Proper 7, Pentecost 5, Ordinary Time 12
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle C Gospel Texts
Liturgical Color: Green
Gospel: Luke 8:26-39
Theme: Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac; the People Responded to the Healing With Great Fear. How do we respond to events that challenge our experience? In many instances, fear turns to anger.
The Community Gathers To Celebrate Who God Is
Music for Preparation
"The Sun's Declining Rays," Bruce Simonds.
Pastoral Invitation
In the name of God, the Healer, how have we come to worship today? Worried? Anxious? Under the weather? Open to new truths, even those truths about ourselves that we would rather not hear? Have we come joyful? Scared? Angry? How many of us have come alert, awake, anticipating a God-event of healing? I invite us to ready ourselves for surprises, for God is a God of surprises.
Declaration of Joyful Expectation
Pastor and Ministers
P: Come on, folks, ground yourselves in God, the Creator, Liberator, Sustainer, Energizer, the God who came in Jesus the Christ to bring healing to all kinds of diseases, and to transform the world, and to begin the new creation. Now!
M: We come to focus our lives on God's purposes. We are God's people, not because of what we do, but because of what God has done, is doing, and will do. We are 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 to heal a broken and frightened world.
P: Jesus the Christ is Lord.
M: And we are new men and women, boys and girls, through Christ. As transformed, renewed, and released people, we worship with adoration and praise.
Hymn of Praise
"God, Give Us Eyes and Hearts to See," Jane Parker Huber, 1982; Geistliche Kirchengesang, Cologne, 1623.
Prayer of Praise
Ask the people to call out praise words of healing. The pastor repeats each one individually as expressed. The congregation repeats the pastor's repetition. Use a variety of voice inflections, from high to low.
The Community Examines Its Attitudes And Behavior
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
We preview the Scripture by recognizing that when Jesus healed the demoniac, the people got scared. How do we respond around events that challenge our experience? We often get scared and sometimes turn our fear into anger. We play emotional and psychological games, and look for scapegoats and justifications. Does this make sense to you? If so, raise your hands, and listen carefully to this popular song: "Games People Play," (one version by Petula Clark). Either play the record, or have a soloist sing it. Ask the people to write down their insights of their own lives as they think about the Scripture. (One minute of silence.) Anyone care to share? (Wait; if no response, give one of your own. It's not only okay to take risks as pastor, it is essential if we are to fulfill God's calling.)
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Pastor and Ministers
We can keep on playing games for the rest of our lives, and remain scared and angry. Or we can appreciate and receive the healing power of God, and the healing ministry of the church. That choice belongs to us. Receive this Christ and live!
P: Our humanity is accepted.
M: We embrace it.
P: Christ has set us free to be responsible.
M: We are free and responsible.
P: I invite us to find a new person, a new day, a new song.
M: We celebrate life in the risen, healing Christ. Amen and Tah-dah!
Response
(Adult Choir) "In Thee, O Lord," Franz Joseph Haydn.
The Community Learns About God's Healing
Message with the Children of All Ages
Do you ever get scared? About what? (Give some time. If no response, express some of your own fears. Point out why the people were scared in the biblical passage.) Something happened that they did not understand. Do you have things or events, in your life that you do not understand. Name a few. Now, what can you do when this happens to you? We can go to our parents, teachers, pastor, friends, and certainly to Jesus.
Response
Offer the prayer around this message of fear and what to do about it.
Dramatizing the Scripture
Put your drama group to work well ahead of today's worship. Either enact the passage, or use it as a dramatic reading, punctuated with the sounds of the demoniac.
Proclamation of the Good News
Before preparing the message, you may want to read an article, "Is Satan Dead?" from The Economist (11/25/78). It deals with the mass suicide in Guyana. This message fits into two points. (1) Jesus' healing the demoniac. One point is this: If we believe in a literal devil or demons, we need take no responsibility for our behavior. "The Devil made me do it" (Flip Wilson) is far more than a cute remark for many lay theologians. Some even substitute the word "Lord" for "demon." Both neglect and ignore our personal and corporate responsibility for our alienation and action. (2) Distinguish between what to fear and what not to fear. Most of us fear what our fellow humans can and may do to us, rather than the courage to face what God does for us. Harry Truman used to say, "Give 'em hell." But we don't have to. Many already live in hell. The culture no longer fears death, but life; no longer fears fire and brimstone, but daily living; not of going to hell, but of becoming a nobody, a nothing, a zero.
