Why is it that we have to fully absorb a loss before we can move on to enjoy the new thing? But this is where we are. In the psalm we are told that loss is a part of the process to moving onto to joy. In Isaiah, we are warned against dwelling on, or being trapped in the past. You cannot see the new thing if your eyes are always looking backward.
If God is making all things new, then we need to allow ourselves to rejoice in the things that are changing that are good. God promises to take care of us all, with food in Psalm 126 and water in Isaiah 43. The time for mourning happens, but also the time to relax and be cared for as Jesus is in the house of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. Jesus does not let anyone rob him of his moment of joy, he is renewed so that we might all be renewed. These scriptures read a bit like a self-care manual; get outside, be in community, drink water, bathe, spend time with your friends, rest. As a whole they remind us to accept the joy you can, especially in the process of transition and the making of all things new.
In the News
One of the most telling and difficult items in the news recently was the confirmation hearing for Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. During her hearing she was asked pedantic questions, dismissed and interrupted many times. However, there were two moments of renewal. The first was when someone asked what helped her on her journey, and she told of a story of when another anonymous black woman passing her by saw something in her face as she felt lost on Harvard campus and leaned over to tell her to “persevere.” A second such moment was when Senator Cory Booker used his time to tell Justice Jackson not to let anyone steal her joy, because what she has accomplished was for everyone, and he was holding onto that hard.
Another such hopeful story was about the girl who recently sang “Let it Go” from a Ukrainian bunker, giving a piece of joy and hope to those outwitting the bombs. Last week she performed the Ukrainian national anthem for thousands in Poland to raise money for refugees.
In the Sermon
As we look to how God is remaking the world, even today, the question is how are we letting go of the past so that we can see the new thing God has made — and experience the joy in that new thing (or things). Nothing is too small to count toward joy. God likes snacks, your favorite song playing on the radio, and seeing friends. Joy is a survival technique, and a pathway to renewal. It is not to be confused with toxic positivity, which is something to avoid.
The key value is happiness, not just being positive. Happiness comes from valuing community over feeling good for a moment — caring for one another instead of avoiding all personal discomfort. Time is needed to sow that happiness, just as the psalm advises, because this is an important aspect of our lives. God is making all things new. Let us be a part of the renewal.
SECOND THOUGHTS
Joy in Action
by Mary Austin
John 12:1-8
Everyone fortunate enough to be at this dinner where Jesus is anointed goes home with a story to tell. Even without TikTok or a first century version of the Real Housewives of Bethany, the story spreads widely enough to make it into all four gospels, written down in different places, during different decades. This anointing must have been memorable, scandalous, and gossip-worthy.
Only John makes Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, the one who anoints Jesus, and his gospel places the story immediately after the resurrection of Lazarus. Placed there, we can see this anointing as an act of thanksgiving for the restoration of Lazarus. Mary wept for her brother, experienced the aching depth of grief, and then suddenly her grief was upended by the wholly (and holy) unexpected gift of Lazarus’ return. This incredible surprise must have been an emotional rollercoaster for both Mary and Martha.
Not long afterward, Mary performs this bold action against a backdrop of danger. Before this, we hear that, “Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what he had done.” The authorities are already plotting against Jesus, and he withdraws from public life. In anointing Jesus, Mary is engaging in an act of thanksgiving, and also an act of public witness.
Mary can see past fear and death to the need for joy. She knows that the moment is ripe for thanksgiving. Mary is not lost in the death of Lazarus, or in the newly revealed fragility of love. She is not lost in fear for Jesus, either. Our world is full of war, Covid’s ebbs and flows, and financial uncertainty. We have a call to create joy, and share it, in the face of so many forms of death, following Mary’s example. Any kind of joy, in the face of death and sorrow, is an act of faith. Some even call it an act of resistance against the powers that demean and diminish us.
Author Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts is one of the people sparking a conversation about Black joy — joy in the face of a unfair and wearying world. In the summer of 2020, mid-pandemic and grappling with the murder of George Floyd, she wrote about a moment of joy as she danced with her young daughter in the rain. “Our dancing in the rain wasn’t a denial of all the storms that had moved in on Black people that week. It was a dare. An indignant stance of confidence in the midst of this malignant monsoon called systemic racism. Our laughter was a way to say “you can’t steal our joy” to anyone who’d dare deny our humanity.” She adds, “Joy as resistance isn’t as much of a stretch as some might think.”
As Mary stands in this hinge moment between the death of her brother and the upcoming death of Jesus, she takes a chance on celebration. She has soaked up everything Jesus has to teach her, sitting at his feet, and now she returns the surpassing kindness he has given so many other people. As Mary expresses a deep thanksgiving to Jesus, her action points ahead to his care for his disciples in the next chapter of John’s gospel. As Jesus washes their feet, he mirrors Mary’s devotion in a spiral of joy, even facing the pain of coming death.
Designer Ingrid Fetell Lee studies joy and she notes that our culture, in particular, needs more joy in the face of our narratives about incessant happiness. She observes, “Because we’ve been sold the idea that happiness is something we should be able to achieve on our own terms, sadness means that it’s our fault that we’ve somehow missed the mark. For example, the sadness of a breakup or losing a job can make us feel ashamed, as if we didn’t try hard enough (and comments from family can sometimes reinforce this), when in fact it was simply poor timing, corporate downsizing, or bad luck.” Happiness is situational, joy runs deeper. Mary taps into that timeless well of joy in her actions with Jesus, calling him — and us — out of fear and worry.
Or, as Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts says, “Choosing to express our joy loudly and without reservation is directly connected to bringing our Imago Dei (made in the image of God) humanity front and center in the movement.” Mary understands this, and call us to live with deep thanksgiving and enduring joy as well.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Dean Feldmeyer:
Isaiah 43:16-21
A New Thing
Turbinia
Sir Charles Algernon Parsons was an engineer who designed a marine, steam turbine engine from scratch. In order to do so, he had to learn naval engineering and, once he had perfected the design, he couldn’t find a company that was interested in producing it. The company he ended up hiring had never built a boat before. Sadly, when the boat was finished, no one was interested. The United Kingdom’s navy was, at that time, made up of sailing ships. Some of them had small turbine engines that were used for maneuvering in tight situations but their main power on the sea was wind.
