Ministry Matters - Preach. Teach. Worship. Reach. Lead. for Tuesday, 24 June 2014

Ministry Matters - Preach. Teach. Worship. Reach. Lead. for Tuesday, 24 June 2014
The stained glass ceiling by Felicity Dale
The stained glass ceiling is a reality, and it’s painful for women to keep hitting their heads against it. Even within the house church movement, where there are generally no barriers for women, those of us who were brought up in the traditional church still find it difficult to initiate or lead out. We have been conditioned to live within stained glass limits. As I observe the simple/organic/house churches I am familiar with, I find it’s usually the women who either were brought up in the simple/organic movement, or those who became followers of Jesus within it, who plant churches. Like it or not, for most women in the church there is a stained glass ceiling. Women have limits. In most churches, they are not allowed to baptize or to give communion. In many other churches they cannot teach from the pulpit or hold a position of authority.
The stained glass ceiling is a reality, and it’s painful for women to keep hitting their heads against it.
Even within the house church movement, where there are generally no barriers for women, those of us who were brought up in the traditional church still find it difficult to initiate or lead out. We have been conditioned to live within stained glass limits. As I observe the simple/organic/house churches I am familiar with, I find it’s usually the women who either were brought up in the simple/organic movement, or those who became followers of Jesus within it, who plant churches.
We recently held a round table at our home where people from many different church backgrounds came to listen to the Lord about where God is taking this movement of men and women working together as co-equals in the Kingdom. Several of the women described the stained glass ceiling they still experience in their churches, and the incredible pain and frustration it causes them. These are women of caliber with professional qualifications who, in church, cannot fully use their considerable gifts and talents solely because of their gender.
Some of the men present described how, in the past, they have been responsible for creating a stained glass ceiling for women. They repented very specifically to the women for their personal role and for the church’s patriarchal attitude. They deliberately dismantled the stained glass ceiling for the women present.
I’ve been in meetings before where this has happened and witnessed firsthand the healing that this brings to women. I’ve experienced it in my own life too.
As I look around the world, it appears that the Holy Spirit is in the process of shattering the stained glass ceiling. As Gamaliel said in Acts 5,
“If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!” (Acts 5:38b-39 NLT)
If this move of men and women partnering together for the harvest is something God is doing, nothing can stop it!
Felicity's latest book is The Black Swan Effect: A Response to Gender Hierarchy in the Church, a multi-author project. "The Black Swan Effect" presents a vision for what can happen as men and women work together in the Kingdom of God. The authors (both male and female) encourage men to champion women as equal co-laborers and partners in the harvest. They give women permission and inspiration to follow the Lord—to reach their own full potential and encourage others to fulfill God's call. "The Black Swan Effect" equips both men and women to bring an informed and positive contribution to the increasingly crucial conversation on gender in the church.
A new way to pray Ministry Matters Radio
Linda McCullough Moore tried something new — rather than have one "quiet time" a day, she decided to pray for at least 15 minutes four times daily. In this episode of Ministry Matters Radio, we talk with her about her prayer experiment, hearing God's voice, fasting, making time to pray, developing good prayer habits and learning self-discipline. LISTEN Episode 4: Linda McCullough Moore tried something new — rather than have one "quiet time" a day, she decided to pray for at least 15 minutes four times daily. In this episode of Ministry Matters Radio, we talk with her about her prayer experiment, hearing God's voice, fasting, making time to pray, developing good prayer habits and learning self-discipline. Linda is the author of The Book of Not So Common Prayer.
http://www.spreaker.com/embed/player/standard?autoplay=false&episode_id=4650553#
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Is everyone a child of God? by Chad Holtz
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12). The word become in the Greek is γίνομαι, 
which means a change of state, a transition from one realm of being to another. The 
Apostle Paul will later say that those who 
are in Christ are “new creations” 
(2 Cor. 5:17). There is a transformation, a change of status, a 
new birth that happens when people come to know Jesus. Jesus said, we must be born again. In John Wesley’s sermon The New Birth he makes it plain how 
important a doctrine this is, but its importance is only 
proportional to the importance we place on another serious 
doctrine: original sin. It’s my contention that where we find a 
failure to teach and preach the necessity of new birth — a 
conversion from death to life — we will find a failure to teach 
and preach original sin, and vice versa. Wesley makes it clear that when God first created humankind they were made perfect in love of God and others. Their will and theirdesires were aligned to please God and God alone, and their 
happiness was found in doing the will of God (as would be true ofthe second Adam, Jesus Christ, many years later). But all of thischanged when they disobeyed God and sinned. God’s word was true 
in that they did indeed die. The image and likeness in which theywere created was destroyed or effaced, forever making them 
children of the devil (I.2). After the fall of humankind we read an interesting account of 
progeny in Gen. 5:3: When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own 
likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. When I taught this to my congregation a few Sundays ago I asked asimple question: Whose image and likeness was Seth made in? The 
answer is clear. So it begs the question. Is it right to say that everyone is a 
child of God? According to Gen. 5:3, and according to John 1:12, the answer seems clear. No. Not all are children of God. But, thanks be to God, Jesus Christ, the second Adam, made a way for us to become children of God! The new birth — conversion — 
which is a supernatural work of God is available to one and all. Where our first parent, Adam, sowed disobedience which leads to 
our death, our new parent, Christ, was obedient even unto death, making it possible for everyone who believes in his name to 
become children of God. How do we know we are children of God? Wewalk in obedience to the will of God the Father in the same way 
Jesus did. Giving up our will, our desires, our very life for a 
new one. We are indeed new creations. I love one of the ways Wesley describes the nature of new birth: It is that great change which God works in the soul when he 
brings it into life; when he raises it from the death of sin to 
the life of righteousness. It is the change wrought in the whole soul by the almighty Spirit of God when it is “created anew in 
Christ Jesus;” when it is “renewed after the image of God, in 
righteousness and true holiness;” when the love of the world is 
changed into the love of God; pride into humility; passion into 
meekness; hatred, envy, malice, into a sincere, tender, 
disinterested love for all mankind. In a word, it is that change whereby the earthly, sensual, devilish mind is turned into the 
“mind which was in Christ Jesus.” This is the nature of the new 
birth: “So is every one that is born of the Spirit.” (I.5). This change is available to all. All who will recognize their 
need for it, who trust that the blood of Jesus is sufficient and necessary to destroy the work of the devil in us (1 John 3:8), 
can know and experience a new birth. But hear this. The reverse is true as well. All who think they 
are already children of God by virtue of their birth or baptism 
or church membership, who believe they have a God-given right to claim a birthright without first being born again, who believe 
that there is no destroyed or effaced image within them in need 
of replacement and rebirth — they cannot know the power or 
promises of God to make new creations because they refuse to 
believe they have need of it. How great a thing it is to see our need! If God can create the universe with but a word, he can create a 
new heart in you today. God, grant us the eyes to see our need 
for new life, not just new ways of living. Humble us, Lord, that we might experience the power of God in our hearts, transforming our wills so that we would desire to do your will. Life us, God, that we would see our need, that we would see we are dead but forthe blood of Jesus. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the 
Holy Spirit. Amen.
Turnaround: How dying churches can find new life by Bob Smietana
(RNS) For years, a handful of members of 
Hillview Baptist Church in Franklin, Tenn., prayed their pews would be filled with 
worshippers. In early June, those prayers were finally 
answered, as more than 300 people gathered 
for a Sunday morning service. But the pews were gone. So were the 
traditional hymns. And a new sign outside the church now bore thename “Conduit Church.” A few weeks earlier, the congregation of Hillview had voted to 
merge with Conduit, a 4-year-old nondenominational church. At thetime, Hillview had dwindled to less than two dozen members, and 
was on the verge of shutting down. “They were tired,” said Darren Tyler, pastor of Conduit, “and 
they knew their strategy wasn’t working.” Instead of closing down, Hillview became one of a small but 
growing number of struggling evangelical congregations who’ve 
found new life by teaming up with a larger church. The mergers 
allow small churches to reinvent themselves and bigger ones to 
extend their reach. The arrangement met a need for both congregations. Hillview had a building but few people. Conduit had people but no building. The church had been meeting in a local high school since its 
founding. But the school board policy put a time limit on how 
long a church could rent. “The clock was ticking,” said Tyler. As part of the merger, Hillview gave up ownership of the building — which had a $150,000 mortgage. Just before the first joint 
worship service, a friend of Conduit Church came forward and paidoff the building. The process was a bit like dating — Tyler and Jim Gosney, 
Hillview’s pastor, met for coffee first, followed by a meeting ofleaders from both groups. The whole process took about two 
months. Gosney remains on staff, and the church plans to build an exhibitthat highlights Hillview’s heritage. “I don’t want their history to disappear,” said Tyler of the 
church that was founded in the 1980s. Mergers may offer new life for many smaller congregations, which have been hit hard by the changing demographics of American 
congregations. Most U.S. churches are small — under 100 people. But the majorityof church attenders now go to a big church, according to the 
National Congregations Study. That leaves thousands of churches 
with buildings but few worshippers. In some cases, those churches have chosen to join bigger 
multisite congregations, like Edmond, Okla.-based LifeChurch.tv. The church has 18 locations, known as campuses, around the 
country. Five of the campuses were created as a result of 
mergers, said Bobby Gruenewald, a pastor and innovation leader atLifeChurch. It’s not an easy process, he said. “If you are wondering what will change — everything will change,”he said. “We are not making a hybrid. A church that is going to 
become part of what we are doing is going to have to change.” That means giving up property and independence, and often the 
church structure. In most cases, the church staff also changes. Most of the congregations that merged with LifeChurch.tv were 
smaller and struggling. Some were in danger of closing down. “They didn’t want the church to just disappear,” he said. “They 
wanted to reach more people.” David Raymond of ChurchFuture, a consulting firm in Minneapolis, often works with mainline Protestant churches that are 
considering mergers. In this type of merger, two or more small 
churches unite rather than consolidating with a larger franchise. “They are typically in sharp decline,” he said. “They can’t keep going.” Most of the churches he works with are small — about 70-75 
people. All their attention is focused on survival, so they have little energy to reach out to their neighbors or serve their 
community. “When you have that few people — you are chewing up everybody’s 
resources just to keep the Sunday school running and the lights 
on,” he said. Raymond starts by asking the struggling church to think 
strategically about its ministry. He often asks, “What can we do to reach out and serve more people in your community?” “I always put it to the congregation this way,” he said. “This isyour church. This is your choice. Do you want the church to close — or do you want to try something new?” Craig Pederson, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, 
said a merger can jumpstart a church’s ministry. His church was formed in 2007 after three small churches decided to close down and pool their resources. Those older three 
churches had a total of 600 members, Peterson said, but few 
people showed up for services. The churches were stuck, he said, with little hope for the 
future. Opening a new church gave them a chance to begin with a clean 
slate. As part of the restart, the churches formed a separate nonprofit called Grace Center for Community Life in northeast 
Minneapolis, which is housed in a converted school. Today Grace Lutheran has about 200 active members, said Pederson.They meet in the Grace Center for worship service on Sunday, 
sharing the space with three other churches — a Hispanic 
Pentecostal congregation, a startup Lutheran church, and a 
Seventh-day Adventist congregation of immigrants from Ethiopia. 
The center also rents space to two charter schools, a food 
pantry, a child care center, and other neighborhood programs. Still, he said, there was a lot of pain in the process. Watching a church that you love shut down is hard, he said, as is saying 
goodbye to a church building, which often is filled with powerfulmemories. But a merger can get a church out of survival mode and get the 
congregation focused on the future. That’s a good thing, he said. “A seed has to die to have new life,” Pederson said. “That’s hardto hear for some churches. But it’s in the Bible.”
Call, hustle, and why goals matter by Chad Brooks
In this episode of The Productive Pastor, I interview Justin Wise. Justin is a consultant and runs #ThinkDigital. If your ministry is curious about how the digital age matters, Justin is the person to talk to. When I sat down to plan out season two, I knew I wanted to interview Justin. He was gracious with his time and shared plenty of great information with us. I especially appreciated the conversation about call and what ministry looks like (and doesn’t look like) these days.

