What Have You Done For Me Lately?
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Preaching
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This week's Old Testament lesson addresses a problem that seems endemic to modern life -- burnout. The prophet Elijah struggles with a nagging feeling that he's just not making a difference, and when combined with his seeming powerlessness in the face of Jezebel's machinations, Elijah falls prey to deep depression. After journeying into the wilderness, he finally settles down under a tree and asks the Lord to take away his life. This passage obviously has a resonance for those who may have thoughts of suicide, but it also touches on feelings that everyone faces at some point -- and especially those in the ministry, as being on call 24/7 and dealing with difficult congregational issues makes burnout something of an occupational hazard. In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Mary Austin examines this passage and finds that it offers wisdom for all of us. We privileged Americans, in particular, are prone to viewing the proverbial glass in difficult circumstances as half-empty rather than half-full, and it's all too easy for us to ask God, as we do each other, "What have you done for me lately?" Perhaps we need to listen more carefully for the still, small voice of God that brings us strength and reassurance for our journeys. Team member Ron Love shares additional thoughts on the story of Jesus' healing of the man called Legion in our gospel text, and he suggests that we have more in common with Legion than we'd like to admit -- and a lesson we can take from this passage is the importance of doing the work of healing right in our own communities.
What Have You Done for Me Lately?
by Mary Austin
1 Kings 19:1-15a
Theologians and pastors debate whether is it easier to live by faith when times are good or in hard times. On one hand, when life is easy and all is well, gratitude is easy and we find it easy to feel good about God. On the other hand, when life is one obstacle after another and we reach the limits of our own ability and strength, we turn to God and cry out for help -- and our faith grows deeper.
It may be that it works differently for different people. Some of us find faith deeper in good times and feel it stretching thin when life throws too much at us. Others of us find our deepest connection with God when we reach the end of our own resources, and we and God are left alone together to face the storm.
For anyone who's ever experienced a crisis of faith, Elijah the prophet offers us some holy wisdom about where God can be found. Elijah himself, Israel's greatest prophet, experiences the bone-deep weariness and soul-deep emptiness that many of us have known at different times. For him, the glass is more than half-empty, and his story offers us a rich example of how to live when our faith isn't deep enough or robust enough to carry us through the crisis before us.
THE WORLD
Elijah's despair seems like an excellent response to much of what we see in the world around us. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico offers heartbreaking pictures of birds, turtles, and other animals struggling under the weight of oil, which one expert this week described as having the consistency of wet cement. Not as cute but facing a longer struggle are the shrimpers, fisher people, oil-rig workers, and people in the tourism industry -- all facing a long season of economic devastation before their livelihoods are restored. Despair makes perfect sense.
In other parts of the country, economic experts can't tell if the decline in the number of people receiving unemployment benefits means that they have found jobs or just that their benefits have expired. Pictures of people lined up around the block for job fairs and part-time work at new "big box" stores are a media staple. The ritual of the summer job for teenagers and college students is disappearing, as desperate adults take many of those jobs. So many homes are in foreclosure that some people have adopted the strategy of not making their mortgage payments and waiting to be evicted, meanwhile using the money for other needs. Dismay makes perfect sense.
Or perhaps we feel frazzled because we're trying to attend to too many electronic masters in our lives. A recent New York Times article discusses how our constant interaction with computers, Twitter, Facebook, email, and smartphones leaves us unsatisfied with everyday life, and stressed and jumpy to boot. Our online friends, the constant stream of intriguing news, the anticipation of finding something new in our inbox leave us in a state of hyper-awareness, even when we should be relaxed. Dr. Kimberly Young, a professor at St. Bonaventure University, suggests that our use of technology is akin to an eating disorder. Technology, like food, is an essential part of daily life and can't be given up completely, but many of us use it in unhealthy ways. We can't cut it out of our lives, but technology is changing our leisure time, our relationships, and even how our brains work. Our ability to concentrate and to think deeply about a problem is compromised by our constant multitasking, leaving us on edge as we shift from task to task. Distraction becomes the norm.
THE WORD
Elijah and God have already been through a lot together when this story begins. In the name of the God of Israel, Elijah has promised the nation a drought -- which is God's response to King Ahab's worship of Baal, the god of his wife Jezebel. During the drought, God directs Elijah to a source of water, and then to the widow of Zarephath, who feeds him. While he's with the widow the jars of flour and oil never run out, and it's clear to Elijah that this is God at work. During that time the widow's son dies, but the Lord hears Elijah's prayer and the son is restored to life. The drought goes on for three years, and still the widow, her son, and Elijah never run out of food. This is God at work.
When God instructs him to go and meet with Ahab again, Elijah does so -- only to learn that Ahab has been looking high and low for him all this time. His safety is God at work. Elijah instructs Ahab to line up the prophets of Baal, now numbering 450, and they call on Baal all day to light their sacrifice on fire -- "but there was no voice, no answer, and no response" (1 Kings 18:29). When Elijah's turn comes, he repairs the altar of the Lord, places the sacrifice on it, and then has the altar doused with water once, twice, three times. "The fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water" around the altar (1 Kings 18:38). In response, the people of Israel fall on their faces and worshiped God. This is God at work.
After all that, Elijah is understandably weary. He journeys into the wilderness and sits down, exhausted. Even there God finds him, and an angel wakes him up and brings him water and food, enough to sustain him for 40 days and 40 nights as he travels to Mt. Horeb. Again, this is God at work.
After all that, Elijah is left alone with his own thoughts and he is very frightened. "I alone am left," he tells God, seeming to forget the Presence that has been with him all along.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
That Elijah, known to us as a great prophet and someone with an intimate connection with God, should have these moments of thin faith reminds us that faith can wax and wane for any of us. Whether we do better faith-wise in happy times or feel more connected to God in the miserable moments, all of us have times when our faith is more robust than others. The endless parade of bad news around us and the personal financial and emotional toll on our parishioners and ourselves leave us all ripe for Elijah-like moments right now.