Response
If you don't give people opportunity to respond during the sermon, ask for their response now, or at least before they leave the sanctuary. If they are too fearful to verbalize their concern, invite them to write it down. Then build the prayer around giving up fear to face the truth about oneself, and the church.
Hymn Response
"O Christ, the Healer," Fred Pratt Green, 1969; Klug's Geistliche Lieder, 1543; harm. J. S. Bach, 1725; alt.
The Community Responds To The Healing Ministry Of Christ
Stewardship Challenge
What kind of ministry of healing will you offer through your feelings, thoughts, words, and actions? In addition to your money offering today, I invite you to write down, and put in the offering plate, signed or unsigned, how you will bring Christ's healing this week.
Response
"Glory Be to the Father," Richard Avery and Don Marsh, 1967.
Prayer Response
Focus on the Spirit's giving courage to overcome fear in our living out the promise we made in the stewardship challenge.
Hymn of Commitment
"Live into Hope of Captives Freed," Jane Parker Huber, 1976; T. Williams, Psalmodia Evangelica, 1789.
Charge to the Congregation
"We has met the enemy, and he is us" (Pogo). That's poor English, but good theology. God has healed us people of faith. God calls us to be Christ's healers in this world, a world torn apart by dissension, distrust, by gossip, greed, by self-righteousness and self-interest. Go now to be, not heels, but healers.
Meditation
"Let no one in a compromised position say: 'God put me in this dilemma,' for God ... never makes any compromise with evil, and never puts anyone ... in that position. The truth is that each person is dragged and pulled into compromise by his (her) own self-interest. And self-interest, when it gets pregnant, gives birth to sin, and sin grows up and spawns death" (James 1:13-15, Cotton Patch Version by Clarence Jordan). So, according to Thomas Moore, "The best way to drive out the devil (evil powers/influences) is to jeer and flaunt him/her/it; for he/she/it cannot bear scorn ... The Devil, the proud spirit, cannot endure to be mocked."
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Like a Shepherd, God Doth Guide Us," J. S. Bach.
Hymn of Praise: "God of Grace and God of Glory," Harry Emerson Fosdick, 1930; alt.; John Hughes, 1907.
Offertory: "Amazing Grace," John Newton, 1779; stanzas 1-4; stanza 5, A Collection of Sacred Ballards, 1790; Virginia Harmony, 1831; arr. Edwin O Excell, 1900.
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Healing hymns.
Gospel: Luke 8:26-39
Theme: Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac; the People Responded to the Healing With Great Fear. How do we respond to events that challenge our experience? In many instances, fear turns to anger.
The Community Gathers To Celebrate Who God Is
Music for Preparation
"The Sun's Declining Rays," Bruce Simonds.
Pastoral Invitation
In the name of God, the Healer, how have we come to worship today? Worried? Anxious? Under the weather? Open to new truths, even those truths about ourselves that we would rather not hear? Have we come joyful? Scared? Angry? How many of us have come alert, awake, anticipating a God-event of healing? I invite us to ready ourselves for surprises, for God is a God of surprises.
Declaration of Joyful Expectation
Pastor and Ministers
P: Come on, folks, ground yourselves in God, the Creator, Liberator, Sustainer, Energizer, the God who came in Jesus the Christ to bring healing to all kinds of diseases, and to transform the world, and to begin the new creation. Now!
M: We come to focus our lives on God's purposes. We are God's people, not because of what we do, but because of what God has done, is doing, and will do. We are 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 to heal a broken and frightened world.
P: Jesus the Christ is Lord.
M: And we are new men and women, boys and girls, through Christ. As transformed, renewed, and released people, we worship with adoration and praise.
Hymn of Praise
"God, Give Us Eyes and Hearts to See," Jane Parker Huber, 1982; Geistliche Kirchengesang, Cologne, 1623.
Prayer of Praise
Ask the people to call out praise words of healing. The pastor repeats each one individually as expressed. The congregation repeats the pastor's repetition. Use a variety of voice inflections, from high to low.
The Community Examines Its Attitudes And Behavior
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
We preview the Scripture by recognizing that when Jesus healed the demoniac, the people got scared. How do we respond around events that challenge our experience? We often get scared and sometimes turn our fear into anger. We play emotional and psychological games, and look for scapegoats and justifications. Does this make sense to you? If so, raise your hands, and listen carefully to this popular song: "Games People Play," (one version by Petula Clark). Either play the record, or have a soloist sing it. Ask the people to write down their insights of their own lives as they think about the Scripture. (One minute of silence.) Anyone care to share? (Wait; if no response, give one of your own. It's not only okay to take risks as pastor, it is essential if we are to fulfill God's calling.)
