Easter 6
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle C Gospel Texts
Liturgical Color: White
Gospel: John 14:23-29
Theme: Jesus Speaks about Loving God and Keeping One's Word; Jesus Promises the Coming of Holy Spirit; and Jesus Speaks about True Peace. These ingredients make for integration, healing, wholeness, synonyms for salvation. Have you received this gift?
The Community Of Faith, Hope, Love Gathers For Worship
Music for Preparation
"O Lamb of God," Weiss.
Recognizing Who God Is
Choral Invitation
"Sing Alleluia" Make up your own music. Sing as a round.
Pastoral Invitation
Listen for the Spirit of God. Do you hear God speaking? In the words of the Scripture? In the silent meditation and spoken message? In the breathing of your fellow worshipers? In the pulse of your heart beat? In the morning headlines? In the most recent athletic event? In the playfulness of your children, whatever their age? In the confrontation of an unhealthy behavior? In the plaintive cries of the world around you? I invite us to become even more sensitive to the presence, power, patience, perseverance of the Holy Spirit as we worship. (For those especially courageous, you may want to continue with a medley of songs of the world, of sounds of the world, of scenes of the world. Ask a soloist to sing the songs. Use a tape recording of the sounds. Place pictures around the sanctuary.)
Hymn of Praise
"God of Mercy, God of Grace," Henry F. Lyte, 1834; alt. 1984; David G. Wilson, 1973.
Prayer of Praise
God of every blessing, grant that goodness possess our lives because you possess our hearts, minds, bodies, wills. By your Spirit, which we call Holy, in the good deeds that we do, preserve us from meddling. Grant that we shall respect the integrity of ideas, ways, personalities, and thoughts different from our own; yet, give us passion and courage to help the other person without making value judgments. Grant that we shall love unconditionally; because you love unconditionally the other, and us. So be it!
Realizing Who We Are
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
Ask the people, either silently or verbally, to identify how they see God in the ideas suggested in the pastoral invitation, and in the songs, sounds, scenes of the world. Invite them to write down their responses.
Response
(Soloist or Congregation) "What Signs Has God Revealed to Us?" Jane Parker Huber, 1982; English melody, probably sixteenth century.
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Take to heart, mind, body, will, the words of Jesus: "If you love me, you will keep my word ... Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you ... Let not your hearts (and minds and bodies and wills) be troubled, neither let them be afraid." Receive this good news and live. Dag Hammarskjold said, "In our era, the road to holiness necessarily passes through the world of action." Repentance without action is no repentance; repentance means that we take a new road of obedience.
Response
"Come, Thou Almighty King," Collection of Hymns for Social Worship, 1757; alt.; Felice de Giardini, 1769.
Receiving The Biblical Truth
Message with the Children of All Ages
Do you ever lie to anyone? Do not raise your hand. If you do, I will have to ask the rest of the congregation, because it's not fair to put only you on the spot. Maybe you really don't lie, you just tell a little fib, or a little white lie, though personally I never have known the difference. Certain politicians seem to think that there's a difference. But before we start throwing rocks at others, we need to take a look at ourselves. In this Scripture, Jesus says that if we love him, we will keep his word, that is, we will be honest, truthful, in everything we do. So, when we lie, fib, tell white lies, what do we hope will happen? Anyone? (If no one responds, offer some possibilities. Let them know that lying is not the unpardonable sin, but that it gets in the way of our friendship with God and others.) Jesus also promises that when we are in a good relationship with God, we have the peace of God which passes all understanding.
Response
"Round For Peace," source unknown, from New Wine. (See Appendix I for address.)
Dramatizing the Scripture
Ask someone to memorize the Scripture and to present it among the people. While that person presents it, ask your musicians, piano, or organ, to play some dissident chords during the reciting of verses 24 and 28.
Proclamation of the Good News
Consider these ideas, suggested by Ernest Trice Thompson in the 2/27/61 Presbyterian Outlook: "Comforter" in Greek means "one who is called to the side of another." Barclay uses the word "helper." E. Stanley Jones in The Way to Power and Poise insists that "The Spirit of truth doesn't free us by magic. The Spirit frees us by making us to be identified with truth, and then the truth makes us free. The Spirit cleanses us from all lies, all evasions, all make believe, all false fronts. Before this can happen, we need to love Jesus. When that happens, we have the promise of the Spirit to dwell with us."1
Response
"Great God, Whose Will Is Peace," Jane Parker Huber; Douglas E. Wagner, 1983, from Joy in Singing. (See Appendix I for address.)