It's significant that God speaks to Elijah not in the traditional theophany language of the Hebrew scriptures. We know to look for the presence of God in fierce wind and storm, in earthquake, in fire. But God makes the Holy Presence known to Elijah in the silence, and then God speaks to Elijah about the future. God already has another plan for him.
In such tough times as these we too may need to listen for God in different ways and to find God's graceful embrace not in the big gifts, but in the small ones. We too may need to catch our faith again and see what plans God has for us when we find God in what seems like silence.
ANOTHER VIEW
Follow Me, Right Where You Are
by Ron Love
Luke 8:26-39
"He watched her -- with thousands of vengeful, bestial eyes." This is the haunting, threatening closing line in James Patterson's novel Cradle and All, as Satan watches every move of Noelle, the incarnate Christ of the vision of Fatima, her parents, and all who are a part of her ever-widening circle called humanity. We too reside in that circle -- and at times we feel that not only does Satan watch our every move, but he must also somehow control them, or at least the circumstances that surround them. We are often not unlike the man in our gospel text, who called himself Legion.
Legion often seems like a distant figure from us. He foams at the mouth. He tramps about, dirty and naked. His rages are so severe as to break the chains that are to bind him. He is so grotesque and unsociable that he lives alone in the caves outside of town. No, he is not one of us, unless of course we take the description metaphorically rather than literally. Now, we are a part of the story. In fact, we are the story.
We are possessed by the demonic. Though we may not need to stand in line for an exorcism, we certainly are in need of a spiritual awakening. There is a base side to all of us. Some traits are held in common by all; others are uniquely individual. However they are listed, we do at times foam at the mouth. Selfish. Critical. Inconsiderate. Racist. Sexist. Vindictive. Cliquish. Unresponsive. To be sure, this is only a partial list. Is not a legion composed of 6,000 ruthless soldiers?
When Jesus came upon this man living among the tombs, he understood the man's problem. Jesus recognized it and articulated it in a single sentence: "What is your name?" The man needed his identity back. He needed to be reconciled to himself and restored to the community. Legion is who he had become; not who he once was or wanted to be. Jesus gave him back his identity with the gift of caring.
Understandably thankful, the man wanted to journey with Jesus and be an intricate part of his ministry. Instead, he was told to remain in his village as a living example of the saving grace of Jesus. He was to live among his people so that they would never forget the healing power of Jesus. Beyond example he was to vocalize, to share, to tell others about his salvation experience. So often we are told to follow Jesus, but most times following Jesus means remaining right where we are. Our ministry is in the here and now, at this time, in this place. This may not seem as glamorous as Pearl Buck going to China or as important as David Livingston traversing the jungles of Africa, but it is as equally important and certainly more pragmatic.
The following outline may assist you in preparing a sermon based on our lectionary gospel reading and the story of Legion:
I. You may want to begin by sharing that this is the second miracle story in a succession of four recorded by Luke. Each story demonstrates that Jesus is bringing forth God's kingdom. The stories are, in order, Jesus' power over nature (vv. 22-25); his power over demonic forces (vv. 26-39); his power over illness (vv. 40-48); and his power over death (vv. 49-56). Share how Jesus' power over the demonic fits into the total scheme of his ministry.
II. Discuss what the demonic means. Discuss how we are not as different from Legion as we would like to think. Share how all of us have traits that are unfavorable to God and disingenuous to others. Discuss how this affects our own sense of self-identity, and how it can make being around us an unpleasant experience for others. Numerous scripture passages can be quoted to show in what ways we may be possessed. We may not even be aware of the subtleties of some of these, such as a "party spirit," or the power to hurt, such as the "tongue" is as powerful as a rudder that steers a ship.
III. Share that just as Jesus came to Legion, he comes also to us. Discuss the various ways that Jesus heals us, restoring our identity and sense of self. You might include aspects of healing from the other three stories in Luke's four-part narrative.
IV. The conclusion should emphasize how Jesus instructed the man to remain in his village and among his people as a living testimony and vocal witness to the salvation message. Share with your congregation the countless ways parishioners can become involved in the lives of those who are nearest to them and be active participants in the church and local community charities.
a. Verna Oller is a wonderful example of ministering where you are. She recently died at the age of 98, having acquired an estate of $4.5 million. During her working years she made only an average wage, but was thrifty, frugal, and a wise investor. Upon her death, she instructed her attorney, Guy Glenn, that the entire sum should be spent on improving and assisting those in her home community of Long Beach, Washington. One project she insisted upon was for the city to have its first indoor swimming pool.
b. African-American pastors in Chicago have decided it is time to remove the stigma of AIDS so the community epidemic may be addressed. A number of programs of education and acceptance are being instituted across the city. For example, Reverend Stephen Thurston, while standing in the pulpit of New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church, allowed a health care worker to swab his gums. At the end of the service the HIV test results were shared. His willingness to stand forthrightly encouraged 41 other men to be tested during the service. Thurston, who is president of the National Baptist Convention of America, said, "We are single-minded in saving the souls of individuals, but not as open-minded in terms of saving that person's life." His proactive stance for health care is changing that attitude.
c. There is now a trend toward more domestic short-term mission projects than those to foreign lands. Some of the factors that are causing this are the aftereffects of 9/11, the recession, drug wars in Mexico, and Hurricane Katrina. David Armstrong of Mission Data International, an organization that statistically records mission trips, responds that the trend is good since "it might help people comprehend the needs of the US more."
d. Every year the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church holds a work day in the city that hosts its Annual Conference (a weeklong session of business meetings and worship). Discussing the importance of this venture, presiding Bishop Mary Virginia Taylor said: "The Great Day of Service is about being in mission and connecting with the community outside our church's walls. It's about making a difference in the lives of those who need our love and support."
ILLUSTRATIONS
Sabina Hayes, the daughter of a Methodist missionary who served in the Belgian Congo prior to the revolution in 1960, told the story of their arrival in that country. Her father was anxious to press on to the mission station and get things set up. In the day and time when they arrived, the only manner of doing so was to pack all the necessary supplies and then use bearers who carried the parcels on their heads. The journey was long and the pace brutal. Despite being a young girl with nothing heavier to carry than her baby doll, Sabina recalled the difficulty she had keeping up. Day after day, they marched all day and then camped for the night. The closer they came to the mission station, the more anxious to arrive her father became. Finally, one morning they awakened to a silent camp. There were no sounds of preparation for the day's march. When her father confronted the chief bearer about the urgency of getting on their way, the chief responded, "There will be no marching today." When her father inquired as to why, the chief responded, "Because they must wait for their souls to catch up."
