Power Without Honor
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
This week's lectionary passage from the Hebrew scriptures brings us a fascinating story about the abuse of power -- and the behavior of its principal characters seems eerily familiar from the scandals in our headlines or entertainment on our television screens. It all starts when King Ahab decides that he wants to appropriate a vineyard for a garden on his estate. He essentially tries to take it by a form of eminent domain -- offering what on the surface seems to be relatively fair value for the land. But like more than a few instances of eminent domain today, his motives seem to be more about what profits himself than about the common good. Naboth, the vineyard's owner, flatly rejects the king's proposal and tells Ahab there's no room for negotiation: "The Lord forbid that I should give you my ancestral inheritance" (1 Kings 21:3).
When Ahab comes home and mopes about the situation, his wife Jezebel gets involved -- and then things really get out of hand. Like more than a few "fixers" in our halls of power, she tells Ahab she'll take care of his problem -- and promptly sets in motion a devious plan to achieve the desired ends. It's not just Jezebel's deceit that gets Ahab in trouble; it's also his utter inattention as he looks the other way while Jezebel gets to work. He doesn't ask any questions about what is going on -- and as soon as he learns of Naboth's demise, he wastes no time taking possession of the vineyard he coveted all along. It's notable that in the end, when the chickens come home to roost so to speak, the prophet Elijah confronts Ahab -- not Jezebel -- with condemnation.
In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Mary Austin points out Ahab's willful myopia about the criminal behavior going on under his watch that bears many similarities to the unfolding military sex abuse scandal. The numbers are frightening -- so much so that Sen. John McCain, a noted champion of the military, bluntly said last week that he could not recommend that daughters of his friends should enlist. But even as an impressive panel†of top-ranking generals and admirals appeared before Congress and admitted†that there was a problem, they continued to resist suggestions that reporting and investigation of these incidents should be removed from the chain of command and given to trained specialists. Mary notes that the outraged reaction -- especially by female senators -- echoes the kind of condemnation that Elijah gives to Ahab. Like the king -- who was eventually called to account by the prophet -- Mary suggests that military authorities†who have looked the other way or punished victims rather than their attackers are now facing accountability from whistleblowers who are courageously telling a very uncomfortable truth.
Team member Dean Feldmeyer offers some additional thoughts on the gospel text and its theme of God's forgiveness. When a sinful woman lavishes a jar of ointment on Jesus' feet, the Pharisee eating with him rushes to judgment, suggesting that if Jesus were truly a prophet he would know of her reputation. The Pharisee gets bent out of shape about the violation of the purity laws -- and Jesus responds with a mini-parable about the forgiveness of debts to illustrate that those who have sinned more have a greater appreciation for the immense grace of God's forgiveness. Like that Pharisee, Dean notes that all too often many of us rush to point the finger at whomever we deem responsible for whatever ails us/our church/our community/the world -- and, he suggests, perhaps we might want to emulate God a little more than the judgmental Pharisee.
Power Without Honor
by Mary Austin
1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
Who has power? What can you use it for? Who calls you to account?
The story of Ahab and Naboth's vineyard turns on the question of power -- the king's, the landowner's, and the prophet's -- and how they each use it. Similarly, the recent hearings in Washington DC, in which an array of powerful generals appeared before Congress to testify about the issue of sexual assault in the military, also draw us to look at the use of power.
The stories prompt us to look at the use of power vs. the abuse of power, and to consider what we do with the power we have.
In the News
Senator and former prisoner of war John McCain made headlines when he said he wouldn't encourage women to join the military right now. He expressed disgust with the huge problem of assault in the military, and added: "We've been talking about this issue for years and talk is insufficient."
Military personnel are reluctant to report sexual harassment or assault, and often report that they are pressured to keep quiet when they do make a report. Other times, there's retaliation against the victim. The conversation is heating up and the issue of sexual assault in the military is -- finally -- big news in Washington, as a parade of high-ranking officers recently appeared on Capitol Hill to testify before Congress. They faced a gauntlet of questioning, especially from several women senators who are using the power of their office to focus attention on this long-standing problem.
The military's attempts to correct the problem have been admittedly ineffective, and often painfully laughable. Officers in charge of such programs have even been arrested recently for various offenses of their own, leading one to wonder what message they're really conveying to the men and women under their command. According to CBS News, "A string of recent cases demonstrates the problems. In Virginia, an Air Force officer responsible for sexual assault prevention was charged with groping a woman. In Texas, a Fort Hood Army sergeant -- also in charge of sexual abuse prevention -- is under investigation for assault and forced prostitution. And two cases at the nation's military academies: at West Point, a sergeant on staff is accused of secretly videotaping female cadets; in Annapolis, three midshipmen are accused of raping a classmate."
The Oscar-nominated documentary The Invisible War has also drawn attention to this problem. Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus contends that the film has changed the debate from "whether the military has a sexual assault problem -- the Joint Chiefs, arrayed before the Armed Services Committee, penitently agreed -- to whether, as [filmmakers Kirby] Dick and [Amy] Ziering argue fervently, decisions about such cases should be left to prosecutors and removed from the full discretion of commanders. That notion is anathema to the military, which insists that relieving commanders of such authority would erode good order and discipline. But how? And where is the good order and discipline in an estimated 26,000 instances of unwanted sexual contact last year?"
Members of Congress referred to the film during the hearings, and military commanders have also seen it. "I watched that and it broke my heart," Adm. Robert Papp, the Coast Guard commandant, said, quoted Marcus' piece. "We've made that mandatory viewing for our senior leaders." Marcus adds that The Invisible War has evolved into a training video for the military on an unofficial basis: " 'One of the most effective training methods that we use,' Army Col. Donna Martin testified."
The military command structure has used its power to keep victims quiet, and to protect perpetrators. All too often, their power is used to ensure silence, or shame, or to keep things the way they are.
In the Scriptures
Like the parade of military leaders, Ahab's actions invite us to think about power, and how we use it.
Ahab fails to understand the extent of his power until Jezebel urges him on, and then he misuses his power for a selfish purpose. He understands the power of the monarchy as power to benefit himself. There's no sense of service to the nation, or to the people, in this story. There's no sense that he's horrified by what Jezebel has done either.
Jezebel, like many women, uses her power to persuade a man -- in this case, her husband -- to do something to please her. She hides her power behind someone else, and she's quite persuasive. She manipulates Ahab's desires to exercise power, first over him, and then using his name and position. No one in the story balks, or seems startled by this, so we can imagine that it's not the first time.
Both of them abuse their power to harm someone else, much like the military perpetrators of sexual assault.
