Physical and Spiritual Blindness
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle A Gospel Texts
The Community Gathers
Invitation to the Celebration
Last week, I asked why we came to worship. This week, I ask how did we come today:
1. As spectators, waiting for someone to do something for, to, with us; or as participants making something happen?
2. As people ready to say "yes" to God; or as people who say "no, maybe, later"?
3. As humble ones who have more questions than answers; or as self-righteous ones who pretend to have all of the answers?
4. Do we come breezing in, or dragging in?
5. With openness or with calculations?
6. Joyfully or morosely?
7. Do we come broken or whole or a mixture?
Choral Response
"O Come, Let us Celebrate" (Richard Gerig, 1975).
Affirmation of Joyful Expectations (Pastor and Ministers)
P: Come on! Let's celebrate the presence and power of God, no matter what our condition -- the God who is Creator, Sustainer, Liberator, Energizer of all, the God who came in Jesus the Christ to transform the world and begin the new creation.
M: We come to celebrate the presence and power of God, despite our blind spots. We are the people of God, despite our blind spots -- new persons in the new creation made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. We come to affirm that the old has passed away and behold the new has come, is coming, and will come!
P: No matter how blind we are, Jesus the Christ is Lord!
M: And we are new, not perfect, persons through him! As transformed, renewed, released people, we celebrate with adoration and praise!
Hymn of Praise (with drums, or drum substitute; use your imagination)
"O God the Creator" (music by Joy Patterson, 1989; text: c. 1977, Elizabeth Haile and Cecil Corbett).
The Community Takes Responsibility For Itself
Jim Crane, in his book On Edge, has a contemporary man, cigarette in mouth, briefcase in hand, speaking to the prophet Amos. "I enjoyed your talk, Mr. Amos, but I would like to hear more of what's right with Israel." True of us? If so, then we will do our best to silence the messenger, because we want no one, not even God's messenger, to reveal our blind spots; we will silence the messenger, if not by outright killing him/her, then by gossip to destroy a person's character; or by ignoring the person, even during the social hour following worship; or by ridiculing a person behind his/her back; or by (what's your favorite way?). Blind spots are dangerous to a person's spiritual health. (Three minutes of silence to consider and write down the content of our blind spots.)
Response
Offer the opportunity to confess their blind spots, and to ask forgiveness both from God and the congregation. Offer one of your own.
The Act of Receiving New Life
Only the Spirit of God transforms us from our blind spots to an openness to acknowledge them. Only the Spirit of God transforms us from excuse-making, "I just couldn't help myself ... I didn't know!" to obedient decision-making: "I am responsible for myself!" So, if it's true that God is, that God refuses to lie, then, believe me, we are forgiven of the past, reconciled in the present, equipped for the future -- with our blind spots revealed in the name of the Christ of the Cross.
Response
"Open My Eyes That I May See" (Clara H. Scott, 1895).
The Community Responds To God's Truth
Message with the Children of All Ages and the Reading of the Newer Covenant
Again, this Scripture provides an excellent opportunity for a powerful drama, preferably memorized, but also as a reading. It requires the following characters: Jesus, the blind man, the Pharisees, the blind man's parents. At the points of the parents' participation, the whole thing is a comedy. Be sure to stress the comedic side of the drama.
Proclamation of the Good News
You may want to use this illustration: A woman went to a play and sat there the whole evening. It was bitter cold outside. While the woman sat inside, she was moved to shed tears at the drama. While she wept over the play, her coachman was freezing outside.
Stewardship Challenge
Do we have any blind spots with our money? Before presenting the offering, consider, and write down, your blind spots. After the offering, ask members of the congregation to offer sentence prayers.
Charge to the Congregation
Ask the congregation in general, though you may want to have asked three or four well before worship, what charge they would like to give each other in regard to blindness; and what, in God's name, they plan to do about it.
Meditation
A farmer who lived on the same farm all of his life wanted a change. He subjected everything on the farm to his blind and merciless criticism; he appreciated nothing about it. So he finally listed the farm with a realtor. He was ready to sell. The realtor prepared an advertisement for the newspaper. He read to the farmer a very flattering description of the property. He talked of the farm's advantages, its ideal location, its up-to-date equipment, its fertile acres, its well-bred stock. "Wait a minute; read that to me again," insisted the farmer, "and read it slowly." The realtor did as asked. "Changed my mind," said the farmer, "I'm not gonna sell. All my life I've been looking for a place like that!"1 (J. Wallace Hamilton, in Ride the Wild Horses! Revell, revised.)
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Medley of Lenten hymns.
Hymn of Praise: "Father Eternal, Ruler of Creation," Laurence Housman, 1919; alt.
Response to the Prayer of Praise: "Let Us Sing to the Lord" (Psalm 95), Moyer. Adult Choir.
Response to the Confession: "When We Are Tempted to Deny Your Son," David W. Romig, 1965.
Offertory: "A Prayer for the Innocent," McKay.
Hymn of Commitment: "Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life," Frank Mason North, 1903; alt., 1972 (hymn for the second half of Lent).
Response to the Benediction: "Fourfold Amen," your choice.
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Lenten hymns, or "Benedictions," McKay.