* * *
Sometimes we're like Elijah on Mount Horeb. When things don't go the way we want, it's all too easy for us to pull back, to hide out, and to go somewhere where we can feel sorry for ourselves. Somewhere where we can lick our wounds and have us a "pity party" -- even where we can wish, like Elijah, that we could die -- forgetting that our Lord is still the Lord of all creation and that he has called us to be his people to do the work of his kingdom with him, and that he is with us, leading us and strengthening us and guiding us, and forgetting that we are part of a community of faith, all down through the ages, that surrounds us like a great cloud of witnesses.
So what does the Lord do about the sulking, fearful Elijah? He sends an angel to tell him to quit feeling sorry for himself and to get up and get ready to take a journey because the Lord has work for him -- and he'd better quit moping and start eating the food the angel has prepared for him or he won't have the strength to make the 40-day trip the Lord has planned for him.
* * *
It has often been said that we are our own worst enemies. Elijah's worst enemy was not those in search of his life, only himself. When we are totally depressed and down on ourselves, we are often convinced that death would be a blessing. Like Elijah we take a nap, hoping never to awaken to the many problems of this life again. God often has a better plan for us: "Eat and drink; go on with the rest of your life, empowered by my spiritual and inward diet plan." One of the places to receive God's kind of strength is in the supper of Christ, at the table with the other people who are seeking the Lord's inward ability and strength for their lives.
* * *
Some 10 to 14 million people in the United States and some 10 to 20% of the world's population suffer from serious depression. It may result from the loss of a friend or relative, or a job, or from failing in some important function in life. Some believe that depression also can be caused by experiences in childhood, while others believe the cause lies in a chemical imbalance. Depressed people may experience loss of appetite for food and pleasure, insomnia, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, an inability to concentrate, and recurring thoughts of death and/or suicide. Cures for depression include psychiatric counseling, shock therapy, and medication.
Elijah, the otherwise bold prophet of God, found himself depressed. He fled in fear from his scene of activity and told God he would rather die than go on. But God reached out to him and cured him. God did not use drugs or therapy. He appeared to Elijah -- not in a strong wind, not in an earthquake, not in a fire -- but in a still, small voice. In a similar way, God reaches out and lifts us up when we feel down with the reassuring words of Holy Scripture.
* * *
A favorite children's book of many people is Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. Poor Alexander is having a bad day and wants everyone to know it. We all have days like that, and sometimes it seems to help if we have a pity party for ourselves. It's easy to imagine that no one has ever gone through this before. When Elijah found himself in that situation, God told him to get up and go back the way he had come... and that God was with him in even this situation.
* * *
Our Lord calls us, as he called Elijah and so many others, to move beyond our self-centeredness, to move beyond our concern mainly for ourselves. Theologian Hans Kung writes:
In everything that we think, say and feel, do and suffer, we tend quite naturally to protect, shield, advance ourselves, to cherish ourselves. And now we are expected to give exactly the same care and attention to our neighbor. With this all reserves are broken down. For us, who are egoists by nature, it means a radical conversion....
It certainly does mean the orientation of ourselves toward others: an alertness, an openness, a receptivity for our fellow [humans], a readiness to help without reserve. It means living not for ourselves, but for others: in this -- from the standpoint of the person who loves -- is rooted the indissoluble unity of undivided love of God and unlimited love of neighbor.
-- Hans Kung, On Being a Christian (Doubleday, 1976), p. 257
* * *
Frederick Speakman tells the story of an endearing and rather sad character in a small Pennsylvania mining town: the town drunk. Week in and week out, the drunk could be found on the sidewalk, sleeping off the last night's excess. His clothes were shabby, his behavior less than socially acceptable, but the people tolerated him.
Once a year, in the summer, things would change. Summer was when the tent-meeting revival came to town. Every year, the town drunk sat in the front row. Every year, on the last night of the revival, he would walk down the aisle and promise the whole community that he would change.
The man wasn't being false. For the next few weeks he wouldn't go near a bar. His threadbare clothes would look a little neater. He would enter into the life of the town, going to church, and attending social functions. But every year a strange thing happened: no one would talk to him. He made them uncomfortable. The people found a reformed town drunk much harder to handle than an unreformed one. They needed a symbol of failure, living evidence that human beings cannot be reformed, so that they themselves would not have to face the fearful prospect of new life. Every year, a few weeks after the revival had moved on, the drunk would be back in the bar and sleeping on the streets again.
He is a tragic figure. Yet even more tragic are the good Christian citizens of that little town -- people who were so afraid of change that when they saw healing and wholeness incarnate before them, they could only fear it.
* * *
It had been several years since Patricia had been in contact with any of her family. She says that "the past has been painful with plenty of heartache." She committed a crime, was convicted, and sentenced to time in jail. Her family felt disappointed, telling her that she "disgraced them." She ran away to avoid time in jail. It is always easier to run from the past than to face it and trust in God.
Life continued to be difficult for Patricia. Once again she became involved with something illegal and found herself without a home or any possessions. "I realized my past had caught up with me," she reflects. "I acknowledged to the authorities my earlier conviction and sentence, and I went to prison."
"During my incarceration," she says, "I found God in my life stronger than I ever imagined." It was during this time that she realized that God had been there to help her face the wrongs and deal with them. God provided her new friendships. God brings the right people into our lives at the right time. Her new friends exhibited the love of God to her. For the first time in many years she felt hopeful for a better tomorrow. With their support and encouragement she reestablished her relationship with her family. She learned to place her total trust in God.
While we are tempted to discount accounts of demons in our modern world, we do have to acknowledge the hold of evil intentions. Jesus confronts a person suffering with demons and dramatically sets the man free. Jesus has the power to change or transform our lives. What dark places in our lives do we need to turn over to the liberating power of Jesus?