Elijah has the power of the truth-teller -- a dangerous path, and one badly needed in places of power. He comes without weapons or armies or any outward signs of power, but Ahab recognizes his power immediately. "Have you found me, oh my enemy?" Ahab asks, recognizing a kind of strength and righteousness completely opposite of his own.
In the Pulpit
The sermon might look at the ways we acquire power, and at formal power contrasted with informal power. Some power comes with status or with a job title. Some power comes because of our gender or skin color or level of education. Some power comes informally, in response to character or experience. The sermon might also look at the kinds of power we value. Why is the power to throw a baseball more interesting than the power to teach someone to read?
Or, every congregation has an Ahab, Jezebel, Naboth, and Elijah. The sermon might consider which person we're most like. Are we Naboth, holding on to tradition when it's no longer wise, or when we can't remember why we're doing it? Are we Jezebel, stirring things up behind the scenes, cultivating conflict as we hide behind someone else? Are we Ahab, pushed around, going along with the loudest voice, even when we know something is wrong? Are there places where we follow Elijah's example, and serve as truth-tellers?
Elijah speaks for God, bringing truth into a place of abuse. The sermon might look at places in our world that could use a similar dose of God's corrective truth. Or, the sermon might consider how we do or don't love the truth, depending on who's telling it, and what we want more than we want the truth.
SECOND THOUGHTS
Rushing to Judgment
by Dean Feldmeyer
Luke 7:36--8:3
"My question isn't about who's going to resign. My question is who's going to jail over this scandal."
Speaker of the House John Boehner is angry. So angry is he, in fact, that before any testimony was heard, any evidence given or reports made, he was ready to send someone from the IRS to jail. Yet even he was willing to admit at the same time that, at that point, it wasn't certain whether any laws had been broken: "I think we need to know who they are, whether they violated the law."
We live in contentious times when it is tempting to rush to judgment before careful consideration, discernment, and even compassion (yes, compassion) can come into play.
In the News
Pick your controversy: sexual harassment in the military, the terrorist attacks in Benghazi, the IRS overstepping its authority, mistreatment of prisoners at Gitmo, the flood of undocumented persons crossing our borders.
Pick any controversy and follow it for even an hour in the media and we will see that the main thing is to find someone to blame and punish.
Solving problems, easing pain, healing wounds, reconciling broken relationships -- all take a backseat to finding someone upon whom we can place the responsibility and against whom we can levy a sanction that fits the crime.
We love listening to our radio talk show hosts belittle, ridicule, and criticize those with whom we disagree. We delight in watching TV judges rake over the coals people who often have done nothing worse than simply making a bad choice and being too embarrassed to admit it.
In the Scriptures
Simon the Pharisee would have been right at home in contemporary American culture.
He kept a mental ledger upon which other people's sins were recorded and counted. Where other people's sins were concerned, he was a regular Arthur Anderson.
When the woman with the alabaster jar of oil comes into his home and approaches Jesus, Simon is quick to point out to Jesus that she is "a sinner." He also seems to want to add Jesus' name to his ledger book of sinners. If Jesus was truly a prophet, he points out, he would have known that she was a sinner and avoided her contaminating touch.
But Jesus isn't interested in attaching blame and condemnation. His interest lies in healing and reconciliation.
Now watch: how sweet is the irony he slathers upon Simon, and how clueless is the Pharisee as it goes right over his head. This woman, Jesus says, has many sins to be forgiven -- so when she receives forgiveness, she is grateful and her love overflows. You, on the other hand, he says to Simon, because you have so very, very few sins to forgive, you don't have to be so grateful.
But Simon and his guests don't get it. Their response: "Who does this guy think he is that he can forgive sins?"
In the Pulpit
The Pharisees are gone, but pharisaism is alive and well.
Self-righteousness abounds. The rush to judge others without regard to healing, grace, or the chance of reconciliation flourish. The need for someone to blame is insatiable. The desire to see someone punished is ravenous.
And often, leading the charge to judgment are people who call themselves Christians.
As surely as Jesus pronounced absolution upon the sins of the woman in this story, as surely as he articulated what God had done for her by grace, so he has done the same for us. Our sins are forgiven, our guilt is taken away, a veil has been closed upon our past, and our future has been opened before us.
As self-aware recipients of God's grace, can we do less than offer that same grace to others? Are we not, as Christians, called not to point a finger but to offer a hand of grace, peace, healing, and reconciliation?
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Leah Lonsbury:
1 Kings 21:1-21a; Luke 7:36--8:3; Galatians 2:15-21
The news this week is full of headlines about the recent leak of classified information by whistleblower Edward Snowden, an analyst with a U.S. defense contractor. These stories are full of questions about power -- who has it, who lays claim to it (rightly or wrongly), the impact it has, and the repercussions that follow for anyone who would challenge it.
Snowden himself is aware of the powers at play, how the powerful react when exposed, and the price he might pay for standing in its way. He writes in a note he wrote to accompany the first documents he leaked to the Washington Post and other media outlets, "I understand that I will be made to suffer for my actions," but "I will be satisfied if the federation of secret law, unequal pardon, and irresistible executive powers that rule the world that I love are revealed even for an instant."
What connections can be made between Elijah confronting Ahab and Snowden challenging the NSA (National Security Agency) and the administration in Washington?
And what power is being challenged in our text from Luke's gospel for this week? Simon's challenge of Jesus is straightforward and runs in the channels of tradition, but Jesus is the real whistleblower in this story. His, however, is a more subtle challenge. His nuance is aimed at making way for grace and forgiveness, gratitude and reconciliation in a system steeped in finger-pointing, blame, and lording over. This challenge to power will cause him to "suffer for [his] actions" as well.
In the letter to the Galatians, Paul blows the whistle on himself as a "transgressor" but leans heavily on the grace and forgiveness established in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Paul counts on and builds his life and ministry around Jesus' disruption of a system of blame and punishment and power that thrives on the destruction of others instead of the reconciling love of God.
* * *
1 Kings 21:1-21a; Luke 7:36--8:3; Galatians 2:15-21
Power has its privileges and that's the problem for striking janitor Bonifacio Salinas. Salinas is one of an estimated 30 workers who declared a two-day strike Monday afternoon to protest the wage and benefit gap between janitors who work at Target Plaza (corporate headquarters) in Minneapolis and those who work for cleaning companies who contract with a downtown store in the same city.
The janitors who work at Target Plaza belong to the Service Employees International Union Local 26 and make, according to the union, on average $13.62/hour. They are also eligible for health care coverage, receive two weeks of vacation, seven paid holidays, and three sick days over the course of a year.
In contrast, Salinas, who works for one of those contracting cleaning companies, makes $8.50/hour and has no paid leave or health care coverage. "They've got decent wages and benefits, and we deserve the same thing," said Salinas. "We should all be making that."