The List
How to Do More of What You Love (and Less of What You Don’t)- Michael Hyatt: Michael has had several great podcasts on delegation. This is just the latest in the subject and it really digs into why everyone needs to be delegating.
How I Work On Several Projects At Once- Mike Vardy: Mike shares something each of us in ministry could learn from. We have jobs requiring multiple balls in the air at the same time. In this blog post, you can learn the benefit of intentional scheduling to keep everything moving ahead.
Schedule Productivity Around Ebb and Flow- Tanner Christensen: Do you ever try to do something important when you just don’t have the energy? The ebb and flow of our day matters, so schedule around it.
Resources Mentioned
Justinwise.net 
The Social Church
My review of The Social Church
Productive Pastor Insider sign-up
The church in the what? by Laurie Haller
“The church in the what? What are you talking about?” Zach asked. He’s a college student and is our sag driver/navigator for the one 
thousand mile bike ride in which I am 
currently participating to raise money and 
awareness for Imagine No Malaria. On Day Four of our ride, which started in Brandon, South 
Dakota and ends in Port Clinton, Ohio, our 
four riders stopped at the Little Brown Church in the Vale in Iowa. “Your generation would have no clue, Zach. In fact, most people 
in my generation have never heard of it, either. The Little BrownChurch in the Vale was in Bradford, Iowa, and was made famous by an old gospel hymn called ‘The Church in the Wildwood.’” 
Actually, the only reason I know the hymn is because I was a 
church musician for a while, and I soon learned how beloved the 
“little brown church” is for many of our elderly people. We arrived around 9:30 a.m. last Friday and walked in the church only to hear the choir of five rehearsing an old gospel hymn thatwas not familiar to me. The story began in 1857 when William Pitttraveled by stagecoach from Wisconsin to visit his bride-to-be inIowa. When he passed through the wild frontier town of Bradford, Pitt was so taken by the beauty of the village that he had a 
vision of a little church in the middle of the town. After 
returning to Wisconsin, he wrote the hymn, “The Church in the 
Wildwood,” and then set it aside.
Meanwhile, a little church had already been founded in Bradford 
in 1855 but had no building. Bradford had five hundred residents at the time and was the first town in this part of Iowa. The 
members of First Congregational Ecclesiastical Society wanted to build a sanctuary, but their first priority was opening a 
secondary school, which was known as the Bradford Academy. Under the leadership of its third minister,Rev. John Nutting, the church began 
building a sanctuary in 1860, but the CivilWar took almost all of the men and income 
from the church. Work slowly continued for four years, and Rev. Nutting wrote, “If I 
recall we used brown paint (on the outside of the church) because mineral brown paint was so cheap we could afford it while white lead was quite beyondour reach.” They painted the church brown before ever knowing 
about Pitt’s song. In 1862 William Pitt moved to Iowa to be near his wife’s people 
and was hired by the Bradford Academy to teach a singing class. 
Ironically, “The Church in the Wildwood,” composed before there 
even was a church building, was sung by the choir at the 
dedication of the new church in 1864. There’s a church in the valley by the wildwood, No lovelier spot in the dale; No place so dear to my childhood, As the little brown church in the vale. Come to the church in the wildwood, Oh, come to the church in the vale. No spot is so dear to my childhood As the little brown church in the vale. “The Church in the Wildwood” would likely have been relegated to obscurity had it not been popularized by the Weatherwax Brothers quartet. Between 1910 and 1917 the quartet used it as their themesong as they sang across the country to over 3,000 audiences. TheLittle Brown Church in the Vale struck an emotional chord as the Weatherwax Brothers told the heart-warming story of how the song was written and where the church was. One hundred fifty years 
after its dedication, the little brown church in the vale is 
visited by tens of thousands of people 
every year. After our visit, I asked the two other 
clergy in our bike group, “Why is The 
Little Brown Church in the Vale still so 
popular today? Is it just nostalgia for thegood old days? Is this reallya church or 
just a museum from a bygone era? How is 
this congregation reaching out to its community?”
I was playing a bit of the devil’s advocatewhen asking the questions. After hearing 
the choir rehearse, I wondered how this small church could 
possibly connect with young people today. Are they ministering tothe needs, hopes and dreams of our contemporary culture? How is 
the Little Brown Church relevant to the pressing needs of today’sworld?
As we chatted about the importance of contextual ministry, Chad 
Jennings, a pastor in Iowa, reminded us that vital churches take what they have and use it to their advantage. We reflected on thefour other United Methodist churches that had hosted us the 
previous nights. When eating dinner with our host families, I 
always ask the question, “What is your church known for in the 
community? Would anyone miss you if the doors closed tomorrow?” Iam always encouraged when church members can describe how their 
congregation extends outreach and mission beyond the walls of thechurch into their community and world. Seen in this context, the Little Brown Church has developed a 
sustainable ministry through its location and history. After 
World War I, when transportation became easier because of cars, 
The Little Brown Church decided to begin a wedding ministry to 
people outside the church. In 1925 the church budget was helped 
by 288 weddings at a fee of $5 a wedding. In the years 1938-1940,3,800 weddings were held, an average of 3.5 weddings a day! On 
Valentine’s Day 1976 the pastor performed twenty-eight weddings 
in one day. An average of four hundred weddings are performed at the Church 
in the Wildwood every year. In fact, there are four generations 
of some families who have been married there. Make no mistake, 
however. The Little Brown Church is not a wedding chapel. It is 
an active church, the fees are minimal, and the pastor of the 
church is required to perform the service “within the context of the Christian faith.” Many marriage renewal services also take 
place in the Little Brown Church, and the first Sunday in August is always Marriage Renewal Sunday. Couples from all over the 
country come to renew their vows. The Little Brown Church, still affiliated with the CongregationalChurch, is alive and well. It will never be huge. However, the 
church has an active Sunday School, youth activities, choir, 
women’s fellowship, Bible study, a prayer chain group, missions 
and weekly worship. Through grants and support from 40,000 
visitors a year, the building is air-conditioned and completely 
accessible. The grounds are immaculate, the church is open from 
dawn to dusk, there is no admission charge, and all who visit areinvited to ring the historic 1860 church bell. Words from Sam 
Walter Foss’ poem “The House by the Side of the Road” are 
inscribed on the front steps of the church, “Let me live by the 
side of the road and be a friend to man.” The Church in the Wildwood is a spiritual presence in its 
community and across the country, inviting all to rest a while, 
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness (Psalm 96:9) and 
reconnect with the God. If we had been cycling through Nashua 
yesterday (Bradford no longer exists), we would have attended 
worship at The Little Brown Church in the Wildwood. There is a 
hymn sing every Sunday at 10:15 a.m., worship begins at 10:30 andthere is fellowship afterward. What I love about “The Church in the Wildwood” is the chorus, 
where the tenors and basses insistently repeat the words “Come, 
come, come” nineteen times in ostinato style, while the sopranos and altos sing, “Come to the church in the wildwood; Oh come to 
the church in the vale.” When was the last time you invited 
someone to come to Christ and the church? The church in the what? “The Church in the Wildwood” continues tobe sung in a little brown church that sits in the valley of a 
forest that was once wild and uncultivated. The legacy of a 
congregation that would build a school for children in the 
village before taking care of its own need for a building leads 
the congregation forward into God’s future. Would anyone notice if The Little Brown Church were gone? Would 
anyone notice if your church were gone? Will you be the church inthe city, the country, the prisons, the hospitals, the schools, 
the soup kitchens, the homeless shelters and the nursing homes? 
Will you and your church live by the side of the road and be a 
friend to all? “Come, come, come.”
Sighs for help by Wendy Joyner