* * *
Anthony DeMello tells a parable of a man who is romantically interested in a woman. After months of his pursuing her, she finally agrees to a rendezvous. Here is what happens:
At that time and place the lover finally found himself beside his beloved. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sheaf of love letters that he had written to her over the past months. They were passionate letters, expressing the pain he felt and his burning desire to experience the delight of love and union. He began to read them to his beloved. The hours passed by and he read on and on.
Finally the woman said, "What kind of a fool are you? These letters are all about you and your longing for me. Well, here I am sitting with you at last and you are lost in your stupid letters."
"Here I am with you," says God, "and you keep reflecting about me in your head, talking about me with your tongue, and searching for me in your books. When will you shut up and see?"
Sometimes we need to set aside our theology, and even our Bibles, and simply listen for the still, small voice.
* * *
Regarding being quiet enough to hear that still, small voice, a favorite illustration tells about a truck driver hauling two tons of canaries. At every stoplight, the driver would get out of his truck, run around it, and hit the sides with a baseball bat. After seeing this for several miles, another driver following this trucker finally got out of his car at the next stop light to ask him what he was doing. The trucker frantically said that he had two tons of canaries in his semi -- but unfortunately, the truck could only carry one ton of cargo. That meant he had to keep one ton of canaries in the air at all times.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Come all you who long for God.
People: We thirst for God as a deer thirsts for clear streams.
Leader: Come all who pine for the God of comfort.
People: Our tears have been our food both day and night.
Leader: Why is your soul disquieted within in you?
People: We shall trust in God and praise our helper.
OR
Leader: Come you who are full of fear.
People: It seems that all the powers are against us.
Leader: Come and be fed so that you can be strong.
People: Our strength is almost gone.
Leader: Come and listen for God's voice of utter silence.
People: The silence of God is strength indeed.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"It Is Well with My Soul"
found in:
UMH: 377
AAHH: 377
NNBH: 255
NCH: 438
CH: 561
"Silence, Frenzied, Unclean Spirit"
found in:
UMH: 264
CH: 186
"Out of the Depths I Cry to You"
found in:
UMH: 515
H82: 666
PH: 240
NCH: 483
CH: 510
LBW: 295
"By Gracious Powers"
found in:
UMH: 517
H82: 695, 696
PH: 342
NCH: 413
"O Thou, in Whose Presence"
found in:
UMH: 518
"Lift Every Voice and Sing"
found in:
UMH: 519
H82: 599
PH: 563
AAHH: 540
NNBH: 457
CH: 631
LBW: 562
"Dona Nobis Pacem"
found in:
UMH: 376
H82: 712
CH: 297
Renew: 240
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
found in:
UMH: 140
AAHH: 158
NNBH: 45
NCH: 423
CH: 86
Renew: 249
"All I Need is You"
found in:
CCB: 100
"Fill My Cup, Lord"
found in:
CCB: 47
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who knows us at our best and at our worst: Help us to seek you both when things are going well and when life becomes difficult that we may live our lives in harmony with you; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We come to worship in all the complexities of life. We come with our joys and with our sorrows. Help us to be open to your presence, whatever the condition of our lives this day. Empower us to share your Spirit with others in their lives as well. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially our tendencies to forget you when things go well or to blame you when things get tough.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We confess that we allow the circumstances of our lives to determine our relationship with you. Whether times are good or bad, we allow those moments to bend and shape our attitude toward you. Sometimes things go well and we are grateful, but sometimes when things go well we are pleased with ourselves and forget you completely. Sometimes when things are going badly we find ourselves desperately searching for you, and sometimes we find ourselves blaming you for our situation. Forgive us, and bring us once more to make our relationship with you the main focus of our lives. Amen.
Leader: God knows that our lives are complicated and that we are creatures of this earth. God loves us and comes to be with us in all the circumstances of our lives. Know that whatever this week brings, God will be there for us all.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We come to worship and adore you, our God of Salvation. You are the one who transcends all of life and brings to us that holy quality that makes us your children.
(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 confess that we allow the circumstances of our lives to determine our relationship with you. Whether times are good or bad, we allow those moments to bend and shape our attitude toward you. Sometimes things go well and we are grateful, but sometimes when things go well we are pleased with ourselves and forget you completely. Sometimes when things are going badly we find ourselves desperately searching for you, and sometimes we find ourselves blaming you for our situation. Forgive us, and bring us once more to make our relationship with you the main focus of our lives.
We give you thanks for all the ways in which make your presence known to us. We thank you for the beauty of the earth and all creation. We thank you for your loving presence that is shared by our sisters and brothers and strangers. We thank you for the awesome silence that reveals your love to and for us.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray to you for your creation in all its needs. We pray for the earth that we have wounded and for our brothers and sisters whom we have harmed. We pray for those whose lives seem to fall apart no matter what they do. We pray, most of all, that we may all become more aware of your loving, healing presence in all creation.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father... Amen.
(or if the Lord's Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Visuals
Pictures of people sailing in pleasant weather and a ship in a storm; pictures of children sledding down a snowy slope and a dog team fighting through a snowstorm; pictures of folks enjoying a summer day and others struggling through the desert -- any pictures that contrast easy times and hard times. In the center a picture of Jesus, the cross, a candle, or any symbol of God's presence that would speak to your congregation.
Children's Sermon Starter
Make a recording of simple sounds for the children to identify. (Some of them should be loud and spectacular noises.) At the end have a span of silence (or a still, small voice) and ask the children about it. Talk to them about how God does not always speak with great loudness and show -- sometimes God just whispers or speaks in silence.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Elijah and the Voice
1 Kings 19:1-15a
Good morning, boys and girls! Elijah was a messenger of God. One day the word of the Lord told him, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord.
(Pass a large sea shell or empty jar, inviting the children to take turns listening to the noise. Ask the others, while they are waiting, to put the palms of their hands on their ears and push, hearing the sound inside themselves. As they listen, continue telling the story.)