Simply working in the same building as those in power makes all the difference in this case. The work is the same, but the compensation is determined by how closely one mops to the bigwigs. Salinas is striking to disrupt this system of privileged power. Mopping floors is mopping floors, according to him.
How do our systems of power become entrenched, extend to privilege and tamp down in unjust ways, and need disrupting? Where is an Elijah, Paul, Jesus, or Bonifacio Salinas needed to stand in the way of the patterns of power of our congregations, our communities, and our world?
* * *
Luke 7:36--8:3
Even yoga pants can get caught up in power plays and unrepentant finger-pointing, it seems. As lululemon Chief Executive Officer Christine Day announced she was leaving the high-end yoga gear producer for personal reasons, speculation began to fly about what failure or shortcoming had done her in after 5 years with the company. Could it be the recent costly recall of yoga pants with an "unacceptable level of sheerness"? Did that seal the deal for Day?
According to a report from Business Insider, some of lululemon's biggest fans have made a more all-encompassing turn on Day that runs way past the simple indictment of see-through yoga pants. One of those perturbed fans and Day haters is Carolyn Beauchesne, who is known as the "lululemon addict" on her popular fan blog. She writes, "Day has ruined everything special about lululemon. The bulletproof quality, the fit, the femininity, the lululemoness of the product. She is a one-trick pony who grew the company through expansion."
Just as a reminder... we're talking about yoga pants here.
What are the yoga pants in your congregation, your community, or your own life? What are people so fanatically (and perhaps irrationally) tied to that causes them to turn on each other? What causes finger-pointing? What gets people labeled a failure, a "one-trick pony," or even a "sinner" as in our text from Luke for today?
How does Jesus handle this kind of situation? How do we? Do we get caught up in speculation, blaming, and trashing others when we ought to be dealing in forgiveness and grace? How do we begin to make the turn that Jesus takes, the one that relies on a saving faith instead of a pointing finger?
* * *
From team member Chris Keating:
1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
Community Gardens Generate Power
Ahab desired Naboth's land so that he could cultivate a royal vegetable garden, possibly not unlike the gardens of other foreign rulers (see Deuteronomy 11:10). His desire is a betrayal of God's desire that Israel flourish like a vineyard. Moreover, Ahab's coveting of the ground stands in contrast to the values of contemporary urban farmers. Community gardens are places of shared power and values. Ahab's selfish desires would have no place in the more than 18,000 community gardens being cultivated in the United States. Urban gardens bring together diverse individuals, generating vibrant community. Power is shared, though, as simple functions and needs are addressed. As one report notes, Community gardens "both require communities and at the same time create communities. People come together here, but not under the banner of major events, advertising, or the obligation to consume."
Application: Like Naboth's vineyard, which rooted his family in a particular place, community gardens bring families together to enrich their experience of community and shared power.
* * *
1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
Naboth and American Imperialism
During the 1900 presidential race, candidate William Jennings Bryan famously invoked the story of Naboth's vineyard when speaking against the United States' interest in annexing the Philippines. Speaking in Denver, Bryan argued against the nation's desire of new land and citizens. "Wars of conquest have their origin in covetousness," Bryan said, "and the history of the human race has been written in characters of blood because rulers have looked with longing upon the land of others." In opposing President William McKinley, Bryan stood firm in his opposition to "American imperialism," saying "Imperialism might expand the nation's territory, but it would contrast the nation's purpose."
Application: Bryan's argument against imposing colonial rule on foreign nations was that it was against our nation's purpose. His critique of imperialism was rooted in belief that the United States should not exercise dominion over free people. Where are the outspoken critics of unregulated power today?
* * *
1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
Discerning God's Will
Ahab wanted to be successful. A garden would be the perfect symbol of his power. Jezebel wanted the trappings of power even more -- essentially telling her husband to make Naboth an offer he couldn't refuse. Yet, as Elijah points out, this sort of unbridled pursuit of success rarely turns out the way we imagine. Blogger Tim Suttle notes that the great theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer also warned about letting success have absolute sway over our lives. It is God's will that we should discern, not our own striving for success. Suttle quotes a section from Bonhoeffer's noted work Ethics:
In a world where success is the measure and justification of all things, the figure of Him who was sentenced and crucified remains a stranger and is at best the object of pity. The world will allow itself to be subdued only by success. It is not ideas or opinions which decide, but deeds. Success alone justifies wrongs done.... With a frankness and off-handedness which no other earthly power could permit itself, history appeals in its own cause to the dictum that the end justifies the means.... The figure of the Crucified invalidates all thought which takes success for its standard.
* * *
Luke 7:36--8:3
Unexpected Power Sources
During my first semester at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1984, I soon noticed a distinguished African clergyman living in my residence hall. I learned that he was from Ethiopia and that his name was Bishop Paulos. What I didn't know was that Paulos was an important cleric in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and was living in exile because members of the ruling junta despised his views. Upon his later return to Ethiopia, Bishop Paulos was eventually elected patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. During his days at Princeton, he seemed the quintessential image of the demure scholar. But this slightly built, quiet scholar was a stalwart if surprising advocate for peace. He led international relief efforts for his own people throughout the '90s, and presided over the funeral of the former Emperor Haile Selassie in 2000 despite the government's hostile reaction to the event. He stood fast in the face of a vicious regime. When that regime fell, many of its officials were sentenced to long prison terms for the atrocities they had caused. As Patriarch Abune Paulos, he sought pardons for repentant members of the regime, instructing his church that it was the duty of Christians to offer forgiveness.
Application: Jesus teaches Simon the meaning of true forgiveness. While Abune Paulos had every reason to personally resent members of the junta who had caused harm to his country, he chose the path of forgiveness instead.
* * *
From team member Ron Love:
1 Kings 21:1-21a
In February of this year, Christopher Dorner was the most wanted man in America. Having been dismissed from the Los Angeles Police Department, he threatened to bring "warfare" upon all officers and their families. As the manhunt ensued over the weeks, a series of events caused authorities to believe that Dorner was hiding in the tourist community of Big Bear Lake. In time he was found residing in an unoccupied cabin that was directly across the street from the police command post that was established for the search on Big Bear Mountain. A gunfight erupted, and one deputy was killed and a second was wounded. In an attempt to capture Dorner the cabin was set ablaze by police using pyrotechnic tear gas. Dorner's charred body was later recovered. He died from either the burning cabin or a self-inflicted gunshot.
Application: The story of Naboth tells us just how closely evil can lurk. It can be as close as across the street.