So, on June 26, 1897, Sir Charles took his steam turbine-powered yacht, the Turbina, uninvited and unannounced, to the Navy Review for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria at Spithead, and gave an unauthorized demonstration in front of the Prince of Wales, foreign dignitaries, and Lords of the Admiralty.
Moving at 34 knots (39 mph), the Turbinia passed all of the Royal Navy ships in the review, whose top speed was a mere 27 knots or about 30 mph.
Within two years the destroyers HMS Viper and Cobra were launched with Parsons' steam turbine engines, soon followed by the TS King Edward, a passenger ship, in 1901, and the RMS Victorian and RMS Virginian, two transatlantic ships, in 1905. The first turbine-powered battleship, HMS Dreadnought, was launched in 1906.
* * *
Isaiah 43:16-21
A New Thing 2.0
Bicycles
In 1817, a German baron named Karl von Drais created a steerable, two-wheeled contraption with a seat that was propelled by the rider kicking along the street. This early prototype, which was called the “velocipede,” “hobby-horse,” “draisine” and “running machine,” was responsible for Drais being widely accepted as the father of the modern bicycle. Unfortunately for him, however, his invention’s popularity was short lived and was widely derided as a fad and nothing more.
Poet John Keats said that it was “nothing of the day.” His early version continued to be improved upon across Europe, however, and by the 1860’s, several different French inventors had developed prototypes with pedals attached to the front wheel. These were the first machines to be called “bicycles,” but they were also known as “boneshakers” for their rough ride and only ardent enthusiasts could ride them for more than a few minutes.
Today, there are more than a billion bicycles in the world, twice as many as automobiles. In recent years bike production had climbed to over 100 million per year (compared to 50 million cars).
Light bulb
Back when people used to kill whales to light their homes with their fat, the lightbulb was a pretty big deal.
It was such a big deal that when Thomas Edison announced he’d be showing his new invention to the world, many scientists arrived at his lab in New Jersey to see it for themselves.
Still, some people were not impressed. Henry Morton, the first president of Stevens Institute of Technology, called it “a conspicuous failure.”
* * *
Isaiah 43:16-21
A New Thing 3.0
In 1957, Ken Olson, co-founder of Digital Equipment Corporation and the inventor of one of the first computers, said that he could not imagine a reason why anyone would want to own a computer.
See if you can figure out what “new things” were the subject of these quotes:
"This device has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. It is inherently of no value to us." Western Union internal memo dated 1876, explaining why they refused to purchase a new invention called the telephone.
"I do not believe this invention will ever affect the riding of horses." Mr. Scott-Montague, MP, in the United Kingdom in 1903 talking about automobiles.
"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?" David Sarnoff's Associates rejecting a proposal for investment in the radio in the 1920s.
"Who wants to hear actors talk?" H.M. Warner (Warner Brothers) before rejecting a proposal for movies with sound in 1927.
"This is typical Berlin hot air. The product is worthless." Letter sent by Heinrich Dreser, head of Bayer's Pharmacological Institute, rejecting Felix Hoffmann's invention of aspirin. At that point, Bayer was standing by its ‘star’ painkiller diacetylmorphine. This alternative drug reportedly made factory workers feel animated and ‘heroic,’ which is why Bayer decided to aptly name it ‘heroin.’ Later on, due to its ‘funny’ side effects it was decided to take heroin off the market. Bayer's chairman eventually intervened to overrule Dreser's decision and accept aspirin as Bayer's main painkiller. More than 10 billion tablets of aspirin are swallowed annually.
"The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible." A Yale university professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. Smith went on to found Federal Express.
And my very favorite:
"So, we went to Atari and said, 'Hey, we've got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we'll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we'll come work for you.' And they said, 'No.' So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, 'Hey we don't need you. You haven't got through college yet." Apple Computer Inc. founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get Atari and HP interested in his and Steve Wozniak's new invention, the personal computer.
* * *
Psalm 126
From Tears To Triumph
One day in July 2000, Sharon Everett, a 51-year-old wife and mother from Fort Thomas, Kentucky, was returning home from the grocery store. Unknown to Sharon, pool chemicals in the shopping bags behind the driver’s seat had leaked into other products she was bringing home. As she turned into her driveway, the interior of her car exploded into flames.
By the time firefighters got her out of the car, almost 60 percent of her body was covered with third-degree burns. Her ears, eyelids, lips, nose, and hair were destroyed. Sharon doesn’t remember the fire. But her husband and five adult children remember her five-month, drug-induced coma and how emotionally overwhelming it was to take care of her when she finally came home seven months later.
Through it all, Sharon remained strong and uncomplaining. She had the loving support of her family and her community. But still, as her daughter, Katie, explained, “You feel so helpless, like you’re the only ones who’ve ever been through this traumatic injury.”
Katie learned of the Phoenix Society, a support organization in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for burn patients. She urged Sharon and the rest of the family to go to the society’s 2001 World Burn Congress. There, Sharon met other burn survivors who were living amazing, happy lives. She began to volunteer at her hospital’s burn clinic and provide sensitivity training to people who interact with burn survivors.
In 2011, Sharon and her husband, George, received the Harman Award for outstanding leadership in support of the Phoenix Society. Sharon still has her down days, but as she counsels other burn survivors, “Your life may be changed, but it’s not over. And in some ways, it’s going to be so much better than it was before.”
* * *
Psalm 126
From Tears To Triumph 2.0
Marguerite “Maggie” Barankitse’s harrowing journey began in October 1993. In her country of Burundi, tensions had heated to a boiling point between the two major ethnic groups, the Hutus and the Tutsis. Maggie, a Tutsi, went to the house of the Archbishop of Ruyigi for safety.
She tried to protect her seven children as well as 72 Hutu friends and their children. But Tutsi rebels invaded the building. They tied her to a chair then stripped her. They wouldn’t kill her because she was a Tutsi. But they did murder the 72 Hutus in front of her and threw her best friend’s head into her lap. Maggie paid a small ransom to save 25 of her friends’ children. Her own seven children also survived. With no resources and so many children to care for, Maggie set about finding a solution. Soon, she had 200 children to feed, clothe, and house. She asked everyone for food and land. Eventually, she founded Maison Shalom (“House of Peace”) in Ruyigi for both Hutu and Tutsi orphans.
It grew from one home to a compound with over 3,000 homes, plus schools, farms, a hospital, and even a bank. In the last 20 years Maison Shalom has provided a safe, loving home to over 20,000 children. Maggie wants the children to be educated so they’ll have better lives. She also works to successfully reintegrate them into the outside community. “I know I can die in peace now,” says Maggie, “because my children will continue to pass on the message of peace and love wherever they are.”