After the wind came an earthquake. The ground shook and broke open, but the Lord was not in the wind or the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but after the fire, a sound of sheer silence.
(Pour water into the jar so the children can hear the "sheer silence.")
Talk together: What did Elijah hear? Sometimes the voice of the Lord, the Spirit of God, speaks in silence. Have you ever heard a "silent" voice? Have you ever prayed with a silent voice? Pretend you are at the seashore and the bright sun is coming up over the water, or it's the end of the day and you watch the sunset, the sky painted pink. Have you ever said, "Thank you, God," silently?
Prayer: Let us pray now in sheer silence. (pray silently) Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, June 20, 2010, issue.
Copyright 2010 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
What Have You Done for Me Lately?
by Mary Austin
1 Kings 19:1-15a
Theologians and pastors debate whether is it easier to live by faith when times are good or in hard times. On one hand, when life is easy and all is well, gratitude is easy and we find it easy to feel good about God. On the other hand, when life is one obstacle after another and we reach the limits of our own ability and strength, we turn to God and cry out for help -- and our faith grows deeper.
It may be that it works differently for different people. Some of us find faith deeper in good times and feel it stretching thin when life throws too much at us. Others of us find our deepest connection with God when we reach the end of our own resources, and we and God are left alone together to face the storm.
For anyone who's ever experienced a crisis of faith, Elijah the prophet offers us some holy wisdom about where God can be found. Elijah himself, Israel's greatest prophet, experiences the bone-deep weariness and soul-deep emptiness that many of us have known at different times. For him, the glass is more than half-empty, and his story offers us a rich example of how to live when our faith isn't deep enough or robust enough to carry us through the crisis before us.
THE WORLD
Elijah's despair seems like an excellent response to much of what we see in the world around us. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico offers heartbreaking pictures of birds, turtles, and other animals struggling under the weight of oil, which one expert this week described as having the consistency of wet cement. Not as cute but facing a longer struggle are the shrimpers, fisher people, oil-rig workers, and people in the tourism industry -- all facing a long season of economic devastation before their livelihoods are restored. Despair makes perfect sense.
In other parts of the country, economic experts can't tell if the decline in the number of people receiving unemployment benefits means that they have found jobs or just that their benefits have expired. Pictures of people lined up around the block for job fairs and part-time work at new "big box" stores are a media staple. The ritual of the summer job for teenagers and college students is disappearing, as desperate adults take many of those jobs. So many homes are in foreclosure that some people have adopted the strategy of not making their mortgage payments and waiting to be evicted, meanwhile using the money for other needs. Dismay makes perfect sense.
Or perhaps we feel frazzled because we're trying to attend to too many electronic masters in our lives. A recent New York Times article discusses how our constant interaction with computers, Twitter, Facebook, email, and smartphones leaves us unsatisfied with everyday life, and stressed and jumpy to boot. Our online friends, the constant stream of intriguing news, the anticipation of finding something new in our inbox leave us in a state of hyper-awareness, even when we should be relaxed. Dr. Kimberly Young, a professor at St. Bonaventure University, suggests that our use of technology is akin to an eating disorder. Technology, like food, is an essential part of daily life and can't be given up completely, but many of us use it in unhealthy ways. We can't cut it out of our lives, but technology is changing our leisure time, our relationships, and even how our brains work. Our ability to concentrate and to think deeply about a problem is compromised by our constant multitasking, leaving us on edge as we shift from task to task. Distraction becomes the norm.
THE WORD
Elijah and God have already been through a lot together when this story begins. In the name of the God of Israel, Elijah has promised the nation a drought -- which is God's response to King Ahab's worship of Baal, the god of his wife Jezebel. During the drought, God directs Elijah to a source of water, and then to the widow of Zarephath, who feeds him. While he's with the widow the jars of flour and oil never run out, and it's clear to Elijah that this is God at work. During that time the widow's son dies, but the Lord hears Elijah's prayer and the son is restored to life. The drought goes on for three years, and still the widow, her son, and Elijah never run out of food. This is God at work.
When God instructs him to go and meet with Ahab again, Elijah does so -- only to learn that Ahab has been looking high and low for him all this time. His safety is God at work. Elijah instructs Ahab to line up the prophets of Baal, now numbering 450, and they call on Baal all day to light their sacrifice on fire -- "but there was no voice, no answer, and no response" (1 Kings 18:29). When Elijah's turn comes, he repairs the altar of the Lord, places the sacrifice on it, and then has the altar doused with water once, twice, three times. "The fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water" around the altar (1 Kings 18:38). In response, the people of Israel fall on their faces and worshiped God. This is God at work.
After all that, Elijah is understandably weary. He journeys into the wilderness and sits down, exhausted. Even there God finds him, and an angel wakes him up and brings him water and food, enough to sustain him for 40 days and 40 nights as he travels to Mt. Horeb. Again, this is God at work.
After all that, Elijah is left alone with his own thoughts and he is very frightened. "I alone am left," he tells God, seeming to forget the Presence that has been with him all along.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
That Elijah, known to us as a great prophet and someone with an intimate connection with God, should have these moments of thin faith reminds us that faith can wax and wane for any of us. Whether we do better faith-wise in happy times or feel more connected to God in the miserable moments, all of us have times when our faith is more robust than others. The endless parade of bad news around us and the personal financial and emotional toll on our parishioners and ourselves leave us all ripe for Elijah-like moments right now.
It's significant that God speaks to Elijah not in the traditional theophany language of the Hebrew scriptures. We know to look for the presence of God in fierce wind and storm, in earthquake, in fire. But God makes the Holy Presence known to Elijah in the silence, and then God speaks to Elijah about the future. God already has another plan for him.
In such tough times as these we too may need to listen for God in different ways and to find God's graceful embrace not in the big gifts, but in the small ones. We too may need to catch our faith again and see what plans God has for us when we find God in what seems like silence.
