5 secrets of church revitalization by Ron Edmondson
I’ve written frequently about church revitalization. As one who has planted a couple of churches, I know the challenges are unique. One thing I’ve noticed is the number of pastors who enter revitalization thinking the church just needs new leadership. Or better sermons. Or them.
I’ve learned there is so much more.
Here are five secrets of church revitalization:
Have a clear vision.
You have to clearly know where you are heading. What does a revitalized church look like? Specifically what does this church look like?
In my experience, unless you are starting over completely, people need to be able to “connect the dots.” It must make sense where you are going. That means whatever is next will likely have some similarity to the past. You can’t take people too far from the root DNA.
Keep in mind, vision doesn’t change frequently — if ever. For a church, a vision might be “to make disciples.” The next season after revitalization will still be to make disciples. There may have been some time since people experienced that in the church, but it’s likely still what can motivate them. If the church has a deep heritage in missions, the future will likely need to have a strong missional aspect.
Honor the history.
Hopefully this theme is clear from the previous point, because it’s paramount. I’m convinced you simply cannot be successful if you don’t at least attempt to honor the past. I frequently say "Rediscover, don’t reinvent."
Unfortunately I hear so many pastors who go into a church as the champion of everything new. They alienate people who have given their heart and life to the church, making them think everything they have ever done is wrong. These pastors can never seem to get traction.
One of the single biggest days in the life of the church since we’ve been in revitalization was the day we had a “homecoming” type of day and invited the two former pastors to attend. It seemed to rally all aspects of the church. If there were “sides” they seemed to come together this day. I knew we needed this to occur if we had any hopes of moving forward successfully.
Innovate.
What can you do new that will reach new people without hijacking the church?
How can you build momentum?
Whatever you do it will almost always involve change. In fact, I’m not sure you can define revitalization without some form of change.
The end goal should be to create a healthy environment for sustained change and growth.
Ask questions such as:
What are we doing that requires more effort than the results produced? (Eliminating things gives you margin to do better things.) What are people no longer excited about doing? (These usually zap energy from other things.)
What is something everyone gets excited about at this church? (You can usually build upon these. For example, our church gets excited about big events.)
What is one thing we can try next? (Keep a list and try several of them — not all at the same time.)
If money weren't an obstacle, what would we do? (This question can often help build momentum for something you can do.)
This is where you get the best minds in the room and brainstorm. These people may or may not be the current leaders. I wouldn’t even be shy about inviting people from outside the church. They could be from other churches — in the community or outside the community. (We visit with another church every year to learn from them.) Or, what if you asked people in the community what they would look for in a church? You don’t have to implement their ideas, but you might just learn something. (I spent a lot of time the first year talking to community leaders.)
Attack your fears.
It can seem daunting to revitalize a church, especially once you actually start making hard decisions. People can be intimidating. In fact, when you change some things, you’ll find people can be mean. You will likely have to face some direct confrontations. People you thought were the sweetest Christians may smile at you on Sunday and give send you the nastiest email Monday morning. Some may grandstand at business meetings. Others will work behind your back. (All true for me, and more.)
You have to love the calling you have to revive a church more than you love popularity — or an absence of conflict. And, you have to have patience and tenacity.
It will take longer to realize change than in a church plant. Much longer. Usually the longer the church has needed revitalization the longer it will take to see improvement.
But know this. There are usually those in the church desperate for change and solidly behind you. You have to look past the loud negative voices to find them. That requires faith and perseverance. (In my experience, God rewards those who faithfully serve.)
Forgiveness and repentance.
If things were done wrong in the past, lead people to recognize and admit them.
I felt the need to preach on forgiveness and unity — a lot — in the early days of church revitalization. And I challenged people when I heard bitterness or anger.
Church revitalization is hard. But it is so needed. And, there are so many kingdom opportunities out there.
And these aren’t “secrets”, even though I used that in the title. Yet they aren’t always our natural reactions in church revitalization. We tend to want to do all new things. We ignore conflicts rather than address them. We back away when things get too difficult.
Let me know other “secrets” you've learned or observed in church revitalization.
If you’re attempting revitalization now, what has been your biggest struggle?
Ron Edmondson blogs at RonEdmondson.com.
What's so Christian about Christianity? by Zack Hunt
The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates is famous for saying, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Those words have become something of a Philosophy 101 cliché since Socrates first uttered them centuries ago, but cliché or not they’re as true today as they were in ancient Greece.
And they should be just as convicting.
Particularly for those of us who call ourselves Christians.
I worry that far too many of us attach the name “Christian” to ourselves without ever really stopping to consider what that name implies or the demands that name makes (or should make) upon on our lives.
For example, we wouldn’t call ourselves vegetarians if steak was a regular part of our diet because vegetarian describes not just an ideology, but a particular way of life. You can’t just believe that vegetables are a good thing. To be a vegetarian, you have to actually live like a vegetarian. And if you try to eat meat while claiming to be a vegetarian, people will call you out on it in a heartbeat for your gastronomic hypocrisy.
In theory, the name Christian should work the same way. Yet we seem to feel free to call ourselves Christians so long as we simply believe in Jesus and agree to a certain list of beliefs.
But is that really all that Christianity is about?
Believing something the Bible says even the Devil believes?
Shouldn’t Christianity be more than just a list of beliefs? Shouldn’t it also be a particular way of life? And shouldn’t that particular way of life resemble the life of the person who gives Christianity its name?
And if it should, then don’t we have an obligation to our integrity (to say nothing of our faith) to pause, examine our lives, examine the Church, and ask a really hard question: “What’s so Christian about Christianity today?”
Particularly in America.
In other words, how well do we who call ourselves Christians actually resemble the Christ we claim to be following and embodying for the world?
If we’re being really honest with ourselves and compare our lives with the life of Jesus, then I’m afraid the answer is not much.
Or at least not nearly enough.
Jesus made love the foundation of his ministry. We make doctrinal purity the foundation of our faith and treat love as a nice afterthought.
Jesus said to turn the other cheek and put away the sword. We go out of our way to justify violence.
Jesus called his followers to love their enemies. We call for bombs to be dropped on their heads.
Jesus called his followers to give up everything, relying on God and each other for their needs. We idolize financial independence, prosperity, and self-reliance.
Jesus made radical changes to his community of faith and promised the coming of a Spirit who would do even more. We fight change at every turn and at any cost.
Jesus grew in wisdom. We already know the absolute truth about absolutely everything.
Jesus battled religious authorities in order to bring the marginalized and outcast into the Kingdom of God. We try to use our religious authority to keep people out of the Kingdom who don’t act and believe exactly like we do.
Jesus fellowshipped with sinners. We damn them to hell.
Jesus looked at the big picture of scripture in order to liberate people from legalism. We take a microscope to scripture in order to shackle people to rules and dogma.
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” We try to sanctify America through the ballot box.
Jesus blessed the poor, declaring that the kingdom of God belonged to them. We blame the poor for their poverty and treat them as charity cases instead of brothers and sisters.
Jesus made healing the sick central to his ministry. We treat healthcare as a luxury for the employed and well insured.
Jesus made women a central part of his ministry. We bend over backwards to keep them out of ministry.
Jesus called people of other faiths “good” and immortalized in parable their love and grace. We write off a billion people as nothing more than inherently evil terrorists.
Jesus said the Kingdom of God is made up of little children. We too often do too little to protect them from systematic abuse at the hands of religious leaders.
Jesus never stopped forgiving. We hold grudges in the name of righteousness.
Jesus embraced the aliens living in his homeland, praising them for their the love and faithfulness. We pass laws and build walls to keep foreigners out of our homeland.
Jesus died to bring the “wrong” people into the kingdom of God. We fight to keep them out.
Jesus made hard demands of his followers. We reduce Christianity to little more than a list of beliefs.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m just as guilty of most of these things as the person sitting next to me in the pew on Sunday morning.
But it’s because of that, because of my own complicity, that I worry that being a Christian today has come to mean little more than believing in a list of doctrines.
If that is true, if our identity as Christians is primarily found in our heads and not in our lives, then perhaps that is part of the reason so many of us in the Church today feel persecuted for our Christian faith.
Perhaps, like a vegetarian eating steak, the world recognizes our hypocrisy, the chasm that exists between our lives and the life of Jesus, and we’re being called out for living a life that looks almost nothing like what we preach.
This article originally appeared on zackhunt.net. Republished with permission. .
How to do ministry on five loaves and two fish
by Rosario PicardoWhen I graduated from seminary, I dove into ministry believing I was fully prepared to turn the world upside down for the kingdom. But as I sat around a meeting table at my first official pastoring job with an expense report in my hands, “fully prepared” is the opposite of how I felt. I flipped back and forth through the pages of Excel spreadsheets, but I wasn’t seeing what my colleagues were talking about. I suddenly felt embarrassed and grossly unprepared. Seminary taught me to preach, order the church in polity, serve my community, and share in the sacraments, but nobody ever mentioned I would need to know anything about finances, human resources, building maintenance, and capital campaigns.
Meanwhile, expenses have continued to increase in most churches year after year. Revenue is decreasing as the faithful, giving generations pass away. The future looks grim, but it doesn’t have to be. Turnaround is possible, but it requires clergy who are willing to risk seeking unconventional ways to fund ministry.
Fortunately, what we need most is right in front of us. Church leaders need to seek the “loaves and fish” that God has set before them. The disciples likely felt their resources were inadequate when they faced a hungry crowd of five thousand. However, Andrew saw what was right in front of him: a boy’s lunch of five small barley loaves and two small fish. Andrew mentioned it to Jesus, not knowing the food would be multiplied to feed the crowd but simply as an available asset and opportunity right before his eyes. The miracle was of course in the multiplication, but it was also in Andrew’s willingness to utilize what was in front of him.
The following three loaf-and-fish methods are ways churches can continue impacting the world without draining the bank account.
1. Pastors must be good financial stewards individually
God’s people should set the example in stewarding resources. The problem is clergy come out of seminary and Bible colleges with enormous debt loads. They are thrown into churches with six- or seven-figure budgets, some of them in buildings hundreds of years old with skyrocketing utility bills, without the slightest clue about basic finance principles. Pastors and church leaders need to model generosity and also a personal commitment to fiscal responsibility. Then, they must educate themselves. Start engaging in discussion with colleagues from the business world, read pertinent articles, and pay close attention to what resources are coming and going from your church.
2. Empower laity and bivocational ministers
We can foster growth and health in the church by equipping and empowering our congregants. God works through God’s people when they’re ready and willing; we need to place tools into the open hands of the laity in our pews. Bivocational ministers are another sensible way to foster growth and health. Using a bivocational model, Embrace Church in Lexington, Kentucky, not only made ministry affordable but also experienced growth in worship attendance, baptisms, and professions of faith. Some of the staff raised their own support as urban missionaries, while other lay members of the congregation functioned as staff by filling roles like leading the children’s ministry. The congregation asked, and God answered by providing the people to serve in the roles needed.
3. Be faithful with little
Start developing creative ways to use the assets God has already given the church. Does the church have a large building? Rent out extra offices or community spaces during off-peak hours to ministries and groups that are symbiotic.
The extra traffic brings people in the doors who may consider coming back to worship. Have old music instruments or rooms full of items the church no longer needs? Consider selling those items online or hosting a community yard sale. A yard sale can be a great way to get to know neighbors and tell them about the church. What’s your equivalent of five loaves of bread and two fish?