* * *
John 12:1-8
Joy Denied
In this text from John’s gospel we find Mary trying to express gratitude and joy and Judas trying to deny her that expression. But it doesn’t always require someone else to poo-poo our joy. Sometimes we do it to ourselves.
Writing for Psychology Today, psychologist Lisa Firestone offers these Five Reasons We Don't Let Ourselves Be Happy.
1. It disrupts our sense of identity.
No matter how negative our self-perception may be, like a heavy blanket, it can feel familiar, comfortable, and safe. If we start to develop or change ourselves in some way that counters our cruel self-attacks, we can start to feel extremely uncomfortable and anxious. It can feel scary to surpass the way we’ve previously seen ourselves or been seen.
2. It challenges our defenses.
Our defenses are like armor we built against whatever hurt us. If we had an absent or rejecting parent or caretaker, we may make a vow to never let anyone too close. If we were often mistreated, punished or misunderstood, we may feel scared to stand out, succeed, or be noticed. We build defenses to adapt to undesirable elements of our early environment, but when we grow up and are in a new situation as adults, these behaviors and patterns are often no longer adaptive.
3. It causes us anxiety.
Going after what we want makes us feel more anxious and alive. When we act against our critical inner voice and break with our defenses, we tend to feel pretty stirred up at first. The voice in our head gets louder, and our desire to act against our own interest gets stronger. In these moments, giving up can actually soothe our anxiety by returning us to what’s comfortable and familiar.
4. It stirs up guilt.
Choosing to be happy in the present can represent a break from our past, particularly when we are challenging defenses and choosing a different life for ourselves. It’s very common to feel guilty to be our own separate person and, especially to surpass people from our past.
5. It forces us to face pain.
Psychologist Pat Love once said, “When you long for something like love, it becomes associated with pain.” In many ways, getting what we want makes us feel pain and sadness, because it reminds us of something we didn’t get in our past. New, positive experiences can open up old wounds. In an often unexpected way, those times when we are chosen can make us feel the sadness of times we were rejected.
* * *
John 12:1-8
Joy Pursued
In the same article noted above, Dr. Firestone offers these suggestions on how we might be able to intentionally and unapologetically pursue our own happiness.
It’s a strange twist that the very thing that we most want, or that will be best for us, is often what we are most resistant to, she says. No one else can tell us what will make us happy or what’s most important to us. This is something we all have to determine for ourselves, and once we do, it’s our job to work for it.
There are five good ways to pursue the happiness you desire:
* * * * * *
From team member Chris Keating:
Isaiah 43:16-21
Birthing hope
Isaiah’s proclamation of hope emerges from a people in crisis and exile. When the memories of the past are etched with trauma and grief, embracing the future is difficult at best. Yet the prophet remembers that the deepest history of Israel is a story of a people formed in hope. Because of this, the prophet denounces the evil of the present moment and clings to the belief that God is about to do something new.
As Russia’s assault of Ukraine continues, Ukrainians are experiencing their own moment of exile. For some who have remained in the country, the fear of what will happen next has been balanced with the absolute delight of celebrating new birth. For Tamara Kravchuk, a 37-year old mother of a baby born in Mykolaiv, the scariest moments came early in the fighting as the southern port city was bombarded by Putin’s forces “from all sides.”
According to CBS News, Kravchuk’s daughter is one of 49 children born since the war began.
“I'm really scared of what's going to happen next, how it's going to end,” Kravchuk said. She is particularly concerned about the impact of the war on children. “When I look at the number of victims, 50, 70 people, among them little children, then I have questions: What are they to blame for? Why did they get into such critical circumstances? And what will happen next?” she said. “Most of all, I fear for the children and for the future. It's scary to think how we will live here, in other cities, and will we be able to exist at all? That's what we're all worried about.”
Still, the birth of her daughter gives her hope. “No matter what happens now, I’m the happiest person. I just feel happiness because my daughter is happy.”
Kravchuk holds to the promise that war will end. “I think the war will end and we will live as it was before. Our life will be calm again and everything will be okay,” she said. “I hope our children won't see all these crazy things and everything will be good. There is no other way.”
* * *
John 12:1-8
Impetuous acts of generosity versus the slap seen round the world
Mary’s devotion to Jesus leads her to break open a flask of precious perfume — no doubt a response seemingly as impetuous as Will Smith’s assaulting of comedian Chris Rock at the Academy Awards. But where Smith’s motivations were anger, Mary’s were love and gratitude. Both involved breaking lines of decorum and expectations, but only Mary’s actions were rooted in faithfulness.
Smith, who has apologized to Rock and to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts, said he was protecting his wife. His actions were criticized as being an example of toxic masculinity and bravado masquerading as protection. Even if he was motivated by love for his wife, the outburst of violence perpetuated the myth of healing bruised egos with bar room brawls.
One Twitter user compared Smith’s actions with the way Patrick Johnson, husband of Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, comforted her following her brutal nomination hearing. Johnson tenderly embraced his wife after she endured the political bruising from Republican senators. “I'll bet this husband really wanted to (respond angrily) last week after the disrespectful comments and insults directed at his wife last week. Instead of reacting, he comforted his wife and assured her that everything is okay,” tweeted Adrian Green.
Where Smith reacted in anger, Mary responded in generosity and love. Her response was the corrective to violence and toxic behavior. She, too, had witnessed deep personal pain, not to mention the rather confusing feelings of watching her brother walk out of his own tomb. Her act was equally spontaneous and reflexive — but grounded in devotion and love.
* * *
John 12:1-8
Generosity is more than money
Judas frets over the spilled perfume, but Jesus delights in the gift Mary offers. It’s a reminder that our acts of generosity can include more than money, and that nurturing a spirit of devoted generosity can be modelled on Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet. MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, recently disclosed that she has given almost $4 billion dollars to 465 nonprofits in the past nine months. The donations bring the total that Scott has given away in the past two years to more than $12 billion.
