Proper 27, Pentecost 25, Ordinary Time 32
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle C Gospel Texts
Liturgical Color: Green
Gospel: Luke 20:27-38
Theme: Captious Questions: Paying Tribute to Caesar? A Resurrection? What methods do we use to entrap those whom we want to do in?
Recognizing Who God Is
Music for Preparation
"Prelude on Psalm 34:6," Howells.
Pastoral Invitation
In the name of the God who knows how to respond to the wrong questions, welcome. Using Psalm 148, develop a call to worship with no printed form. Have the worship leader speak the words of the Psalm with different emphases and voice inflections. As the people to repeat some of the words. Include the Choir and musical instruments. For additional information, refer to the material published by Richard Avery and Don Marsh and Doug Adams. Following the invitation, invite the people to share their joy with each other.
Hymn of Praise
"Let the Whole Creation Cry." (See Pentecost 10.)
Prayer of Praise
God, good beyond all that is good, fair beyond all that is fair, through whom we persevere, in whom is our peace, do make up for the disunity and dissensions which we create and which keep us from full communion with each other; bring us to our senses. Despite our variety of opinions, grant that we shall be spiritually one, in you, in each other, through the perseverance and peace of yours, which integrates all things, through the grace, mercy, and strength of your unique son.
Invitation To Discover Who We Are And Who We Can Become
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
Have two people read the Gospel, slowly and deliberately, from different parts of the sanctuary. Before the readings, invite the people to identify what the questioners in the text were doing. After the reading, ask if they identified the trick questions. Maybe some would share their responses. Now, ask if the people, present in worship, use a similar tactic to "get" those with whom they disagree. Ask them to write down the names of such people and how they seek to entrap them. (Two minutes of silence.)
Prayer Response
Include in the prayer that God knows how and when we choose to deceive, to make us look good while making the others look bad. Conclude with words similar to these: "Examine me, God, and know my mind; test me, and discover my thoughts. Find out if there is any deceit in me, and guide me in your way."
Choral Response
"You Are the Lord, Giver of Mercy" as a round.
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Pastor and Ministers
P: This act of worship is only for those who take God's word to heart, to head, to action; for repentance includes visible changes in one's life. That means seeking forgiveness from, and reconciliation with, those whom we have trashed, subtly and openly. For you, Jesus said, "Be of good cheer! Your sin, that is, your rebellion, I-centeredness, self-justifications, deceptions are forgiven."
M: We believe that with our minds, Lord. Help us to believe through our behavior.
Unison Prayer
We are here because we are people, people who are searching. We are searching for ourselves, authentic selves, for the ability to love ourselves so that we will treat others with respect. We are searching for others, so that we will experience love, and have it returned. We are searching for a new world, where justice replaces repression, where peace will overtake the curse of war, where all persons will be free to hold their heads high and love life. We pray for the courage to continue our search, and for the integrity to back our hopes with the commitment of our lives to bring these things into being.
Choral Response
"Faith and hope and love abide -- love is greatest of the three. Faith and hope abide, but love the greatest is." Sing these words, to the tune of "500 Miles," as a round several times.
Hearing The Truth Of The Good News
Message with the Children of All Ages
Have you ever been embarrassed? What caused that to happen? (Wait.) Now, have you ever tried to embarrass someone? What did you hope would happen? (Wait.) Jesus' enemies were always trying to embarrass him, hoping to turn the people against him. Jesus always knew how to answer them, which just got them angrier. They finally became so angry, they got him arrested and nailed to a cross. Instead of getting embarrassed, or embarrassing others, Jesus asks us to love each other. This song says it well:
Response
"Magic Penny," from Singing the Lord's Song. (See Appendix I for address.)
Dramatizing the Scripture
Have your drama group enact the Gospel. If the group is willing, have the members memorize their parts.