My prayer is that you courageously begin to think differently about the “business” side of the local church in order to maximize the resources God has laid in front of you for the mission of making disciples for Jesus Christ. Imagine if Jesus were to look into your eyes today and ask, “How do we meet the needs of our friends in this community?” What would you tell him? The need may seem impossible, but the answers could be right in front of you.
Call for clergy to be sign of peace in Ferguson
by Heather Hahn / United Methodist News Service(UMNS) A pastor is calling on his fellow United Methodist clergy to come to Ferguson, Missouri, as a sign of peace and hope in a beleaguered community that is again facing unrest, amid a state of emergency.
The Rev. F. Willis Johnson Jr. invited clergy and other United Methodists to come to Wellspring Church, the United Methodist congregation he pastors, at 7:30 p.m. CDT Wednesday, Aug. 12. The church is at 33 S. Florissant Road, Ferguson, about a block from the police station.
After time for training in nonviolence, he asks clergy to join him and Wellspring in a march on West Florissant Avenue, where demonstrators have been gathering in this St. Louis suburb since Aug. 9. A vigil on the one-year anniversary of the death of the 18-year-old Michael Brown was shattered by gunfire.
“Our strategy is not only to provide a sense of safety and solidarity, but also revive a sense of the optimism and hope that change is possible.”
He welcomes people to return to Wellspring at 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, to revisit what happened the night before and discuss how to do ministry in communities on the edge of crisis.
On Aug. 10, St. Louis County authorities declared the city and surrounding communities under a state of emergency. At midnight that night, five white men carrying assault rifles who called themselves Oath Keepers arrived in Ferguson, reported St. Louis Public Radio.
The Rev. Pamela Lightsey said United Methodist clergy have been asking what they can do.
“We saw this as the time for The United Methodist Church to have a prominent place in peacemaking and nonviolent protest in that area,” said Lightsey, a United Methodist elder and theologian who is helping Johnson organize the gathering.
Lightsey is the associate dean of community life and lifelong learning at United Methodist Boston University’s School of Theology. She has been to Ferguson multiple times since Brown’s death, most recently on the anniversary of Brown’s death this week.
She asks the clergy to wear their stoles and clerical collars, as a way to embody peace and the call for justice.
The death of Brown, who was unarmed, was one of multiple events in the past year that has brought public prominence the very different experiences African Americans and whites have with law enforcement. A grand jury in November ruled there was no criminal case in Brown’s death.
“The theology to this is asserting what we know as United Methodists about love of neighbor,” she said, “and connecting with another as people who understand themselves to be shaped in the image of God.”
Since Brown’s death, Johnson and other United Methodist leaders in the St. Louis area have sought to be peacemakers in their community.
Heather Hahn is a multimedia news reporter for United Methodist News Service.
by Kira Schlesinger
For some churches, food trucks are a vehicle for serving the poor
by Sarah Angle / Religion News ServiceAllen Lutes, center, an associate minister at Arlington Heights United Methodist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, and founder of its new ministry, Five & Two Food Truck, serves food with other volunteers. RNS photo by Sarah Angle
FORT WORTH, Texas (RNS) Allen Lutes wipes his brow as he prepares another plate of food. The culinary school-trained chef is serving grilled chicken, fresh vegetables and rice pilaf.
But this isn’t a typical restaurant and Lutes isn’t a standard chef; he’s an associate minister at Arlington Heights United Methodist Church and founder of its new ministry, Five & Two Food Truck. It was named after the biblical story of five loaves and two fishes feeding the multitudes.
The converted 1995 Chevy plumbing truck shines in the hot Texas sun as Lutes’ dinner guests trickle up to the window — meekly at first — guiding their children as they reach up to take a hot plate of food.
Arlington Heights United Methodist Church’s Five & Two Food Truck served breakfast tacos to Komen Race for the Cure participants in April 2015, co-sponsored by Kroger. Photo courtesy of Arlington Heights UMC
Twice a month, the food truck serves Presbyterian Night Shelter, a homeless shelter in Fort Worth. Tonight, it’s at the nonprofit’s shelter for women and children; the majority of the women here are victims of domestic violence.
Teresa, 42, and her 16-year-old daughter say "thank you" as they grab a plate and some bottled water and head inside the shelter to eat with the rest of the families and church volunteers who have come not only to serve but to share a meal with these families.
“It’s good,” said Teresa, as she takes a bite of chicken. “The last time we came here we had chicken fingers and they were really hard. But you know, you can’t complain, because it’s food.”
Faith-based food trucks are building momentum across the country. In St. Paul, Minn., Lutheran pastor Margaret Kelly’s church is actually a food truck, providing free food and prayers to homeless and impoverished members of the community.
Back in Texas, the Chow Train in San Antonio has been making national headlines for fearlessly serving homeless residents despite a $2,000 fine in April for serving food from the back of a private vehicle.
Joan Cheever poses with young farmers in front of the Chow Train food truck. Photo courtesy of the Chow Train
The food is prepared in an up-to-code rolling commercial kitchen and then transported into approved catering equipment and distributed from the back of a pickup truck. The fine was later dropped, said Chow Train founder and culinary-trained chef Joan Cheever.
The city’s beef wasn’t really with the pickup, but with the way some city officials believe Cheever is enabling the homeless to stay on the streets.
Cheever, 57, has been serving homeless and hungry residents of her city every Tuesday night for the past six years. The Chow Train isn’t affiliated with a specific church and it operates entirely on donations. But Cheever’s faith in God and desire to serve is a big reason why she started it.
“Many of my volunteers have a strong and deep religious faith, as I do,” said Cheever, “but I don’t think we should require people to pray before they eat or listen to a sermon when they are hungry.”
While churches have been feeding the homeless since the beginning of time, these newer ministries are taking advantage of food trucks’ growing popularity among middle-class urban dwellers and they’re dishing out high-end fare that’s several notches above the standard church menu of hamburgers and warmed-over frozen pizza.
Food is something Lutes, 40, knows very well. He owned a restaurant in downtown Fort Worth for six years and was a personal chef to affluent families in Fort Worth before joining the church full time in June and launching the food truck ministry.
“My mindset is to prepare something healthy and different,” said Lutes. “And to make it taste good so that people will remember the meal and hopefully the conversation.”
Since hitting the street in April, the food truck has served about 2,500 people — averaging 500 a month. The food is free to families living at the shelter. The goal, Lutes said, is to show them that somebody loves them. “That’s why we’re here.”
But of course, food and a rolling commercial kitchen cost money. The church raised $54,000 to start the ministry and spent $35,000 buying the truck and getting it up to code.
Right now, the ministry is funded completely through the church and a few small grants. In August, the food truck will begin selling food to the public, but the cost will be based on what customers can pay instead of a set rate. North Texans can look forward to pulled-pork tacos and Cuban sandwiches with homemade pickles, two of Lutes’ signature dishes; 10 years as a chef has given him plenty of time to perfect some street-food recipes.
His experience in the kitchen has also taught him that food really is life.
“Breaking bread is one of the most intimate things you can do with somebody,” said Lutes. “We don’t just go hand out food. We sit down and eat, form relationships and listen to stories; we’re a representative of the church.”
Church volunteers sporting blue T-shirts with the phrase “God is good all the time” swarm and settle alongside women and children of all ages and ethnicities inside the shelter’s air-conditioned dining space.
When Lutes is finished in the kitchen, he sits across the table from Teresa and her teenage daughter as they tell him that they don’t have anywhere to go tomorrow; they’re still waiting for a permanent bed to open up.
The food truck serves the shelter for about two hours before the happy but sweat-drenched volunteers pack up for the night.
“Food can be the instrument that connects people with God,” said Lutes. “Why wait for people to come to us when we can go to them?”
We can't fathom God's goodness
by Clifton Stringer
Evan Moffic is the youngest rabbi of a major congregation in the United States. He is the author of "What Every Christian Needs to Know About Passover." Evan blogs at RabbiMoffic.com.
Donald Trump leaves the stage at the end of the first official Republican presidential candidates debate in Cleveland, Ohio on August 6. Photo courtesy Reuters/Brian Snyder
(RNS) How is it possible for salt-of-the-earth, family-loving conservative Christians to be taken with a serial adulterer who won’t take back misogynistic comments and who publicly trumpets the fact that he doesn’t make mistakes that require God’s forgiveness?
The rise of “The Donald” as a presidential contender is a story in itself. But what most puzzles me about Trump’s campaign is that I know some conservative, “family values” voters who have taken to him. I’m not talking about evangelical pastors and the leaders of evangelical institutions. (I can’t find any support for Trump in those circles.) I’m talking about some of the people in red states who go to church regularly, read Christian fiction, watch Veggie Tales with their kids, and are generally conservative in their political views.
This, even though Trump recently wondered out loud to Anderson Cooper: “Why do I have to repent or ask for forgiveness, if I am not making mistakes?” And in a room full of faith and family values voters, he said: “I think if I do something wrong, I just try and make it right. I don’t bring God into the picture. I don’t.”
For Trump, repenting may be, in his words, “terrific,” but it’s not really his thing. Better to expend one’s energy in avoiding any mistakes that require asking for forgiveness.
Considering the last few weeks of the presidential primary campaign, Trump would do well to avoid any further mistakes. And he would do well to acknowledge the mistakes he has already made and ask for forgiveness.
But I doubt we’ll see Trump do either -- avoiding or acknowledging. He’s bound to say more offensive things in the future, and it’s unlikely he will backtrack on any of them.
So why do some conservative Christians admire him? The one aspect that draws people to Trump is his fearlessness when it comes to offending the sensibilities of the cultural elite. We shouldn’t underestimate just how attractive his unguarded rhetoric is to conservatives who feel increasingly shut out of important conversations.
Many voters feel like it’s difficult to speak to contentious issues these days (immigration, race relations, the nature of marriage, etc.). Trump’s way of “telling it like it is, no matter the consequences” comes as “a breath of fresh air” to conservatives who worry that “political correctness” is preventing us from having tough conversations.
Unfortunately, that “breath of air” is more foul than fresh. It’s one thing to smash the ridiculous rules of the PC police if you want to elevate and move forward a conversation; it’s another thing to break those rules so you can plunge our nation’s discourse into the gutter of personal insult and disgusting attacks. Trump has accomplished the latter, not the former. And the same bombastic dogmatism that has garnered Trump so much attention is now overtaking his campaign.
So, it still boggles my mind that any conservative Christian would consider casting a vote for someone like Trump. Not because he is not an evangelical (plenty of conservative Christians voted for a Mormon last election). Not because he isn’t religious ( Reagan wasn’t much of a churchgoer either). The support for Trump among some of the religious voters in our nation surprises me because Trump is not a man of character.
This is a man who does not know the meaning of the word “shame.” A man who lacks the basic self-awareness to see his own sins and need for redemption. A man who has flip-flopped on multiple issues important to social conservatives. A man who shows a lack of basic respect to women, to veterans, and to his political opponents. A man who has admitted to funding campaigns in order to have influence (and then points to his own involvement in corruption as a way of exposing Washington’s “broken system”).
Looking on the bright side, I don’t see much of a future for Donald Trump with evangelical voters. I don’t know of any prominent evangelicals who have supported him. And the conservative voters who are currently enjoying Trump’s roller coaster will soon be sick to their stomachs and be asking to get off the ride.