It's an outlandish, astonishing sum of money, but also a reflection of her commitment to give away at least half of her wealth. Scott signed the Giving Pledge, a commitment of the world’s wealthiest individuals to giving away the majority of their wealth. Philanthropy historian Tyrone McKinley Freeman notes that Scott’s extreme generosity is marked not only by the amounts of money she is giving, but also by the spirit of her gifts. For example, instead of concentrating on one particular need, Scott has donated to an array of charitable causes. “Her latest donations even include global organizations like CARE and HIAS that are serving the needs of Ukrainians whose lives have been turned upside down,” Freeman notes.
Scott operates without an office or website, and works to encourage generosity among those who may not be able to give a lot of money — or even none at all.
“For her its about generosity, not just the dollars,” Freeman continues. “She’s definitely thinking beyond the tax breaks she’ll get for charitable gifts.”
* * * * * *
WORSHIP
by George Reed
Call to Worship
One: When God restored our fortunes, we were like those who dream.
All: Then our mouth was filled with laughter and shouts of joy.
One: God has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.
All: Restore our fortunes, O God, like the watercourses in the Negeb.
One: Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,
All: shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.
OR
One: God comes among us in our memories of the past.
All: We rejoice that God has always been with us.
One: God comes among us in our present moment.
All: Thanks be to God who is here with us now.
One: God comes among us in the potential of the future.
All: Help us, O God, to follow you into tomorrow.
Hymns and Songs
Come, Thou Almighty King
UMH: 61
H82: 365
PH: 139
AAHH: 327
NNBH: 38
NCH: 275
CH: 27
LBW: 522
ELW: 408
W&P: 148
AMEC: 7
All My Hope Is Firmly Grounded
UMH: 132
H82: 665
NCH: 408
CH: 88
ELW: 757
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
UMH: 138
H82: 645/646
PH: 171
NCH: 248
LBW: 456
ELW: 502
Renew: 106
My Jesus, I Love Thee
UMH: 172
AAHH: 574
NNBH: 39
CH: 349
W&P: 468
AMEC: 456/457
Renew: 275
This Is a Day of New Beginnings
UMH: 383
NCH: 417
CH: 518
W&P: 355
Jesu, Jesu
UMH: 432
H82: 602
PH: 367
NCH: 498
CH: 600
ELW: 708
W&P: 273
Renew: 289
Open My Eyes, That I May See
UMH: 454
PH: 324
NNBH: 218
CH: 586
W&P: 480
AMEC: 285
My Faith Looks Up to Thee
UMH: 452
H82: 691
PH: 383
AAHH: 456
NNBH: 273
CH: 576
LBW: 479
ELW: 759
W&P: 419
AMEC: 415
Here, O My Lord, I See Thee
UMH: 623
H82: 318
PH: 520
NCH: 336
CH: 416
LBW: 211
AMEC: 531
I Come with Joy
UMH: 617
H82: 304
PH: 507
NCH: 349
CH: 420
ELW: 482
W&P: 706
Renew: 195
All I Need Is You
CCB: 100
Take Our Bread
CCB: 50
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
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
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day/Collect
O God who created and is ever creating anew:
Grant us the wisdom to learn from the past
and the courage to enter into your future;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God, because you have created and are always creating something new. Help us to learn from the past and then to move beyond it to your new future. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
One: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially our worshiping the past.
All: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We are grateful for the past but too often we idolize it. We refuse to let go of what has been and step our in faith into your new ways. Renew our faith that we may trust in you to lead us to even better things. Amen.
One: God is always looking for better things for us. Receive God’s renewal and learn to serve God in new ways.
Prayers of the People
Praise and adoration to you, O God, creator of all that was and that shall be. Your creations are wondrous and full of your glory.
(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 are grateful for the past but too often we idolize it. We refuse to let go of what has been and step our in faith into your new ways. Renew our faith that we may trust in you to lead us to even better things.
We give you thanks for the ways you have been with us in the past, O God, and for the ways you will be with us in the future. We give you thanks that in your eternal nature you are with us eternally. We thank you for all the ways in which you have made your presence known to us in the here and now. We thank you for all the times you have been with us and we were unaware.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We lift up to you all who are in need this day. We pray for those who are in areas of war and violence. We pray for those who are reaching out in compassion to refugees, the wounded, and the grieving. We pray for those who are working to find peace in the midst of war.
(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 Our Father is not used at this point in the service.)
All this we ask in the name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
* * * * * *
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Party Time!
by Tom Willadsen
John 12:1-8
Ask the kids about parties. What are the occasions for parties?
Certainly birthdays. You might even get some enthusiastic, excited descriptions of birthday parties. If you have a special birthday party memory be ready to share it.
Besides birthdays, when do people have parties?
Does your congregation do something special when people are baptized? Confirmed?
When your family has parties at home, what happens?
In my family someone had to vacuum. Someone scrubbed the bathtub, even though our guests never took a bath! We’d use special dishes; there would be flowers on the table.
In the story from John’s gospel this morning Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were having a party. Jesus was their special guest. Do you know what they were celebrating? Jesus brought Lazarus back to life! After Lazarus had been dead for four days, and was buried in a tomb, Jesus made Lazarus alive again! If that happened in your family, what kind of party would you have?
Here you might want to open it up to the whole congregation...
Lazarus’ sister, Mary, poured perfume on Jesus’ feet. It was super expensive, but it was a special occasion. The whole house smelled wonderful! When you have a party at your house, what are the good smells?
Share some good smells from your parties. Good things cooking, like pot roast and cake. I also remember the smell of the special, festive table cloth we would always have.
Way back in the time of the Bible people had parties. They would do different things at their parties than we do, but parties are times when we celebrate and remember special times that are gifts from God.
Let’s pray: Living and Ever-changing God, thank you for happy, special times when we celebrate good things that you have given us. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, April 3, 2022 issue.
Copyright 2022 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.
- Joy In the Midst of Sadness by Katy Stenta based on Psalm 126, Isaiah 43:16-21, John 12:1-8.
- Second Thoughts: Joy in Action by Mary Austin based on John 12:1-8.
- Sermon illustrations by Dean Feldmeyer, Chris Keating.
- Worship resources by George Reed.
- Children's sermon: Party Time! by Tom Willadsen based on John 12:1-8.