Proclamation of the Good News
Be aware of these facts: The Pharisees believed in and hoped for the coming of the Messiah; the Sadducees had no such hopes. Can we believe that the dead are really raised? That, for the Sadducees, who boasted that they, over against the Pharisees, were the intelligentsia, was the nub of the difficulty. "But that the dead are raised," said Jesus, "even Moses showed...." In quoting Moses, Jesus revealed his readiness to meet the Sadducees on their own ground -- to go back to the one authority which they themselves recognized. Instead of discrediting Jesus, as they sought to do, they actually only revealed their own ignorance of the Law, in which they claimed to be expert. (Ideas by Ernest Trice Thompson, from Presbyterian Outlook, 1/26/59.) Focus, also, on ways that we seek to discredit those whom we do not like, and those who disagree with us. We will find whatever ammunition we can find to remove them from the community, from the church, from our own home. Give illustrations from history, which led to witch-burning, the Inquisition, slavery, and so on.
Response
"We Meet You, O Christ," Fred Kaan, 1966; Basque carol; harm. George Mims, 1979.
Responding To What We Say We Believe
Stewardship Challenge
How pure is our stewardship of words? What methods do we use to entrap those whom we want to do in? Christ calls us to tell the truth, to be the truth, in all of our dealings and relationships.
Offertory
"Adagio," Reuble.
Charge to the Congregation
I charge us, this week, and from now on, to watch our words. Do our words bring healing or embarrassment? Wholeness or brokenness? Integration or disintegration? Health or sickness?
Meditation
"Freedom of speech, freedom of action are meaningless without freedom to think; and there is no freedom of thought without doubt" (Bergen Baldwin Evans, American author, 1904-1978). I agree with his statement, and I add, "We have the choice to use that freedom to bring wholeness or pain; and we do exactly that every time we open our mouths."
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Psalm Prelude," Howells.
Hymn of Praise: "Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation." (See Advent 2.)
Response to the Proclamation: "O Be Joyful in the Lord," Gilbert Martin.
Offertory: "Chorale," Brahms.
Hymn of Commitment: "Be Thou My Vision." (See Transfiguration Sunday.)
Music for Dismissal: Keep on playing "Be Thou My Vision."
Gospel: Luke 20:27-38
Theme: Captious Questions: Paying Tribute to Caesar? A Resurrection? What methods do we use to entrap those whom we want to do in?
Recognizing Who God Is
Music for Preparation
"Prelude on Psalm 34:6," Howells.
Pastoral Invitation
In the name of the God who knows how to respond to the wrong questions, welcome. Using Psalm 148, develop a call to worship with no printed form. Have the worship leader speak the words of the Psalm with different emphases and voice inflections. As the people to repeat some of the words. Include the Choir and musical instruments. For additional information, refer to the material published by Richard Avery and Don Marsh and Doug Adams. Following the invitation, invite the people to share their joy with each other.
Hymn of Praise
"Let the Whole Creation Cry." (See Pentecost 10.)
Prayer of Praise
God, good beyond all that is good, fair beyond all that is fair, through whom we persevere, in whom is our peace, do make up for the disunity and dissensions which we create and which keep us from full communion with each other; bring us to our senses. Despite our variety of opinions, grant that we shall be spiritually one, in you, in each other, through the perseverance and peace of yours, which integrates all things, through the grace, mercy, and strength of your unique son.
Invitation To Discover Who We Are And Who We Can Become
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
Have two people read the Gospel, slowly and deliberately, from different parts of the sanctuary. Before the readings, invite the people to identify what the questioners in the text were doing. After the reading, ask if they identified the trick questions. Maybe some would share their responses. Now, ask if the people, present in worship, use a similar tactic to "get" those with whom they disagree. Ask them to write down the names of such people and how they seek to entrap them. (Two minutes of silence.)
Prayer Response
Include in the prayer that God knows how and when we choose to deceive, to make us look good while making the others look bad. Conclude with words similar to these: "Examine me, God, and know my mind; test me, and discover my thoughts. Find out if there is any deceit in me, and guide me in your way."
Choral Response
"You Are the Lord, Giver of Mercy" as a round.