Romans 8:26-39
It was early on a Thursday morning, long before daybreak, that I found myself driving north on I-75. My mother had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, and I was making the drive to Atlanta to help my sisters care for her. I’m not sure how many weeks I had been making that weekly pilgrimage to help take Mom to radiation treatments, but it had been going on long enough that I was weary. As I drove, I realized that I was weary like I had never been before. I was weary in body, mind, and spirit. I was feeling overwhelmed and uncertain of the future. I wondered, How long will our family have to keep up this schedule? How long will my mother have to endure this illness? How long can I balance the demands of work and family?
I don’t remember forming any words as I drove, but I remember sighing a lot. I don’t remember that I was intentionally praying, but I do remember sensing that I was crying out to God in my heart. Many minutes of silence passed, and then, as the sun rose in the distance, these words came to me: “My grace is sufficient unto the day.” It was the answer to a prayer I didn’t even know that I had offered but desperately needed. I was assured that God was present with me in that moment. I couldn’t know the future, but I could trust that God would give me what I needed at the exact time that I needed it. It was a promise that I carried with me in the days, weeks, and months to follow. It was an assurance that I held on to through my mother’s illness and following her death.
The eighth chapter of the book of Romans is perhaps my favorite chapter in all of Scripture. It offers words of comfort and reassurance to those of us who carry heavy burdens. At times, we are all too aware of the brokenness of our world. We know that our lives are marred by sin, and we experience suffering in our daily lives. We experience physical illness or loss. We endure the pain of broken relationships. We come across stories of violence, economic need, and hopelessness. As we look around us, it is easy to become discouraged, overwhelmed, and uncertain of the future. I believe that Paul addressed these words to people like us. They bear witness to the compassionate heart of a pastor, trying to encourage a community in the midst of some of the most devastating trials that life has to offer.
In the verses previous to Romans 8:26-39, Paul has spoken of the suffering that not only we but also all creation experiences. He writes that “the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now” (Romans 8:22). Suffering is a reality that we live with each day, evident not only in our human struggles but also throughout the created order. Although, as people of faith, we know that God’s glory will one day be revealed, we find ourselves crying, “How long, O Lord?”
Sometimes, as on that dark Thursday morning, the suffering becomes too much. There are moments in life when we are literally rendered speechless. How do we begin to express the depth of our sorrow as we realize our deep need for God’s help? How do we find the words to cry out for our redemption? Sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we can’t. These are the places where God’s grace breaks into our lives most powerfully.
“In the same way, the Spirit comes to help our weakness. We don’t know what we should pray, but the Spirit himself pleads our case with unexpressed groans.” (8:26). What a wonderful gift God has given to us, that even when our words fail, God’s Spirit is present in ways beyond our human understanding. As N. T. Wright so insightfully observes, “Those who cannot see that for which they eagerly hope need assistance to peer into the darkness ahead and to pray God’s future into the present” (The New Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 10 [Nashville: Abingdon, 2002], 598).
The wonder and the grace of prayer is that many times we can’t offer a prayer in our own strength. Prayer, as the early church fathers and mothers taught us, is often a heartrending struggle. Yet it is in these moments that we can receive what is most needed for the journey. We can be offered that assurance of God’s love and grace in a more powerful way because all the words, the human certainty, and the illusion of control are stripped away. We receive what we need the most because the Spirit “pleads for the saints, consistent with God’s will” (8:27).
The Spirit of God intercedes for us and reminds us of the great love of God our creator. Our lives, the lives of those we love, the life of the world may still be broken, but our concerns are brought into the presence of God, and we are reminded again of the future that God has in store for us. We are reminded that God works for our good in all things.
Paul knew the power of the gifts received through God’s Spirit. He knew them because he had experienced them, and when the words returned, it was sheer doxology:
But in all these things we win a sweeping victory through the one who loved us. I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers or height or depth, or any other thing that is created. (Romans 8:37-39 CEB)
This Sunday, 29 June 2014
Third Sunday After Pentecost - Genesis 22:1-14; Jeremiah 28:5-9; Psalm 13; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42
Genesis 22:1-14
Psalm 13
Jeremiah 28:5-9
Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18
Romans 6:12-23
Matthew 10:40-42
Genesis 22:1 After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”
He said, “Here I am.”
2 He said, “Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”
3 Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off. 5 Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go yonder. We will worship, and come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together. 7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, “My father?”
He said, “Here I am, my son.”
He said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
8 Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together. 9 They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood. 10 Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to kill his son.
11 Yahweh’s angel called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”
He said, “Here I am.”
12 He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
13 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide.[a] As it is said to this day, “On Yahweh’s mountain, it will be provided.”
Footnotes:
a. Genesis 22:14 or, Yahweh-Jireh, or, Yahweh-Seeing
Psalm 13: For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.
1 How long, Yahweh?
    Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
    having sorrow in my heart every day?
    How long shall my enemy triumph over me?
3 Behold, and answer me, Yahweh, my God.
    Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;
4     Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”;
    Lest my adversaries rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your loving kindness.
    My heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to Yahweh,
    because he has been good to me.
Jeremiah 28:5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people who stood in Yahweh’s house, 6 even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: Yahweh do so; Yahweh perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring again the vessels of Yahweh’s house, and all them of the captivity, from Babylon to this place. 7 Nevertheless hear you now this word that I speak in your ears, and in the ears of all the people: 8 The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. 9 The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet shall happen, then shall the prophet be known, that Yahweh has truly sent him.
Psalm 89: A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite.
1 I will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever.
    With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever.
    You established the heavens.
    Your faithfulness is in them.”
3 “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
    I have sworn to David, my servant,
4 ‘I will establish your offspring[a] forever,
    and build up your throne to all generations.’”
Selah.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 89:4 or, seed
15 Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you.
    They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.
16 In your name they rejoice all day.
    In your righteousness, they are exalted.
17 For you are the glory of their strength.
    In your favor, our horn will be exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to Yahweh;
    our king to the Holy One of Israel.
Romans 6:12 Therefore don’t let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 Also, do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? May it never be! 16 Don’t you know that when you present yourselves as servants and obey someone, you are the servants of whomever you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that, whereas you were bondservants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were delivered. 18 Being made free from sin, you became bondservants of righteousness.
19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification. 20 For when you were servants of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now, being made free from sin, and having become servants of God, you have your fruit of sanctification, and the result of eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matthew 10:40 He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”
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John Wesley’s Notes-Commentary:
Genesis 22:1-14
Verse 1
[1] And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
Here is the trial of Abraham's faith, whether it continued so strong, so vigorous, so victorious, after a long settlement in communion with God, as it was at first, when by it he left his country: then it appeared that he loved God better than his father; now, that he loved him better than his son.
After these things — After all the other exercises he had had, all the difficulties he had gone through: now perhaps he was beginning to think the storms were blown over but after all, this encounter comes, which is stranger than any yet.
God did tempt Abraham — Not to draw him to sin, so Satan tempts; but to discover his graces, how strong they were, that they might be found to praise and honour and glory. The trial itself: God appeared to him as he had formerly done, called him by name Abraham, that name which had been given him in ratification of the promise: Abraham, like a good servant, readily answered, Here am I; what saith my Lord unto his servant? Probably he expected some renewed promise, like those, Genesis 15:1; 17:1, but to his great amazement that which God hath to say to him is in short, Abraham, go kill thy son: and this command is given him in such aggravating language as makes the temptation abundantly more grievous. When God speaks, Abraham, no doubt, takes notice of every word, and listens attentively to it: and every word here is a sword in his bones; the trial is steel'd with trying phrases. Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that he should afflict? No, it is not; yet when Abraham's faith is to be tried, God seems to take pleasure in the aggravation of the trial.
Verse 2
[2] And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
And he said, take thy son — Not thy bullocks and thy lambs; how willingly would Abraham have parted with them by thousands to redeem Isaac! Not thy servant, no, not the steward of thine house.
Thine only son — Thine only son by Sarah. Ishmael was lately cast out, to the grief of Abraham, and now Isaac only was left and must he go too? Yes: take Isaac, him by name, thy laughter, that son indeed. Yea, that son whom thou lovest - The trial was of Abraham's love to God, and therefore it must be in a beloved son: in the Hebrew 'tis expressed more emphatically, and I think might very well be read thus, Take now that son of thine, that only son of thine, whom thou lovest, that Isaac.
And get thee into the land of Moriah — Three days journey off: so that he might have time to consider it, and if he do it, must do it deliberately.
And offer him for a burnt offering — He must not only kill his son, but kill him as a sacrifice, with all that sedateness and composedness of mind, with which he used to offer his burnt-offering.
Verse 3
[3] And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
The several steps of this obedience, all help to magnify it, and to shew that he was guided by prudence, and governed by faith, in the whole transaction. (1.) He rises early - Probably the command was given in the visions of the night, and early the next morning he sets himself about it, did not delay, did not demur. Those that do the will of God heartily will do it speedily. (2.) He gets things ready for a sacrifice, and it should seem, with his own hands, cleaves the wood for the burnt-offering. (3.) He left his servants at some distance off, left they should have created him some disturbance in his strange oblation. Thus when Christ was entering upon his agony in the garden, he took only three of his disciples with him.
Verse 6
[6] And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
Isaac's carrying the wood was a type of Christ, who carried his own cross, while Abraham, with a steady and undaunted resolution, carried the fatal knife and fire.
Verse 7
[7] And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb? — This is, 1. A trying question to Abraham; how could he endure to think that Isaac is himself the lamb? 2. 'Tis a teaching question to us all, that when we are going to worship God, we should seriously consider whether we have everything ready, especially the lamb for a burnt-offering. Behold, the fire is ready; that is, the Spirit's assistance, and God's acceptance: the wood is ready, the instituted ordinances designed to kindle our affections, which indeed, without the Spirit, are but like wood without fire, but the Spirit works by them. All things are now ready, but where is the lamb? Where is the heart? Is that ready to be offered up to God, to ascend to him as a burnt-offering?
Verse 8
[8] And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
My son, God will provide himself a lamb — This was the language either, 1. Of his obedience; we must offer the lamb which God has appointed now to be offered; thus giving him this general rule of submission to the divine will to prepare him for the application of it to himself. Or, 2. Of his faith; whether he meant it so or no, this proved to be the meaning of it; a sacrifice was provided instead of Isaac. Thus, 1. Christ the great sacrifice of atonement was of God's providing: when none in heaven or earth could have found a lamb for that burnt-offering, God himself found the ransom. 2. All our sacrifices of acknowledgement are of God's providing too; 'tis he that prepares the heart. The broken and contrite spirit is a sacrifice of God, of his providing.
Verse 9
[9] And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
With the same resolution and composedness of mind, he applies himself to the compleating of this sacrifice. After many a weary step, and with a heavy heart, he arrives at length at the fatal place; builds the altar, an altar of earth, we may suppose, the saddest that ever be built; lays the wood in order for Isaac's funeral pile; and now tells him the amazing news. Isaac, for ought appears, is as willing as Abraham; we do not find that he made any objection against it. God commands it to be done, and Isaac has learned to submit. Yet it is necessary that a sacrifice be bound; the great Sacrifice, which, in the fulness of time, was to be offered up, must be bound, and therefore so must Isaac. Having bound him he lays him upon the altar, and his hand upon the head of the sacrifice. Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and wonder, O earth! here is an act of faith and obedience which deserves to be a spectacle to God, angels and men; Abraham's darling, the church's hope, the heir of promise, lies ready to bleed and die by his own father's hands! Now this obedience of Abraham in offering up Isaac is a lively representation, 1. Of the love of God to us, in delivering up his only begotten Son to suffer and die for us, as a sacrifice. Abraham was obliged both in duty and gratitude to part with Isaac and parted with him to a friend, but God was under no obligations to us, for we were enemies. 2. Of our duty to God in return of that love we must tread in the steps of this faith of Abraham. God, by his word, calls us to part with all for Christ, all our sins, tho' they have been as a right hand, or a right eye, or an Isaac; all those things that are rivals with Christ for the sovereignity of our heart; and we must chearfully let them all go. God, by his providence, which is truly the voice of God, calls us to part with an Isaac sometimes, and we must do it by a chearful resignation and submission to his holy will.
Verse 11
[11] And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
The Angel of the Lord — That is, God himself, the eternal Word, the Angel of the covenant, who was to be the great Redeemer and Comforter.
Verse 12
[12] And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
Lay not thine hand upon the lad — God's time to help his people is, when they are brought to the greatest extremity: the more eminent the danger is, and the nearer to be put in execution, the more wonderful and the more welcome is the deliverance.
Now know I that thou fearest God — God knew it before, but now Abraham had given a memorable evidence of it. He need do no more, what he had done was sufficient to prove the religious regard he had to God and his authority. The best evidence of our fearing God is our being willing to honour him with that which is dearest to us, and to part with all to him, or for him.
Verse 13
[13] And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
Behold a ram — Tho' that blessed Seed was now typified by Isaac, yet the offering of him up was suspended 'till the latter end of the world, and in the meantime the sacrifice of beasts was accepted, as a pledge of that expiation which should be made by that great sacrifice. And it is observable, that the temple, the place of sacrifice, was afterward built upon this mount Moriah, 2 Chronicles 3:1, and mount Calvary, where Christ was crucified, was not far off.
Verse 14
[14] And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
And Abraham called the place Jehovah-jireh — The Lord will provide. Probably alluding to what he had said, Genesis 22:8.
God will provide himself a lamb — This was purely the Lord's doing: let it be recorded for the generations to come; that the Lord will see; he will always have his eyes upon his people in their straits, that he may come in with seasonable succour in the critical juncture. And that he will be seen, be seen in the mount, in the greatest perplexities of his people; he will not only manifest but magnify his wisdom, power and goodness in their deliverance. Where God sees and provides, he should be seen and praised. And perhaps it may refer to God manifest in the flesh.
Psalm 13
Verse 2
[2] How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
How long — Shall I be in such perplexities, not knowing what course to take?
Verse 3
[3] Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Lighten — Revive and comfort, and deliver me from the darkness of death, which is ready to come upon me.
Verse 6
[6] I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
I will sing — It is a common thing for David and other prophets to speak of future deliverances as if they were already come, that so they may signify both the infallible certainty of the thing, and their firm assurance thereof.
Jeremiah 28:5-9
John Wesley has no notes commentary on Verses 5-9.
Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18
Verse 1
[1] I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
Sing — He prefaces this, lest the following complainers of present miseries should argue ingratitude for former mercies.
Faithfulness — Whatsoever hath befallen us, it proceeded not from thy unfaithfulness.
Verse 2
[2] For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
Establish — As firmly and durably as the heavens themselves.
Verse 3
[3] I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Chosen — With David; whom I have chosen to the kingdom.
Verse 4
[4] Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. /*Selah*/.
Build up — I will perpetuate the kingdom to thy posterity; which was promised upon condition, and was literally accomplished in Christ.
Verse 15
[15] Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
Know — Who enjoy the presence of God and his ordinances, to which they are called by the sound of trumpets.
Walk — Under the comfortable influences of thy favour.
Verse 16
[16] In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
Name — In the knowledge and remembrance of thy name, of thy infinite power and goodness.
Verse 17
[17] For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
The glory — To thee alone belongs the glory of all their valiant achievements.
Romans 6:12-23
Verse 12
[12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Let not sin reign even in your mortal body — It must be subject to death, but it need not be subject to sin.
Verse 13
[13] Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Neither present your members to sin — To corrupt nature, a mere tyrant.
But to God — Your lawful King.
Verse 14
[14] For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Sin shall not have dominion over you — It has neither right nor power.
For ye are not under the law — A dispensation of terror and bondage, which only shows sin, without enabling you to conquer it.
But under grace — Under the merciful dispensation of the gospel, which brings complete victory over it to every one who is under the powerful influences of the Spirit of Christ.
Verse 17
[17] But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
The form of doctrine into which ye have been delivered — Literally it is, The mould into which ye have been delivered; which, as it contains a beautiful allusion, conveys also a very instructive admonition; intimating that our minds, all pliant and ductile, should be conformed to the gospel precepts, as liquid metal, take the figure of the mould into which they are cast.
Verse 18
[18] Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Being then set free from sin — We may see the apostles method thus far at one view: - Chap. Ver. 1. Bondage to sin Romans 3:9 2. The knowledge of sin by the law; a sense of God's wrath; inward death Romans 3:20 3. The revelation of the righteousness of God in Christ through the gospel Romans 3:21 4. The centre of all, faith, embracing that righteousness Romans 3:22 5. Justification, whereby God forgives all past sin, and freely accepts the sinner Romans 3:24 6. The gift of the Holy Ghost; a sense of Romans 5:5, God's love new inward life Romans 6:4 7. The free service of righteousness Romans 6:12
Verse 19
[19] I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
I speak after the manner of men — Thus it is necessary that the scripture should let itself down to the language of men.
Because of the weakness of your flesh — Slowness of understanding flows from the weakness of the flesh, that is, of human nature.
As ye have presented your members servants to uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity, so now present your members servants of righteousness unto holiness — Iniquity (whereof uncleanness is an eminent part) is here opposed to righteousness; and unto iniquity is the opposite of unto holiness. Righteousness here is a conformity to the divine will; holiness, to the whole divine nature. Observe, they who are servants of righteousness go on to holiness; but they who are servants to iniquity get no farther. Righteousness is service, because we live according to the will of another; but liberty, because of our inclination to it, and delight in it.
Verse 20
[20] For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
When ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness — In all reason, therefore, ye ought now to be free from unrighteousness; to be as uniform and zealous in serving God as ye were in serving the devil.
Verse 21
[21] What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
Those things — He speaks of them as afar off.
Verse 23
[23] For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Death — Temporal, spiritual, and eternal.
Is the due wages of sin; but eternal life is the gift of God — The difference is remarkable. Evil works merit the reward they receive: good works do not. The former demand wages: the latter accept a free gift.
Matthew 10:40-42
Verse 40
[40] He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Matthew 18:5; Luke 10:16; John 13:20.
Verse 41
[41] He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
He that entertaineth a prophet — That is, a preacher of the Gospel: In the name of a prophet - That is, because he is such, shall share in his reward.
Verse 42
[42] And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
One of these little ones — The very least Christian. Mark 9:41.