Still, it is a strange moment in American politics when a man who fails to embody even a few of the virtues lauded by churchgoing folks across the nation captures even a sliver of their hearts’ affections.
It will be a long time before Trump sees any of his own mistakes and begins to regret them. Hopefully, it won’t take as long for his religious followers to see his campaign for what it is and regret their big mistake.
This Sunday , August 16, 2015Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14; Psalm 111; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58
Lectionary Readings:
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
Psalm 111
Ephesians 5:15-20
John 6:51-58
Lectiionsry Scripture:
1 Kings 2:10 Then David slept with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 11 David had ruled Isra’el for forty years — seven years in Hevron and thirty-three years in Yerushalayim.
12 Shlomo sat on the throne of David his father; and his rule had become firmly established,
3:3 Shlomo loved Adonai, living according to the regulations set forth by David his father; nevertheless, he sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.
4 One time the king went to Giv‘on to sacrifice there, because that was the main high place. Shlomo offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there. 5 At Giv‘on Adonai appeared to Shlomo in a dream at night; God said, “Tell me what I should give you.” 6 Shlomo said, “You showed your servant David my father much grace, as he lived before you honestly and righteously, having an upright heart with you. You preserved this great grace for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne, as is the case today. 7 So now, Adonai my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father; but I am a mere child — I don’t know how to lead! 8 Moreover your servant is among your people, whom you chose, a great people so numerous that they cannot be counted. 9 Therefore, give your servant an understanding heart able to administer justice to your people, so that I can discern between good and bad — for who is equal to judging this great people of yours?”
10 What Shlomo had said in making this request pleased Adonai. 11 God said to him, “Because you have made this request instead of asking long life or riches for yourself, or your enemies’ death, but rather asked for yourself understanding to discern justice; 12 I am doing what you requested. I am giving you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you, nor will there ever again be anyone like you. 13 I am also giving you what you didn’t ask for, riches and honor greater than that of any other king throughout your life. 14 More than that, if you will live according to my ways, obeying my laws and mitzvot like your father David, I will give you a long life.”
Psalm 111:1 Halleluyah!
I will wholeheartedly give thanks to Adonai
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2 The deeds of Adonai are great,
greatly desired by all who enjoy them.
3 His work is full of majesty and splendor,
and his righteousness continues forever.
4 He has gained renown for his wonders.
Adonai is merciful and compassionate.
5 He gives food to those who fear him.
He remembers his covenant forever.
6 He shows his people how powerfully he works
by giving them the nations as their heritage.
7 The works of his hands are truth and justice;
all his precepts can be trusted.
8 They have been established forever and ever,
to be carried out truly and honestly.
9 He sent redemption to his people
and decreed that his covenant should last forever.
His name is holy and fearsome —
10 the first and foremost point of wisdom is the fear of Adonai;
all those living by it gain good common sense.
His praise stands forever.
Ephesians 5:15 Therefore, pay careful attention to how you conduct your life — live wisely, not unwisely. 16 Use your time well, for these are evil days. 17 So don’t be foolish, but try to understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 Don’t get drunk with wine, because it makes you lose control. Instead, keep on being filled with the Spirit — 19 sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to each other; sing to the Lord and make music in your heart to him; 20 always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
John 6:51 I am the living bread that has come down from heaven; if anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. Furthermore, the bread that I will give is my own flesh; and I will give it for the life of the world.”
52 At this, the Judeans disputed with one another, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 Then Yeshua said to them, “Yes, indeed! I tell you that unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life — that is, I will raise him up on the Last Day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I live in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live through the Father, so also whoever eats me will live through me. 58 So this is the bread that has come down from heaven — it is not like the bread the fathers ate; they’re dead, but whoever eats this bread will live forever!”
John Wesley's Notes-commentary for 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
Verse 3
[3] And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
Yet — Although he miscarried in the matter of high places, yet in the general, his heart was right with God.
Statutes — According to the statutes or commands of God, which are here called the statutes of David; not only because they were diligently practised by David, but also because the observation of them was so earnestly pressed upon Solomon, and fortified with David's authority and command.
Verse 6
[6] And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
Truth — In the true worship of God, in the profession, belief, practice and defence of the true religion. So truth here contains all duties to God, as righteousness doth his duties to men, and uprightness the right manner of performing both sorts of duties.
With thee — That is, in thy judgment, to whom he often appealed as the witness of his integrity.
Verse 7
[7] And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
Child — So he was in years: not above twenty years old; and withal (which he principally intends) he was raw and unexperienced, as a child, in state affairs.
Go out, … — To govern my people, and manage affairs.
Verse 8
[8] And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
In the midst — Is set over them to rule and guide them. A metaphor from the overseer of divers workmen, who usually is in the midst of them, that he may the better observe how each of them discharges his office.
Chosen — Thy peculiar people, whom thou takest special care of, and therefore wilt expect a more punctual account of my government of them.
Verse 9
[9] Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
An understanding heart — Whereby I may both clearly discern, and faithfully perform all the parts of my duty: for both these are spoken of in scripture, as the effects of a good understanding; and he that lives in the neglect of his duties, or the practice of wickedness, is called a fool, and one void of understanding.
Discern — Namely in causes and controversies among my people; that I may not through mistake, or prejudice, or passion, give wrong sentences, and call evil good, or good evil. Absalom, that was a fool, wished himself a judge: Solomon, that was a wise man, trembles at the undertaking. The more knowing and considerate men are, the more jealous they are of themselves.
Verse 13
[13] And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
All thy days — Whereby he signifies that these gifts of God were not transient, as they were in Saul, but such as should abide with him whilst he lived.
Verse 14
[14] And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
And if — This caution God gives him, lest his wisdom should make him proud, careless, or presumptuous.Psalm 111
Verse 2
[2] The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
Sought — Diligently meditated upon.
Verse 3
[3] His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
Work — Either all his works, or that eminent branch of those works, his providence towards his people.
Righteousness — His justice or faithfulness in performing his word.
Verse 4
[4] He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
Remembered — By their own nature, and the lasting benefits flowing from them, which are such as cannot easily be forgotten.
Verse 5
[5] He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
Meat — All necessary provisions for their being and well-being.
Verse 7
[7] The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
The works — All that he doth on the behalf of his people, or against their enemies.
Truth — Are exactly agreeable to his promises, and to justice.
Commandments — His laws given to the Israelites, especially the moral law.
Sure — Constant and unchangeable.
Verse 8
[8] They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
Done — Constituted or ordered.
Verse 9
[9] He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
Redemption — The deliverance out of Egypt, which was a type of that higher redemption by Christ.
Commanded — Appointed, or established firmly by his power and authority.
For ever — Through all successive generations of his people to the end of the world.
Reverend — Terrible to his enemies, venerable in his peoples eyes, and holy in all his dealings with all men.
Verse 10
[10] The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
The fear — True religion.
Beginning — Is the only foundation of, and introduction to, true wisdom.Ephesians 5:15-20
Verse 15
[15] See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Circumspectly — Exactly, with the utmost accuracy, getting to the highest pitch of every point of holiness.
Not as fools — Who think not where they are going, or do not make the best of their way.
Verse 16
[16] Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
With all possible care redeeming the time - Saving all you can for the best purposes; buying every possible moment out of the hands of sin and Satan; out of the hands of sloth, ease, pleasure, worldly business; the more diligently, because the present are evil days, days of the grossest ignorance, immorality, and profaneness.
Verse 17
[17] Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
What the will of the Lord is — In every time, place, and circumstance.
Verse 18
[18] And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Wherein is excess — That is, which leads to debauchery of every kind.
But be ye filled with the Spirit — In all his graces, who gives a more noble pleasure than wine can do.
Verse 19
[19] Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Speaking to each other — By the Spirit. In the Psalms - Of David.
And hymns — Of praise.
And spiritual songs — On any divine subject. By there being no inspired songs, peculiarly adapted to the Christian dispensation, as there were to the Jewish, it is evident that the promise of the Holy Ghost to believers, in the last days, was by his larger effusion to supply the lack of it.
Singing with your hearts — As well as your voice.
To the Lord — Jesus, who searcheth the heart.
Verse 20
[20] Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Giving thanks — At all times and places. And for all things - Prosperous or adverse, since all work together for good. In the name of, or through, our Lord Jesus Christ - By whom we receive all good things.John 6:51-58
Verse 51
[51] I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
If any eat of this bread — That is, believe in me: he shall live for ever - In other words, he that believeth to the end shall be saved.
My flesh which I will give you — This whole discourse concerning his flesh and blood refers directly to his passion, and but remotely, if at all, to the Lord's Supper.
Verse 52
[52] The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Observe the degrees: the Jews are tried here; the disciples, John 6:60-66, the apostles, John 6:67.
Verse 53
[53] Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man — Spiritually: unless ye draw continual virtue from him by faith. Eating his flesh is only another expression for believing.
Verse 55
[55] For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Meat — drink indeed - With which the soul of a believer is as truly fed, as his body with meat and drink.
Verse 57
[57] As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
I live by the Father — Being one with him.
He shall live by me — Being one with me. Amazing union!
Verse 58
[58] This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
This is — That is, I am the bread - Which is not like the manna your fathers ate, who died notwithstanding.
1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
Psalm 111
Ephesians 5:15-20
John 6:51-58
Lectiionsry Scripture:
1 Kings 2:10 Then David slept with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 11 David had ruled Isra’el for forty years — seven years in Hevron and thirty-three years in Yerushalayim.
12 Shlomo sat on the throne of David his father; and his rule had become firmly established,
3:3 Shlomo loved Adonai, living according to the regulations set forth by David his father; nevertheless, he sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.
4 One time the king went to Giv‘on to sacrifice there, because that was the main high place. Shlomo offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there. 5 At Giv‘on Adonai appeared to Shlomo in a dream at night; God said, “Tell me what I should give you.” 6 Shlomo said, “You showed your servant David my father much grace, as he lived before you honestly and righteously, having an upright heart with you. You preserved this great grace for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne, as is the case today. 7 So now, Adonai my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father; but I am a mere child — I don’t know how to lead! 8 Moreover your servant is among your people, whom you chose, a great people so numerous that they cannot be counted. 9 Therefore, give your servant an understanding heart able to administer justice to your people, so that I can discern between good and bad — for who is equal to judging this great people of yours?”
10 What Shlomo had said in making this request pleased Adonai. 11 God said to him, “Because you have made this request instead of asking long life or riches for yourself, or your enemies’ death, but rather asked for yourself understanding to discern justice; 12 I am doing what you requested. I am giving you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you, nor will there ever again be anyone like you. 13 I am also giving you what you didn’t ask for, riches and honor greater than that of any other king throughout your life. 14 More than that, if you will live according to my ways, obeying my laws and mitzvot like your father David, I will give you a long life.”
Psalm 111:1 Halleluyah!
I will wholeheartedly give thanks to Adonai
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2 The deeds of Adonai are great,
greatly desired by all who enjoy them.
3 His work is full of majesty and splendor,
and his righteousness continues forever.
4 He has gained renown for his wonders.
Adonai is merciful and compassionate.
5 He gives food to those who fear him.
He remembers his covenant forever.
6 He shows his people how powerfully he works
by giving them the nations as their heritage.