Joy In the Midst of Sadness
by Katy Stenta
Psalm 126, Isaiah 43:16-21, John 12:1-8
In the Scriptures
Psalm 126 promises restoration. There is a promise of joy, even though what has been sown before was sown in tears. It is the promise of the new thing that is in Isaiah 43:16-21. The entire promise is one of resurrection after death. But let’s first dwell in the Old Testament before skipping to Easter. Isaiah 43:18-19 tells us not to be held back by the old things: “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old, I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” As an old world is dying away, do we feel on the cusp of a new thing? Or do we merely dwell in what used to be? Why is it so hard for humans to feel joy when we are in transition? Why is it that we have to fully absorb a loss before we can move on to enjoy the new thing? But this is where we are. In the psalm we are told that loss is a part of the process to moving onto to joy. In Isaiah, we are warned against dwelling on, or being trapped in the past. You cannot see the new thing if your eyes are always looking backward.
If God is making all things new, then we need to allow ourselves to rejoice in the things that are changing that are good. God promises to take care of us all, with food in Psalm 126 and water in Isaiah 43. The time for mourning happens, but also the time to relax and be cared for as Jesus is in the house of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. Jesus does not let anyone rob him of his moment of joy, he is renewed so that we might all be renewed. These scriptures read a bit like a self-care manual; get outside, be in community, drink water, bathe, spend time with your friends, rest. As a whole they remind us to accept the joy you can, especially in the process of transition and the making of all things new.
In the News
One of the most telling and difficult items in the news recently was the confirmation hearing for Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. During her hearing she was asked pedantic questions, dismissed and interrupted many times. However, there were two moments of renewal. The first was when someone asked what helped her on her journey, and she told of a story of when another anonymous black woman passing her by saw something in her face as she felt lost on Harvard campus and leaned over to tell her to “persevere.” A second such moment was when Senator Cory Booker used his time to tell Justice Jackson not to let anyone steal her joy, because what she has accomplished was for everyone, and he was holding onto that hard.
Another such hopeful story was about the girl who recently sang “Let it Go” from a Ukrainian bunker, giving a piece of joy and hope to those outwitting the bombs. Last week she performed the Ukrainian national anthem for thousands in Poland to raise money for refugees.
In the Sermon
As we look to how God is remaking the world, even today, the question is how are we letting go of the past so that we can see the new thing God has made — and experience the joy in that new thing (or things). Nothing is too small to count toward joy. God likes snacks, your favorite song playing on the radio, and seeing friends. Joy is a survival technique, and a pathway to renewal. It is not to be confused with toxic positivity, which is something to avoid.
The key value is happiness, not just being positive. Happiness comes from valuing community over feeling good for a moment — caring for one another instead of avoiding all personal discomfort. Time is needed to sow that happiness, just as the psalm advises, because this is an important aspect of our lives. God is making all things new. Let us be a part of the renewal.
SECOND THOUGHTSJoy in Action
by Mary Austin
John 12:1-8
Everyone fortunate enough to be at this dinner where Jesus is anointed goes home with a story to tell. Even without TikTok or a first century version of the Real Housewives of Bethany, the story spreads widely enough to make it into all four gospels, written down in different places, during different decades. This anointing must have been memorable, scandalous, and gossip-worthy.
Only John makes Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, the one who anoints Jesus, and his gospel places the story immediately after the resurrection of Lazarus. Placed there, we can see this anointing as an act of thanksgiving for the restoration of Lazarus. Mary wept for her brother, experienced the aching depth of grief, and then suddenly her grief was upended by the wholly (and holy) unexpected gift of Lazarus’ return. This incredible surprise must have been an emotional rollercoaster for both Mary and Martha.
Not long afterward, Mary performs this bold action against a backdrop of danger. Before this, we hear that, “Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what he had done.” The authorities are already plotting against Jesus, and he withdraws from public life. In anointing Jesus, Mary is engaging in an act of thanksgiving, and also an act of public witness.
Mary can see past fear and death to the need for joy. She knows that the moment is ripe for thanksgiving. Mary is not lost in the death of Lazarus, or in the newly revealed fragility of love. She is not lost in fear for Jesus, either. Our world is full of war, Covid’s ebbs and flows, and financial uncertainty. We have a call to create joy, and share it, in the face of so many forms of death, following Mary’s example. Any kind of joy, in the face of death and sorrow, is an act of faith. Some even call it an act of resistance against the powers that demean and diminish us.
Author Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts is one of the people sparking a conversation about Black joy — joy in the face of a unfair and wearying world. In the summer of 2020, mid-pandemic and grappling with the murder of George Floyd, she wrote about a moment of joy as she danced with her young daughter in the rain. “Our dancing in the rain wasn’t a denial of all the storms that had moved in on Black people that week. It was a dare. An indignant stance of confidence in the midst of this malignant monsoon called systemic racism. Our laughter was a way to say “you can’t steal our joy” to anyone who’d dare deny our humanity.” She adds, “Joy as resistance isn’t as much of a stretch as some might think.”
As Mary stands in this hinge moment between the death of her brother and the upcoming death of Jesus, she takes a chance on celebration. She has soaked up everything Jesus has to teach her, sitting at his feet, and now she returns the surpassing kindness he has given so many other people. As Mary expresses a deep thanksgiving to Jesus, her action points ahead to his care for his disciples in the next chapter of John’s gospel. As Jesus washes their feet, he mirrors Mary’s devotion in a spiral of joy, even facing the pain of coming death.
Designer Ingrid Fetell Lee studies joy and she notes that our culture, in particular, needs more joy in the face of our narratives about incessant happiness. She observes, “Because we’ve been sold the idea that happiness is something we should be able to achieve on our own terms, sadness means that it’s our fault that we’ve somehow missed the mark. For example, the sadness of a breakup or losing a job can make us feel ashamed, as if we didn’t try hard enough (and comments from family can sometimes reinforce this), when in fact it was simply poor timing, corporate downsizing, or bad luck.” Happiness is situational, joy runs deeper. Mary taps into that timeless well of joy in her actions with Jesus, calling him — and us — out of fear and worry.
Or, as Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts says, “Choosing to express our joy loudly and without reservation is directly connected to bringing our Imago Dei (made in the image of God) humanity front and center in the movement.” Mary understands this, and call us to live with deep thanksgiving and enduring joy as well.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Dean Feldmeyer:Isaiah 43:16-21
A New Thing
Turbinia
Sir Charles Algernon Parsons was an engineer who designed a marine, steam turbine engine from scratch. In order to do so, he had to learn naval engineering and, once he had perfected the design, he couldn’t find a company that was interested in producing it. The company he ended up hiring had never built a boat before. Sadly, when the boat was finished, no one was interested. The United Kingdom’s navy was, at that time, made up of sailing ships. Some of them had small turbine engines that were used for maneuvering in tight situations but their main power on the sea was wind.