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God Will Provide by Douglas Mullins

Genesis 22:1-14
There are a lot of directions one can run with a Scripture passage like this, but there is one prominent biblical truth that surfaces here, and is reinforced in the Genesis readings for the Sundays on either side of this date, as well as in a multitude of other passages: God will provide. Here is a one-point sermon. We can use these and other readings to provide varied illustrations of this axiom: God will provide.
Abraham and Sarah had long wanted a child. In fact, they grew old wanting a child. At some point, they probably accepted the fact that they simply were not going to have children. They did not understand it. They did not understand how they could be so faithful to their God, and that same God would fail to bless them in this way. Never mind the way it sounds today, in order to have offspring, Sarah gave Hagar, her Egyptian slave girl, to Abraham, and she bore him a son, Ishmael, which means “May God Hear” or simply, “God Hears.” Once there was a child in the home, life seemed better. However, it was still God’s pleasure that Sarah should have a son by Abraham. Therefore, in their old age, Sarah was found to be with child. She bore Abraham a son, and they named him Isaac, which means “He Laughs,” probably because Sarah laughed at God’s messengers when, as an old woman, she was informed that she would give birth.
When Isaac was born, Sarah became very territorial and was no longer pleased to have Ishmael or his mother in her presence. She had her son, the rightful heir of all that belonged and would belong to Abraham, and so she pressured Abraham to send Ishmael and Hagar away.
With regret, but at the direction of God, Abraham did send Hagar and Ishmael away. God had told Abraham to listen to Sarah and do what she asked, for God would establish Abraham’s line, a great nation, through his son Isaac. Abraham was not to despair, for God would also establish a great nation through Ishmael.
Early in the morning, Abraham took bread and a skin of water to Hagar and her young child Ishmael and sent them on their way. They wandered in the wilderness until their water supply was depleted. Then Hagar placed Ishmael under some brush and went off some distance and sat down. She could not bear to watch the death of her child. God spoke to Hagar through an angel. “ ‘Do not be afraid. . . . Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.’ Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink” (Genesis 21:17b-19). The boy lived in the wilderness, and when he was grown, his mother got him a wife from Egypt. The moral of this lesson is that there is no cause to despair; for when you are doing what God intends you to do, God will deliver you. God will provide whatever it is that you need to see you through.
That lesson sets the stage for Genesis 22. With Ishmael out of the picture, Abraham had one son, Isaac. He loved this son very much. It seemed strange then, considering how much Abraham loved this son, and how God had waited so long in Abraham’s life to give him this son, and in light of the promise God had made to Abraham to establish a great nation through this son, that God would tell Abraham to go into the wilderness and sacrifice his son. Puzzled as he was, Abraham stayed the course, remained faithful to his God, and proceeded to do as God had requested. He cut the wood for a burnt offering, and set out with his son to a distant place where God was directing him. Abraham built the altar, he prepared the wood, he bound his son and placed him on the wood. He took his knife in hand and prepared to kill his son. Only then did God stop him. “And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The LORD will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.’ ” The Lord will provide. We cannot ask for more than that.
Genesis 24 is the story of how God led a variety of people through extraordinary circumstances to bring to Isaac the absolutely right wife for him. And again, the moral of the story is that God will provide.
In these lessons, one of the major themes of the Bible is established. God can be counted on to deliver God’s children from despair, God can be counted on to deliver God’s people, God can be counted on to provide whatever is needful for the welfare of God’s people and the building of God’s kingdom. God will provide. Further biblical illustrations of this great truth abound. It might be in sending Moses to Pharaoh to seek the release from slavery of his people. It might be in sending the young lad David to bring down the giant Goliath. It might be in bringing his people out of exile to rebuild Jerusalem and reestablish the kingdom founded through the offspring of Abraham. It might be in sending God’s own Son to redeem a lost generation. Time and again we see that God will provide.
I am reminded of an oft repeated refrain in the African American religious community that never fails to bring forth a rousing chorus of knowing amens. It goes like this: Jesus never comes when I call him, but he always comes in time. It is one more way of saying that God will deliver his people; that God will provide. Jesus never comes when I call him, but he always comes in time. And the people said, “Amen.”
Worship Elements: June 29, 2014 (Option 1)

Third Sunday After Pentecost
COLOR: Green
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42
Call to Worship:
L: We come together today to affirm our oneness in the Lord our God.
P: We affirm our oneness with the members of our family.
L: They who love brother or sister or father or mother more than me, says the Lord, are not worthy of me.
P: We affirm our oneness with all the citizens of our nation.
L: They who love their country more than me, says the Lord, are not worthy of me.
P: We affirm our oneness with all other Christians. They who love their religion more than me, says the Lord, are not worthy of me.
A: Give us the courage, O God; to take up the cross and follow you in the spirit of Jesus.
Invocation:
O God of Christ, in Jesus you came into the midst of the Galileans as one of them. You lived among them as a neighbor. You spoke to them as a friend. You welcomed them as members of your family. And you treated them as brothers and sisters. Come now into our midst, dear God, as you entered into Galilee, and give us the grace to welcome you as neighbor, friend, and Father.
Litany:
L: God has baptized us into Christ Jesus that we might walk in newness of life. Yet we are daily tempted to tread the old paths.
P: From this temptation, dear Lord, deliver us.
L: The grace of God increases in proportion to our sin. So we are tempted to enlarge our transgressions that grace might abound.
P: From this temptation, dear Lord, deliver us.
L: We were not worthy of the love with which God in Christ redeemed us from sin. Yet we are sorely tempted to reserve our love only for those who deserve it.
P: From this temptation, dear Lord, deliver us.
L: Jesus' victory over sin cost him shame, suffering, and a cross. Yet we are tempted to think that his followers can lead a risk-free life.
P: From this temptation, dear Lord, deliver us.
L: The cross was the cost of his obedience to God. Yet we are tempted to let him bear the cross alone, and let the rest of the world go free.
P: From this temptation, dear Lord, deliver us.
A: Give us the grace, dear Lord, to embrace the way of the cross even as we praise the Lord of the cross.
Prayer for One Voice:
Gracious God, you have not left yourself without a witness in any age or place. Wherever people have walked this earth, you have taken up residence among them and unveiled yourself to them. To Jacob you revealed yourself at the ford of the Jabbok. Even though he had deceived his father and betrayed his brother, you did not hide your face from him. To the Galileans you revealed yourself in Jesus' treatment of harlots and publicans. Upon perceiving that they were unworthy, Jesus showed them a love that would not let them go. We thank you, O God, that you do not hide yourself from the people who seem to merit your love. But we are even more grateful for your revelation to those who do not. We adore you, O God, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, your love is greater than our love. You shower it, like the rain, upon the just and the unjust. And you have given us in Jesus not only a summons to love as you love, but an example of both what it means and what it costs.
We long to love others as you do, but we seldom do. And our offense is compounded by the fact that we know better. We know that love can turn enmity into friendship, bitterness into acceptance, suspicion into understanding, and hostility into peace. But the love we would show to others we do not, and the hostility we would not show to others we do. Forgive us, O God, for bearing such shabby witness to you and for betraying our neighbors and ourselves.
Remind us of the love of Jesus Christ with which you claimed us as your own and we claimed you as our own. Rekindle in us the oneness we experienced when we accepted your invitation to joira you in covenant. And let us go forth, renewed and empowered, to enlarge the circle of your covenant people. Make us quick to greet hesitation with generosity, suspicion with acceptance, anger with gentleness, and defensiveness with friendliness. When people ask us who we are, let us reveal whose we are.
The world in which we live suffers for want of many things. But the one thing it needs above all others is the love with which you have loved us and for which you call us to become channels. Give us, O God, the will and the wisdom to heed this summons.
Benediction:
O God, in Jesus Christ you taught us that, if we are intent on saving ourselves, we cannot save others. Crucify us unto self that we might glorify you and become the channels of your life and love unto others.
From Litanies and Other Prayers Year A: Copyright © 1989, 1992 by Abingdon Press
Worship Connection: June 29, 2014 by Nancy C. Townley