Responding To What We Believe
Stewardship Challenge
To take part in every level of Christ's world means our engagement with every evil power. Flip Wilson, the comedian, in one of his routines said, "I'm a Jehovah's Bystander. They asked me to be a Jehovah's Witness, but I didn't want to get that involved." Christ's Spirit calls us to embrace God's world in every dimension.
Charge to the Congregation
Jesus says that if we want the peace that God gives, we will need to keep God's Word, which becomes our words. There is no magic to it; it requires obedience. Obedience means that we drop everything and do what God wants. No excuses. No fibs. No white lies. No rationalizations. No justifications. No scapegoating. When God calls, we obey.
Hymn of Commitment
"Come Down, O Love Divine," Bianco da Siena, d. 1434; trans. Richard Frederick Littledale, 1867; alt; Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906.
Response
To the tune of "The Happy Wanderer" sing: "Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Repeat.) Amen. Amen. Amen. A-----men. Amen. Grace and peace be unto you."
Meditation
"If you want your neighbors to know what Christ will do for them, let them see what Christ has done for you" (Henry Ward Beecher). "The acts of baptism, joining the church, assenting to biblical propositions about our sinfulness, making a decision for Christ ... none of these is ordinarily inconveniencing. If I am a slum landlord, a racist, a person of violence, a profiteer, I cannot be told of 'peace' until I have been inconvenienced" (Martin Marty).
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "The Holy Ten Commandments," J. S. Bach.
Response to the Gospel: "Upon Your Great Church Universal," J. M. de Carbon-Ferrier, 1823; trans. by Margaret House, 1949; alt. 1972.
Offertory: "Be Thou in Earnest," Karg-Elert.
Doxology: "Praise God," to the tune of "All Creatures of Our God and King," Francis of Assisi, c. 1225. Change the doxology occasionally.
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Easter hymns that focus on love and peace and obedience.
____________
1. E. Stanley Jones, The Way to Power and Poise. Used by permission from Abingdon Press, 201 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203.
Gospel: John 14:23-29
Theme: Jesus Speaks about Loving God and Keeping One's Word; Jesus Promises the Coming of Holy Spirit; and Jesus Speaks about True Peace. These ingredients make for integration, healing, wholeness, synonyms for salvation. Have you received this gift?
The Community Of Faith, Hope, Love Gathers For Worship
Music for Preparation
"O Lamb of God," Weiss.
Recognizing Who God Is
Choral Invitation
"Sing Alleluia" Make up your own music. Sing as a round.
Pastoral Invitation
Listen for the Spirit of God. Do you hear God speaking? In the words of the Scripture? In the silent meditation and spoken message? In the breathing of your fellow worshipers? In the pulse of your heart beat? In the morning headlines? In the most recent athletic event? In the playfulness of your children, whatever their age? In the confrontation of an unhealthy behavior? In the plaintive cries of the world around you? I invite us to become even more sensitive to the presence, power, patience, perseverance of the Holy Spirit as we worship. (For those especially courageous, you may want to continue with a medley of songs of the world, of sounds of the world, of scenes of the world. Ask a soloist to sing the songs. Use a tape recording of the sounds. Place pictures around the sanctuary.)
Hymn of Praise
"God of Mercy, God of Grace," Henry F. Lyte, 1834; alt. 1984; David G. Wilson, 1973.
Prayer of Praise
God of every blessing, grant that goodness possess our lives because you possess our hearts, minds, bodies, wills. By your Spirit, which we call Holy, in the good deeds that we do, preserve us from meddling. Grant that we shall respect the integrity of ideas, ways, personalities, and thoughts different from our own; yet, give us passion and courage to help the other person without making value judgments. Grant that we shall love unconditionally; because you love unconditionally the other, and us. So be it!
Realizing Who We Are
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
Ask the people, either silently or verbally, to identify how they see God in the ideas suggested in the pastoral invitation, and in the songs, sounds, scenes of the world. Invite them to write down their responses.
Response
(Soloist or Congregation) "What Signs Has God Revealed to Us?" Jane Parker Huber, 1982; English melody, probably sixteenth century.