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Pastor and Ministers
P: This act of worship is only for those who take God's word to heart, to head, to action; for repentance includes visible changes in one's life. That means seeking forgiveness from, and reconciliation with, those whom we have trashed, subtly and openly. For you, Jesus said, "Be of good cheer! Your sin, that is, your rebellion, I-centeredness, self-justifications, deceptions are forgiven."
M: We believe that with our minds, Lord. Help us to believe through our behavior.
Unison Prayer
We are here because we are people, people who are searching. We are searching for ourselves, authentic selves, for the ability to love ourselves so that we will treat others with respect. We are searching for others, so that we will experience love, and have it returned. We are searching for a new world, where justice replaces repression, where peace will overtake the curse of war, where all persons will be free to hold their heads high and love life. We pray for the courage to continue our search, and for the integrity to back our hopes with the commitment of our lives to bring these things into being.
Choral Response
"Faith and hope and love abide -- love is greatest of the three. Faith and hope abide, but love the greatest is." Sing these words, to the tune of "500 Miles," as a round several times.
Hearing The Truth Of The Good News
Message with the Children of All Ages
Have you ever been embarrassed? What caused that to happen? (Wait.) Now, have you ever tried to embarrass someone? What did you hope would happen? (Wait.) Jesus' enemies were always trying to embarrass him, hoping to turn the people against him. Jesus always knew how to answer them, which just got them angrier. They finally became so angry, they got him arrested and nailed to a cross. Instead of getting embarrassed, or embarrassing others, Jesus asks us to love each other. This song says it well:
Response
"Magic Penny," from Singing the Lord's Song. (See Appendix I for address.)
Dramatizing the Scripture
Have your drama group enact the Gospel. If the group is willing, have the members memorize their parts.
Proclamation of the Good News
Be aware of these facts: The Pharisees believed in and hoped for the coming of the Messiah; the Sadducees had no such hopes. Can we believe that the dead are really raised? That, for the Sadducees, who boasted that they, over against the Pharisees, were the intelligentsia, was the nub of the difficulty. "But that the dead are raised," said Jesus, "even Moses showed...." In quoting Moses, Jesus revealed his readiness to meet the Sadducees on their own ground -- to go back to the one authority which they themselves recognized. Instead of discrediting Jesus, as they sought to do, they actually only revealed their own ignorance of the Law, in which they claimed to be expert. (Ideas by Ernest Trice Thompson, from Presbyterian Outlook, 1/26/59.) Focus, also, on ways that we seek to discredit those whom we do not like, and those who disagree with us. We will find whatever ammunition we can find to remove them from the community, from the church, from our own home. Give illustrations from history, which led to witch-burning, the Inquisition, slavery, and so on.
Response
"We Meet You, O Christ," Fred Kaan, 1966; Basque carol; harm. George Mims, 1979.
Responding To What We Say We Believe
Stewardship Challenge
How pure is our stewardship of words? What methods do we use to entrap those whom we want to do in? Christ calls us to tell the truth, to be the truth, in all of our dealings and relationships.
Offertory
"Adagio," Reuble.
Charge to the Congregation
I charge us, this week, and from now on, to watch our words. Do our words bring healing or embarrassment? Wholeness or brokenness? Integration or disintegration? Health or sickness?
Meditation
"Freedom of speech, freedom of action are meaningless without freedom to think; and there is no freedom of thought without doubt" (Bergen Baldwin Evans, American author, 1904-1978). I agree with his statement, and I add, "We have the choice to use that freedom to bring wholeness or pain; and we do exactly that every time we open our mouths."
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Psalm Prelude," Howells.
Hymn of Praise: "Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation." (See Advent 2.)
Response to the Proclamation: "O Be Joyful in the Lord," Gilbert Martin.
Offertory: "Chorale," Brahms.
Hymn of Commitment: "Be Thou My Vision." (See Transfiguration Sunday.)
Music for Dismissal: Keep on playing "Be Thou My Vision."