7 The works of his hands are truth and justice;
all his precepts can be trusted.
8 They have been established forever and ever,
to be carried out truly and honestly.
9 He sent redemption to his people
and decreed that his covenant should last forever.
His name is holy and fearsome —
10 the first and foremost point of wisdom is the fear of Adonai;
all those living by it gain good common sense.
His praise stands forever.
Ephesians 5:15 Therefore, pay careful attention to how you conduct your life — live wisely, not unwisely. 16 Use your time well, for these are evil days. 17 So don’t be foolish, but try to understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 Don’t get drunk with wine, because it makes you lose control. Instead, keep on being filled with the Spirit — 19 sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to each other; sing to the Lord and make music in your heart to him; 20 always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
John 6:51 I am the living bread that has come down from heaven; if anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. Furthermore, the bread that I will give is my own flesh; and I will give it for the life of the world.”
52 At this, the Judeans disputed with one another, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 Then Yeshua said to them, “Yes, indeed! I tell you that unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life — that is, I will raise him up on the Last Day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I live in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live through the Father, so also whoever eats me will live through me. 58 So this is the bread that has come down from heaven — it is not like the bread the fathers ate; they’re dead, but whoever eats this bread will live forever!”
John Wesley's Notes-commentary for 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
Verse 3
[3] And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
Yet — Although he miscarried in the matter of high places, yet in the general, his heart was right with God.
Statutes — According to the statutes or commands of God, which are here called the statutes of David; not only because they were diligently practised by David, but also because the observation of them was so earnestly pressed upon Solomon, and fortified with David's authority and command.
Verse 6
[6] And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
Truth — In the true worship of God, in the profession, belief, practice and defence of the true religion. So truth here contains all duties to God, as righteousness doth his duties to men, and uprightness the right manner of performing both sorts of duties.
With thee — That is, in thy judgment, to whom he often appealed as the witness of his integrity.
Verse 7
[7] And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
Child — So he was in years: not above twenty years old; and withal (which he principally intends) he was raw and unexperienced, as a child, in state affairs.
Go out, … — To govern my people, and manage affairs.
Verse 8
[8] And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
In the midst — Is set over them to rule and guide them. A metaphor from the overseer of divers workmen, who usually is in the midst of them, that he may the better observe how each of them discharges his office.
Chosen — Thy peculiar people, whom thou takest special care of, and therefore wilt expect a more punctual account of my government of them.
Verse 9
[9] Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
An understanding heart — Whereby I may both clearly discern, and faithfully perform all the parts of my duty: for both these are spoken of in scripture, as the effects of a good understanding; and he that lives in the neglect of his duties, or the practice of wickedness, is called a fool, and one void of understanding.
Discern — Namely in causes and controversies among my people; that I may not through mistake, or prejudice, or passion, give wrong sentences, and call evil good, or good evil. Absalom, that was a fool, wished himself a judge: Solomon, that was a wise man, trembles at the undertaking. The more knowing and considerate men are, the more jealous they are of themselves.
Verse 13
[13] And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
All thy days — Whereby he signifies that these gifts of God were not transient, as they were in Saul, but such as should abide with him whilst he lived.
Verse 14
[14] And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
And if — This caution God gives him, lest his wisdom should make him proud, careless, or presumptuous.Psalm 111
Verse 2
[2] The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
Sought — Diligently meditated upon.
Verse 3
[3] His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
Work — Either all his works, or that eminent branch of those works, his providence towards his people.
Righteousness — His justice or faithfulness in performing his word.
Verse 4
[4] He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
Remembered — By their own nature, and the lasting benefits flowing from them, which are such as cannot easily be forgotten.
Verse 5
[5] He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
Meat — All necessary provisions for their being and well-being.
Verse 7
[7] The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
The works — All that he doth on the behalf of his people, or against their enemies.
Truth — Are exactly agreeable to his promises, and to justice.
Commandments — His laws given to the Israelites, especially the moral law.
Sure — Constant and unchangeable.
Verse 8
[8] They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
Done — Constituted or ordered.
Verse 9
[9] He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
Redemption — The deliverance out of Egypt, which was a type of that higher redemption by Christ.
Commanded — Appointed, or established firmly by his power and authority.
For ever — Through all successive generations of his people to the end of the world.
Reverend — Terrible to his enemies, venerable in his peoples eyes, and holy in all his dealings with all men.
Verse 10
[10] The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
The fear — True religion.
Beginning — Is the only foundation of, and introduction to, true wisdom.Ephesians 5:15-20
Verse 15
[15] See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Circumspectly — Exactly, with the utmost accuracy, getting to the highest pitch of every point of holiness.
Not as fools — Who think not where they are going, or do not make the best of their way.
Verse 16
[16] Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
With all possible care redeeming the time - Saving all you can for the best purposes; buying every possible moment out of the hands of sin and Satan; out of the hands of sloth, ease, pleasure, worldly business; the more diligently, because the present are evil days, days of the grossest ignorance, immorality, and profaneness.
Verse 17
[17] Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
What the will of the Lord is — In every time, place, and circumstance.
Verse 18
[18] And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Wherein is excess — That is, which leads to debauchery of every kind.
But be ye filled with the Spirit — In all his graces, who gives a more noble pleasure than wine can do.
Verse 19
[19] Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Speaking to each other — By the Spirit. In the Psalms - Of David.
And hymns — Of praise.
And spiritual songs — On any divine subject. By there being no inspired songs, peculiarly adapted to the Christian dispensation, as there were to the Jewish, it is evident that the promise of the Holy Ghost to believers, in the last days, was by his larger effusion to supply the lack of it.
Singing with your hearts — As well as your voice.
To the Lord — Jesus, who searcheth the heart.
Verse 20
[20] Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Giving thanks — At all times and places. And for all things - Prosperous or adverse, since all work together for good. In the name of, or through, our Lord Jesus Christ - By whom we receive all good things.John 6:51-58
Verse 51
[51] I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
If any eat of this bread — That is, believe in me: he shall live for ever - In other words, he that believeth to the end shall be saved.
My flesh which I will give you — This whole discourse concerning his flesh and blood refers directly to his passion, and but remotely, if at all, to the Lord's Supper.
Verse 52
[52] The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Observe the degrees: the Jews are tried here; the disciples, John 6:60-66, the apostles, John 6:67.
Verse 53
[53] Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man — Spiritually: unless ye draw continual virtue from him by faith. Eating his flesh is only another expression for believing.
Verse 55
[55] For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Meat — drink indeed - With which the soul of a believer is as truly fed, as his body with meat and drink.
Verse 57
[57] As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
I live by the Father — Being one with him.
He shall live by me — Being one with me. Amazing union!
Verse 58
[58] This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
This is — That is, I am the bread - Which is not like the manna your fathers ate, who died notwithstanding.
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Upper Room Ministries, a ministry of Discipleship Ministries
PO Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004 United States
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Sermon Story "Request for Wisdom" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 16 August 2015 with Scripture: 1 Kings 2:10 Then David slept with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 11 David had ruled Isra’el for forty years — seven years in Hevron and thirty-three years in Yerushalayim.
12 Shlomo sat on the throne of David his father; and his rule had become firmly established,
3:3 Shlomo loved Adonai, living according to the regulations set forth by David his father; nevertheless, he sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.
4 One time the king went to Giv‘on to sacrifice there, because that was the main high place. Shlomo offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there. 5 At Giv‘on Adonai appeared to Shlomo in a dream at night; God said, “Tell me what I should give you.” 6 Shlomo said, “You showed your servant David my father much grace, as he lived before you honestly and righteously, having an upright heart with you. You preserved this great grace for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne, as is the case today. 7 So now, Adonai my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father; but I am a mere child — I don’t know how to lead! 8 Moreover your servant is among your people, whom you chose, a great people so numerous that they cannot be counted. 9 Therefore, give your servant an understanding heart able to administer justice to your people, so that I can discern between good and bad — for who is equal to judging this great people of yours?”
10 What Shlomo had said in making this request pleased Adonai. 11 God said to him, “Because you have made this request instead of asking long life or riches for yourself, or your enemies’ death, but rather asked for yourself understanding to discern justice; 12 I am doing what you requested. I am giving you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you, nor will there ever again be anyone like you. 13 I am also giving you what you didn’t ask for, riches and honor greater than that of any other king throughout your life. 14 More than that, if you will live according to my ways, obeying my laws and mitzvot like your father David, I will give you a long life.”
As we read and reflecton this passage of Scripture, We realize that this is early in King Solomon's reign of King of Israel whose father just died. In his grief, Solomon goes to the high places to sacrifce to God. In His prayer, Solomon realizes that as a child or young man, he is very inexperienced to rule the Pople of Israel with truth and justice. At this point, Solomon ask God for the widom to rule God's people in truth and righteousness. The amazing thingis that God speaks to Solomon and says that because Solomon did not seek riches, a long life, and victory over his people, God will not only answer Solomon's prayer and give him what he did not ask for a long life, victory over Israel's enemies, and riches beyond any other ruler on the earth before him and after him. We seek this understanding of prayer as we remember what the writer in the Book of James when we lack wisdom we should seek God for this wisdom. Solomon did this in the early rule of Israel as a kingdom rather than just a scattered loosely federation. We look and wonder what characters do relate to or not relate to? Would you seek wisdom only from God for your life? How often do you seek victory over your enmeies or financial success rather than wisdom alone? There was a man who sought to do waht God has called him to do, yet he felt that he even lacked God's grace to accomplish the lifelong God-ordained calling. This man finally prepared to fulfill God's call and through God this man God sought for people who are differently abled to be included into His church and Kingdom using their full God-given gifts and graces to bring God's pure love to the world no matter what faith or lack of faith people in the world have. We seek as this man still seeks for God's Grace and Mercy to fullfill God's vision as we come to take and eat the Body of Jesus and drink His Blood through our participation in the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. We come to receive God's Blessing and Power singing the Hymn: "Before The Throne"
Solo: Before the throne is where we come to offer praise and seek wisdom
You have torn the veil that separates
No more outside now in Your grace
Choir: Before the throne is where we come to offer praise and seek wisdom
You have torn the veil that separates
No more outside now in Your grace
Chorus: So we bow as we enter the throne room
And we cast ourselves down at Your feet
We cry holy, thou art holy, there is none like thee
In Your presence is where we must be
Solo: Prepare our hearts for service now
When we fall short please show us how
Guide us with Your truth, ancient of days
Renew our hearts and cleanse our way
Choir: So we bow as we enter the throne room
And we cast ourselves down at Your feet
We cry holy, thou art holy, there is none like thee
In Your presence is where we must be
Chorus: So we bow as we enter the throne room
And we cast ourselves down at Your feet
We cry holy, thou art holy, there is none like thee
In Your presence is where we must be
(Soloist ad lib throughout) (choir repeat throught)
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
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12 Shlomo sat on the throne of David his father; and his rule had become firmly established,
3:3 Shlomo loved Adonai, living according to the regulations set forth by David his father; nevertheless, he sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.
4 One time the king went to Giv‘on to sacrifice there, because that was the main high place. Shlomo offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there. 5 At Giv‘on Adonai appeared to Shlomo in a dream at night; God said, “Tell me what I should give you.” 6 Shlomo said, “You showed your servant David my father much grace, as he lived before you honestly and righteously, having an upright heart with you. You preserved this great grace for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne, as is the case today. 7 So now, Adonai my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father; but I am a mere child — I don’t know how to lead! 8 Moreover your servant is among your people, whom you chose, a great people so numerous that they cannot be counted. 9 Therefore, give your servant an understanding heart able to administer justice to your people, so that I can discern between good and bad — for who is equal to judging this great people of yours?”