Third Sunday After Pentecost
COLOR: Green
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42
CALLS TO WORSHIP
Call to Worship #1:
: Welcome to each and every one of you!
P: Thank you. 
L: May the joy we have in our Lord Jesus Christ become your joy also.
P: We have found a welcoming presence in this house of the Lord.
L: Thanks be to God who has welcomed each one of us!
P: Let us extend that same loving welcome to others. AMEN.
Call to Worship #2:
L: Welcome to worship today!
P: Thanks. We are glad to be here.
L: Even when things get hectic, always know that you will find welcome here.
P: We are grateful for the hospitality and friendship that are offered here.
L: Come, let us worship the God who always welcomes us.
P: Let us open our hearts to Christ who welcomed friend and stranger alike. AMEN.
Call to Worship #3:
[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2271, “Come! Come! Everybody Worship” (refrain only).]
Have the choir JOYFULLY SING this song, repeating it several times.
L: Come! Come! Everybody Worship
P: Come! Come! Welcome to the house of the Lord.
L: Rejoice! Celebrate the Lord!
P: Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
Congregation: singing the refrain of “Come! Come! Everybody Worship”
Optional: Global Songs II, published by Augsburg-Fortress Press, 1997. ISBN: 0-8006-5673-3, Published in USA. This has a CD with it and a songbook that goes with it. Song #10: “A Dazzling Bouquet.” This is a song of welcome in which the metaphor for each person there is a type of flower - blooming, bright. The song is jazzy and would be lots of fun with a service of welcome. Invite the congregation to participate in the refrain of this song.
Call to Worship #4:
L: Good morning! Welcome to our church.
P: We’re glad to be here.
L: Come let us worship with great joy the Lord who greets us.
P: Let us praise God who lifts our hearts and spirits.
L: Come on everyone, open your hearts to the Lord.
P: Thank you, Lord, for your welcome through this church. AMEN.
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PRAYERS, READING, BENEDICTION
Opening Prayer
Lord, as we walked through the doors to this place of worship, we brought with us our cares and concerns, our joys and our sorrows. Touch our hearts and heal us, Lord. Make us ready to become your faithful disciples. AMEN.
Prayer of Confession
Patient Lord, we want to extend the hand of welcome and friendship to all whom we meet, but you know that sometimes we shy away from reaching out. We make judgments about others based on their appearance and other surface factors, and we neglect your mandate to be a welcoming presence. That lack of welcome extends further when we see needs that must be addressed and choose to turn our backs. We turn away from the pain and suffering, protecting our own lives. Yet you remind us that as we welcome others, so we are also welcoming you. Heal us and give us strength and courage to always be welcoming others in your name. AMEN.
Words of Assurance
How wonderful it is to be welcomed by our Lord through God’s church. Rejoice in God’s welcoming love for you. AMEN.
Pastoral Prayer
Lord, we talk so easily about being a friendly church. We like to think of ourselves as a place where everyone is welcomed. But our welcome should not stay confined to these walls. We are called to adopt attitudes of hospitality to others who may not return the favor. We are called to be willing to take the risk of hospitality in our workplace, our homes, our community, everywhere we go. You reached out to people in all kinds of conditions. Many of those people had been rejected by their society, their families. They were in need of compassionate greeting and friendship. Lord Jesus, as you have welcomed us regardless of our faults and failings, let us also be a welcoming presence to all in your name. AMEN.
Reading: THE WHITE GLOVE WELCOME
Reader: 
Marissa came to church today, having never been here before. It had been a long time since she had even darkened the doorway of a church. Lots of things had happened in her life, some good, far too many bad. She had made choices that were self-destructive, and now here she was, at the door of the church, not knowing if the roof would cave in because of her lack of presence in this holy place. That was the excuse she had used so many times before--“the roof will cave in if I come”; “It’s been too long”; “I only have Sunday to rest, so I can’t attend church.” What would happen? This was crazy!
The doors were open. A little way inside there stood an older woman, impeccably dressed, wearing a nice little hat and white gloves. “Good morning,” the woman said, extending tentatively the white gloved hand. Marissa reached out to shake the hand, but only the gloved fingertips were offered, with a slight shake of the hand then quick withdrawal of the welcoming gesture completely. The woman seemed in a hurry to greet others although there were no others in line waiting to be greeted. Marissa looked around and saw the direction to the sanctuary. There were others there, talking animatedly. She moved toward the people, whose conversation took a sudden turn. They stopped talking and seemed to look at her briefly, then look away. She was a stranger to them. They were involved with their friends. Someone else would greet this stranger. Taking a seat near the back of the church, Marissa looked around. Everywhere people greeted one another, obviously knowing one another. She felt awkward. What should she do?
The worship service began with wonderful music and words of welcome from the pastor. Then the pastor suggested that everyone take a moment to greet one another with the love of Christ. This was going to be awkward, thought Marissa. She stood up as the movement of the people around the sanctuary began. Suddenly she felt a tapping on her leg and looking down and saw a small child.
“Hi,” said the little child.
“Hi,” replied Marissa.
“Who are you?” asked the child.
“I’m Marissa. Who are you?”
“Timmy, just Timmy.”
“I’m glad to meet you, Timmy.”
“Are you new here?” inquired Timmy.
“Yes. It’s my first time coming.”
“I’m not new. I have been here a long time. I get to say hi to people. It’s my favorite thing to do”
“You do it very well, Timmy. Thanks for greeting me.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you are here,” and off he scampered.
Marissa didn’t remember being greeted by others, although she probably was. Timmy’s innocent, warm welcome stayed in her heart. “Whoever welcomes one of these, the least and the lost, welcomes me,” said the Pastor. “Welcome to the house of the Lord.” White glove and tentative welcome receded in her memory and was replaced by the genuineness of a small child. Thanks be to God for the hospitality of God, given through Timmy. AMEN
Benediction
Do not ever be afraid to welcome others. Bring your welcoming, accepting spirit to all those whom you meet. May God go with you on your journey this week and all of your days.
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ARTISTIC ELEMENTS
The traditional Color for today is: GREEN
WELCOME all the friends and strangers. Have balloons in the vestibule or outside the sanctuary.
SURFACE: 
Place a 6” riser at the back of the worship table. Place a riser in front of the worship center.
FABRIC: 
Cover the worship center with green fabric, making sure that the riser is covered.
CANDLES: 
Place an altar candle on each side of the cross.
FLOWERS/PLANTS: 
You may place flowering plants, ivy, or ferns on either side of the candles and in front of the worship center.
ROCKS/WOOD: 
Not necessary for this setting.
OTHER: 
Have one of the children in the church create a sign with just the word Welcome on it. The sign should be about the size of a sheet of foam board (20” x 30”), placed horizontally on the riser in front of worship center. The letters need to be in “child print” and should be done in a dark color so that they may be seen from a distance. Other bright images may be used, but they should be kept at a minimum.
OPTIONAL: 
Have the children design a bulletin cover with the word Welcome on it.
OPTIONAL: 
Have some helium-filled balloons in the vestibule/narthex, or outside the church, but make sure that they are anchored down. At this time, I would not suggest handing them out to children; that may be something that you want to consider at the end of the worship service.
Worship Elements: June 29, 2014 (Option 2)

