Reproving Another Who Sins
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle A Gospel Texts
Remembering Whose We Are
Invitation to the Celebration
Pastor begins: Alleluia! God created us within families because of the joys, despite the risks. God continues the creation through us, as biological families, as church families. God welcomes and pursues us as families; where two or three are gathered in God's Name, there God is in the midst. Therefore, good morning, in the Name of God, the Parent; God, the Child; God, the Spirit; as we celebrate together the Good News.
Response
"Come, Christians, Join to Sing" (Christian Henry Bateman; Spanish Hymn).
Prayer of Praise
Begin with words similar to these, as given by David Currie (slightly revised): "God, holy and loving, great beyond our understanding, wise beyond our imagining, powerful beyond our measuring, loving beyond our deserving, praise be to you." Continue with petitions that pertain to your local situation.
Hymn of Praise
"Immortal, Invisible, God" (Welsh Folk Melody; Walter Chalmers Smith, 1867; alt. 1987).
Facing Up To Ourselves
Introduction to Our Self-Righteousness
One of our favorite sins is to look for weaknesses in others. Sometimes we can hardly wait for people to disagree with us, so we can use our disagreement to discount them. Sometimes we can hardly wait for people to speak on certain issues, so we can use their ideas against them. We like to think that we are always right on the big issues. We like to think that people on the other side of the theological, social, economic, racial fence can't possibly be related to us, in the church, because of their beliefs and actions. We see this attitude around political campaigns. I invite us to recall that the religious leaders of Jesus' day, and other self-righteous folks of our day, have similar thoughts, feelings, ideas. Are you one of those? (Three minutes of silence; ask people to write down their insights.)
Response
"Lord, Have Mercy on Me" (any version).
Invitation to Our Acceptance
The Gospel lesson today speaks about our reproving another who sins. Response to that text has created all kinds of trouble throughout the church. Too often, the "reprovers"Êhave acted self-righteously. "We have the truth; we are the truth; and we're here to discipline you." Thus, we need, always, to begin where Isaiah began, with the confession of his own sin before the sin of his people. So, I invite us to pray this prayer. My life is filled with so many things that reveal my limits as a human being: my inability to communicate clearly with others; the hurt that I feel from broken relationships; the pain of knowing that I have failed at some task; the anguish of loneliness, self-pity, fear. There is so much that I hide within myself and think that I can reveal to no one. And yet, I also experience joy, the great surging feelings of wholeness that make life exciting and worth living. Sometimes they come from a new union with another human being. Sometimes it is the satisfaction of a job well done, an experience with beauty, the intangible but real knowledge that life is good. All of this is our humanity. We pray that we will treat it gently as a great gift, God, and that our reverence for life will grow.
P: So now, if we are in Christ, we are a new, not a revised, not a renovated, creation; the old has passed away, the new has come. The mercy of the Lord is from eternity to eternity. In the Name of the Christ, we are forgiven.
M: So be it!
P: O Lord, open our lips,
M: And our mouths shall express your praise; and our actions shall refract your will!
Response
"Into My Heart" (Harry D. Clarke, stanza 1; source unknown, stanzas 2 and 3).
Looking Out To Others
Message with the Children of All Ages
Make very clear what this Gospel reading means, in children's language and experience. Ask if any have ever tried it. If the immediate children haven't, then ask those people who remained in their seats. Give an example from your experience when the issue was resolved and when it was not. Much depends on how we approach the other.
Reading from the Newer Covenant
With the children still present, continue to explore the meaning of the Scripture and the importance of verse 20. This text is tough to make happen in which all are winners.
Proclamation of the Good News
Begin with two or three examples of how people have misused this text, both throughout history and presently. Present what Jesus was saying; and give two or three examples of a positive response. In your educational program, offer a course on active listening, developed by The Effective Training Associates, Thomas Gordan.
Response
If you are serving communion, use the hymn, "Draw Us in the Spirit's Tether" (Percy Dearmer, 1931; alt.; Harold Friedel, 1957).
Remembering Our Reason For Being The Church
Stewardship Challenge
As long as we want to change other people only to make ourselves feel better and superior, we're still playing power games. Are we willing to give up our superior-acting attitudes, in order to minister effectively on eye-level?
Acting On Our Faith
Charge to the Congregation
"The purpose of the covenant community of faith, hope, love, is to comfort and confront each other on our journey to the grave -- and beyond" (WHK).
Hymn of Commitment
"Called as Partners in Christ's Service" (Jane Parker Huber, 1981; John Zundel, 1870).
Meditation
"If I am not for myself, who is for me? Yet, if I am only for myself, what am I?" (Pirke Abot).
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Prelude on a Hymn Tune," T. Tertius Noble.
Hymn of Praise: "Jesus Shall Reign," based on Psalm 72; Isaac Watts, 1719.
Response to the Prayer of Praise: "O Be Joyful in the Lord," Don Muro.
Response to the Message with the Children: "Lo, I Am With You Always," words and music by Loretta Ellenberger, copyright 1973, Folk Encounter, Hope Publishing Company.
Offertory: "Aria," McKay.
Hymn of Commitment: "Reach Out to Your Neighbor," words and music by Roger Copeland, copyright 1971, in A New Now, Hope Publishing Company.