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Pastor and Ministers
We can keep on playing games for the rest of our lives, and remain scared and angry. Or we can appreciate and receive the healing power of God, and the healing ministry of the church. That choice belongs to us. Receive this Christ and live!
P: Our humanity is accepted.
M: We embrace it.
P: Christ has set us free to be responsible.
M: We are free and responsible.
P: I invite us to find a new person, a new day, a new song.
M: We celebrate life in the risen, healing Christ. Amen and Tah-dah!
Response
(Adult Choir) "In Thee, O Lord," Franz Joseph Haydn.
The Community Learns About God's Healing
Message with the Children of All Ages
Do you ever get scared? About what? (Give some time. If no response, express some of your own fears. Point out why the people were scared in the biblical passage.) Something happened that they did not understand. Do you have things or events, in your life that you do not understand. Name a few. Now, what can you do when this happens to you? We can go to our parents, teachers, pastor, friends, and certainly to Jesus.
Response
Offer the prayer around this message of fear and what to do about it.
Dramatizing the Scripture
Put your drama group to work well ahead of today's worship. Either enact the passage, or use it as a dramatic reading, punctuated with the sounds of the demoniac.
Proclamation of the Good News
Before preparing the message, you may want to read an article, "Is Satan Dead?" from The Economist (11/25/78). It deals with the mass suicide in Guyana. This message fits into two points. (1) Jesus' healing the demoniac. One point is this: If we believe in a literal devil or demons, we need take no responsibility for our behavior. "The Devil made me do it" (Flip Wilson) is far more than a cute remark for many lay theologians. Some even substitute the word "Lord" for "demon." Both neglect and ignore our personal and corporate responsibility for our alienation and action. (2) Distinguish between what to fear and what not to fear. Most of us fear what our fellow humans can and may do to us, rather than the courage to face what God does for us. Harry Truman used to say, "Give 'em hell." But we don't have to. Many already live in hell. The culture no longer fears death, but life; no longer fears fire and brimstone, but daily living; not of going to hell, but of becoming a nobody, a nothing, a zero.
Response
If you don't give people opportunity to respond during the sermon, ask for their response now, or at least before they leave the sanctuary. If they are too fearful to verbalize their concern, invite them to write it down. Then build the prayer around giving up fear to face the truth about oneself, and the church.
Hymn Response
"O Christ, the Healer," Fred Pratt Green, 1969; Klug's Geistliche Lieder, 1543; harm. J. S. Bach, 1725; alt.
The Community Responds To The Healing Ministry Of Christ
Stewardship Challenge
What kind of ministry of healing will you offer through your feelings, thoughts, words, and actions? In addition to your money offering today, I invite you to write down, and put in the offering plate, signed or unsigned, how you will bring Christ's healing this week.
Response
"Glory Be to the Father," Richard Avery and Don Marsh, 1967.
Prayer Response
Focus on the Spirit's giving courage to overcome fear in our living out the promise we made in the stewardship challenge.
Hymn of Commitment
"Live into Hope of Captives Freed," Jane Parker Huber, 1976; T. Williams, Psalmodia Evangelica, 1789.
Charge to the Congregation
"We has met the enemy, and he is us" (Pogo). That's poor English, but good theology. God has healed us people of faith. God calls us to be Christ's healers in this world, a world torn apart by dissension, distrust, by gossip, greed, by self-righteousness and self-interest. Go now to be, not heels, but healers.
Meditation
"Let no one in a compromised position say: 'God put me in this dilemma,' for God ... never makes any compromise with evil, and never puts anyone ... in that position. The truth is that each person is dragged and pulled into compromise by his (her) own self-interest. And self-interest, when it gets pregnant, gives birth to sin, and sin grows up and spawns death" (James 1:13-15, Cotton Patch Version by Clarence Jordan). So, according to Thomas Moore, "The best way to drive out the devil (evil powers/influences) is to jeer and flaunt him/her/it; for he/she/it cannot bear scorn ... The Devil, the proud spirit, cannot endure to be mocked."
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Like a Shepherd, God Doth Guide Us," J. S. Bach.
Hymn of Praise: "God of Grace and God of Glory," Harry Emerson Fosdick, 1930; alt.; John Hughes, 1907.
Offertory: "Amazing Grace," John Newton, 1779; stanzas 1-4; stanza 5, A Collection of Sacred Ballards, 1790; Virginia Harmony, 1831; arr. Edwin O Excell, 1900.
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Healing hymns.