Third Sunday After Pentecost
COLOR: Green
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Rejoice in your salvation.
People: We will sing to God who has dealt bountifully with us.
INVOCATION
Bountiful God, we voice our gratitude in prayer and song and the offering of ourselves in dedication to your church. You are saving us from our sins as we trust in Jesus Christ our Savior and worship in the Spirit. Amen
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Perfect Father, worthy Son, uniting Spirit, our love for you is not as worthy of you as it should be. Other loves compete in us for our response to your grace. Our feet have been set upon a new path of life through our baptism into Christ. We admit that we stray from that way, returning to the ways of death that should be left behind. We presume upon your grace by our sinning rather than draw upon the new life that is available to us in union with Christ Jesus. Forgive us for allowing your life and love to go so unrequited, for the sake of your devoted Son, Jesus Christ. Amen
DECLARATION OF PARDON
Pastor: Friends, hear the Good News! Remember that in baptism we were baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,
People: so that we may no longer be the slaves of sin, but alive to God.
Pastor: Friends, believe the Good News!
People: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
[AND]
Exhortation
Set your feet upon the new path of life in the company of Jesus, and leave behind the old ways of sin and death.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Divine-Human Cross-bearer and Leader, lead us away from goals that have been set by our families or ourselves, goals that are short of your purposes for us and for your whole family, that we may be worthy disciples and cross-bearers, for your sake. Amen
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Maker of covenants, we are grateful for your generous Spirit in condescending to be partners with us in human governments and enterprises. Death-accepting, to-life-returning Christ, we are thankful for the baptism you share with us that we may know the splendor that lies beyond the dominion of sin and death. Giver of rewards, we are undeserving of the attention you give to the simplest acts of humanity and generosity. We are thankful for all the promises you have made and kept, and live in hope of the completion of the new creation you have undertaken as the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Amen.
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Divine Overseer, if even a cup of water for one of your disciples does not go unnoticed, then our offerings to support your ministers and the work of your church will also be rewarded. Grant us also the share of the prophet's reward and the blessing that comes in the company of good people.
PRAYER OF INTERCESSION AND COMMEMORATION
Christ of glory, in your right hand are the stars of the churches. Save your people from having but the name of being alive. Arouse the slothful and confirm the faithful. Strengthen the good things that could die out, and may the work of your church stand the fire of testing. May your people hold fast to the truth that they have received in Christ and not defile the white robes of their baptism by disobedience to your directions.
God of the old and the young and those of middle years, may our children early come to you in faith and lifelong commitment. Sustain those who bear the burden and the heat of the day, all who must carry another's burdens as well as their own. Grant patience to those whose days are numbered, who have completed their working days and can only anticipate the service of heaven. Give them rest from their labors and an assured entry into heaven where their deeds follow them.
Enable us to keep the faith and continue their labors in the gospel while there is still time for us. To you we will come and experience a joyful reunion with our family in the household of God. And to you, O God, we ascribe glory and praise, time without end. Amen.
From Prayers for the Seasons of God's People, Copyright © 1998 by Abingdon Press
Third Sunday After Pentecost COLOR: Green
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42 
Genesis 22:1-14
Psalm 13
Jeremiah 28:5-9
Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18
Romans 6:12-23
Matthew 10:40-42
Genesis 22:1 After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”
He said, “Here I am.”
2 He said, “Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”
3 Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off. 5 Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go yonder. We will worship, and come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together. 7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, “My father?”
He said, “Here I am, my son.”
He said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
8 Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together. 9 They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood. 10 Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to kill his son.
11 Yahweh’s angel called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”
He said, “Here I am.”
12 He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
13 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide.[a] As it is said to this day, “On Yahweh’s mountain, it will be provided.”
Footnotes:
a. Genesis 22:14 or, Yahweh-Jireh, or, Yahweh-Seeing
Psalm 13: For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.
1 How long, Yahweh?
    Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
    having sorrow in my heart every day?
    How long shall my enemy triumph over me?
3 Behold, and answer me, Yahweh, my God.
    Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;
4     Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”;
    Lest my adversaries rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your loving kindness.
    My heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to Yahweh,
    because he has been good to me.
Jeremiah 28:5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people who stood in Yahweh’s house, 6 even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: Yahweh do so; Yahweh perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring again the vessels of Yahweh’s house, and all them of the captivity, from Babylon to this place. 7 Nevertheless hear you now this word that I speak in your ears, and in the ears of all the people: 8 The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. 9 The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet shall happen, then shall the prophet be known, that Yahweh has truly sent him.
Psalm 89: A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite.
1 I will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever.
    With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever.
    You established the heavens.
    Your faithfulness is in them.”
3 “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
    I have sworn to David, my servant,
4 ‘I will establish your offspring[a] forever,
    and build up your throne to all generations.’”
Selah.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 89:4 or, seed
15 Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you.
    They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.
16 In your name they rejoice all day.
    In your righteousness, they are exalted.
17 For you are the glory of their strength.
    In your favor, our horn will be exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to Yahweh;
    our king to the Holy One of Israel.
Romans 6:12 Therefore don’t let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 Also, do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? May it never be! 16 Don’t you know that when you present yourselves as servants and obey someone, you are the servants of whomever you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that, whereas you were bondservants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were delivered. 18 Being made free from sin, you became bondservants of righteousness.
19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification. 20 For when you were servants of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now, being made free from sin, and having become servants of God, you have your fruit of sanctification, and the result of eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matthew 10:40 He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”
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John Wesley’s Notes-Commentary:
Genesis 22:1-14
Verse 1
[1] And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
Here is the trial of Abraham's faith, whether it continued so strong, so vigorous, so victorious, after a long settlement in communion with God, as it was at first, when by it he left his country: then it appeared that he loved God better than his father; now, that he loved him better than his son.
After these things — After all the other exercises he had had, all the difficulties he had gone through: now perhaps he was beginning to think the storms were blown over but after all, this encounter comes, which is stranger than any yet.
God did tempt Abraham — Not to draw him to sin, so Satan tempts; but to discover his graces, how strong they were, that they might be found to praise and honour and glory. The trial itself: God appeared to him as he had formerly done, called him by name Abraham, that name which had been given him in ratification of the promise: Abraham, like a good servant, readily answered, Here am I; what saith my Lord unto his servant? Probably he expected some renewed promise, like those, Genesis 15:1; 17:1, but to his great amazement that which God hath to say to him is in short, Abraham, go kill thy son: and this command is given him in such aggravating language as makes the temptation abundantly more grievous. When God speaks, Abraham, no doubt, takes notice of every word, and listens attentively to it: and every word here is a sword in his bones; the trial is steel'd with trying phrases. Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that he should afflict? No, it is not; yet when Abraham's faith is to be tried, God seems to take pleasure in the aggravation of the trial.
Verse 2
[2] And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
And he said, take thy son — Not thy bullocks and thy lambs; how willingly would Abraham have parted with them by thousands to redeem Isaac! Not thy servant, no, not the steward of thine house.
Thine only son — Thine only son by Sarah. Ishmael was lately cast out, to the grief of Abraham, and now Isaac only was left and must he go too? Yes: take Isaac, him by name, thy laughter, that son indeed. Yea, that son whom thou lovest - The trial was of Abraham's love to God, and therefore it must be in a beloved son: in the Hebrew 'tis expressed more emphatically, and I think might very well be read thus, Take now that son of thine, that only son of thine, whom thou lovest, that Isaac.
And get thee into the land of Moriah — Three days journey off: so that he might have time to consider it, and if he do it, must do it deliberately.
And offer him for a burnt offering — He must not only kill his son, but kill him as a sacrifice, with all that sedateness and composedness of mind, with which he used to offer his burnt-offering.
Verse 3
[3] And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
The several steps of this obedience, all help to magnify it, and to shew that he was guided by prudence, and governed by faith, in the whole transaction. (1.) He rises early - Probably the command was given in the visions of the night, and early the next morning he sets himself about it, did not delay, did not demur. Those that do the will of God heartily will do it speedily. (2.) He gets things ready for a sacrifice, and it should seem, with his own hands, cleaves the wood for the burnt-offering. (3.) He left his servants at some distance off, left they should have created him some disturbance in his strange oblation. Thus when Christ was entering upon his agony in the garden, he took only three of his disciples with him.
Verse 6
[6] And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
Isaac's carrying the wood was a type of Christ, who carried his own cross, while Abraham, with a steady and undaunted resolution, carried the fatal knife and fire.
Verse 7
[7] And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb? — This is, 1. A trying question to Abraham; how could he endure to think that Isaac is himself the lamb? 2. 'Tis a teaching question to us all, that when we are going to worship God, we should seriously consider whether we have everything ready, especially the lamb for a burnt-offering. Behold, the fire is ready; that is, the Spirit's assistance, and God's acceptance: the wood is ready, the instituted ordinances designed to kindle our affections, which indeed, without the Spirit, are but like wood without fire, but the Spirit works by them. All things are now ready, but where is the lamb? Where is the heart? Is that ready to be offered up to God, to ascend to him as a burnt-offering?
Verse 8
[8] And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
My son, God will provide himself a lamb — This was the language either, 1. Of his obedience; we must offer the lamb which God has appointed now to be offered; thus giving him this general rule of submission to the divine will to prepare him for the application of it to himself. Or, 2. Of his faith; whether he meant it so or no, this proved to be the meaning of it; a sacrifice was provided instead of Isaac. Thus, 1. Christ the great sacrifice of atonement was of God's providing: when none in heaven or earth could have found a lamb for that burnt-offering, God himself found the ransom. 2. All our sacrifices of acknowledgement are of God's providing too; 'tis he that prepares the heart. The broken and contrite spirit is a sacrifice of God, of his providing.
Verse 9
[9] And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
With the same resolution and composedness of mind, he applies himself to the compleating of this sacrifice. After many a weary step, and with a heavy heart, he arrives at length at the fatal place; builds the altar, an altar of earth, we may suppose, the saddest that ever be built; lays the wood in order for Isaac's funeral pile; and now tells him the amazing news. Isaac, for ought appears, is as willing as Abraham; we do not find that he made any objection against it. God commands it to be done, and Isaac has learned to submit. Yet it is necessary that a sacrifice be bound; the great Sacrifice, which, in the fulness of time, was to be offered up, must be bound, and therefore so must Isaac. Having bound him he lays him upon the altar, and his hand upon the head of the sacrifice. Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and wonder, O earth! here is an act of faith and obedience which deserves to be a spectacle to God, angels and men; Abraham's darling, the church's hope, the heir of promise, lies ready to bleed and die by his own father's hands! Now this obedience of Abraham in offering up Isaac is a lively representation, 1. Of the love of God to us, in delivering up his only begotten Son to suffer and die for us, as a sacrifice. Abraham was obliged both in duty and gratitude to part with Isaac and parted with him to a friend, but God was under no obligations to us, for we were enemies. 2. Of our duty to God in return of that love we must tread in the steps of this faith of Abraham. God, by his word, calls us to part with all for Christ, all our sins, tho' they have been as a right hand, or a right eye, or an Isaac; all those things that are rivals with Christ for the sovereignity of our heart; and we must chearfully let them all go. God, by his providence, which is truly the voice of God, calls us to part with an Isaac sometimes, and we must do it by a chearful resignation and submission to his holy will.
Verse 11
[11] And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
The Angel of the Lord — That is, God himself, the eternal Word, the Angel of the covenant, who was to be the great Redeemer and Comforter.
Verse 12
[12] And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
Lay not thine hand upon the lad — God's time to help his people is, when they are brought to the greatest extremity: the more eminent the danger is, and the nearer to be put in execution, the more wonderful and the more welcome is the deliverance.
Now know I that thou fearest God — God knew it before, but now Abraham had given a memorable evidence of it. He need do no more, what he had done was sufficient to prove the religious regard he had to God and his authority. The best evidence of our fearing God is our being willing to honour him with that which is dearest to us, and to part with all to him, or for him.
Verse 13
[13] And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
Behold a ram — Tho' that blessed Seed was now typified by Isaac, yet the offering of him up was suspended 'till the latter end of the world, and in the meantime the sacrifice of beasts was accepted, as a pledge of that expiation which should be made by that great sacrifice. And it is observable, that the temple, the place of sacrifice, was afterward built upon this mount Moriah, 2 Chronicles 3:1, and mount Calvary, where Christ was crucified, was not far off.
Verse 14
[14] And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
And Abraham called the place Jehovah-jireh — The Lord will provide. Probably alluding to what he had said, Genesis 22:8.
God will provide himself a lamb — This was purely the Lord's doing: let it be recorded for the generations to come; that the Lord will see; he will always have his eyes upon his people in their straits, that he may come in with seasonable succour in the critical juncture. And that he will be seen, be seen in the mount, in the greatest perplexities of his people; he will not only manifest but magnify his wisdom, power and goodness in their deliverance. Where God sees and provides, he should be seen and praised. And perhaps it may refer to God manifest in the flesh.
Psalm 13
Verse 2
[2] How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
How long — Shall I be in such perplexities, not knowing what course to take?
Verse 3
[3] Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Lighten — Revive and comfort, and deliver me from the darkness of death, which is ready to come upon me.
Verse 6
[6] I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
I will sing — It is a common thing for David and other prophets to speak of future deliverances as if they were already come, that so they may signify both the infallible certainty of the thing, and their firm assurance thereof.
Jeremiah 28:5-9
John Wesley has no notes commentary on Verses 5-9.
Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18
Verse 1
[1] I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
Sing — He prefaces this, lest the following complainers of present miseries should argue ingratitude for former mercies.
Faithfulness — Whatsoever hath befallen us, it proceeded not from thy unfaithfulness.
Verse 2
[2] For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
Establish — As firmly and durably as the heavens themselves.
Verse 3
[3] I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Chosen — With David; whom I have chosen to the kingdom.
Verse 4
[4] Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. /*Selah*/.
Build up — I will perpetuate the kingdom to thy posterity; which was promised upon condition, and was literally accomplished in Christ.
Verse 15
[15] Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
Know — Who enjoy the presence of God and his ordinances, to which they are called by the sound of trumpets.
Walk — Under the comfortable influences of thy favour.
Verse 16
[16] In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
Name — In the knowledge and remembrance of thy name, of thy infinite power and goodness.
Verse 17
[17] For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
The glory — To thee alone belongs the glory of all their valiant achievements.
Romans 6:12-23
Verse 12
[12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Let not sin reign even in your mortal body — It must be subject to death, but it need not be subject to sin.
Verse 13
[13] Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Neither present your members to sin — To corrupt nature, a mere tyrant.
But to God — Your lawful King.
Verse 14
[14] For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Sin shall not have dominion over you — It has neither right nor power.
For ye are not under the law — A dispensation of terror and bondage, which only shows sin, without enabling you to conquer it.
But under grace — Under the merciful dispensation of the gospel, which brings complete victory over it to every one who is under the powerful influences of the Spirit of Christ.
Verse 17
[17] But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
The form of doctrine into which ye have been delivered — Literally it is, The mould into which ye have been delivered; which, as it contains a beautiful allusion, conveys also a very instructive admonition; intimating that our minds, all pliant and ductile, should be conformed to the gospel precepts, as liquid metal, take the figure of the mould into which they are cast.
Verse 18
[18] Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Being then set free from sin — We may see the apostles method thus far at one view: - Chap. Ver. 1. Bondage to sin Romans 3:9 2. The knowledge of sin by the law; a sense of God's wrath; inward death Romans 3:20 3. The revelation of the righteousness of God in Christ through the gospel Romans 3:21 4. The centre of all, faith, embracing that righteousness Romans 3:22 5. Justification, whereby God forgives all past sin, and freely accepts the sinner Romans 3:24 6. The gift of the Holy Ghost; a sense of Romans 5:5, God's love new inward life Romans 6:4 7. The free service of righteousness Romans 6:12
Verse 19
[19] I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
I speak after the manner of men — Thus it is necessary that the scripture should let itself down to the language of men.
Because of the weakness of your flesh — Slowness of understanding flows from the weakness of the flesh, that is, of human nature.
As ye have presented your members servants to uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity, so now present your members servants of righteousness unto holiness — Iniquity (whereof uncleanness is an eminent part) is here opposed to righteousness; and unto iniquity is the opposite of unto holiness. Righteousness here is a conformity to the divine will; holiness, to the whole divine nature. Observe, they who are servants of righteousness go on to holiness; but they who are servants to iniquity get no farther. Righteousness is service, because we live according to the will of another; but liberty, because of our inclination to it, and delight in it.
Verse 20
[20] For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
When ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness — In all reason, therefore, ye ought now to be free from unrighteousness; to be as uniform and zealous in serving God as ye were in serving the devil.
Verse 21
[21] What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
Those things — He speaks of them as afar off.
Verse 23
[23] For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Death — Temporal, spiritual, and eternal.
Is the due wages of sin; but eternal life is the gift of God — The difference is remarkable. Evil works merit the reward they receive: good works do not. The former demand wages: the latter accept a free gift.
Matthew 10:40-42
Verse 40
[40] He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Matthew 18:5; Luke 10:16; John 13:20.
Verse 41
[41] He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
He that entertaineth a prophet — That is, a preacher of the Gospel: In the name of a prophet - That is, because he is such, shall share in his reward.
Verse 42
[42] And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
One of these little ones — The very least Christian. Mark 9:41.

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WORSHIP ELEMENTS: JUNE 29, 2014 (OPTION 2) … 

Third Sunday After Pentecost

COLOR: Green

SCRIPTURE READINGS: Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

People: And also with you.

Leader: Rejoice in your salvation.

People: We will sing to God who has dealt bountifully with us.