____________
1. Permission to use given by "the heirs of J. W. Hamilton," signed by Joan Hamilton Morris.
Invitation to the Celebration
Last week, I asked why we came to worship. This week, I ask how did we come today:
1. As spectators, waiting for someone to do something for, to, with us; or as participants making something happen?
2. As people ready to say "yes" to God; or as people who say "no, maybe, later"?
3. As humble ones who have more questions than answers; or as self-righteous ones who pretend to have all of the answers?
4. Do we come breezing in, or dragging in?
5. With openness or with calculations?
6. Joyfully or morosely?
7. Do we come broken or whole or a mixture?
Choral Response
"O Come, Let us Celebrate" (Richard Gerig, 1975).
Affirmation of Joyful Expectations (Pastor and Ministers)
P: Come on! Let's celebrate the presence and power of God, no matter what our condition -- the God who is Creator, Sustainer, Liberator, Energizer of all, the God who came in Jesus the Christ to transform the world and begin the new creation.
M: We come to celebrate the presence and power of God, despite our blind spots. We are the people of God, despite our blind spots -- new persons in the new creation made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. We come to affirm that the old has passed away and behold the new has come, is coming, and will come!
P: No matter how blind we are, Jesus the Christ is Lord!
M: And we are new, not perfect, persons through him! As transformed, renewed, released people, we celebrate with adoration and praise!
Hymn of Praise (with drums, or drum substitute; use your imagination)
"O God the Creator" (music by Joy Patterson, 1989; text: c. 1977, Elizabeth Haile and Cecil Corbett).
The Community Takes Responsibility For Itself
Jim Crane, in his book On Edge, has a contemporary man, cigarette in mouth, briefcase in hand, speaking to the prophet Amos. "I enjoyed your talk, Mr. Amos, but I would like to hear more of what's right with Israel." True of us? If so, then we will do our best to silence the messenger, because we want no one, not even God's messenger, to reveal our blind spots; we will silence the messenger, if not by outright killing him/her, then by gossip to destroy a person's character; or by ignoring the person, even during the social hour following worship; or by ridiculing a person behind his/her back; or by (what's your favorite way?). Blind spots are dangerous to a person's spiritual health. (Three minutes of silence to consider and write down the content of our blind spots.)
Response
Offer the opportunity to confess their blind spots, and to ask forgiveness both from God and the congregation. Offer one of your own.
The Act of Receiving New Life
Only the Spirit of God transforms us from our blind spots to an openness to acknowledge them. Only the Spirit of God transforms us from excuse-making, "I just couldn't help myself ... I didn't know!" to obedient decision-making: "I am responsible for myself!" So, if it's true that God is, that God refuses to lie, then, believe me, we are forgiven of the past, reconciled in the present, equipped for the future -- with our blind spots revealed in the name of the Christ of the Cross.
Response
"Open My Eyes That I May See" (Clara H. Scott, 1895).
The Community Responds To God's Truth
Message with the Children of All Ages and the Reading of the Newer Covenant
Again, this Scripture provides an excellent opportunity for a powerful drama, preferably memorized, but also as a reading. It requires the following characters: Jesus, the blind man, the Pharisees, the blind man's parents. At the points of the parents' participation, the whole thing is a comedy. Be sure to stress the comedic side of the drama.
Proclamation of the Good News
You may want to use this illustration: A woman went to a play and sat there the whole evening. It was bitter cold outside. While the woman sat inside, she was moved to shed tears at the drama. While she wept over the play, her coachman was freezing outside.
Stewardship Challenge
Do we have any blind spots with our money? Before presenting the offering, consider, and write down, your blind spots. After the offering, ask members of the congregation to offer sentence prayers.
Charge to the Congregation
Ask the congregation in general, though you may want to have asked three or four well before worship, what charge they would like to give each other in regard to blindness; and what, in God's name, they plan to do about it.
Meditation
A farmer who lived on the same farm all of his life wanted a change. He subjected everything on the farm to his blind and merciless criticism; he appreciated nothing about it. So he finally listed the farm with a realtor. He was ready to sell. The realtor prepared an advertisement for the newspaper. He read to the farmer a very flattering description of the property. He talked of the farm's advantages, its ideal location, its up-to-date equipment, its fertile acres, its well-bred stock. "Wait a minute; read that to me again," insisted the farmer, "and read it slowly." The realtor did as asked. "Changed my mind," said the farmer, "I'm not gonna sell. All my life I've been looking for a place like that!"1 (J. Wallace Hamilton, in Ride the Wild Horses! Revell, revised.)
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Medley of Lenten hymns.
Hymn of Praise: "Father Eternal, Ruler of Creation," Laurence Housman, 1919; alt.
Response to the Prayer of Praise: "Let Us Sing to the Lord" (Psalm 95), Moyer. Adult Choir.
Response to the Confession: "When We Are Tempted to Deny Your Son," David W. Romig, 1965.
Offertory: "A Prayer for the Innocent," McKay.
Hymn of Commitment: "Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life," Frank Mason North, 1903; alt., 1972 (hymn for the second half of Lent).
Response to the Benediction: "Fourfold Amen," your choice.
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Lenten hymns, or "Benedictions," McKay.
____________
1. Permission to use given by "the heirs of J. W. Hamilton," signed by Joan Hamilton Morris.