So, on June 26, 1897, Sir Charles took his steam turbine-powered yacht, the Turbina, uninvited and unannounced, to the Navy Review for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria at Spithead, and gave an unauthorized demonstration in front of the Prince of Wales, foreign dignitaries, and Lords of the Admiralty.
Moving at 34 knots (39 mph), the Turbinia passed all of the Royal Navy ships in the review, whose top speed was a mere 27 knots or about 30 mph.
Within two years the destroyers HMS Viper and Cobra were launched with Parsons' steam turbine engines, soon followed by the TS King Edward, a passenger ship, in 1901, and the RMS Victorian and RMS Virginian, two transatlantic ships, in 1905. The first turbine-powered battleship, HMS Dreadnought, was launched in 1906.
* * *
Isaiah 43:16-21
A New Thing 2.0
Bicycles
In 1817, a German baron named Karl von Drais created a steerable, two-wheeled contraption with a seat that was propelled by the rider kicking along the street. This early prototype, which was called the “velocipede,” “hobby-horse,” “draisine” and “running machine,” was responsible for Drais being widely accepted as the father of the modern bicycle. Unfortunately for him, however, his invention’s popularity was short lived and was widely derided as a fad and nothing more.
Poet John Keats said that it was “nothing of the day.” His early version continued to be improved upon across Europe, however, and by the 1860’s, several different French inventors had developed prototypes with pedals attached to the front wheel. These were the first machines to be called “bicycles,” but they were also known as “boneshakers” for their rough ride and only ardent enthusiasts could ride them for more than a few minutes.
Today, there are more than a billion bicycles in the world, twice as many as automobiles. In recent years bike production had climbed to over 100 million per year (compared to 50 million cars).
Light bulb
Back when people used to kill whales to light their homes with their fat, the lightbulb was a pretty big deal.
It was such a big deal that when Thomas Edison announced he’d be showing his new invention to the world, many scientists arrived at his lab in New Jersey to see it for themselves.
Still, some people were not impressed. Henry Morton, the first president of Stevens Institute of Technology, called it “a conspicuous failure.”
* * *
Isaiah 43:16-21
A New Thing 3.0
In 1957, Ken Olson, co-founder of Digital Equipment Corporation and the inventor of one of the first computers, said that he could not imagine a reason why anyone would want to own a computer.
See if you can figure out what “new things” were the subject of these quotes:
"This device has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. It is inherently of no value to us." Western Union internal memo dated 1876, explaining why they refused to purchase a new invention called the telephone.
"I do not believe this invention will ever affect the riding of horses." Mr. Scott-Montague, MP, in the United Kingdom in 1903 talking about automobiles.
"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?" David Sarnoff's Associates rejecting a proposal for investment in the radio in the 1920s.
"Who wants to hear actors talk?" H.M. Warner (Warner Brothers) before rejecting a proposal for movies with sound in 1927.
"This is typical Berlin hot air. The product is worthless." Letter sent by Heinrich Dreser, head of Bayer's Pharmacological Institute, rejecting Felix Hoffmann's invention of aspirin. At that point, Bayer was standing by its ‘star’ painkiller diacetylmorphine. This alternative drug reportedly made factory workers feel animated and ‘heroic,’ which is why Bayer decided to aptly name it ‘heroin.’ Later on, due to its ‘funny’ side effects it was decided to take heroin off the market. Bayer's chairman eventually intervened to overrule Dreser's decision and accept aspirin as Bayer's main painkiller. More than 10 billion tablets of aspirin are swallowed annually.
"The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible." A Yale university professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. Smith went on to found Federal Express.
And my very favorite:
"So, we went to Atari and said, 'Hey, we've got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we'll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we'll come work for you.' And they said, 'No.' So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, 'Hey we don't need you. You haven't got through college yet." Apple Computer Inc. founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get Atari and HP interested in his and Steve Wozniak's new invention, the personal computer.
* * *
Psalm 126
From Tears To Triumph
One day in July 2000, Sharon Everett, a 51-year-old wife and mother from Fort Thomas, Kentucky, was returning home from the grocery store. Unknown to Sharon, pool chemicals in the shopping bags behind the driver’s seat had leaked into other products she was bringing home. As she turned into her driveway, the interior of her car exploded into flames.
By the time firefighters got her out of the car, almost 60 percent of her body was covered with third-degree burns. Her ears, eyelids, lips, nose, and hair were destroyed. Sharon doesn’t remember the fire. But her husband and five adult children remember her five-month, drug-induced coma and how emotionally overwhelming it was to take care of her when she finally came home seven months later.
Through it all, Sharon remained strong and uncomplaining. She had the loving support of her family and her community. But still, as her daughter, Katie, explained, “You feel so helpless, like you’re the only ones who’ve ever been through this traumatic injury.”
Katie learned of the Phoenix Society, a support organization in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for burn patients. She urged Sharon and the rest of the family to go to the society’s 2001 World Burn Congress. There, Sharon met other burn survivors who were living amazing, happy lives. She began to volunteer at her hospital’s burn clinic and provide sensitivity training to people who interact with burn survivors.
In 2011, Sharon and her husband, George, received the Harman Award for outstanding leadership in support of the Phoenix Society. Sharon still has her down days, but as she counsels other burn survivors, “Your life may be changed, but it’s not over. And in some ways, it’s going to be so much better than it was before.”
* * *
Psalm 126
From Tears To Triumph 2.0
Marguerite “Maggie” Barankitse’s harrowing journey began in October 1993. In her country of Burundi, tensions had heated to a boiling point between the two major ethnic groups, the Hutus and the Tutsis. Maggie, a Tutsi, went to the house of the Archbishop of Ruyigi for safety.
She tried to protect her seven children as well as 72 Hutu friends and their children. But Tutsi rebels invaded the building. They tied her to a chair then stripped her. They wouldn’t kill her because she was a Tutsi. But they did murder the 72 Hutus in front of her and threw her best friend’s head into her lap. Maggie paid a small ransom to save 25 of her friends’ children. Her own seven children also survived. With no resources and so many children to care for, Maggie set about finding a solution. Soon, she had 200 children to feed, clothe, and house. She asked everyone for food and land. Eventually, she founded Maison Shalom (“House of Peace”) in Ruyigi for both Hutu and Tutsi orphans.