10 What Shlomo had said in making this request pleased Adonai. 11 God said to him, “Because you have made this request instead of asking long life or riches for yourself, or your enemies’ death, but rather asked for yourself understanding to discern justice; 12 I am doing what you requested. I am giving you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you, nor will there ever again be anyone like you. 13 I am also giving you what you didn’t ask for, riches and honor greater than that of any other king throughout your life. 14 More than that, if you will live according to my ways, obeying my laws and mitzvot like your father David, I will give you a long life.”
As we read and reflecton this passage of Scripture, We realize that this is early in King Solomon's reign of King of Israel whose father just died. In his grief, Solomon goes to the high places to sacrifce to God. In His prayer, Solomon realizes that as a child or young man, he is very inexperienced to rule the Pople of Israel with truth and justice. At this point, Solomon ask God for the widom to rule God's people in truth and righteousness. The amazing thingis that God speaks to Solomon and says that because Solomon did not seek riches, a long life, and victory over his people, God will not only answer Solomon's prayer and give him what he did not ask for a long life, victory over Israel's enemies, and riches beyond any other ruler on the earth before him and after him. We seek this understanding of prayer as we remember what the writer in the Book of James when we lack wisdom we should seek God for this wisdom. Solomon did this in the early rule of Israel as a kingdom rather than just a scattered loosely federation. We look and wonder what characters do relate to or not relate to? Would you seek wisdom only from God for your life? How often do you seek victory over your enmeies or financial success rather than wisdom alone? There was a man who sought to do waht God has called him to do, yet he felt that he even lacked God's grace to accomplish the lifelong God-ordained calling. This man finally prepared to fulfill God's call and through God this man God sought for people who are differently abled to be included into His church and Kingdom using their full God-given gifts and graces to bring God's pure love to the world no matter what faith or lack of faith people in the world have. We seek as this man still seeks for God's Grace and Mercy to fullfill God's vision as we come to take and eat the Body of Jesus and drink His Blood through our participation in the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. We come to receive God's Blessing and Power singing the Hymn: "Before The Throne"
Solo: Before the throne is where we come to offer praise and seek wisdom
You have torn the veil that separates
No more outside now in Your grace
Choir: Before the throne is where we come to offer praise and seek wisdom
You have torn the veil that separates
No more outside now in Your grace
Chorus: So we bow as we enter the throne room
And we cast ourselves down at Your feet
We cry holy, thou art holy, there is none like thee
In Your presence is where we must be
Solo: Prepare our hearts for service now
When we fall short please show us how
Guide us with Your truth, ancient of days
Renew our hearts and cleanse our way
Choir: So we bow as we enter the throne room
And we cast ourselves down at Your feet
We cry holy, thou art holy, there is none like thee
In Your presence is where we must be
Chorus: So we bow as we enter the throne room
And we cast ourselves down at Your feet
We cry holy, thou art holy, there is none like thee
In Your presence is where we must be
(Soloist ad lib throughout) (choir repeat throught)
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
In Your presence is where we must be
____________________________
Gary Lee Parker
4147 Idaho Street, Apt. 1
San Diego, California 92104-1844, United States
____________________________
____________________________
THE WISDOM OF WANTING WISDOM by Lance Sawyerread more by Lance Sawyer
1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
Professional promotions often engender awkward and strained relationships between leaders and their subordinates. Inexperienced new bosses attempting to supervise their former colleagues tend to swing back and forth between ironfisted control on one hand and sweet camaraderie on the other. That’s why the military routinely transfers new officers to a different unit from the one they served in. To adapt a phrase from Jesus, it is necessary that new leaders gain experience, “but woe unto them” through whom they gain that experience (Luke 17:1).
In this week’s passage we are introduced to a young, inexperienced leader who sincerely wanted God’s guidance as he transitioned into his new position. At age twenty, Solomon was promoted to a position that called for a level of maturity he knew he did not possess. Of course, the mere recognition of his immaturity demonstrated that young Solomon already possessed unusually good judgment. “I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in” (1 Kings 3:7b). It takes a certain amount of wisdom to recognize our deficiency and humbly seek after a supplement.
God obviously appreciated Solomon’s request for wisdom. “It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.” So God not only granted the wisdom Solomon asked for, he threw in the riches and fame Solomon did not ask for. Here is an Old Testament example of a New Testament principle. “Strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (Luke 12:31). These other “things” were more than just a reward for requesting wisdom. They resulted from the wisdom Solomon received. They grew out of the wise decisions he made early in his reign. Solomon structured and administrated his kingdom in a manner that naturally produced financial and political success.
We are all acquainted with the prosperity gospel, which attempts to use God in the accomplishment of selfish, personal objectives. That is not the lesson modeled in this passage. In fact, we have just the opposite. Solomon’s objective was to be the best possible leader of God’s people. He essentially asked for a gift that would benefit others. Solomon’s objective was not so much to become a great king, but rather, to become a great servant. In the process of pursuing this objective, he became both.
Solomon is most famous for his material prosperity. But his religious accomplishments were even farther reaching and longer lasting. The moral failures of his later life do not negate the significance of his spiritual successes in early life. Solomon’s temple became the nucleus around which Judaism was to develop. The sacred writings associated with Solomon are at the center of Old Testament wisdom literature.
These are the accomplishments of Solomon that most directly carried out the counsel of his father, David. David’s conception of success was that of keeping the statutes, commandments, ordinances, and testimonies laid out in the five books of Moses. The scripture was to be Solomon’s sourcebook. It contained the principles by which he was to rule. Advice like that which David gave his son sounds simple enough, but attempting to carry it out can be exceedingly complex. It takes a great deal of wisdom and judgment to discern the principles behind an ancient text and apply them in a contemporary setting.
Solomon was challenged to live and govern by scriptures that had been passed down to him from another time. They were ancient words even in his day—words from a world long gone. The Law of Moses had been given to people living in a completely different cultural, economic, and political situation. These people were Solomon’s ancestors, but their lives had little in common with his. The world had changed. The descendants of Abraham were now living in the land God had promised to Abraham in Genesis, but there was little there that Abraham would have recognized. Entire social groups had come and gone. National boundaries had changed. Cities had been rebuilt, destroyed, and rebuilt again.
How was Solomon to take a revelation given to his ancestors in one world and apply it to the people living in his world? That is essentially the same question we preachers must wrestle with every time we prepare a sermon. It was hard work for Solomon, and it is hard work for us. But it is just the kind of work God wants to help us with because it is God’s work. When we sincerely ask for spiritual discernment in preaching we are actually asking for a wisdom that will benefit others.
Give me an understanding heart. That is the kind of prayer God delights to answer. That is the kind of motive God can work through. That is the kind of person Solomon was, and God was ready and willing to work through him. The fame and fortune God bestowed on Solomon was an indication that God wanted him to do well. It seemed that the better Solomon did the more God was glorified. For example, 1 Kings 10:9 says that when the Queen of Sheba beheld Solomon’s wisdom and wealth she went away praising the God of Israel. The writers of both Kings and Chronicles presented Solomon’s fame and fortune as a glorious testimony to the faithfulness of God in keeping God’s promises. A similar theme emerges early in the story of Abraham. God’s original promise was “I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing . . . . and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3). The blessings of God (both spiritual and material) are given to us that they might be passed onto others through us.
We are wise to remember this principle when we pray. James teaches us that selfish prayers are largely ineffective. Moreover, our prayers reveal our priorities. We naturally pray for the things that are most important to us. Solomon’s prayer for wisdom demonstrated that God’s priorities were his priorities. God wanted a wise leader to guide his people. And more than anything else in the world, Solomon wanted to be that wise leader. Leaders like Solomon make great kings and great ministers because they are great servants. The desire for wisdom is the first step toward greatness. May God grant us the wisdom to want most what his people need most.
COLOR: Green
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14; Psalm 111; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58
THEME IDEAS
The primary theme of these texts is the myriad ways God provides for our needs. The psalm highlights the provision of food and the covenant by recalling manna in the wilderness and the giving of the law at Sinai. The narrative of David’s death indicates God’s provision for an heir. In the Gospel of John, Christ provides his own flesh and blood as the gift of eternal life. Paul’s letter to Ephesus reminds us that the provision of the Holy Spirit is from God. The secondary theme of these texts is our response to the provision of God through praise and thanksgiving.
INVITATION AND GATHERING
Call to Worship (Ephesians 5)
As we gather in this sacred moment for a sacred purpose,
let us make the most of our time together.
We have come to worship the Lord our God.
As we sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
let us make the most of our time together.
We have come to worship the Lord our God.
As we respond to the melody in our hearts,
let us make the most of our time together.
We have come to worship the Lord our God.
Opening Prayer (1 Kings 3)
O Lord our God,
though we are as little children,
not fully able to discern the spiritual forces
coming in and out of our lives,
you have chosen us as your people.
Give your servants understanding minds
to discern between the good and evil
surrounding us each day,
that we may choose what is good and pleasing
in your sight. Amen.
PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE
Prayer of Confession (Ephesians 5, John 6, Psalm 111)
Lord, we have lived as unwise people.
God, forgive us for wasting time.
We have been foolish.
Jesus, forgive us for not understanding your will.
We have filled ourselves with the wine of worldliness.
Holy Spirit, forgive us for not being filled with you.
We have forsaken your spiritual food.
Great Triune God of grace, forgive us for not drawing
our strength from your bread of heaven.
Almighty God, please add to your mighty deeds
by forgiving our transgressions. Amen.
Words of Assurance (Psalm 111)
The Lord is gracious to us and gentle.
The Lord heals our souls with love.
The Lord is merciful,
providing spiritual food for the hungry.
Be healed in your hearts and be fed in your souls
by the forgiveness found in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Passing the Peace of Christ (1 Kings 2, 3)
As the Lord provided peace for David’s child Solomon, God has provided peace for us as beloved sons and daughters. Let us now bless one another with the peace of God’s presence.
Response to the Word (John 6)
We have heard the word of God today.
It is a taste of the bread from heaven.
We have experienced the joy of worship.
It is a taste of the cup of salvation.
We have experienced God’s provision for our life.
It is a taste of eternal life.
THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION
Invitation to Communion (John 6)
In a world hungry from spiritual anemia, where can real food be found? For those who starve for love, where can unconditional and everlasting love be found? For those who yearn for hope, where can hope be found? For those who crave acceptance and tolerance, where can true acceptance and tolerance be found? Seek the food that God has provided. Eat the bread of life, which has come down from heaven. Drink the cup of salvation, the promise of God’s love. Eat, drink, and be satisfied.
Communion Liturgy (Ephesians 5)
Gathered around the communion meal,
we give thanks for food that truly satisfies.
We give thanks through the singing
of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
Gathered around the Lord’s table,
we give thanks for the gift of eternal life.
We give thanks through the melody in our hearts
and the joy in our souls.
Gathered around the heavenly banquet,
we give thanks for the tune of the ages,
even Jesus Christ our Lord.
SENDING FORTH
Benediction (1 Kings 3)
Grant us, O Lord, understanding minds,
that we might know how to live.