* * *
1 Kings 21:1-21a
Richard Ramirez recently died of natural causes in San Quentin prison. Better known to the public as the "Night Stalker" who terrorized California in the mid-1980s, Ramirez killed at least 13 people and then mutilated their bodies -- though it is probable the list of victims is much longer. He came to be known as the "Night Stalker" because he usually entered a home at night through an open window. After being sentenced to death, on leaving the courtroom Ramirez offered only a one-word comment: "Evil."
Application: Jezebel is a testimony that evil will always abound around us.
* * *
2 Samuel 11:26--12:10, 13-15
Vijay Singh has long been a fixture in the sporting news because of his exceptional golfing ability -- he has won multiple major tournaments, and his achievements have placed him in the World Golf Hall of Fame. But his name has been in the headlines recently for less lofty reasons, as he has sued the PGA Tour in an attempt, he says, to "reclaim his reputation".
But why should that be necessary? Perhaps it's because there is so much that is not known about this great athlete that could call into question his exceptional golfing ability. Did Singh cheat on his golf card in Indonesia? Did he knowingly use the banned growth hormone substance IGF-1 found in deer antler spray? Why did he purchase $9,000 worth of products from SWATS (Sports With Alternatives To Steroids)? Which Singh do we really know? Or is he a little of both?
Application: We must wonder, how much did the wife of Uriah really know about David?
* * *
2 Samuel 11:26--12:10, 13-15
A recent "Dear Abby" column featured a question from a reader who was disturbed by a conversation a girlfriend related to her. The friend listened to a conversation in the lunch room at work, as the employees discussed what they would do if they won the lottery. The friend reported, "Without exception, everyone in that room said the first thing they would do is get a divorce." The questioner, who dubbed herself, "Happily Single But Still a Believer in Marriage," wondered if that really was the state of marriage in America. Abby replied that she had never done a survey on the subject, but the conversation is a "sad commentary" on the state of marriage for her friends.
Application: It would appear that even David, with all his authority and possessions, was still seeking in Bathsheba to win the lottery.
* * *
Luke 7:36--8:3
It was Ash Wednesday and Pope Benedict XVI was to preside at his last official Mass prior to his retirement. As he stood at the altar, a resounding applause echoed through St. Peter's Square. The pope simply responded, "Grazie. Now let us return to prayer." With the simple word grazie -- "thank you" -- all the attending bishops, in a very rare gesture of admiration and respect, removed their mitres.
Application: The woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her hair understood the meaning of "grazie."
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Give ear to our words, O God; give heed to our sighing.
People: Listen to the sound of our cry, for to you we pray.
Leader: O God, in the morning you hear our voice;
People: in the morning we plead our case to you and watch.
Leader: For you are not a God who delights in wickedness.
People: Lead us, O God; make your way straight before us.
OR
Leader: Come to worship the God who is power and might.
People: We come to bow before the Creator of all.
Leader: Come and find that God kneels before us, to serve us.
People: This is news too wondrous for us to grasp.
Leader: The God of power is the God of service.
People: By God's grace we will exercise our power by serving others.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"Holy, Holy, Holy"
found in:
UMH: 64/65
H82: 362
PH: 138
AAHH: 329
NNBH: 1
NCH: 277
CH: 4
LBW: 165
ELA: 413
W&P: 136
AMEC: 25
STLT: 26
Renew: 204
"Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above"
found in:
UMH: 126
H82: 408
PH: 483
NCH: 6
CH: 6
W&P: 56
Renew: 52
"God of Grace and God of Glory"
found in:
UMH: 577
H82: 594/595
PH: 420
NCH: 436
CH: 464
LBW: 415
ELA: 705
W&P: 569
AMEC: 62
STLT: 115
Renew: 301
"Help Us Accept Each Other"
found in:
UMH: 560
PH: 358
NCH: 388
CH: 487
W&P: 596
AMEC: 558
"By Gracious Powers"
found in:
UMH: 517
H82: 695/696
PH: 342
NCH: 413
ELA: 626
W&P: 75
"Lift Every Voice and Sing"
found in:
UMH: 519
H82: 599
PH: 563
AAHH: 540
NNBH: 457
CH: 631
LBW: 562
ELA: 841
W&P: 729
AMEC: 571
STLT: 149
"O Spirit of the Living God"
found in:
UMH: 539
H82: 531
NCH: 263
LBW: 308
"Now Let Us from This Table Rise"
found in:
UMH: 634
W&P: 715
Renew: 242
"Behold, What Manner of Love"
found in:
CCB: 44
"Only by Grace"
found in:
CCB: 42
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
ELA: 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 is the holder of true power: Give us the grace to see the meaning of power so that we may use it for truth and love; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We worship and adore you, O God of power and might. We come to offer you our praise and to learn from you the true meaning of power. Help us to understand the power of loving, giving, and forgiving that overcomes the power of greed and insisting on one's own way. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially our abuse of power and our unwillingness to forgive.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We call ourselves Christians, but our actions speak more of the power of Rome than of the Prince of Peace. We call ourselves disciples, but we side more often with revenge and violence than with the Nazarene who spoke of forgiveness. Forgive our foolishness and give us a vision of what true power looks like when it is expressed in love and compassion. Amen.
Leader: God's power comes to us as forgiveness and renewal. Share God's love and know what true power is all about.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We bow in awe at your power, O God. You speak and worlds come into being. You breathe and life comes forth.
(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 call ourselves Christians, but our actions speak more of the power of Rome than of the Prince of Peace. We call ourselves disciples, but we side more often with revenge and violence than with the Nazarene who spoke of forgiveness. Forgive our foolishness and give us a vision of what true power looks like when it is expressed in love and compassion.
We give you thanks for all the ways in which you have demonstrated the great power of your love. We especially thank you for the forgiveness you offer that allows us to approach you with confidence.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for all your children in their need and ask that we might be blessed to share your love and forgiveness with others.
(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.
Children's Sermon Starter
Talk to the children about how bad it feels when we do something wrong and hurt someone's feelings... and how good it feels when they forgive us. Forgiving people and making them feel good is a wonderful gift that God has given us. It is the best power of all.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Forgive Us Our Debts
Luke 7:36--8:3
Object: copies of some bills (debts)
Good morning, boys and girls! How many of you have heard your parents or other people talk about "bills"? Bills are debts -- they are statements showing how much money we owe someone else. I have several bills with me here this morning. (read them) I need to pay these bills -- these debts.
Have you ever thought that we owe God? Why would we owe God? (let the children answer) We owe God for everything! Everything we are and all that we have comes from God.
The next question I have is: How do we pay God? Does anybody have an idea? (let them answer) We pay God by living lives worthy of all the good that God has given us. Here is where I start feeling bad, because I have not done everything I should have done. Some things that I have done I should not have done. We call these actions or inactions "sin," and God hates sin!