It grew from one home to a compound with over 3,000 homes, plus schools, farms, a hospital, and even a bank. In the last 20 years Maison Shalom has provided a safe, loving home to over 20,000 children. Maggie wants the children to be educated so they’ll have better lives. She also works to successfully reintegrate them into the outside community. “I know I can die in peace now,” says Maggie, “because my children will continue to pass on the message of peace and love wherever they are.”
* * *
John 12:1-8
Joy Denied
In this text from John’s gospel we find Mary trying to express gratitude and joy and Judas trying to deny her that expression. But it doesn’t always require someone else to poo-poo our joy. Sometimes we do it to ourselves.
Writing for Psychology Today, psychologist Lisa Firestone offers these Five Reasons We Don't Let Ourselves Be Happy.
1. It disrupts our sense of identity.
No matter how negative our self-perception may be, like a heavy blanket, it can feel familiar, comfortable, and safe. If we start to develop or change ourselves in some way that counters our cruel self-attacks, we can start to feel extremely uncomfortable and anxious. It can feel scary to surpass the way we’ve previously seen ourselves or been seen.
2. It challenges our defenses.
Our defenses are like armor we built against whatever hurt us. If we had an absent or rejecting parent or caretaker, we may make a vow to never let anyone too close. If we were often mistreated, punished or misunderstood, we may feel scared to stand out, succeed, or be noticed. We build defenses to adapt to undesirable elements of our early environment, but when we grow up and are in a new situation as adults, these behaviors and patterns are often no longer adaptive.
3. It causes us anxiety.
Going after what we want makes us feel more anxious and alive. When we act against our critical inner voice and break with our defenses, we tend to feel pretty stirred up at first. The voice in our head gets louder, and our desire to act against our own interest gets stronger. In these moments, giving up can actually soothe our anxiety by returning us to what’s comfortable and familiar.
4. It stirs up guilt.
Choosing to be happy in the present can represent a break from our past, particularly when we are challenging defenses and choosing a different life for ourselves. It’s very common to feel guilty to be our own separate person and, especially to surpass people from our past.
5. It forces us to face pain.
Psychologist Pat Love once said, “When you long for something like love, it becomes associated with pain.” In many ways, getting what we want makes us feel pain and sadness, because it reminds us of something we didn’t get in our past. New, positive experiences can open up old wounds. In an often unexpected way, those times when we are chosen can make us feel the sadness of times we were rejected.
* * *
John 12:1-8
Joy Pursued
In the same article noted above, Dr. Firestone offers these suggestions on how we might be able to intentionally and unapologetically pursue our own happiness.
It’s a strange twist that the very thing that we most want, or that will be best for us, is often what we are most resistant to, she says. No one else can tell us what will make us happy or what’s most important to us. This is something we all have to determine for ourselves, and once we do, it’s our job to work for it.
There are five good ways to pursue the happiness you desire:
- Don’t go it alone. Share your journey, and tell someone else your goals, so that you feel accountable.
- Recognize a pattern to your critical inner voices and self-destructive behavior. This will help you to recognize when your inner critic is triggered so you can act against its hurtful directives.
- Find active ways to differentiate from negative influences in your past. Try to choose the qualities you want to emulate and reject those you don’t.
- Don’t take the mentality of a victim. Nothing, not even your past, can control you if you’re an independent adult making your own choices.
- Recognize that you’re powerful and capable, and that setbacks won’t unravel you.
* * * * * *
From team member Chris Keating:Isaiah 43:16-21
Birthing hope
Isaiah’s proclamation of hope emerges from a people in crisis and exile. When the memories of the past are etched with trauma and grief, embracing the future is difficult at best. Yet the prophet remembers that the deepest history of Israel is a story of a people formed in hope. Because of this, the prophet denounces the evil of the present moment and clings to the belief that God is about to do something new.
As Russia’s assault of Ukraine continues, Ukrainians are experiencing their own moment of exile. For some who have remained in the country, the fear of what will happen next has been balanced with the absolute delight of celebrating new birth. For Tamara Kravchuk, a 37-year old mother of a baby born in Mykolaiv, the scariest moments came early in the fighting as the southern port city was bombarded by Putin’s forces “from all sides.”
According to CBS News, Kravchuk’s daughter is one of 49 children born since the war began.
“I'm really scared of what's going to happen next, how it's going to end,” Kravchuk said. She is particularly concerned about the impact of the war on children. “When I look at the number of victims, 50, 70 people, among them little children, then I have questions: What are they to blame for? Why did they get into such critical circumstances? And what will happen next?” she said. “Most of all, I fear for the children and for the future. It's scary to think how we will live here, in other cities, and will we be able to exist at all? That's what we're all worried about.”
Still, the birth of her daughter gives her hope. “No matter what happens now, I’m the happiest person. I just feel happiness because my daughter is happy.”
Kravchuk holds to the promise that war will end. “I think the war will end and we will live as it was before. Our life will be calm again and everything will be okay,” she said. “I hope our children won't see all these crazy things and everything will be good. There is no other way.”
* * *
John 12:1-8
Impetuous acts of generosity versus the slap seen round the world
Mary’s devotion to Jesus leads her to break open a flask of precious perfume — no doubt a response seemingly as impetuous as Will Smith’s assaulting of comedian Chris Rock at the Academy Awards. But where Smith’s motivations were anger, Mary’s were love and gratitude. Both involved breaking lines of decorum and expectations, but only Mary’s actions were rooted in faithfulness.
Smith, who has apologized to Rock and to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts, said he was protecting his wife. His actions were criticized as being an example of toxic masculinity and bravado masquerading as protection. Even if he was motivated by love for his wife, the outburst of violence perpetuated the myth of healing bruised egos with bar room brawls.
One Twitter user compared Smith’s actions with the way Patrick Johnson, husband of Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, comforted her following her brutal nomination hearing. Johnson tenderly embraced his wife after she endured the political bruising from Republican senators. “I'll bet this husband really wanted to (respond angrily) last week after the disrespectful comments and insults directed at his wife last week. Instead of reacting, he comforted his wife and assured her that everything is okay,” tweeted Adrian Green.
Where Smith reacted in anger, Mary responded in generosity and love. Her response was the corrective to violence and toxic behavior. She, too, had witnessed deep personal pain, not to mention the rather confusing feelings of watching her brother walk out of his own tomb. Her act was equally spontaneous and reflexive — but grounded in devotion and love.