Grant us discerning hearts,
that we might know the difference
between good and evil,
and how we might live to please you.
Grant us, O Lord, peace and prosperity all our days,
to the glory of your name.
CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS
Contemporary Gathering Words (Ephesians 5)
Time slips away like water in the hand,
or a balloon lifted into the sky.
We think there is plenty,
but then it is gone, wasted.
So it is the will of God
that we invest our time wisely
in the divine work of worship.
Today we lift our voices and raise our hands,
seeking to be filled with the Spirit,
in the name of Jesus Christ.
Praise Sentences (Psalm 111)
Great are the works of the Lord,
They make our head spin with wonder!
Communion Poem, “Repose”
The altar table’s meal is spread,
Holy Communion, wine and bread.
The minister preaches rising from the dead.
In solemn thought I bow my head.
The chalice catches bright sunshine,
filled with dark eucharistic wine.
Jesus Christ invites us to dine.
I feel the chill run down my spine.
On the floor in bended knee,
I give the Lord all of me.
With prayer made in sincerity,
My soul sobs for eternity.
From “The Abingdon Worship Annual 2009,” edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu, Copyright © 2008 by Abingdon Press. “The Abingdon Worship Annual 2016” is now available.
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
COLOR: Green
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14; Psalm 111; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58
CALLS TO WORSHIP
Call to Worship #1
L: Come, give thanks to the Lord with all your heart and soul!
P: We come, rejoicing over God’s many blessings poured out on us!
L: God’s works are great!
P: We delight in learning about them.
L: Respect for God and all that God offers to us is the beginning of wisdom.
P: With gratefulness, we shall praise and honor God all our lives. AMEN.
Call to Worship #2
L: Come, be nourished by the words and witness of Jesus Christ.
P: He came that we might know of God’s absolute, steadfast love for us.
L: Receive the gift of the Bread of Life and hunger no more.
P: We are grateful for Jesus Christ, who has given to us this magnificent gift.
L: Come, let us worship and rejoice!
P: Let us sing our praises to God. AMEN.
Call to Worship #3
[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2216, "When We Are Called to Sing Your Praise", offer this call to worship as directed.]
Choir/Soloist: singing "When We Are Called to Sing Your Praise", verse 1
L: So often it is easier to cry and bewail our difficulties.
P: Jesus walked the ways of struggle and fear, as we do now.
L: Come to this time of worship, seeking the One who understands your needs.
P: We come with hope and faith, that we will receive nourishment for our hungering souls.
All: singing "When We Are Called to Sing Your Praise, verse 3
Call to Worship #4
L: Welcome to worship!
P: We come seeking healing and hope.
L: You have come to the right place. God awaits you.
P: Even though we have not always followed the ways God would have us go;
L: God loves, forgives, and awaits you.
P: Praise be to the patient, steadfast love of God. AMEN.
PRAYERS, LITANY/READING, BENEDICTION
OPENING PRAYER
Lord of life and hope, we gather this day seeking nourishment for our souls and healing for our spirits. Give to us your living bread, that having been nourished in soul and spirit, we may be witnesses to your transforming love. Through the ministry and mission of Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, we offer this prayer. AMEN.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Gracious and Merciful Lord, you have offered to us food for the journey. You remind us that your very life will sustain us as we witness to your love. But sometimes we let those reminders slip from our consciousness. We wallow in our difficulty; make excuses for not living the kind of life that you would have us life; treat others in ways which are not healthy or loving. Please forgive us, Lord. Stop us in our tracks and help us to examine the many ways in which we have not served you well and the callous things we have done to others. Cleanse our spirits and our souls from these unrighteous acts, and cause us to follow you more closely. Remind us again that you are the Bread of Life, having given yourself for us. Sustain us and encourage us in our service. These things we ask in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
Even though we turn our backs on God, God is ready to forgive and heal our spirits. God’s love never fails, and we can rejoice in the power of that eternal love. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are healed and forgiven. AMEN.
PASTORAL PRAYER
We like directions, Lord. We want an owner’s manual; a guidebook; a how-to guide for our faith. Rules and regulations, time constraints seem to dominate our lives and we forget the most basic understanding for our faith; that is our relationship to God through you. God has drawn us here this day, to be healed, to listen, to be encouraged in our service to God’s world. We have lifted up names of dear ones who struggle with a host of issues and situations over which we feel powerless. Remind us again that your power is sufficient for their needs. They are all in your loving care. Help us to place our trust and confidence in you. Let us feast on the Bread of Life who has given to us the best example of what it means to truly serve you and witness to your love. Encourage us to serve you more fully. For we ask these things in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
READING
Reader 1: I don’t know about this "eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking his blood" stuff. It sounds way too strange for me. It makes me very uncomfortable. It makes me think of cannibals. I know that’s strange to say in a service of worship, but really the language throws me off. So rather than take time to understand it, I would just as soon skip over it and think about something else. You know, think about something like majestic mountains, crashing seas, wonderful sunsets. Those are things that capture my interest.
Reader 2: The language of the Bible and the concepts are not always easy to comprehend. Be patient. Think about it. What if you were to think about the ways in which the food you consume is utilized by your body. You try to eat a healthy diet, lots of fruits, veggies, proteins, etc. You want to stay away from the fats and starches that would clog up your system. When the components of the food are broken down, they nourish your body so that you can do many things. When we take the witness of Jesus Christ into our lives in such a way that they become the very fibers of our being, we are nourished by his life-giving love. Our souls and spirits feast on the wondrous love of God and the incredible healing, restorative powers of the Holy Spirit. We are filled with the joy of the Lord. We have taken Christ thoroughly into ourselves; living with his joy and peace in our hearts.
Reader 1: Hmmmm. I hadn’t really thought of it that way. Jesus nourishes me!
Reader 2: Always and forever. AMEN
Reader 1: AMEN!
Reader 2: And the people of the Lord said:
ALL: AMEN!!
BENEDICTION, BLESSING
Filled to the brim with the goodness of God; the nourishment of Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, and the power of the Holy Spirit, go now in peace to serve God in all that you think, do and say. God’s peace will always be with you. AMEN.
ARTISTIC ELEMENTS
The traditional color for this Sunday is GREEN.
Note: I recommend putting a brief paragraph describing or explaining the symbolism used in your visual display. These become good teaching tools for a congregation.
Note: The image of Bread is used liberally in John’s gospel. You may want to consider a display using bread as the main image. For many of the people, the true emptiness in their lives was exposed in their actions and attitudes. Jesus reminded them that they were drawn by the Father to him, and through him they would receive life-sustaining "bread". Today’s focus is on the Living Bread - Jesus Christ. The image offered is the Bread of Life come down from Heaven, into the wildernesses of our lives.
SURFACE: Place three risers on the worship center. The first riser should be placed in the center of the worship center, and the other two, lower risers, should be placed somewhat diagonally on each side and to the front of the center riser. Place a riser in front of the worship center.
FABRIC: You may wish to cover the entire worship center with green fabric, which is the color of the season, but my preference would be to use landscaper’s burlap to cover the worship center and all the risers, puddling on the floor in front of the riser. Green fabric, 12" square may be used on each of the risers. Using white netting, approximately 3 yards, gather it so that it bunches across the back of the worship center, somewhat reminiscent of clouds (heaven).
CANDLES: Place one white 10" pillar candle in the middle of the worship center. Using 8-10, 3-4" white pillar candles, place them in various places on the worship center.
FLOWERS/FOLIAGE: It is not necessary to use flowers for this setting. Although a small bundle of wheat may be placed in front of the candle at the middle of the worship center.
ROCKS/WOOD: Scatter bunches of small stones here and there in the worship center to give texture..
OTHER: Place a picture of Jesus with outstretched hands in the center on the worship table. If such a picture is not available, the Brass Cross would suffice. Even though many churches will not be celebrating the Eucharist on this day, place a chalice and loaf in the center of the table, in front of the tall white candle. On the lower riser, fill the basket with the loaves of bread and also place some bread at the base of the worship center. You may want to use some more sheaves of wheat and bunches of grapes in the worship center.
COLOR: Green
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14; Psalm 111; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58
CALLS TO WORSHIP
Call to Worship #1
L: Come, give thanks to the Lord with all your heart and soul!
P: We come, rejoicing over God’s many blessings poured out on us!
L: God’s works are great!
P: We delight in learning about them.
L: Respect for God and all that God offers to us is the beginning of wisdom.
P: With gratefulness, we shall praise and honor God all our lives. AMEN.
Call to Worship #2
L: Come, be nourished by the words and witness of Jesus Christ.
P: He came that we might know of God’s absolute, steadfast love for us.
L: Receive the gift of the Bread of Life and hunger no more.
P: We are grateful for Jesus Christ, who has given to us this magnificent gift.
L: Come, let us worship and rejoice!
P: Let us sing our praises to God. AMEN.
Call to Worship #3
[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2216, "When We Are Called to Sing Your Praise", offer this call to worship as directed.]
Choir/Soloist: singing "When We Are Called to Sing Your Praise", verse 1
L: So often it is easier to cry and bewail our difficulties.
P: Jesus walked the ways of struggle and fear, as we do now.
L: Come to this time of worship, seeking the One who understands your needs.
P: We come with hope and faith, that we will receive nourishment for our hungering souls.
All: singing "When We Are Called to Sing Your Praise, verse 3
Call to Worship #4
L: Welcome to worship!
P: We come seeking healing and hope.
L: You have come to the right place. God awaits you.
P: Even though we have not always followed the ways God would have us go;
L: God loves, forgives, and awaits you.
P: Praise be to the patient, steadfast love of God. AMEN.
PRAYERS, LITANY/READING, BENEDICTION
OPENING PRAYER
Lord of life and hope, we gather this day seeking nourishment for our souls and healing for our spirits. Give to us your living bread, that having been nourished in soul and spirit, we may be witnesses to your transforming love. Through the ministry and mission of Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, we offer this prayer. AMEN.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Gracious and Merciful Lord, you have offered to us food for the journey. You remind us that your very life will sustain us as we witness to your love. But sometimes we let those reminders slip from our consciousness. We wallow in our difficulty; make excuses for not living the kind of life that you would have us life; treat others in ways which are not healthy or loving. Please forgive us, Lord. Stop us in our tracks and help us to examine the many ways in which we have not served you well and the callous things we have done to others. Cleanse our spirits and our souls from these unrighteous acts, and cause us to follow you more closely. Remind us again that you are the Bread of Life, having given yourself for us. Sustain us and encourage us in our service. These things we ask in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
Even though we turn our backs on God, God is ready to forgive and heal our spirits. God’s love never fails, and we can rejoice in the power of that eternal love. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are healed and forgiven. AMEN.
PASTORAL PRAYER
We like directions, Lord. We want an owner’s manual; a guidebook; a how-to guide for our faith. Rules and regulations, time constraints seem to dominate our lives and we forget the most basic understanding for our faith; that is our relationship to God through you. God has drawn us here this day, to be healed, to listen, to be encouraged in our service to God’s world. We have lifted up names of dear ones who struggle with a host of issues and situations over which we feel powerless. Remind us again that your power is sufficient for their needs. They are all in your loving care. Help us to place our trust and confidence in you. Let us feast on the Bread of Life who has given to us the best example of what it means to truly serve you and witness to your love. Encourage us to serve you more fully. For we ask these things in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
READING
Reader 1: I don’t know about this "eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking his blood" stuff. It sounds way too strange for me. It makes me very uncomfortable. It makes me think of cannibals. I know that’s strange to say in a service of worship, but really the language throws me off. So rather than take time to understand it, I would just as soon skip over it and think about something else. You know, think about something like majestic mountains, crashing seas, wonderful sunsets. Those are things that capture my interest.