But God loves me! Even though I have not done all I should have done and I have done some things I should not have -- God cancels my bill. God still gives me life and breath and everything else -- even though I owe God so much.
In the gospel lesson today, Jesus tells a story about a woman who did many things wrong. Yet she loved God and accepted God's forgiveness -- just like you and I do. I'm glad we have such a God.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, June 16, 2013, issue.
Copyright 2013 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.
When Ahab comes home and mopes about the situation, his wife Jezebel gets involved -- and then things really get out of hand. Like more than a few "fixers" in our halls of power, she tells Ahab she'll take care of his problem -- and promptly sets in motion a devious plan to achieve the desired ends. It's not just Jezebel's deceit that gets Ahab in trouble; it's also his utter inattention as he looks the other way while Jezebel gets to work. He doesn't ask any questions about what is going on -- and as soon as he learns of Naboth's demise, he wastes no time taking possession of the vineyard he coveted all along. It's notable that in the end, when the chickens come home to roost so to speak, the prophet Elijah confronts Ahab -- not Jezebel -- with condemnation.
In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Mary Austin points out Ahab's willful myopia about the criminal behavior going on under his watch that bears many similarities to the unfolding military sex abuse scandal. The numbers are frightening -- so much so that Sen. John McCain, a noted champion of the military, bluntly said last week that he could not recommend that daughters of his friends should enlist. But even as an impressive panel†of top-ranking generals and admirals appeared before Congress and admitted†that there was a problem, they continued to resist suggestions that reporting and investigation of these incidents should be removed from the chain of command and given to trained specialists. Mary notes that the outraged reaction -- especially by female senators -- echoes the kind of condemnation that Elijah gives to Ahab. Like the king -- who was eventually called to account by the prophet -- Mary suggests that military authorities†who have looked the other way or punished victims rather than their attackers are now facing accountability from whistleblowers who are courageously telling a very uncomfortable truth.
Team member Dean Feldmeyer offers some additional thoughts on the gospel text and its theme of God's forgiveness. When a sinful woman lavishes a jar of ointment on Jesus' feet, the Pharisee eating with him rushes to judgment, suggesting that if Jesus were truly a prophet he would know of her reputation. The Pharisee gets bent out of shape about the violation of the purity laws -- and Jesus responds with a mini-parable about the forgiveness of debts to illustrate that those who have sinned more have a greater appreciation for the immense grace of God's forgiveness. Like that Pharisee, Dean notes that all too often many of us rush to point the finger at whomever we deem responsible for whatever ails us/our church/our community/the world -- and, he suggests, perhaps we might want to emulate God a little more than the judgmental Pharisee.
Power Without Honor
by Mary Austin
1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
Who has power? What can you use it for? Who calls you to account?
The story of Ahab and Naboth's vineyard turns on the question of power -- the king's, the landowner's, and the prophet's -- and how they each use it. Similarly, the recent hearings in Washington DC, in which an array of powerful generals appeared before Congress to testify about the issue of sexual assault in the military, also draw us to look at the use of power.
The stories prompt us to look at the use of power vs. the abuse of power, and to consider what we do with the power we have.
In the News
Senator and former prisoner of war John McCain made headlines when he said he wouldn't encourage women to join the military right now. He expressed disgust with the huge problem of assault in the military, and added: "We've been talking about this issue for years and talk is insufficient."
Military personnel are reluctant to report sexual harassment or assault, and often report that they are pressured to keep quiet when they do make a report. Other times, there's retaliation against the victim. The conversation is heating up and the issue of sexual assault in the military is -- finally -- big news in Washington, as a parade of high-ranking officers recently appeared on Capitol Hill to testify before Congress. They faced a gauntlet of questioning, especially from several women senators who are using the power of their office to focus attention on this long-standing problem.
The military's attempts to correct the problem have been admittedly ineffective, and often painfully laughable. Officers in charge of such programs have even been arrested recently for various offenses of their own, leading one to wonder what message they're really conveying to the men and women under their command. According to CBS News, "A string of recent cases demonstrates the problems. In Virginia, an Air Force officer responsible for sexual assault prevention was charged with groping a woman. In Texas, a Fort Hood Army sergeant -- also in charge of sexual abuse prevention -- is under investigation for assault and forced prostitution. And two cases at the nation's military academies: at West Point, a sergeant on staff is accused of secretly videotaping female cadets; in Annapolis, three midshipmen are accused of raping a classmate."
The Oscar-nominated documentary The Invisible War has also drawn attention to this problem. Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus contends that the film has changed the debate from "whether the military has a sexual assault problem -- the Joint Chiefs, arrayed before the Armed Services Committee, penitently agreed -- to whether, as [filmmakers Kirby] Dick and [Amy] Ziering argue fervently, decisions about such cases should be left to prosecutors and removed from the full discretion of commanders. That notion is anathema to the military, which insists that relieving commanders of such authority would erode good order and discipline. But how? And where is the good order and discipline in an estimated 26,000 instances of unwanted sexual contact last year?"
Members of Congress referred to the film during the hearings, and military commanders have also seen it. "I watched that and it broke my heart," Adm. Robert Papp, the Coast Guard commandant, said, quoted Marcus' piece. "We've made that mandatory viewing for our senior leaders." Marcus adds that The Invisible War has evolved into a training video for the military on an unofficial basis: " 'One of the most effective training methods that we use,' Army Col. Donna Martin testified."
The military command structure has used its power to keep victims quiet, and to protect perpetrators. All too often, their power is used to ensure silence, or shame, or to keep things the way they are.
In the Scriptures
Like the parade of military leaders, Ahab's actions invite us to think about power, and how we use it.
Ahab fails to understand the extent of his power until Jezebel urges him on, and then he misuses his power for a selfish purpose. He understands the power of the monarchy as power to benefit himself. There's no sense of service to the nation, or to the people, in this story. There's no sense that he's horrified by what Jezebel has done either.
Jezebel, like many women, uses her power to persuade a man -- in this case, her husband -- to do something to please her. She hides her power behind someone else, and she's quite persuasive. She manipulates Ahab's desires to exercise power, first over him, and then using his name and position. No one in the story balks, or seems startled by this, so we can imagine that it's not the first time.
Both of them abuse their power to harm someone else, much like the military perpetrators of sexual assault.
Elijah has the power of the truth-teller -- a dangerous path, and one badly needed in places of power. He comes without weapons or armies or any outward signs of power, but Ahab recognizes his power immediately. "Have you found me, oh my enemy?" Ahab asks, recognizing a kind of strength and righteousness completely opposite of his own.
In the Pulpit
The sermon might look at the ways we acquire power, and at formal power contrasted with informal power. Some power comes with status or with a job title. Some power comes because of our gender or skin color or level of education. Some power comes informally, in response to character or experience. The sermon might also look at the kinds of power we value. Why is the power to throw a baseball more interesting than the power to teach someone to read?