* * *
John 12:1-8
Generosity is more than money
Judas frets over the spilled perfume, but Jesus delights in the gift Mary offers. It’s a reminder that our acts of generosity can include more than money, and that nurturing a spirit of devoted generosity can be modelled on Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet. MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, recently disclosed that she has given almost $4 billion dollars to 465 nonprofits in the past nine months. The donations bring the total that Scott has given away in the past two years to more than $12 billion.
It's an outlandish, astonishing sum of money, but also a reflection of her commitment to give away at least half of her wealth. Scott signed the Giving Pledge, a commitment of the world’s wealthiest individuals to giving away the majority of their wealth. Philanthropy historian Tyrone McKinley Freeman notes that Scott’s extreme generosity is marked not only by the amounts of money she is giving, but also by the spirit of her gifts. For example, instead of concentrating on one particular need, Scott has donated to an array of charitable causes. “Her latest donations even include global organizations like CARE and HIAS that are serving the needs of Ukrainians whose lives have been turned upside down,” Freeman notes.
Scott operates without an office or website, and works to encourage generosity among those who may not be able to give a lot of money — or even none at all.
“For her its about generosity, not just the dollars,” Freeman continues. “She’s definitely thinking beyond the tax breaks she’ll get for charitable gifts.”
* * * * * *
WORSHIPby George Reed
Call to Worship
One: When God restored our fortunes, we were like those who dream.
All: Then our mouth was filled with laughter and shouts of joy.
One: God has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.
All: Restore our fortunes, O God, like the watercourses in the Negeb.
One: Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,
All: shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.
OR
One: God comes among us in our memories of the past.
All: We rejoice that God has always been with us.
One: God comes among us in our present moment.
All: Thanks be to God who is here with us now.
One: God comes among us in the potential of the future.
All: Help us, O God, to follow you into tomorrow.
Hymns and Songs
Come, Thou Almighty King
UMH: 61
H82: 365
PH: 139
AAHH: 327
NNBH: 38
NCH: 275
CH: 27
LBW: 522
ELW: 408
W&P: 148
AMEC: 7
All My Hope Is Firmly Grounded
UMH: 132
H82: 665
NCH: 408
CH: 88
ELW: 757
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
UMH: 138
H82: 645/646
PH: 171
NCH: 248
LBW: 456
ELW: 502
Renew: 106
My Jesus, I Love Thee
UMH: 172
AAHH: 574
NNBH: 39
CH: 349
W&P: 468
AMEC: 456/457
Renew: 275
This Is a Day of New Beginnings
UMH: 383
NCH: 417
CH: 518
W&P: 355
Jesu, Jesu
UMH: 432
H82: 602
PH: 367
NCH: 498
CH: 600
ELW: 708
W&P: 273
Renew: 289
Open My Eyes, That I May See
UMH: 454
PH: 324
NNBH: 218
CH: 586
W&P: 480
AMEC: 285
My Faith Looks Up to Thee
UMH: 452
H82: 691
PH: 383
AAHH: 456
NNBH: 273
CH: 576
LBW: 479
ELW: 759
W&P: 419
AMEC: 415
Here, O My Lord, I See Thee
UMH: 623
H82: 318
PH: 520
NCH: 336
CH: 416
LBW: 211
AMEC: 531
I Come with Joy
UMH: 617
H82: 304
PH: 507
NCH: 349
CH: 420
ELW: 482
W&P: 706
Renew: 195
All I Need Is You
CCB: 100
Take Our Bread
CCB: 50
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
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
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day/Collect
O God who created and is ever creating anew:
Grant us the wisdom to learn from the past
and the courage to enter into your future;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God, because you have created and are always creating something new. Help us to learn from the past and then to move beyond it to your new future. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
One: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially our worshiping the past.
All: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We are grateful for the past but too often we idolize it. We refuse to let go of what has been and step our in faith into your new ways. Renew our faith that we may trust in you to lead us to even better things. Amen.
One: God is always looking for better things for us. Receive God’s renewal and learn to serve God in new ways.
Prayers of the People
Praise and adoration to you, O God, creator of all that was and that shall be. Your creations are wondrous and full of your glory.
(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 are grateful for the past but too often we idolize it. We refuse to let go of what has been and step our in faith into your new ways. Renew our faith that we may trust in you to lead us to even better things.
We give you thanks for the ways you have been with us in the past, O God, and for the ways you will be with us in the future. We give you thanks that in your eternal nature you are with us eternally. We thank you for all the ways in which you have made your presence known to us in the here and now. We thank you for all the times you have been with us and we were unaware.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We lift up to you all who are in need this day. We pray for those who are in areas of war and violence. We pray for those who are reaching out in compassion to refugees, the wounded, and the grieving. We pray for those who are working to find peace in the midst of war.
(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 Our Father is not used at this point in the service.)
All this we ask in the name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
* * * * * *
CHILDREN'S SERMONParty Time!
by Tom Willadsen
John 12:1-8
Ask the kids about parties. What are the occasions for parties?
Certainly birthdays. You might even get some enthusiastic, excited descriptions of birthday parties. If you have a special birthday party memory be ready to share it.
Besides birthdays, when do people have parties?
Does your congregation do something special when people are baptized? Confirmed?
When your family has parties at home, what happens?
In my family someone had to vacuum. Someone scrubbed the bathtub, even though our guests never took a bath! We’d use special dishes; there would be flowers on the table.
In the story from John’s gospel this morning Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were having a party. Jesus was their special guest. Do you know what they were celebrating? Jesus brought Lazarus back to life! After Lazarus had been dead for four days, and was buried in a tomb, Jesus made Lazarus alive again! If that happened in your family, what kind of party would you have?
Here you might want to open it up to the whole congregation...
Lazarus’ sister, Mary, poured perfume on Jesus’ feet. It was super expensive, but it was a special occasion. The whole house smelled wonderful! When you have a party at your house, what are the good smells?
Share some good smells from your parties. Good things cooking, like pot roast and cake. I also remember the smell of the special, festive table cloth we would always have.
Way back in the time of the Bible people had parties. They would do different things at their parties than we do, but parties are times when we celebrate and remember special times that are gifts from God.
Let’s pray: Living and Ever-changing God, thank you for happy, special times when we celebrate good things that you have given us. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, April 3, 2022 issue.
Copyright 2022 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.