Reader 2: The language of the Bible and the concepts are not always easy to comprehend. Be patient. Think about it. What if you were to think about the ways in which the food you consume is utilized by your body. You try to eat a healthy diet, lots of fruits, veggies, proteins, etc. You want to stay away from the fats and starches that would clog up your system. When the components of the food are broken down, they nourish your body so that you can do many things. When we take the witness of Jesus Christ into our lives in such a way that they become the very fibers of our being, we are nourished by his life-giving love. Our souls and spirits feast on the wondrous love of God and the incredible healing, restorative powers of the Holy Spirit. We are filled with the joy of the Lord. We have taken Christ thoroughly into ourselves; living with his joy and peace in our hearts.
Reader 1: Hmmmm. I hadn’t really thought of it that way. Jesus nourishes me!
Reader 2: Always and forever. AMEN
Reader 1: AMEN!
Reader 2: And the people of the Lord said:
ALL: AMEN!!
BENEDICTION, BLESSING
Filled to the brim with the goodness of God; the nourishment of Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, and the power of the Holy Spirit, go now in peace to serve God in all that you think, do and say. God’s peace will always be with you. AMEN.
ARTISTIC ELEMENTS
The traditional color for this Sunday is GREEN.
Note: I recommend putting a brief paragraph describing or explaining the symbolism used in your visual display. These become good teaching tools for a congregation.
Note: The image of Bread is used liberally in John’s gospel. You may want to consider a display using bread as the main image. For many of the people, the true emptiness in their lives was exposed in their actions and attitudes. Jesus reminded them that they were drawn by the Father to him, and through him they would receive life-sustaining "bread". Today’s focus is on the Living Bread - Jesus Christ. The image offered is the Bread of Life come down from Heaven, into the wildernesses of our lives.
SURFACE: Place three risers on the worship center. The first riser should be placed in the center of the worship center, and the other two, lower risers, should be placed somewhat diagonally on each side and to the front of the center riser. Place a riser in front of the worship center.
FABRIC: You may wish to cover the entire worship center with green fabric, which is the color of the season, but my preference would be to use landscaper’s burlap to cover the worship center and all the risers, puddling on the floor in front of the riser. Green fabric, 12" square may be used on each of the risers. Using white netting, approximately 3 yards, gather it so that it bunches across the back of the worship center, somewhat reminiscent of clouds (heaven).
CANDLES: Place one white 10" pillar candle in the middle of the worship center. Using 8-10, 3-4" white pillar candles, place them in various places on the worship center.
FLOWERS/FOLIAGE: It is not necessary to use flowers for this setting. Although a small bundle of wheat may be placed in front of the candle at the middle of the worship center.
ROCKS/WOOD: Scatter bunches of small stones here and there in the worship center to give texture..
OTHER: Place a picture of Jesus with outstretched hands in the center on the worship table. If such a picture is not available, the Brass Cross would suffice. Even though many churches will not be celebrating the Eucharist on this day, place a chalice and loaf in the center of the table, in front of the tall white candle. On the lower riser, fill the basket with the loaves of bread and also place some bread at the base of the worship center. You may want to use some more sheaves of wheat and bunches of grapes in the worship center.
From a Child's Point of View
Old Testament: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14. The story of God's offer of a gift to Solomon is like many stories in which a person is granted one or more wishes. Children easily understand what is going on. Younger children, however, need help to get through all of Solomon's rich language to what he is really asking God to give him. God's response is more easily understood. Children appreciate both Solomon's choice of the gift of the wisdom to rule well, and God's response to that selfless choice by giving him extra gifts.
Psalm: 111. This psalm of praise is too general to catch and hold the attention of children. They are more likely to hear and appreciate an occasional phrase. Though it is an acrostic, emphasizing the alphabet base as the psalm is read gets in the way of the message, rather than enhancing it.
Epistle: Ephesians 5:15-20. Paul warns today's children to be wise, and then suggests ways to be wise. The key to wisdom is to know God's will. Children are to live by God's will in two ways: They should use their time well and avoid alcohol (and drugs). Paul insists that they can have more fun and be just as happy by living in the singing Christian community. Children, bored as summer winds down and thinking about what clubs and teams to join when school starts, need to hear the directions about using their time well. They also need strong warnings against any involvement with alcohol and drugs and those who use them.
Gospel: John 6:51-58. Today John's focus is on the bread of communion. The question raised is one that literal-thinking children share: "What does it mean to eat the body of Christ in communion?" The answer is that when we eat the bread, we become part of Christ, and Christ becomes part of us.
Fifth- and sixth-graders are interested in the ancient practice of eating food that has been sacrificed to the gods, in order to become one with the gods. With information about the Jewish practice of eating what was sacrificed at the Temple (especially the Passover lambs), and the meals of the mystery religions which were familiar to John's readers, older children begin to understand what Jesus' words about eating his flesh meant to his first hearers.
All children can follow modern scientific understanding of digestion to reach conclusions similar to those of the first-century readers. Children know that what we eat becomes part of us. (We are what we eat.) So if we eat bread that stands for Jesus, Jesus becomes part of us.
On an emotional level, children also recognize our feelings of closeness to the cook as we eat a specialty: the cookies Grandma sent or Dad's special pancakes. So when we eat the bread of communion, we feel close to Jesus, who left it for us as a special sign of his love.
Watch Words
Today, bread is the bread of Communion. Speaking of bread both symbolically and literally confuses children, so avoid poetic images bread of life or bread of heaven and speak specifically and only about the physical bread we eat in Communion, and what it means for us.
Children use many words to talk about different kinds of wisdom. Genius, brainy, smart, smart alec (or wise guy), common sense, and good judgment are part of their vocabulary. The wisdom they most crave is the ability to understand what is going on around them and to know what to do in all situations.
Let the Children Sing
Sing about wisdom with "Be Thou My Vision" or "Seek Ye First."
"Become to Us the Living Bread," with all its Alleluias and its focus on eating the bread, is perhaps the best choice for children. Sing "For the Bread Which You Have Broken" or "Here, O My Lord, I See Thee" after explaining their meaning during the sermon. All three deal with what it means to eat the bread, or body, of Christ.
The Liturgical Child
1. Pray for wisdom:
Lord, like Solomon, we pray for wisdom. We pray for the wisdom that comes with education. We thank you for schools and for teachers, and we ask you to help us learn. Help us to pay attention and to understand new ideas. Give us knowledge of the world and how it works. We pray for the wisdom to do the right thing. We need your help to know right from wrong and your power to do what is right. Be with us to show us your ways and to help us follow them. We pray for the wisdom to say the right words. Even when we try to be kind and helpful, we sometimes cannot find the words we need to show our love. Give us wise, helping, disciples' words. God of Wisdom, it is not just for ourselves that we pray. We pray too for the leaders of our world, for presidents and prime ministers, for governors and legislators. Give them the wisdom to make decisions and pass laws that benefit all people. We pray for business men and women. Give them the wisdom to look beyond what makes money to what makes life better for all of us. We pray for those who serve sales clerks and bus drivers, phone operators, and waiters. Give them the wisdom to understand, and to treat kindly even those who do not treat them with respect. Amen.
2. Even if you do not normally celebrate Communion on this Sunday, consider doing so if the bread in the Gospel lesson is to be the focus of worship. Celebrating the sacrament helps worshipers of all ages act on what they have heard about this bread in the sermon. If you do not celebrate communion, display bread and a chalice, or communion banners that feature bread.
3. The return to school is an intense time for children. Many will have new clothes and school supplies and will be looking forward to new experiences. Those for whom school was difficult last year hope that this year will be different, but fear it may be more of the same. The hopes and fears are most intense for those who will be going to new schools. Remember all these concerns in the church's prayers on the Sunday before classes begin.
Sermon Resources
1. Especially if children are going back to school in the next week or two, develop an alphabet sermon on wisdom. For each letter of the alphabet, identify and comment on a word that begins with that letter and is related to wisdom for living in today's world as Christians: B is for the Bible, through which we know God's will; D is for drugs wise Christians avoid; and so on.
2. Illustrate the wisdom God gave Solomon by telling how he settled the dispute between two mothers who claimed the same child 1 Kings 3:16-28). Children need help to understand how Solomon's "decision" helped him identify the true mother, but are impressed by what Solomon did.
3. In order to clear up any magical thinking about the bread of communion, tell where the bread your church uses is bought and how it is prepared. Then talk about what does make it special.
Old Testament: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14. The story of God's offer of a gift to Solomon is like many stories in which a person is granted one or more wishes. Children easily understand what is going on. Younger children, however, need help to get through all of Solomon's rich language to what he is really asking God to give him. God's response is more easily understood. Children appreciate both Solomon's choice of the gift of the wisdom to rule well, and God's response to that selfless choice by giving him extra gifts.
Psalm: 111. This psalm of praise is too general to catch and hold the attention of children. They are more likely to hear and appreciate an occasional phrase. Though it is an acrostic, emphasizing the alphabet base as the psalm is read gets in the way of the message, rather than enhancing it.
Epistle: Ephesians 5:15-20. Paul warns today's children to be wise, and then suggests ways to be wise. The key to wisdom is to know God's will. Children are to live by God's will in two ways: They should use their time well and avoid alcohol (and drugs). Paul insists that they can have more fun and be just as happy by living in the singing Christian community. Children, bored as summer winds down and thinking about what clubs and teams to join when school starts, need to hear the directions about using their time well. They also need strong warnings against any involvement with alcohol and drugs and those who use them.
Gospel: John 6:51-58. Today John's focus is on the bread of communion. The question raised is one that literal-thinking children share: "What does it mean to eat the body of Christ in communion?" The answer is that when we eat the bread, we become part of Christ, and Christ becomes part of us.
Fifth- and sixth-graders are interested in the ancient practice of eating food that has been sacrificed to the gods, in order to become one with the gods. With information about the Jewish practice of eating what was sacrificed at the Temple (especially the Passover lambs), and the meals of the mystery religions which were familiar to John's readers, older children begin to understand what Jesus' words about eating his flesh meant to his first hearers.
All children can follow modern scientific understanding of digestion to reach conclusions similar to those of the first-century readers. Children know that what we eat becomes part of us. (We are what we eat.) So if we eat bread that stands for Jesus, Jesus becomes part of us.
On an emotional level, children also recognize our feelings of closeness to the cook as we eat a specialty: the cookies Grandma sent or Dad's special pancakes. So when we eat the bread of communion, we feel close to Jesus, who left it for us as a special sign of his love.
Watch Words
Today, bread is the bread of Communion. Speaking of bread both symbolically and literally confuses children, so avoid poetic images bread of life or bread of heaven and speak specifically and only about the physical bread we eat in Communion, and what it means for us.
Children use many words to talk about different kinds of wisdom. Genius, brainy, smart, smart alec (or wise guy), common sense, and good judgment are part of their vocabulary. The wisdom they most crave is the ability to understand what is going on around them and to know what to do in all situations.