Or, every congregation has an Ahab, Jezebel, Naboth, and Elijah. The sermon might consider which person we're most like. Are we Naboth, holding on to tradition when it's no longer wise, or when we can't remember why we're doing it? Are we Jezebel, stirring things up behind the scenes, cultivating conflict as we hide behind someone else? Are we Ahab, pushed around, going along with the loudest voice, even when we know something is wrong? Are there places where we follow Elijah's example, and serve as truth-tellers?
Elijah speaks for God, bringing truth into a place of abuse. The sermon might look at places in our world that could use a similar dose of God's corrective truth. Or, the sermon might consider how we do or don't love the truth, depending on who's telling it, and what we want more than we want the truth.
SECOND THOUGHTS
Rushing to Judgment
by Dean Feldmeyer
Luke 7:36--8:3
"My question isn't about who's going to resign. My question is who's going to jail over this scandal."
Speaker of the House John Boehner is angry. So angry is he, in fact, that before any testimony was heard, any evidence given or reports made, he was ready to send someone from the IRS to jail. Yet even he was willing to admit at the same time that, at that point, it wasn't certain whether any laws had been broken: "I think we need to know who they are, whether they violated the law."
We live in contentious times when it is tempting to rush to judgment before careful consideration, discernment, and even compassion (yes, compassion) can come into play.
In the News
Pick your controversy: sexual harassment in the military, the terrorist attacks in Benghazi, the IRS overstepping its authority, mistreatment of prisoners at Gitmo, the flood of undocumented persons crossing our borders.
Pick any controversy and follow it for even an hour in the media and we will see that the main thing is to find someone to blame and punish.
Solving problems, easing pain, healing wounds, reconciling broken relationships -- all take a backseat to finding someone upon whom we can place the responsibility and against whom we can levy a sanction that fits the crime.
We love listening to our radio talk show hosts belittle, ridicule, and criticize those with whom we disagree. We delight in watching TV judges rake over the coals people who often have done nothing worse than simply making a bad choice and being too embarrassed to admit it.
In the Scriptures
Simon the Pharisee would have been right at home in contemporary American culture.
He kept a mental ledger upon which other people's sins were recorded and counted. Where other people's sins were concerned, he was a regular Arthur Anderson.
When the woman with the alabaster jar of oil comes into his home and approaches Jesus, Simon is quick to point out to Jesus that she is "a sinner." He also seems to want to add Jesus' name to his ledger book of sinners. If Jesus was truly a prophet, he points out, he would have known that she was a sinner and avoided her contaminating touch.
But Jesus isn't interested in attaching blame and condemnation. His interest lies in healing and reconciliation.
Now watch: how sweet is the irony he slathers upon Simon, and how clueless is the Pharisee as it goes right over his head. This woman, Jesus says, has many sins to be forgiven -- so when she receives forgiveness, she is grateful and her love overflows. You, on the other hand, he says to Simon, because you have so very, very few sins to forgive, you don't have to be so grateful.
But Simon and his guests don't get it. Their response: "Who does this guy think he is that he can forgive sins?"
In the Pulpit
The Pharisees are gone, but pharisaism is alive and well.
Self-righteousness abounds. The rush to judge others without regard to healing, grace, or the chance of reconciliation flourish. The need for someone to blame is insatiable. The desire to see someone punished is ravenous.
And often, leading the charge to judgment are people who call themselves Christians.
As surely as Jesus pronounced absolution upon the sins of the woman in this story, as surely as he articulated what God had done for her by grace, so he has done the same for us. Our sins are forgiven, our guilt is taken away, a veil has been closed upon our past, and our future has been opened before us.
As self-aware recipients of God's grace, can we do less than offer that same grace to others? Are we not, as Christians, called not to point a finger but to offer a hand of grace, peace, healing, and reconciliation?
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Leah Lonsbury:
1 Kings 21:1-21a; Luke 7:36--8:3; Galatians 2:15-21
The news this week is full of headlines about the recent leak of classified information by whistleblower Edward Snowden, an analyst with a U.S. defense contractor. These stories are full of questions about power -- who has it, who lays claim to it (rightly or wrongly), the impact it has, and the repercussions that follow for anyone who would challenge it.
Snowden himself is aware of the powers at play, how the powerful react when exposed, and the price he might pay for standing in its way. He writes in a note he wrote to accompany the first documents he leaked to the Washington Post and other media outlets, "I understand that I will be made to suffer for my actions," but "I will be satisfied if the federation of secret law, unequal pardon, and irresistible executive powers that rule the world that I love are revealed even for an instant."
What connections can be made between Elijah confronting Ahab and Snowden challenging the NSA (National Security Agency) and the administration in Washington?
And what power is being challenged in our text from Luke's gospel for this week? Simon's challenge of Jesus is straightforward and runs in the channels of tradition, but Jesus is the real whistleblower in this story. His, however, is a more subtle challenge. His nuance is aimed at making way for grace and forgiveness, gratitude and reconciliation in a system steeped in finger-pointing, blame, and lording over. This challenge to power will cause him to "suffer for [his] actions" as well.
In the letter to the Galatians, Paul blows the whistle on himself as a "transgressor" but leans heavily on the grace and forgiveness established in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Paul counts on and builds his life and ministry around Jesus' disruption of a system of blame and punishment and power that thrives on the destruction of others instead of the reconciling love of God.
* * *
1 Kings 21:1-21a; Luke 7:36--8:3; Galatians 2:15-21
Power has its privileges and that's the problem for striking janitor Bonifacio Salinas. Salinas is one of an estimated 30 workers who declared a two-day strike Monday afternoon to protest the wage and benefit gap between janitors who work at Target Plaza (corporate headquarters) in Minneapolis and those who work for cleaning companies who contract with a downtown store in the same city.
The janitors who work at Target Plaza belong to the Service Employees International Union Local 26 and make, according to the union, on average $13.62/hour. They are also eligible for health care coverage, receive two weeks of vacation, seven paid holidays, and three sick days over the course of a year.
In contrast, Salinas, who works for one of those contracting cleaning companies, makes $8.50/hour and has no paid leave or health care coverage. "They've got decent wages and benefits, and we deserve the same thing," said Salinas. "We should all be making that."
Simply working in the same building as those in power makes all the difference in this case. The work is the same, but the compensation is determined by how closely one mops to the bigwigs. Salinas is striking to disrupt this system of privileged power. Mopping floors is mopping floors, according to him.
How do our systems of power become entrenched, extend to privilege and tamp down in unjust ways, and need disrupting? Where is an Elijah, Paul, Jesus, or Bonifacio Salinas needed to stand in the way of the patterns of power of our congregations, our communities, and our world?