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Take to heart, mind, body, will, the words of Jesus: "If you love me, you will keep my word ... Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you ... Let not your hearts (and minds and bodies and wills) be troubled, neither let them be afraid." Receive this good news and live. Dag Hammarskjold said, "In our era, the road to holiness necessarily passes through the world of action." Repentance without action is no repentance; repentance means that we take a new road of obedience.
Response
"Come, Thou Almighty King," Collection of Hymns for Social Worship, 1757; alt.; Felice de Giardini, 1769.
Receiving The Biblical Truth
Message with the Children of All Ages
Do you ever lie to anyone? Do not raise your hand. If you do, I will have to ask the rest of the congregation, because it's not fair to put only you on the spot. Maybe you really don't lie, you just tell a little fib, or a little white lie, though personally I never have known the difference. Certain politicians seem to think that there's a difference. But before we start throwing rocks at others, we need to take a look at ourselves. In this Scripture, Jesus says that if we love him, we will keep his word, that is, we will be honest, truthful, in everything we do. So, when we lie, fib, tell white lies, what do we hope will happen? Anyone? (If no one responds, offer some possibilities. Let them know that lying is not the unpardonable sin, but that it gets in the way of our friendship with God and others.) Jesus also promises that when we are in a good relationship with God, we have the peace of God which passes all understanding.
Response
"Round For Peace," source unknown, from New Wine. (See Appendix I for address.)
Dramatizing the Scripture
Ask someone to memorize the Scripture and to present it among the people. While that person presents it, ask your musicians, piano, or organ, to play some dissident chords during the reciting of verses 24 and 28.
Proclamation of the Good News
Consider these ideas, suggested by Ernest Trice Thompson in the 2/27/61 Presbyterian Outlook: "Comforter" in Greek means "one who is called to the side of another." Barclay uses the word "helper." E. Stanley Jones in The Way to Power and Poise insists that "The Spirit of truth doesn't free us by magic. The Spirit frees us by making us to be identified with truth, and then the truth makes us free. The Spirit cleanses us from all lies, all evasions, all make believe, all false fronts. Before this can happen, we need to love Jesus. When that happens, we have the promise of the Spirit to dwell with us."1
Response
"Great God, Whose Will Is Peace," Jane Parker Huber; Douglas E. Wagner, 1983, from Joy in Singing. (See Appendix I for address.)
Responding To What We Believe
Stewardship Challenge
To take part in every level of Christ's world means our engagement with every evil power. Flip Wilson, the comedian, in one of his routines said, "I'm a Jehovah's Bystander. They asked me to be a Jehovah's Witness, but I didn't want to get that involved." Christ's Spirit calls us to embrace God's world in every dimension.
Charge to the Congregation
Jesus says that if we want the peace that God gives, we will need to keep God's Word, which becomes our words. There is no magic to it; it requires obedience. Obedience means that we drop everything and do what God wants. No excuses. No fibs. No white lies. No rationalizations. No justifications. No scapegoating. When God calls, we obey.
Hymn of Commitment
"Come Down, O Love Divine," Bianco da Siena, d. 1434; trans. Richard Frederick Littledale, 1867; alt; Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906.
Response
To the tune of "The Happy Wanderer" sing: "Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Repeat.) Amen. Amen. Amen. A-----men. Amen. Grace and peace be unto you."
Meditation
"If you want your neighbors to know what Christ will do for them, let them see what Christ has done for you" (Henry Ward Beecher). "The acts of baptism, joining the church, assenting to biblical propositions about our sinfulness, making a decision for Christ ... none of these is ordinarily inconveniencing. If I am a slum landlord, a racist, a person of violence, a profiteer, I cannot be told of 'peace' until I have been inconvenienced" (Martin Marty).
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "The Holy Ten Commandments," J. S. Bach.
Response to the Gospel: "Upon Your Great Church Universal," J. M. de Carbon-Ferrier, 1823; trans. by Margaret House, 1949; alt. 1972.
Offertory: "Be Thou in Earnest," Karg-Elert.
Doxology: "Praise God," to the tune of "All Creatures of Our God and King," Francis of Assisi, c. 1225. Change the doxology occasionally.
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Easter hymns that focus on love and peace and obedience.
____________
1. E. Stanley Jones, The Way to Power and Poise. Used by permission from Abingdon Press, 201 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203.