ANOTHER VIEW
Follow Me, Right Where You Are
by Ron Love
Luke 8:26-39
"He watched her -- with thousands of vengeful, bestial eyes." This is the haunting, threatening closing line in James Patterson's novel Cradle and All, as Satan watches every move of Noelle, the incarnate Christ of the vision of Fatima, her parents, and all who are a part of her ever-widening circle called humanity. We too reside in that circle -- and at times we feel that not only does Satan watch our every move, but he must also somehow control them, or at least the circumstances that surround them. We are often not unlike the man in our gospel text, who called himself Legion.
Legion often seems like a distant figure from us. He foams at the mouth. He tramps about, dirty and naked. His rages are so severe as to break the chains that are to bind him. He is so grotesque and unsociable that he lives alone in the caves outside of town. No, he is not one of us, unless of course we take the description metaphorically rather than literally. Now, we are a part of the story. In fact, we are the story.
We are possessed by the demonic. Though we may not need to stand in line for an exorcism, we certainly are in need of a spiritual awakening. There is a base side to all of us. Some traits are held in common by all; others are uniquely individual. However they are listed, we do at times foam at the mouth. Selfish. Critical. Inconsiderate. Racist. Sexist. Vindictive. Cliquish. Unresponsive. To be sure, this is only a partial list. Is not a legion composed of 6,000 ruthless soldiers?
When Jesus came upon this man living among the tombs, he understood the man's problem. Jesus recognized it and articulated it in a single sentence: "What is your name?" The man needed his identity back. He needed to be reconciled to himself and restored to the community. Legion is who he had become; not who he once was or wanted to be. Jesus gave him back his identity with the gift of caring.
Understandably thankful, the man wanted to journey with Jesus and be an intricate part of his ministry. Instead, he was told to remain in his village as a living example of the saving grace of Jesus. He was to live among his people so that they would never forget the healing power of Jesus. Beyond example he was to vocalize, to share, to tell others about his salvation experience. So often we are told to follow Jesus, but most times following Jesus means remaining right where we are. Our ministry is in the here and now, at this time, in this place. This may not seem as glamorous as Pearl Buck going to China or as important as David Livingston traversing the jungles of Africa, but it is as equally important and certainly more pragmatic.
The following outline may assist you in preparing a sermon based on our lectionary gospel reading and the story of Legion:
I. You may want to begin by sharing that this is the second miracle story in a succession of four recorded by Luke. Each story demonstrates that Jesus is bringing forth God's kingdom. The stories are, in order, Jesus' power over nature (vv. 22-25); his power over demonic forces (vv. 26-39); his power over illness (vv. 40-48); and his power over death (vv. 49-56). Share how Jesus' power over the demonic fits into the total scheme of his ministry.
II. Discuss what the demonic means. Discuss how we are not as different from Legion as we would like to think. Share how all of us have traits that are unfavorable to God and disingenuous to others. Discuss how this affects our own sense of self-identity, and how it can make being around us an unpleasant experience for others. Numerous scripture passages can be quoted to show in what ways we may be possessed. We may not even be aware of the subtleties of some of these, such as a "party spirit," or the power to hurt, such as the "tongue" is as powerful as a rudder that steers a ship.
III. Share that just as Jesus came to Legion, he comes also to us. Discuss the various ways that Jesus heals us, restoring our identity and sense of self. You might include aspects of healing from the other three stories in Luke's four-part narrative.
IV. The conclusion should emphasize how Jesus instructed the man to remain in his village and among his people as a living testimony and vocal witness to the salvation message. Share with your congregation the countless ways parishioners can become involved in the lives of those who are nearest to them and be active participants in the church and local community charities.
a. Verna Oller is a wonderful example of ministering where you are. She recently died at the age of 98, having acquired an estate of $4.5 million. During her working years she made only an average wage, but was thrifty, frugal, and a wise investor. Upon her death, she instructed her attorney, Guy Glenn, that the entire sum should be spent on improving and assisting those in her home community of Long Beach, Washington. One project she insisted upon was for the city to have its first indoor swimming pool.
b. African-American pastors in Chicago have decided it is time to remove the stigma of AIDS so the community epidemic may be addressed. A number of programs of education and acceptance are being instituted across the city. For example, Reverend Stephen Thurston, while standing in the pulpit of New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church, allowed a health care worker to swab his gums. At the end of the service the HIV test results were shared. His willingness to stand forthrightly encouraged 41 other men to be tested during the service. Thurston, who is president of the National Baptist Convention of America, said, "We are single-minded in saving the souls of individuals, but not as open-minded in terms of saving that person's life." His proactive stance for health care is changing that attitude.
c. There is now a trend toward more domestic short-term mission projects than those to foreign lands. Some of the factors that are causing this are the aftereffects of 9/11, the recession, drug wars in Mexico, and Hurricane Katrina. David Armstrong of Mission Data International, an organization that statistically records mission trips, responds that the trend is good since "it might help people comprehend the needs of the US more."
d. Every year the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church holds a work day in the city that hosts its Annual Conference (a weeklong session of business meetings and worship). Discussing the importance of this venture, presiding Bishop Mary Virginia Taylor said: "The Great Day of Service is about being in mission and connecting with the community outside our church's walls. It's about making a difference in the lives of those who need our love and support."
ILLUSTRATIONS
Sabina Hayes, the daughter of a Methodist missionary who served in the Belgian Congo prior to the revolution in 1960, told the story of their arrival in that country. Her father was anxious to press on to the mission station and get things set up. In the day and time when they arrived, the only manner of doing so was to pack all the necessary supplies and then use bearers who carried the parcels on their heads. The journey was long and the pace brutal. Despite being a young girl with nothing heavier to carry than her baby doll, Sabina recalled the difficulty she had keeping up. Day after day, they marched all day and then camped for the night. The closer they came to the mission station, the more anxious to arrive her father became. Finally, one morning they awakened to a silent camp. There were no sounds of preparation for the day's march. When her father confronted the chief bearer about the urgency of getting on their way, the chief responded, "There will be no marching today." When her father inquired as to why, the chief responded, "Because they must wait for their souls to catch up."