* * *
Luke 7:36--8:3
Even yoga pants can get caught up in power plays and unrepentant finger-pointing, it seems. As lululemon Chief Executive Officer Christine Day announced she was leaving the high-end yoga gear producer for personal reasons, speculation began to fly about what failure or shortcoming had done her in after 5 years with the company. Could it be the recent costly recall of yoga pants with an "unacceptable level of sheerness"? Did that seal the deal for Day?
According to a report from Business Insider, some of lululemon's biggest fans have made a more all-encompassing turn on Day that runs way past the simple indictment of see-through yoga pants. One of those perturbed fans and Day haters is Carolyn Beauchesne, who is known as the "lululemon addict" on her popular fan blog. She writes, "Day has ruined everything special about lululemon. The bulletproof quality, the fit, the femininity, the lululemoness of the product. She is a one-trick pony who grew the company through expansion."
Just as a reminder... we're talking about yoga pants here.
What are the yoga pants in your congregation, your community, or your own life? What are people so fanatically (and perhaps irrationally) tied to that causes them to turn on each other? What causes finger-pointing? What gets people labeled a failure, a "one-trick pony," or even a "sinner" as in our text from Luke for today?
How does Jesus handle this kind of situation? How do we? Do we get caught up in speculation, blaming, and trashing others when we ought to be dealing in forgiveness and grace? How do we begin to make the turn that Jesus takes, the one that relies on a saving faith instead of a pointing finger?
* * *
From team member Chris Keating:
1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
Community Gardens Generate Power
Ahab desired Naboth's land so that he could cultivate a royal vegetable garden, possibly not unlike the gardens of other foreign rulers (see Deuteronomy 11:10). His desire is a betrayal of God's desire that Israel flourish like a vineyard. Moreover, Ahab's coveting of the ground stands in contrast to the values of contemporary urban farmers. Community gardens are places of shared power and values. Ahab's selfish desires would have no place in the more than 18,000 community gardens being cultivated in the United States. Urban gardens bring together diverse individuals, generating vibrant community. Power is shared, though, as simple functions and needs are addressed. As one report notes, Community gardens "both require communities and at the same time create communities. People come together here, but not under the banner of major events, advertising, or the obligation to consume."
Application: Like Naboth's vineyard, which rooted his family in a particular place, community gardens bring families together to enrich their experience of community and shared power.
* * *
1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
Naboth and American Imperialism
During the 1900 presidential race, candidate William Jennings Bryan famously invoked the story of Naboth's vineyard when speaking against the United States' interest in annexing the Philippines. Speaking in Denver, Bryan argued against the nation's desire of new land and citizens. "Wars of conquest have their origin in covetousness," Bryan said, "and the history of the human race has been written in characters of blood because rulers have looked with longing upon the land of others." In opposing President William McKinley, Bryan stood firm in his opposition to "American imperialism," saying "Imperialism might expand the nation's territory, but it would contrast the nation's purpose."
Application: Bryan's argument against imposing colonial rule on foreign nations was that it was against our nation's purpose. His critique of imperialism was rooted in belief that the United States should not exercise dominion over free people. Where are the outspoken critics of unregulated power today?
* * *
1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
Discerning God's Will
Ahab wanted to be successful. A garden would be the perfect symbol of his power. Jezebel wanted the trappings of power even more -- essentially telling her husband to make Naboth an offer he couldn't refuse. Yet, as Elijah points out, this sort of unbridled pursuit of success rarely turns out the way we imagine. Blogger Tim Suttle notes that the great theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer also warned about letting success have absolute sway over our lives. It is God's will that we should discern, not our own striving for success. Suttle quotes a section from Bonhoeffer's noted work Ethics:
In a world where success is the measure and justification of all things, the figure of Him who was sentenced and crucified remains a stranger and is at best the object of pity. The world will allow itself to be subdued only by success. It is not ideas or opinions which decide, but deeds. Success alone justifies wrongs done.... With a frankness and off-handedness which no other earthly power could permit itself, history appeals in its own cause to the dictum that the end justifies the means.... The figure of the Crucified invalidates all thought which takes success for its standard.
* * *
Luke 7:36--8:3
Unexpected Power Sources
During my first semester at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1984, I soon noticed a distinguished African clergyman living in my residence hall. I learned that he was from Ethiopia and that his name was Bishop Paulos. What I didn't know was that Paulos was an important cleric in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and was living in exile because members of the ruling junta despised his views. Upon his later return to Ethiopia, Bishop Paulos was eventually elected patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. During his days at Princeton, he seemed the quintessential image of the demure scholar. But this slightly built, quiet scholar was a stalwart if surprising advocate for peace. He led international relief efforts for his own people throughout the '90s, and presided over the funeral of the former Emperor Haile Selassie in 2000 despite the government's hostile reaction to the event. He stood fast in the face of a vicious regime. When that regime fell, many of its officials were sentenced to long prison terms for the atrocities they had caused. As Patriarch Abune Paulos, he sought pardons for repentant members of the regime, instructing his church that it was the duty of Christians to offer forgiveness.
Application: Jesus teaches Simon the meaning of true forgiveness. While Abune Paulos had every reason to personally resent members of the junta who had caused harm to his country, he chose the path of forgiveness instead.
* * *
From team member Ron Love:
1 Kings 21:1-21a
In February of this year, Christopher Dorner was the most wanted man in America. Having been dismissed from the Los Angeles Police Department, he threatened to bring "warfare" upon all officers and their families. As the manhunt ensued over the weeks, a series of events caused authorities to believe that Dorner was hiding in the tourist community of Big Bear Lake. In time he was found residing in an unoccupied cabin that was directly across the street from the police command post that was established for the search on Big Bear Mountain. A gunfight erupted, and one deputy was killed and a second was wounded. In an attempt to capture Dorner the cabin was set ablaze by police using pyrotechnic tear gas. Dorner's charred body was later recovered. He died from either the burning cabin or a self-inflicted gunshot.
Application: The story of Naboth tells us just how closely evil can lurk. It can be as close as across the street.
* * *
1 Kings 21:1-21a
Richard Ramirez recently died of natural causes in San Quentin prison. Better known to the public as the "Night Stalker" who terrorized California in the mid-1980s, Ramirez killed at least 13 people and then mutilated their bodies -- though it is probable the list of victims is much longer. He came to be known as the "Night Stalker" because he usually entered a home at night through an open window. After being sentenced to death, on leaving the courtroom Ramirez offered only a one-word comment: "Evil."
Application: Jezebel is a testimony that evil will always abound around us.