INVOCATION

Bountiful God, we voice our gratitude in prayer and song and the offering of ourselves in dedication to your church. You are saving us from our sins as we trust in Jesus Christ our Savior and worship in the Spirit. Amen

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Perfect Father, worthy Son, uniting Spirit, our love for you is not as worthy of you as it should be. Other loves compete in us for our response to your grace. Our feet have been set upon a new path of life through our baptism into Christ. We admit that we stray from that way, returning to the ways of death that should be left behind. We presume upon your grace by our sinning rather than draw upon the new life that is available to us in union with Christ Jesus. Forgive us for allowing your life and love to go so unrequited, for the sake of your devoted Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

DECLARATION OF PARDON

Pastor: Friends, hear the Good News! Remember that in baptism we were baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,

People: so that we may no longer be the slaves of sin, but alive to God.

Pastor: Friends, believe the Good News!

People: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

[AND]

Exhortation

Set your feet upon the new path of life in the company of Jesus, and leave behind the old ways of sin and death.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Divine-Human Cross-bearer and Leader, lead us away from goals that have been set by our families or ourselves, goals that are short of your purposes for us and for your whole family, that we may be worthy disciples and cross-bearers, for your sake. Amen

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Maker of covenants, we are grateful for your generous Spirit in condescending to be partners with us in human governments and enterprises. Death-accepting, to-life-returning Christ, we are thankful for the baptism you share with us that we may know the splendor that lies beyond the dominion of sin and death. Giver of rewards, we are undeserving of the attention you give to the simplest acts of humanity and generosity. We are thankful for all the promises you have made and kept, and live in hope of the completion of the new creation you have undertaken as the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Amen.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Divine Overseer, if even a cup of water for one of your disciples does not go unnoticed, then our offerings to support your ministers and the work of your church will also be rewarded. Grant us also the share of the prophet's reward and the blessing that comes in the company of good people.

PRAYER OF INTERCESSION AND COMMEMORATION

Christ of glory, in your right hand are the stars of the churches. Save your people from having but the name of being alive. Arouse the slothful and confirm the faithful. Strengthen the good things that could die out, and may the work of your church stand the fire of testing. May your people hold fast to the truth that they have received in Christ and not defile the white robes of their baptism by disobedience to your directions.

God of the old and the young and those of middle years, may our children early come to you in faith and lifelong commitment. Sustain those who bear the burden and the heat of the day, all who must carry another's burdens as well as their own. Grant patience to those whose days are numbered, who have completed their working days and can only anticipate the service of heaven. Give them rest from their labors and an assured entry into heaven where their deeds follow them.

Enable us to keep the faith and continue their labors in the gospel while there is still time for us. To you we will come and experience a joyful reunion with our family in the household of God. And to you, O God, we ascribe glory and praise, time without end. Amen.

From Prayers for the Seasons of God's People, Copyright © 1998 by Abingdon Press

WORSHIP FOR KIDS: JUNE 29, 2014 by Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View
The story of Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac is frightening for worshipers of any age, but particularly for children,. who are totally dependent upon their parents. Therefore, preaching on this text demands great sensitivity to the fears and needs of the children in the congregation.
Old Testament: Genesis 22:1-14. Because children hear this story from Isaac's point of view, they may wonder whether God would ask their parents to prove their faith by killing them, and whether their parents would do it. About the only way to head off the terrifying possibilities this suggests is to introduce the story of Isaac as one of the scariest stories in the Bible. Point out that it frightens both parents and children. It scares children because they wonder if God would test their parents that way, and how their parents would respond. It scares parents because most parents though they trust and want to obey God, would rather kill themselves than hurt their children.
That puts the focus on testing. Children need to know that all of us will face difficult decisions about how we treat people and how we live, and in these situations, we must be brave and do what is right. They also need to be reassured that God, who does the testing, loves us. Isaac was never in any danger. God was not about to allow Abraham to kill him. Likewise, God will not test us with tasks that will destroy us or those we love.
Psalm: 13. Children, for whom time seems so much longer than it does for adults, empathize with the psalmist's's repeated question, "How long?" They know what it is to wait and endure, and they are generally pleased to find a psalm that reflects their impatience. It helps to paraphrase verse 5: "I wait patiently because God's love lasts forever."
Epistle: Romans 6:12-23. Children know what is expected of a slave. They also are encouraged to avoid "being a slave" to anything. So they need help to understand Paul's assumptions that we all are slaves to something, and the only question is, To what will we enslave ourselves? Exploring the slavery of professional athletes and musicians to their crafts, the slavery of an addict to a drug, or the slavery of a person to a project such as a soup kitchen, helps older children to grasp Paul's point. The challenge then is to explore the way we live out our slavery to God each day.
If you prefer to avoid the image of slavery, develop the image of being an instrument or tool ready for God's use (vs. 13). Speak of the jobs God is doing and the things we can do to help get that work done.
Gospel: Matthew 10:40-42. These verses are based on the rewards of hospitality. Older children begin to understand that there are different kinds of rewards for being friends with different kinds of people. Though they will not grasp Jesus' three examples, they can explore the difference in befriending popular people who will include them in fun parties, befriending tough people who will get them in trouble, and befriending those who have nothing to offer but who need a good friend.
Watch Words
Testing is a difficult concept. If you use it, relate it less to school tests and more to a team that tests itself against the agility of another team.
Speak of slavery to persons (God or Jesus) or activities (football, drugs), rather than to abstract concepts such as righteousness, law, or sin.
Describe what instruments and tools do, then ask children to do similar work, rather than ask them to become the instruments or tools.
Let the Children Sing
Sing of testing with "Fight the Good Fight," which is filled with contest images familiar to children, or "God of Grace and God of Glory," with it's repeated chorus.
Commit each part of your body to be used by God, with "Take My Life, and Let It Be Consecrated."
The Liturgical Child
1. Read Psalm 13:5-6 as a call to worship, or ask a children's class to repeat it together at the front of the sanctuary. They can join their parents during the opening hymn. Rephrase the first verse from the New Revised Standard Version: "I trust in God's everlasting love; my heart shall rejoice in God's salvation."
2. If you focus on testing, explain the meaning of this line in the Lord's Prayer: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Then use the phrase as the congregation's response in a litany prayer:
Lord of our lives, You made us and we are yours. But all around there are temptations for us to pretend that we can do whatever we want and that we are the only ones who matter. We need your help and protection, so we pray . . . (RESPONSE)
Lord, your world is filled with beautiful, interesting things. Commercials promise that if we buy these things, we will be happy. It is easy to believe those promises and to spend our lives getting and enjoying things. So we pray . . . (RESPONSE)
Creator God, you made us and gave us talents. People urge us to use those talents to be the best and to come out at the top. It is easy to forget that winning isn't everything. It is tempting to ignore the rules and the needs of others as we work hard to win. So we pray . . . (RESPONSE)
God, our Father and Mother, we are part of your big family. But we think so much about what we are doing, what we want, and what we need that we tend to overlook the needs and wants of others. We easily forget those we do not see. We even forget those we are with every day. So we pray . . . (RESPONSE)
Lord of the world, we live in a rich and powerful nation. Remind us that we are responsible for the use of that power. Be with our leaders when they are thinking of using power unfairly to get our way. So we pray . . . (RESPONSE)
Lord, when we pray "lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil," we remember thankfully that "thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, for ever and ever." And we say, let it be so! Amen.
3. Benediction: Go forth from this place to be God's slaves. Do what God has commanded. Take care of others, as Jesus did. Tell the good news of your Master's love. And as you go, remember that God goes with you. The power of your Master s working through you and supports you in everything you do.
Sermon Resources
1. In chapter 15 of On the Banks of Plum Creek (Harper & Row, 1953), one of the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Laura nearly drowns in a stream swollen by spring rains. She had been strongly warned against playing in the stream, but on the first warm day after a long miserable winter, she put just her toes in, then her feet . . . then she was caught in the current!
2. Describe the functions of several kinds of tools or instruments. For example, a military tank is a tool for destruction, while a tractor is a tool for farmers to grow things. Similarly, a piano, when banged at, makes irritating noise, but when played by a trained pianist, makes beautiful music. Described children (of all ages) who cause trouble wherever they go and those who spread happiness and fun. St. Francis" prayer, "Make me an instrument of peace," makes sense to children after such an exploration of tools and instruments.
Sermon Options: June 29, 2014