* * *
Sometimes we're like Elijah on Mount Horeb. When things don't go the way we want, it's all too easy for us to pull back, to hide out, and to go somewhere where we can feel sorry for ourselves. Somewhere where we can lick our wounds and have us a "pity party" -- even where we can wish, like Elijah, that we could die -- forgetting that our Lord is still the Lord of all creation and that he has called us to be his people to do the work of his kingdom with him, and that he is with us, leading us and strengthening us and guiding us, and forgetting that we are part of a community of faith, all down through the ages, that surrounds us like a great cloud of witnesses.
So what does the Lord do about the sulking, fearful Elijah? He sends an angel to tell him to quit feeling sorry for himself and to get up and get ready to take a journey because the Lord has work for him -- and he'd better quit moping and start eating the food the angel has prepared for him or he won't have the strength to make the 40-day trip the Lord has planned for him.
* * *
It has often been said that we are our own worst enemies. Elijah's worst enemy was not those in search of his life, only himself. When we are totally depressed and down on ourselves, we are often convinced that death would be a blessing. Like Elijah we take a nap, hoping never to awaken to the many problems of this life again. God often has a better plan for us: "Eat and drink; go on with the rest of your life, empowered by my spiritual and inward diet plan." One of the places to receive God's kind of strength is in the supper of Christ, at the table with the other people who are seeking the Lord's inward ability and strength for their lives.
* * *
Some 10 to 14 million people in the United States and some 10 to 20% of the world's population suffer from serious depression. It may result from the loss of a friend or relative, or a job, or from failing in some important function in life. Some believe that depression also can be caused by experiences in childhood, while others believe the cause lies in a chemical imbalance. Depressed people may experience loss of appetite for food and pleasure, insomnia, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, an inability to concentrate, and recurring thoughts of death and/or suicide. Cures for depression include psychiatric counseling, shock therapy, and medication.
Elijah, the otherwise bold prophet of God, found himself depressed. He fled in fear from his scene of activity and told God he would rather die than go on. But God reached out to him and cured him. God did not use drugs or therapy. He appeared to Elijah -- not in a strong wind, not in an earthquake, not in a fire -- but in a still, small voice. In a similar way, God reaches out and lifts us up when we feel down with the reassuring words of Holy Scripture.
* * *
A favorite children's book of many people is Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. Poor Alexander is having a bad day and wants everyone to know it. We all have days like that, and sometimes it seems to help if we have a pity party for ourselves. It's easy to imagine that no one has ever gone through this before. When Elijah found himself in that situation, God told him to get up and go back the way he had come... and that God was with him in even this situation.
* * *
Our Lord calls us, as he called Elijah and so many others, to move beyond our self-centeredness, to move beyond our concern mainly for ourselves. Theologian Hans Kung writes:
In everything that we think, say and feel, do and suffer, we tend quite naturally to protect, shield, advance ourselves, to cherish ourselves. And now we are expected to give exactly the same care and attention to our neighbor. With this all reserves are broken down. For us, who are egoists by nature, it means a radical conversion....
It certainly does mean the orientation of ourselves toward others: an alertness, an openness, a receptivity for our fellow [humans], a readiness to help without reserve. It means living not for ourselves, but for others: in this -- from the standpoint of the person who loves -- is rooted the indissoluble unity of undivided love of God and unlimited love of neighbor.
-- Hans Kung, On Being a Christian (Doubleday, 1976), p. 257
* * *
Frederick Speakman tells the story of an endearing and rather sad character in a small Pennsylvania mining town: the town drunk. Week in and week out, the drunk could be found on the sidewalk, sleeping off the last night's excess. His clothes were shabby, his behavior less than socially acceptable, but the people tolerated him.
Once a year, in the summer, things would change. Summer was when the tent-meeting revival came to town. Every year, the town drunk sat in the front row. Every year, on the last night of the revival, he would walk down the aisle and promise the whole community that he would change.
The man wasn't being false. For the next few weeks he wouldn't go near a bar. His threadbare clothes would look a little neater. He would enter into the life of the town, going to church, and attending social functions. But every year a strange thing happened: no one would talk to him. He made them uncomfortable. The people found a reformed town drunk much harder to handle than an unreformed one. They needed a symbol of failure, living evidence that human beings cannot be reformed, so that they themselves would not have to face the fearful prospect of new life. Every year, a few weeks after the revival had moved on, the drunk would be back in the bar and sleeping on the streets again.
He is a tragic figure. Yet even more tragic are the good Christian citizens of that little town -- people who were so afraid of change that when they saw healing and wholeness incarnate before them, they could only fear it.
* * *
It had been several years since Patricia had been in contact with any of her family. She says that "the past has been painful with plenty of heartache." She committed a crime, was convicted, and sentenced to time in jail. Her family felt disappointed, telling her that she "disgraced them." She ran away to avoid time in jail. It is always easier to run from the past than to face it and trust in God.
Life continued to be difficult for Patricia. Once again she became involved with something illegal and found herself without a home or any possessions. "I realized my past had caught up with me," she reflects. "I acknowledged to the authorities my earlier conviction and sentence, and I went to prison."
"During my incarceration," she says, "I found God in my life stronger than I ever imagined." It was during this time that she realized that God had been there to help her face the wrongs and deal with them. God provided her new friendships. God brings the right people into our lives at the right time. Her new friends exhibited the love of God to her. For the first time in many years she felt hopeful for a better tomorrow. With their support and encouragement she reestablished her relationship with her family. She learned to place her total trust in God.
While we are tempted to discount accounts of demons in our modern world, we do have to acknowledge the hold of evil intentions. Jesus confronts a person suffering with demons and dramatically sets the man free. Jesus has the power to change or transform our lives. What dark places in our lives do we need to turn over to the liberating power of Jesus?
* * *
Anthony DeMello tells a parable of a man who is romantically interested in a woman. After months of his pursuing her, she finally agrees to a rendezvous. Here is what happens:
At that time and place the lover finally found himself beside his beloved. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sheaf of love letters that he had written to her over the past months. They were passionate letters, expressing the pain he felt and his burning desire to experience the delight of love and union. He began to read them to his beloved. The hours passed by and he read on and on.
Finally the woman said, "What kind of a fool are you? These letters are all about you and your longing for me. Well, here I am sitting with you at last and you are lost in your stupid letters."