* * *
2 Samuel 11:26--12:10, 13-15
Vijay Singh has long been a fixture in the sporting news because of his exceptional golfing ability -- he has won multiple major tournaments, and his achievements have placed him in the World Golf Hall of Fame. But his name has been in the headlines recently for less lofty reasons, as he has sued the PGA Tour in an attempt, he says, to "reclaim his reputation".
But why should that be necessary? Perhaps it's because there is so much that is not known about this great athlete that could call into question his exceptional golfing ability. Did Singh cheat on his golf card in Indonesia? Did he knowingly use the banned growth hormone substance IGF-1 found in deer antler spray? Why did he purchase $9,000 worth of products from SWATS (Sports With Alternatives To Steroids)? Which Singh do we really know? Or is he a little of both?
Application: We must wonder, how much did the wife of Uriah really know about David?
* * *
2 Samuel 11:26--12:10, 13-15
A recent "Dear Abby" column featured a question from a reader who was disturbed by a conversation a girlfriend related to her. The friend listened to a conversation in the lunch room at work, as the employees discussed what they would do if they won the lottery. The friend reported, "Without exception, everyone in that room said the first thing they would do is get a divorce." The questioner, who dubbed herself, "Happily Single But Still a Believer in Marriage," wondered if that really was the state of marriage in America. Abby replied that she had never done a survey on the subject, but the conversation is a "sad commentary" on the state of marriage for her friends.
Application: It would appear that even David, with all his authority and possessions, was still seeking in Bathsheba to win the lottery.
* * *
Luke 7:36--8:3
It was Ash Wednesday and Pope Benedict XVI was to preside at his last official Mass prior to his retirement. As he stood at the altar, a resounding applause echoed through St. Peter's Square. The pope simply responded, "Grazie. Now let us return to prayer." With the simple word grazie -- "thank you" -- all the attending bishops, in a very rare gesture of admiration and respect, removed their mitres.
Application: The woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her hair understood the meaning of "grazie."
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Give ear to our words, O God; give heed to our sighing.
People: Listen to the sound of our cry, for to you we pray.
Leader: O God, in the morning you hear our voice;
People: in the morning we plead our case to you and watch.
Leader: For you are not a God who delights in wickedness.
People: Lead us, O God; make your way straight before us.
OR
Leader: Come to worship the God who is power and might.
People: We come to bow before the Creator of all.
Leader: Come and find that God kneels before us, to serve us.
People: This is news too wondrous for us to grasp.
Leader: The God of power is the God of service.
People: By God's grace we will exercise our power by serving others.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"Holy, Holy, Holy"
found in:
UMH: 64/65
H82: 362
PH: 138
AAHH: 329
NNBH: 1
NCH: 277
CH: 4
LBW: 165
ELA: 413
W&P: 136
AMEC: 25
STLT: 26
Renew: 204
"Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above"
found in:
UMH: 126
H82: 408
PH: 483
NCH: 6
CH: 6
W&P: 56
Renew: 52
"God of Grace and God of Glory"
found in:
UMH: 577
H82: 594/595
PH: 420
NCH: 436
CH: 464
LBW: 415
ELA: 705
W&P: 569
AMEC: 62
STLT: 115
Renew: 301
"Help Us Accept Each Other"
found in:
UMH: 560
PH: 358
NCH: 388
CH: 487
W&P: 596
AMEC: 558
"By Gracious Powers"
found in:
UMH: 517
H82: 695/696
PH: 342
NCH: 413
ELA: 626
W&P: 75
"Lift Every Voice and Sing"
found in:
UMH: 519
H82: 599
PH: 563
AAHH: 540
NNBH: 457
CH: 631
LBW: 562
ELA: 841
W&P: 729
AMEC: 571
STLT: 149
"O Spirit of the Living God"
found in:
UMH: 539
H82: 531
NCH: 263
LBW: 308
"Now Let Us from This Table Rise"
found in:
UMH: 634
W&P: 715
Renew: 242
"Behold, What Manner of Love"
found in:
CCB: 44
"Only by Grace"
found in:
CCB: 42
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
ELA: 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 is the holder of true power: Give us the grace to see the meaning of power so that we may use it for truth and love; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We worship and adore you, O God of power and might. We come to offer you our praise and to learn from you the true meaning of power. Help us to understand the power of loving, giving, and forgiving that overcomes the power of greed and insisting on one's own way. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially our abuse of power and our unwillingness to forgive.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We call ourselves Christians, but our actions speak more of the power of Rome than of the Prince of Peace. We call ourselves disciples, but we side more often with revenge and violence than with the Nazarene who spoke of forgiveness. Forgive our foolishness and give us a vision of what true power looks like when it is expressed in love and compassion. Amen.
Leader: God's power comes to us as forgiveness and renewal. Share God's love and know what true power is all about.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We bow in awe at your power, O God. You speak and worlds come into being. You breathe and life comes forth.
(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 call ourselves Christians, but our actions speak more of the power of Rome than of the Prince of Peace. We call ourselves disciples, but we side more often with revenge and violence than with the Nazarene who spoke of forgiveness. Forgive our foolishness and give us a vision of what true power looks like when it is expressed in love and compassion.
We give you thanks for all the ways in which you have demonstrated the great power of your love. We especially thank you for the forgiveness you offer that allows us to approach you with confidence.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for all your children in their need and ask that we might be blessed to share your love and forgiveness with others.
(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.
Children's Sermon Starter
Talk to the children about how bad it feels when we do something wrong and hurt someone's feelings... and how good it feels when they forgive us. Forgiving people and making them feel good is a wonderful gift that God has given us. It is the best power of all.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Forgive Us Our Debts
Luke 7:36--8:3
Object: copies of some bills (debts)
Good morning, boys and girls! How many of you have heard your parents or other people talk about "bills"? Bills are debts -- they are statements showing how much money we owe someone else. I have several bills with me here this morning. (read them) I need to pay these bills -- these debts.
Have you ever thought that we owe God? Why would we owe God? (let the children answer) We owe God for everything! Everything we are and all that we have comes from God.
The next question I have is: How do we pay God? Does anybody have an idea? (let them answer) We pay God by living lives worthy of all the good that God has given us. Here is where I start feeling bad, because I have not done everything I should have done. Some things that I have done I should not have done. We call these actions or inactions "sin," and God hates sin!
But God loves me! Even though I have not done all I should have done and I have done some things I should not have -- God cancels my bill. God still gives me life and breath and everything else -- even though I owe God so much.
In the gospel lesson today, Jesus tells a story about a woman who did many things wrong. Yet she loved God and accepted God's forgiveness -- just like you and I do. I'm glad we have such a God.
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The Immediate Word, June 16, 2013, issue.
Copyright 2013 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.