Music for Dismissal: "Festal March," Nordman.
Invitation to the Celebration
Pastor begins: Alleluia! God created us within families because of the joys, despite the risks. God continues the creation through us, as biological families, as church families. God welcomes and pursues us as families; where two or three are gathered in God's Name, there God is in the midst. Therefore, good morning, in the Name of God, the Parent; God, the Child; God, the Spirit; as we celebrate together the Good News.
Response
"Come, Christians, Join to Sing" (Christian Henry Bateman; Spanish Hymn).
Prayer of Praise
Begin with words similar to these, as given by David Currie (slightly revised): "God, holy and loving, great beyond our understanding, wise beyond our imagining, powerful beyond our measuring, loving beyond our deserving, praise be to you." Continue with petitions that pertain to your local situation.
Hymn of Praise
"Immortal, Invisible, God" (Welsh Folk Melody; Walter Chalmers Smith, 1867; alt. 1987).
Facing Up To Ourselves
Introduction to Our Self-Righteousness
One of our favorite sins is to look for weaknesses in others. Sometimes we can hardly wait for people to disagree with us, so we can use our disagreement to discount them. Sometimes we can hardly wait for people to speak on certain issues, so we can use their ideas against them. We like to think that we are always right on the big issues. We like to think that people on the other side of the theological, social, economic, racial fence can't possibly be related to us, in the church, because of their beliefs and actions. We see this attitude around political campaigns. I invite us to recall that the religious leaders of Jesus' day, and other self-righteous folks of our day, have similar thoughts, feelings, ideas. Are you one of those? (Three minutes of silence; ask people to write down their insights.)
Response
"Lord, Have Mercy on Me" (any version).
Invitation to Our Acceptance
The Gospel lesson today speaks about our reproving another who sins. Response to that text has created all kinds of trouble throughout the church. Too often, the "reprovers"Êhave acted self-righteously. "We have the truth; we are the truth; and we're here to discipline you." Thus, we need, always, to begin where Isaiah began, with the confession of his own sin before the sin of his people. So, I invite us to pray this prayer. My life is filled with so many things that reveal my limits as a human being: my inability to communicate clearly with others; the hurt that I feel from broken relationships; the pain of knowing that I have failed at some task; the anguish of loneliness, self-pity, fear. There is so much that I hide within myself and think that I can reveal to no one. And yet, I also experience joy, the great surging feelings of wholeness that make life exciting and worth living. Sometimes they come from a new union with another human being. Sometimes it is the satisfaction of a job well done, an experience with beauty, the intangible but real knowledge that life is good. All of this is our humanity. We pray that we will treat it gently as a great gift, God, and that our reverence for life will grow.
P: So now, if we are in Christ, we are a new, not a revised, not a renovated, creation; the old has passed away, the new has come. The mercy of the Lord is from eternity to eternity. In the Name of the Christ, we are forgiven.
M: So be it!
P: O Lord, open our lips,
M: And our mouths shall express your praise; and our actions shall refract your will!
Response
"Into My Heart" (Harry D. Clarke, stanza 1; source unknown, stanzas 2 and 3).
Looking Out To Others
Message with the Children of All Ages
Make very clear what this Gospel reading means, in children's language and experience. Ask if any have ever tried it. If the immediate children haven't, then ask those people who remained in their seats. Give an example from your experience when the issue was resolved and when it was not. Much depends on how we approach the other.
Reading from the Newer Covenant
With the children still present, continue to explore the meaning of the Scripture and the importance of verse 20. This text is tough to make happen in which all are winners.
Proclamation of the Good News
Begin with two or three examples of how people have misused this text, both throughout history and presently. Present what Jesus was saying; and give two or three examples of a positive response. In your educational program, offer a course on active listening, developed by The Effective Training Associates, Thomas Gordan.
Response
If you are serving communion, use the hymn, "Draw Us in the Spirit's Tether" (Percy Dearmer, 1931; alt.; Harold Friedel, 1957).
Remembering Our Reason For Being The Church
Stewardship Challenge
As long as we want to change other people only to make ourselves feel better and superior, we're still playing power games. Are we willing to give up our superior-acting attitudes, in order to minister effectively on eye-level?
Acting On Our Faith
Charge to the Congregation
"The purpose of the covenant community of faith, hope, love, is to comfort and confront each other on our journey to the grave -- and beyond" (WHK).
Hymn of Commitment
"Called as Partners in Christ's Service" (Jane Parker Huber, 1981; John Zundel, 1870).
Meditation
"If I am not for myself, who is for me? Yet, if I am only for myself, what am I?" (Pirke Abot).
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Prelude on a Hymn Tune," T. Tertius Noble.
Hymn of Praise: "Jesus Shall Reign," based on Psalm 72; Isaac Watts, 1719.
Response to the Prayer of Praise: "O Be Joyful in the Lord," Don Muro.
Response to the Message with the Children: "Lo, I Am With You Always," words and music by Loretta Ellenberger, copyright 1973, Folk Encounter, Hope Publishing Company.
Offertory: "Aria," McKay.
Hymn of Commitment: "Reach Out to Your Neighbor," words and music by Roger Copeland, copyright 1971, in A New Now, Hope Publishing Company.
Music for Dismissal: "Festal March," Nordman.