"Here I am with you," says God, "and you keep reflecting about me in your head, talking about me with your tongue, and searching for me in your books. When will you shut up and see?"
Sometimes we need to set aside our theology, and even our Bibles, and simply listen for the still, small voice.
* * *
Regarding being quiet enough to hear that still, small voice, a favorite illustration tells about a truck driver hauling two tons of canaries. At every stoplight, the driver would get out of his truck, run around it, and hit the sides with a baseball bat. After seeing this for several miles, another driver following this trucker finally got out of his car at the next stop light to ask him what he was doing. The trucker frantically said that he had two tons of canaries in his semi -- but unfortunately, the truck could only carry one ton of cargo. That meant he had to keep one ton of canaries in the air at all times.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Come all you who long for God.
People: We thirst for God as a deer thirsts for clear streams.
Leader: Come all who pine for the God of comfort.
People: Our tears have been our food both day and night.
Leader: Why is your soul disquieted within in you?
People: We shall trust in God and praise our helper.
OR
Leader: Come you who are full of fear.
People: It seems that all the powers are against us.
Leader: Come and be fed so that you can be strong.
People: Our strength is almost gone.
Leader: Come and listen for God's voice of utter silence.
People: The silence of God is strength indeed.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"It Is Well with My Soul"
found in:
UMH: 377
AAHH: 377
NNBH: 255
NCH: 438
CH: 561
"Silence, Frenzied, Unclean Spirit"
found in:
UMH: 264
CH: 186
"Out of the Depths I Cry to You"
found in:
UMH: 515
H82: 666
PH: 240
NCH: 483
CH: 510
LBW: 295
"By Gracious Powers"
found in:
UMH: 517
H82: 695, 696
PH: 342
NCH: 413
"O Thou, in Whose Presence"
found in:
UMH: 518
"Lift Every Voice and Sing"
found in:
UMH: 519
H82: 599
PH: 563
AAHH: 540
NNBH: 457
CH: 631
LBW: 562
"Dona Nobis Pacem"
found in:
UMH: 376
H82: 712
CH: 297
Renew: 240
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
found in:
UMH: 140
AAHH: 158
NNBH: 45
NCH: 423
CH: 86
Renew: 249
"All I Need is You"
found in:
CCB: 100
"Fill My Cup, Lord"
found in:
CCB: 47
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who knows us at our best and at our worst: Help us to seek you both when things are going well and when life becomes difficult that we may live our lives in harmony with you; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We come to worship in all the complexities of life. We come with our joys and with our sorrows. Help us to be open to your presence, whatever the condition of our lives this day. Empower us to share your Spirit with others in their lives as well. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially our tendencies to forget you when things go well or to blame you when things get tough.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We confess that we allow the circumstances of our lives to determine our relationship with you. Whether times are good or bad, we allow those moments to bend and shape our attitude toward you. Sometimes things go well and we are grateful, but sometimes when things go well we are pleased with ourselves and forget you completely. Sometimes when things are going badly we find ourselves desperately searching for you, and sometimes we find ourselves blaming you for our situation. Forgive us, and bring us once more to make our relationship with you the main focus of our lives. Amen.
Leader: God knows that our lives are complicated and that we are creatures of this earth. God loves us and comes to be with us in all the circumstances of our lives. Know that whatever this week brings, God will be there for us all.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We come to worship and adore you, our God of Salvation. You are the one who transcends all of life and brings to us that holy quality that makes us your children.
(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 confess that we allow the circumstances of our lives to determine our relationship with you. Whether times are good or bad, we allow those moments to bend and shape our attitude toward you. Sometimes things go well and we are grateful, but sometimes when things go well we are pleased with ourselves and forget you completely. Sometimes when things are going badly we find ourselves desperately searching for you, and sometimes we find ourselves blaming you for our situation. Forgive us, and bring us once more to make our relationship with you the main focus of our lives.
We give you thanks for all the ways in which make your presence known to us. We thank you for the beauty of the earth and all creation. We thank you for your loving presence that is shared by our sisters and brothers and strangers. We thank you for the awesome silence that reveals your love to and for us.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray to you for your creation in all its needs. We pray for the earth that we have wounded and for our brothers and sisters whom we have harmed. We pray for those whose lives seem to fall apart no matter what they do. We pray, most of all, that we may all become more aware of your loving, healing presence in all creation.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father... Amen.
(or if the Lord's Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Visuals
Pictures of people sailing in pleasant weather and a ship in a storm; pictures of children sledding down a snowy slope and a dog team fighting through a snowstorm; pictures of folks enjoying a summer day and others struggling through the desert -- any pictures that contrast easy times and hard times. In the center a picture of Jesus, the cross, a candle, or any symbol of God's presence that would speak to your congregation.
Children's Sermon Starter
Make a recording of simple sounds for the children to identify. (Some of them should be loud and spectacular noises.) At the end have a span of silence (or a still, small voice) and ask the children about it. Talk to them about how God does not always speak with great loudness and show -- sometimes God just whispers or speaks in silence.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Elijah and the Voice
1 Kings 19:1-15a
Good morning, boys and girls! Elijah was a messenger of God. One day the word of the Lord told him, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord.
(Pass a large sea shell or empty jar, inviting the children to take turns listening to the noise. Ask the others, while they are waiting, to put the palms of their hands on their ears and push, hearing the sound inside themselves. As they listen, continue telling the story.)
After the wind came an earthquake. The ground shook and broke open, but the Lord was not in the wind or the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but after the fire, a sound of sheer silence.
(Pour water into the jar so the children can hear the "sheer silence.")
Talk together: What did Elijah hear? Sometimes the voice of the Lord, the Spirit of God, speaks in silence. Have you ever heard a "silent" voice? Have you ever prayed with a silent voice? Pretend you are at the seashore and the bright sun is coming up over the water, or it's the end of the day and you watch the sunset, the sky painted pink. Have you ever said, "Thank you, God," silently?
Prayer: Let us pray now in sheer silence. (pray silently) Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, June 20, 2010, issue.
Copyright 2010 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