A WILLINGNESS TO SACRIFICE
GENESIS 22:1-14
The possibility of a child to bless the home of Abraham and Sarah hinged on a promise given by Jehovah and seemed only a remote possibility. After all she was in her nineties, and he was about one hundred. Who would ever dream that it could happen? But nothing is impossible with God, and Sarah became pregnant with her "child of promise." Both she and Abraham rejoiced! She cried out for the entire world to hear, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me" (Gen. 21:6 NIV).
Over the years, Isaac brought smiles to Abraham's face and laughter to his mother. He had been worth waiting for. But it seems that in the beginning verses of chapter 22 of Genesis, God was about to play a cruel joke on this old couple. Out of nowhere comes God's voice saying, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah." So far so good, but then the sadistic joke—"Offer him there as a burnt offering" (v. 2).
Can you imagine Abraham's shock? God could not be asking that of him. Other people sacrificed their children, but they were heathen! What about the promise of a child? What about the promise of a great nation coming from Abraham's seed? Would it die on the mountainside? What about Sarah's feelings—her great love for this boy who had brought incredible joy into her life? And what about Abraham's happiness? No, it just couldn't be God speaking! But it was God, and Abraham knew it. He had to respond as he had done all his life. A willingness to obey God pervaded Abraham's spirit and life. As willingness dominated Abraham, so it must dominate us. Three thoughts stand out in the text.
I. The Willingness of Abraham's Availability (v. 1)
Abraham says, "Here I am." Great people of faith have always made availability their trademark. Moses (Exod. 3:4), Joshua ( Josh. 1:16) , Samuel ( 1 Sam. 3:10) , David (1 Sam. 17), Isaiah (Isa. 6:8), and Jesus (Luke 22:42) are a few examples. Availability means a readiness to do what God wants and wills. One of Robert Louis Stevenson's earliest memories concerned the old lamplighter who passed down the streets of Edinburgh as darkness would fall. One by one he would light the street oil lamps. Stevenson recalled years later, "What I remember best about the lamplighter was he always left a light behind him."
The availability of God's faithful people has left a light behind them for others to follow.
II. The Willingness to Sacrifice (vv. 2-5)
As Abraham and Isaac traveled together, the idea of sacrificing his son must have troubled Abraham. It certainly would trouble me! I have a son whom I love, who is in his mid-twenties, about the age that scholars believe Isaac was at this time in the story. I cannot imagine the idea of human sacrifice of my son. However, at an altar before God and people, when he was a baby in arms, my wife and I dedicated him to God. We stated that whatever came, he was God's for time and eternity. Whatever God wanted for Jeff's life, we were sacrificing our will for God's will. Those were not empty words.
God asks that our human desires for our children be sacrificed on the altar of life so that his desires and will might be accomplished. Will you do that?
III. The Willingness to Be the Sacrifice (v. 9)
Our human struggling must cease so that we can be sacrificed on the altar of God's purpose. Isaac's will was sacrificed. Our question to God must include a commitment. Where, God, do you want me to go? Should I stay? How much time do I give? Is this enough to give? Take me, God—lock, stock, and barrel—to be yours. Are you willing to climb on the altar of sacrifice today, to jump into the fire of God's Spirit and will? If you do, you will come out a different person! (Derl G. Keefer)
LIVING TRIUMPHANTLY
ROMANS 6:12-23
In Paul's letters, the word therefore serves as something of a hinge; it connects a theological principle with an application or implication of that principle. In verse 11, Paul has just noted that as believers, we are "dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." Therefore, there are some implications to being alive to God in Christ.
Paul wants us to understand that being alive to God in Christ produces a triumphant existence characterized by an entirely new kind of life. What does it mean to be alive to God in Christ Jesus?
I. Being Alive to God Means We Have a New Lifestyle (vv. 12-14)
The power of sin has been broken, and we are free to live for God rather than being bound to sin. Indeed, living godly lives is not an option of the Christian walk; it is a necessity.
Paul assumes that sin is still present and still a concern for believers. We have not been mystically transformed into a state in which we are no longer tempted; we are tempted, and we do fail at times. But the believer must not allow sin to reign or hold dominion in his or her life; Christ alone must be Lord.
You and I face the constant temptation to yield to sin; sometimes we even rationalize that it's just a "tiny sin" and won't do any permanent harm. Bill Tuck tells of a buzzard flying over the Niagara River on a bitterly freezing day, when the bird spotted an animal carcass floating in the river toward the great falls. The buzzard knew it could feed for a brief time before his "dinner" went over the falls, so the bird landed on the carcass. But moments later as the falls approached and the buzzard attempted to fly away, it discovered that its talons had frozen to the carcass, and it went over the falls to its destruction along with its prey.
Evil can be seductive, and it may seem harmless, but we have been made alive to God in Christ, and sin has no place in our lives. We have been called to a new lifestyle.
II. Being Alive to God Means We Have a New Priority (vv. 15-21)
Paul uses slavery as a metaphor for human existence. It is not a question that we are slaves; the only question is to what or to whom do we owe our allegiance? We were once slaves to sin, but Christ has purchased us. We owe our allegiance to God; we serve a new master.
Whereas sin once held dominant influence over our lives, we now have a new priority: to live for Christ. You cannot be a slave to two different masters, for slavery implies an absolute allegiance and obedience. We are to be just as wholehearted in our commitment to walk with Christ as we once were in our bondage to sin.
What is the ultimate priority in your life? If priorities are measured by our investment in them—in time, resources, enthusiasm—what would you identify as your most significant priority?
III. Being Alive to God Means We Have a New Future (vv. 22-23)
In our former life as slaves to sin, our future was mapped out: death. The inevitable consequence of sin is death. The word Paul uses, wages, was the term used to describe the payment given to Roman soldiers. His point is clear: If you serve sin and evil, you will receive the promised payment for such service, which is death.
By contrast, because we have been freed from sin and placed into a new relationship with God in Christ, we have a new future: eternal life. It is not something we could earn, like wages; it is a free gift, totally at God's discretion. It is a new kind of life, to be experienced both now and beyond this present life.
That is how we are able to live triumphantly: we have been freed by Christ from our bondage to sin, and we are assured of eternal life with God. What a great motivation to live true to the One who has freed us! (Michael Duduit)
HEAVENLY HOSPITALITY
MATTHEW 10:40-42
Have you ever been en route to a social engagement and felt suddenly ill? You will recall the sense of weariness and the hope that you can manage the hours ahead. If you are lucky, you will also have had the experience of hosts who somehow made you feel better over the course of the visit. Something happened in the encounter that was healing or restorative. I believe it is no accident that our word hospitality contains the word hospital , for in genuine hospitality, well-being reigns and healing is an honored guest.
I. To Render Hospitality Is a Divine Gift
In the Gospel text, we have a brief teaching of Jesus that was directed to the disciples as they embarked on a mission. Earlier in his directions Jesus had warned the disciples of hostility and danger, but here he speaks of those who will welcome them. He says that since they are on a mission for him, anyone who welcomes those coming in his name welcomes him and God who sent him. The ancient Gaels of Ireland had a rune or incantation of hospitality. It goes like this:
I saw a stranger yestreen; 
I put food in the eating place,
drink in the drinking place,
music in the listening place; 
And he blessed myself and my house,
my cattle and my dear ones.
And the lark said in her song
often, often, often,
goes the Christ in the stranger's guise,
often, often, often,
goes the Christ in the stranger's guise.
Jesus spoke of the rewards of those who render hospitality. He said those who welcome a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. The prophets were not rewarded handsomely in Jerusalem, as Jesus later lamented. Similarly with the reward of those who welcome a righteous person in the name of a righteous person; they are to receive a righteous person's reward, and all we have to do is look at the story of Job to see what that might be. Clearly, those who give a drink of cool water to the disciples are placing themselves under the same threat of danger as their guests and the rewards mentioned make them equals.
II. To Receive Hospitality Is a Divine Gift
But this passage is not directed at those who practice hospitality. It is written for those on the receiving end. It is not a directive but a promise, and it is a promise that contemporary disciples still need to hear. In the midst of suffering there will be signs of God's favor, just as Simon of Cyrene came to carry Jesus' cross on the way to Calvary.
We may not be comfortable seeing ourselves as in need, but all of us are needy at one time or another. The dangers to discipleship differ from those in Jesus' time, but they are still here. We may not have the threat of a life-or-death struggle, but we face profound cultural indifference that can kill in another way. Yet, even within the tedium and discouragement that ordinary people encounter in living out their faith, Jesus promises gifts of grace. Most likely you have experienced them. Perhaps you did not recognize them as such, but you had the experience: the concerned and encouraging word, the warm meal that fed body and soul, the unexpected letter that renewed your faith. Take them, our Lord says, you who are weary and disheartened; receive this gift, this hospitality. It is a sign of God's favor. It comes with healing in its wings. Rest and be welcome. Let yourself occasionally be the cherished guest, for Christ's sake and in his name. (Penelope Duckworth)
When I was your age
For the most part, everybody always wants tobe just ahead of where they are in life. 
Someone ahead of us in age, capability, or 
accomplishment catches our eye and we want 
to be like him or her. This isn’t always, oreven usually, a jealousy thing. Very often 
it’s simply motivation for us. We want to beolder. Better. We also want those same 
people to affirm our success when we get there, which presents 
its own set of issues. Moving Through Life The problem is that when our goal-setting hinges on the 
satisfaction that we think we’ll feel when we’ve achieved the 
high ground of those around us, we’re moving through life withouta complete perspective. We don’t know the sorrows and losses of 
the people we’re chasing. More importantly, any part of us that 
needs a pat on the back when we “arrive” will quickly discover 
that, when we hit our goal, our targets have been moved: Those 
people are now older, more capable, and more accomplished. How 
can we ever catch up? It is good to set goals, but setting goals to impress others 
generally ends in dissatisfaction. If we can’t be satisfied by 
our own journey, regardless of the opinion of others, we’re 
setting ourselves up for disappointment. As Christians, if we 
move our goals outside of our relationship with God, we’re 
setting ourselves up for an unfulfilling life. Moving Toward God Culturally speaking it’s a difficult task to refocus our lives onGod if our attention has wandered elsewhere. This is true at any age, but particularly as a youth when the influencing voices seemto be shouting from all corners. Coaches, teachers, band directors, parents, colleges, and even attimes the church can seem to demand more than one person can 
possibly give. But if we want to find peace and true fulfillment in life, we have to begin to move ourselves in a God-focused direaction. Question of the Day: What major achievement are you looking 
forward to next? Talk Topic Scriptures: Exodus 4:1-15; Judges 6:33-40; Matthew 19:16-22; 1 Timothy 4:12-16 
Struggle and triumph
When we look around at today’s world, hope usually isn’t the 
first word that comes to mind. In many ways we live in an 
unstable world where marriages fail, bank accounts run low, 
friendships end, and the everyday demands of a fast-paced life 
get us down. In the Book of Jeremiah, we find God calling out to his people with a message of hope—a message that intentional 
living is possible even in an unstable world. What we view as ourgreatest struggle is often God's greatest triumph in our lives.  
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God's appointed time
Have you ever experienced a shift in your life — a new season — a time for some things to end or a time for a new beginning? Or have you ever gone through so much that you wonder if things will ever change? Or have you ever wondered why certain things are happening at a certain time? Of course you have. I have often heard our elders say, “Just keep a livin’ and hold on until your change comes.”
It is human nature to make an attempt to control our circumstances. We spend many waking hours planning to make things happen, or to prevent certain things from happening. However, there are seasons in our lives that are appointed by God. According to the Scripture found in Ecclesiastes 3:1; “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” In other words, there are appointed times for specific events to occur in life that are totally out of our control.
Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes understood this concept. He realized that time moves without us because it ultimately belongs to God. He understood the value of life, and submitted to God as the almighty and Sovereign Creator. Therefore, he humbly accepted that he could not fully understand nor could he control various events in his life.
We remember and catalog specific events in life through the use of clocks, which measure time, and calendars which aid in combining hours into days, weeks, months and years. This is man’s designation of time. However, man’s designation of time is rooted in God’s created system of time.
The book of Genesis explains that God created heaven and earth in six days, and on the seventh day, he rested. God had a set organized schedule as he spoke the world into existence. The earth did not just evolve. Time didn’t just happen. God set the sun and moon in motion to rise and set at certain times, therefore creating night and day. God determined how many hours would be in a day.
God set nature in place, along with his creation of vegetation and every created being. The seasons of Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer depend on the rotation of the earth and its cycles. At certain points in time, portions of the earth are closer to or further away from the sun, therefore creating cold and hot seasons. Each season is characterized by temperature and other natural occurrences, which also provide the atmosphere for the next season to arrive. The cycle goes on and on. Man has no authority or power over the seasons and what happens in each one of them. No matter how devastating, how intense or perhaps meek the season, there is a reason behind each activity of each season. Man can track it, but man cannot fully explain it.
And so it is with life! This is what King Solomon expressed in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Verse 2 reads: “A time to be born, and a time to die.” In other words, every life is appointed by God. But the time spent here on earth is just seasonal. Our days are numbered. God controls the time of birth and death. No one lives on earth forever. There is an appointed season when we will transition from this earth to join Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior who had an appointed time to die for the remission of our sins. Likewise, he has an appointed time of return. Verse 2 continues with the thought that there is a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted. In essence, there are times when we will see the fruit of our labor, but there are times when we will just labor and wonder who and what are we laboring for!
Verse 3 reads: “A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up.” In other words, there are appointed times for all relationships, good health and career opportunities, etc. Verse 4 reads: “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” Life will bring sorrow and pain, trials and tribulations. This too shall pass into a season of victory and triumph, healing and laughter. You must trust God to bring restoration in his own way, in his own time.
Furthermore, verse 5 reads: “A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.” There may be times in your life where you have no one to turn to. You may experience a time of loneliness and no one to confide in or to pray with you. This may be the season when God wants you to focus on his embrace and not the embrace of another human being. These times of stillness are seasons when God pours wisdom, direction, strength and courage into your heart. This is the season where passion and intimacy in our relationship with God is deepened.
Finally, Solomon climaxes his list of seasonal descriptions of life in verses 6-8: “There is a time to gain, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to throw away; A time to tear, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” In other words, no one knows the mind of God. His ways are not our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts. No one shares God’s knowledge. Therefore, as human beings we must trust God’s leading through our comforter and helper, the Holy Spirit. We can never truly be certain that any time is the “right time.” We cannot accurately predict what will happen next, during or after this life. This knowledge lies with God alone. Situations are seasonal and seasons are controlled by God who “has made everything beautiful in its time” (verse 11).
I am reminded of the promise that God made to Abraham, that he would be the father of a great nation. He and his wife Sarah experienced a season of barrenness. It appeared as if the promise of having a child would never come to pass. They tried to manufacture their own deliverance by producing a child through Sarah’s servant Hagar. But at a set time — a season appointed by God – even through Abraham was 100 years old, and his wife Sarah was 90 – God decided that the child Issac would be born. Issac was God’s promise. He was a part of God’s master plan.
So please be encouraged saints! All of life’s experiences can be categorized into God’s appointed timing. Whatever the season, I encourage you today to trust in God’s Appointed Time. Understand that adversity is God’s opportunity to usher you into a season of peace and blessings. It will all work out for your good.
God’s Appointed Time can be summarized in the words spoken by God through the prophet Isaiah: “I have declared the former things from the beginning; they went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.” 
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