Let the Children Sing
Sing about wisdom with "Be Thou My Vision" or "Seek Ye First."
"Become to Us the Living Bread," with all its Alleluias and its focus on eating the bread, is perhaps the best choice for children. Sing "For the Bread Which You Have Broken" or "Here, O My Lord, I See Thee" after explaining their meaning during the sermon. All three deal with what it means to eat the bread, or body, of Christ.
The Liturgical Child
1. Pray for wisdom:
Lord, like Solomon, we pray for wisdom. We pray for the wisdom that comes with education. We thank you for schools and for teachers, and we ask you to help us learn. Help us to pay attention and to understand new ideas. Give us knowledge of the world and how it works. We pray for the wisdom to do the right thing. We need your help to know right from wrong and your power to do what is right. Be with us to show us your ways and to help us follow them. We pray for the wisdom to say the right words. Even when we try to be kind and helpful, we sometimes cannot find the words we need to show our love. Give us wise, helping, disciples' words. God of Wisdom, it is not just for ourselves that we pray. We pray too for the leaders of our world, for presidents and prime ministers, for governors and legislators. Give them the wisdom to make decisions and pass laws that benefit all people. We pray for business men and women. Give them the wisdom to look beyond what makes money to what makes life better for all of us. We pray for those who serve sales clerks and bus drivers, phone operators, and waiters. Give them the wisdom to understand, and to treat kindly even those who do not treat them with respect. Amen.
2. Even if you do not normally celebrate Communion on this Sunday, consider doing so if the bread in the Gospel lesson is to be the focus of worship. Celebrating the sacrament helps worshipers of all ages act on what they have heard about this bread in the sermon. If you do not celebrate communion, display bread and a chalice, or communion banners that feature bread.
3. The return to school is an intense time for children. Many will have new clothes and school supplies and will be looking forward to new experiences. Those for whom school was difficult last year hope that this year will be different, but fear it may be more of the same. The hopes and fears are most intense for those who will be going to new schools. Remember all these concerns in the church's prayers on the Sunday before classes begin.
Sermon Resources
1. Especially if children are going back to school in the next week or two, develop an alphabet sermon on wisdom. For each letter of the alphabet, identify and comment on a word that begins with that letter and is related to wisdom for living in today's world as Christians: B is for the Bible, through which we know God's will; D is for drugs wise Christians avoid; and so on.
2. Illustrate the wisdom God gave Solomon by telling how he settled the dispute between two mothers who claimed the same child 1 Kings 3:16-28). Children need help to understand how Solomon's "decision" helped him identify the true mother, but are impressed by what Solomon did.
3. In order to clear up any magical thinking about the bread of communion, tell where the bread your church uses is bought and how it is prepared. Then talk about what does make it special.
SERMON OPTIONS: AUGUST 16, 2015
A PRAYER FOR WISDOM
1 KINGS 2:10-12; 3:3-14
The message of the text reveals Solomon’s desire to be a man communicating with God. At this point in his life he was unencumbered with selfishness, distractions, and the allure of unlimited power. The prayer he uttered shows a preoccupation with faithfulness, obedience, and fellowship with God.
At this innocent time in Solomon’s life he was inviting the Almighty to rule over him. Later in his life this king would lose sight of God and begin to prostitute himself with foreign gods. Here, at the beginning of his rulership, he was accountable to the true God.
Let’s examine Solomon’s prayer for true wisdom.
I. It Is a Prayer of Praise
Solomon remembers the graciousness and kindness of a loving God. Walter Bruggemann wrote: “Solomon sets himself in the history of Yahweh with his people. The context for prayer is a recital of the long history of graciousness which reshapes and redefines this moment of prayer. Such prayer is never in a vacuum, but always in a context of faithful remembering and a grateful resolve to continue this family in faith.”
Life is lived to the fullest when we remember God is in charge. Our praise reaches God’s heart as we reach out in availability to him. True praise goes to him for who he is, not because of what he gives us materially. He must be the object of our adoration, reverence, and awe. Praise glorifies God.
Richard Lee has said, “Oh, for a heart that is fixed on God no matter what happens. Oh for a devotion to Him that is steadfast, for lips that will praise His unchanging love and faithfulness, though all the world crumbles around our feet. This is the praise that pleases the Father and brings glory to His name.”
II. It Is a Prayer of Submission (3:7)
Honest submission understands where life and power originate. This prayer waits on God. Solomon solicits God’s power and submits to it.
Stephen Beck observed that while driving down a country road one day he came to a very narrow bridge. In front of the bridge was a sign stating, “Yield.” Since no other cars were coming he continued across the bridge to his destination.
On the return trip he came to the same one-lane bridge, but from the other direction. To his surprise there was another yield sign posted. The two signs were placed on each end to help prevent drivers from having head-on collisions.
When we submit to God for all of life, it is to avoid a head-on collision with God’s will for our lives. A quick outline to help us remember that submission is God’s plan follows:
Submission is the secret of power.
Submission is the source of praise.
Submission is the steam of purpose.
Submission is the satisfaction of planning.
E. Stanley Jones wrote: “Life holds nothing within it which Christ has not conquered.” Solomon would have understood that perfectly.
III. It Is a Prayer of Concern (3:9)
Notice that Solomon wanted a listening heart to hear God speak. He does not ask for personal wealth, health, or power; but rather for wisdom to lead. It demonstrates a compassion and concern for the people he rules. That was his passion.
Janet Curtis O’Leary said, “Pity weeps and runs away; Compassion comes to help and stay.” Wisdom knows the difference between the two.
IV. It Is a Prayer that God Answers (3:10-13)
The miracle of this prayer rests on God. He answered the king in a way that far exceeded Solomon’s hopes or dreams. God surpasses the minimal heart requests and gives him that for which he does not ask—riches and honor.
When we submit ourselves in faith and obedience, God will provide blessings for us beyond anything we anticipate. (Derl G. Keefer)
FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS
EPHESIANS 5:15-20
Recently I was reminded that it is important to carefully read the directions when putting together children’s toys. My son had been wanting a basketball goal, so my wife and I gladly obliged. In order to save a little money we went to Sam’s Wholesale and purchased a goal that we had to assemble. I was tired (can you tell I am already making excuses?) and hurried through the complicated assembly instructions (another excuse?).
The first step stated to put one pole inside another and beat on the ground four to six times to ensure a proper mesh. My error was that I put the wrong ends together and beat furiously until I couldn’t separate the two poles. We ended up having to order another pair of poles from the manufacturer. Needless to say, I have heard from my family about the importance of carefully reading instructions.
In one sense the New Testament is an instruction manual for life. When you and I carefully read the instructions and follow them, our lives run much smoother.
In this text, the apostle Paul gives us some instructions for living the Christian life. Our task is to read carefully and to follow completely the directions we read. Notice the three clear directives in this section of Scripture.
I. Walk Wisely
The first instruction says to be careful to walk wisely. Verse 16 clarifies that Paul most likely has in mind what we would call time management. We need to be wise in how we spend our time. In this last decade of the twentieth century, schedules are fuller and demands on time are greater than at any other period in history. Christians have the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to Christ simply by the way we choose to spend our time.
With the proliferation of calendars and other scheduling helps, time management has become an industry unto itself. Christians should think in terms of priorities when planning schedules. Part of our daily calendars ought to include quality time alone with God and with our family, ministry opportunities, as well as our regular work routine.
II. Understand the Will of the Lord
Paul’s second suggestion is to not be foolish but to understand the will of the Lord (v. 17). The context seems to indicate that this verse is linked to the preceding two verses. This verse would then relate to knowing God’s will for our lives on a daily basis.
Often we are concerned about knowing God’s will for the big things in our lives, such as job, school, or mate. God is not only interested in the big decisions of life but also in the daily development of character and our own practice of the Christian life. Knowing God’s will for how we schedule our routine every day seems to be the direction of Paul’s thought.
The big question becomes, “How do we know God’s will?” At this point Paul gives no definitive answer; however, the last three chapters of Ephesians comprise a textbook of sorts of how we ought to conduct our lives. Learning more of how we are to live the Christian life answers the question of what God’s will is on a daily basis. Here, being wise means that we organize our lives around the things we ought to be doing, which is the will of God for our lives.
III. Be Filled with the Spirit
The final instruction for living the Christian life that Paul writes in this passage is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We are to be controlled by the Spirit of God in the same way a drunk is controlled by alcohol. The analogy should show us the importance of the work of the Holy Spirit in our everyday life.
What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? According to verses 19-20, three things occur when we are filled with the Spirit: we speak with joy to one another, we are joyful in our hearts, and we give thanks to God. If one is filled with the Spirit, he or she speaks to others in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. The one who is filled with the Spirit also makes melody and sings in his or her own heart. Joyfulness of the inner person is the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s control. Finally, the one who is filled with the Spirit gives thanks to God for all things.
Just as following the instructions will lead to success in assembling a child’s toy, following the instructions for the Christian life will lead to successful living. (Douglas Walker)
A DARING DISCOURSE
JOHN 6:51-58
What in the world was Jesus doing that stirred up so many people?First, Jesus hearers complained (6:41), and now they “disputed among themselves” (v. 52). He didn’t seem to bring much peace of mind; instead he caused controversy wherever he went. He seemed to be a troublemaker who was out to make waves as big as he could.
I. A Literally Repulsive Idea
Cannibalism is repulsive, and so Jesus was daring to talk about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. The Jews especially would find such talk repulsive because of their dietary law (see Lev. 17:10, 11). They did not drink the blood of animals and certainly would not drink the blood of humans. Jesus was intentionally risking offending his hearers with that kind of talk. But he took the risk, knowing full well the consequences.
He took the risk because he wanted to reveal as clearly as possible the biblical God. He took the risk, knowing full well that some would intentionally misconstrue what he said in order to ridicule him. He knew that would happen. All public speakers have their opponents. All preachers have challengers who feel they don’t know anything about anything, and if an opportunity comes along to give a double meaning to something these people jump on it. This was such a double-meaning statement, and Jesus listeners jumped on it.
For Christians today, the body and blood of Christ are symbolized by the bread and cup in the sacrament of Holy Communion. The meaning behind the symbolism is what brings us to the Lord’s table, and that meaning is what many of Jesus listeners failed to grasp.
II. We Become One with Christ
In this text, Jesus is encouraging his disciples to be so closely aligned with him that their flesh becomes one. Our daily lives are to become so closely identified with his that we become one with Christ. This is a reminder that as Jesus lived and died in the flesh so we too live and die in the flesh; that as Jesus suffered, so will his disciples suffer; that as Jesus died and rose again from the dead, so will we who have put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior one day die and rise again to new life.
Loretto McMahon died on August 28, a few years ago. Her obituary in the Ft. Lauderdale paper said she was eighty-eight years old and “was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, where she spent most of her life in the food services industry as waitress, secretary, and owner of a tea room in Aurora, Illinois. She retired to Ft. Lauderdale, and although she never married, she created an extended family of wonderful friends. She was courageous and caring. She is best remembered as a woman who recognized that making a meal for friends is a way of sharing time, talent, and treasure. In lieu of any form of memorial, why not share a meal with friends and tell them you love them.”
When you do this the “living bread” (v. 51) will continue to live in you. (C. Thomas Hilton)
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Ministry Matters
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