READING: II Samuel 11:26 - 12:15, Psalm 32; Galatians 2:11-21; Luke 7:36-50
SERMON : "Applying The Word"
Rev. Richard J. Fairchild
C-or11sm.y-c 618000
The following is a more or less complete liturgy and sermon
for the upcoming Sunday. Hymn numbers, designated as VU are
found in the United Church of Canada Hymnal "Voices United".
SFPG is "Songs For A Gospel People", also available from the UCC.
Note: The sermon below is a series of notes to guide the sermon
rather than a full text. It was first preached on "Father's Day".
Nonetheless it should help you to develop your own take on the
texts. Note the expanded version of the reading from Galatians.
The Children' Story first appeared in King Duncan, Dynamic
Preaching, April/May/June 95. For a full version of the sermon
check our file c-or11su.php
GATHERING AND MUSICAL PRELUDE (* = please stand)
* WORDS OF WELCOME AND CALL TO WORSHIP (based on Psalm 5)
L The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
P And also with you.
L God is not pleased with wrongdoing.
P God allows no evil in his presence.
L But because of God's great love we can come into his house.
P Because of God's mercy we can worship in his holy Temple.
L Those who take refuge in God will rejoice and sing for joy.
P Because of God they are truly happy.
His love protects them like a shield.
THIS WEEK AT ST. ANDREW'S
- Welcome and Announcements - Birthdays and Anniversaries - Special
Matters - Sharing Joys and Concerns
MUSIC AND SILENT PREPARATION
* PRAYER OF INVOCATION
Lord God - we celebrate your loving presence this day. We gather to praise
you for your goodness and to pray that it may be ours - to thank you for
your wisdom and your mercy - and to ask that it may dwell within our hearts
- and to sing of your holiness and your healing love - and to request that
we might ourselves be holy and ourselves - by the power of your Spirit -
have a healing and loving presence. Bless us dear God, and help us to
bless your name now and always. Amen.
* HYMN: "Spirit Divine, Attend Our Prayers" - VU 385
CHILDREN'S TIME: "Learning To Sing Like A Bird"
Object: Feathers
Theme: What We Are Is Taught to Us Young
Source: King Duncan, Dynamic Preaching, April/May/June 95
Good morning. I read something so interesting. Did you know that
scientists now think that birds learn how to sing from other birds? We
might think that birds are born knowing how to sing, but that may not be
true. Scientists have raised certain birds away from any others of their
own kind, and these birds are unable to sing the songs that other birds of
their species are able to sing.
Indeed the scientists who raised such birds were able to teach them parts
of a popular song to replace the song that they would have learned from
other birds. Left alone, a bird like this without knowing the right song
would always be lonely, because bird songs are involved in finding a mate.
Did you know there are many things in life you and I must learn, just like
birds -like what things are good for us and what things are bad for us -
what things are safe and what things are dangerous--and many, many other
things. That is why God gives us special people in our lives -parents,
grandparents, and other special people, to help us learn just as they
learned many years ago when they were our age. This is Father's Day and we
especially honour our Dads. But we also honour all those adults who help
us learn and grow to be the kind of people we ought to be. Remember this,
if a bird has to learn to sing from other birds, there are certainly some
things we need to learn if we are going to be the kind of people we ought
to be.
PRAYER AND THE LORD'S PRAYER
Lord God - we thank you for our father - and for the other people in
our life - who show us how to live. - We pray that you may give them
- the good things that they need - and help them to be - loving and
faithful - as you yourself are. We ask it in the name of your son
Jesus. - Amen.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom
come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this
day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the
glory, for ever and ever. Amen
* HYMN OF PRAISE: "One More Step Along The World I Go" - VU 639
A READING FROM II SAMUEL 11:26 -12:15
(NIV) When Uriah's wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned
for him. {27} After the time of mourning was over, David had her
brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But
the thing David had done displeased the LORD.
The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There
were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. {2} The
rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, {3} but the poor
man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it,
and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank
from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
{4} "Now a traveller came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained
from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the
traveller who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that
belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to
him." {5} David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan,
"As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! {6}
He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing
and had no pity." {7} Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This
is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over
Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. {8} I gave your
master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave
you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little,
I would have given you even more. {9} Why did you despise the word of
the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the
Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him
with the sword of the Ammonites. {10} Now, therefore, the sword will
never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife
of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.' {11} "This is what the LORD says:
'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you.
Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who
is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.
{12} You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight
before all Israel.'" {13} Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned
against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin.
You are not going to die. {14} But because by doing this you have made
the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will
die." {15} After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that
Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill.
L This is the word of the Lord.
P Thanks be to God.
RESPONSIVE READING: Psalm 32 (Voices United 759 and Sung Refrain)
A READING FROM GALATIANS 2:11-21
(NIV) When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because
he was clearly in the wrong. {12} Before certain men came from James,
he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to
draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid
of those who belonged to the circumcision group. {13} The other Jews
joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas
was led astray. {14} When I saw that they were not acting in line with
the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are
a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then,
that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? {15} "We who are Jews
by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' {16} know that a man is not
justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we,
too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by
faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the
law no one will be justified. {17} "If, while we seek to be justified
in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that
mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! {18} If I rebuild what
I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. {19} For through the law I
died to the law so that I might live for God. {20} I have been
crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave himself for me. {21} I do not set aside the grace of
God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died
for nothing!"
L This is the word of the Lord.
P Thanks be to God.
* HYMN: "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" - VU 664
A READING FROM LUKE 7:36-50
(NIV) Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him,
so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. {37} When
a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was
eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of
perfume, {38} and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she
began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her
hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. {39} When the Pharisee
who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a
prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she
is - that she is a sinner." {40} Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have
something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. {41} "Two men
owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred
denarii, and the other fifty. {42} Neither of them had the money to pay
him back, so he cancelled the debts of both. Now which of them will
love him more?" {43} Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the
bigger debt cancelled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said. {44} Then he turned toward the
woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your
house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet
with her tears and wiped them with her hair. {45} You did not give me a
kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing
my feet. {46} You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured
perfume on my feet. {47} Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been
forgiven - for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little
loves little." {48} Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
{49} The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who
even forgives sins?" {50} Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has
saved you; go in peace."
L This is the gospel of our Risen Lord.
P Praise be to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
SERMON: "Applying The Word"
O Lord, we pray, speak in this place, in the calming of our minds
and the longing of our hearts, by the words of my lips and in the
meditations of our hearts. Speak, O Lord, for your servants listen.
Amen.
Easy to believe \ say \ general principals of faith \ apply to others.
Hard to apply to ourself!
David had a passion for justice: - rich man \ poor man's lamb
he could apply the law to others
but did not recognize himself!
Peter felt free to live like a gentile - to eat with them - to relax the
old law for the new - but when faced with external pressure - he backed off
this freedom - did not live the freedom of Christ.
Simon the Pharisee - zeal for God - for the word - a word that mandated
hospitality and kindness to others - welcoming of angels - He knew the
prostitute was a sinner and judged her so - yet she did the works of love
and of hospitality that he ought!
We often Judge others - we often apply the Word to them - but not to self.
We become intolerant and unloving - we act as if we are forgiven little....
I speak to all of us about this -- but on this father's day we need to
consider the meaning of this especially for men.
There is a movement called "Promise Keepers" that swept over the nation -
especially the USA - over the last few years. Their aim is simple
- to get men to be Godly
- to honour and obey Christ
- to keep their promises
- to be good husbands and fathers
- to recognize that men try to run their own shows instead of having God do
it.
Men often try to set the agenda for their wives, their kids, their jobs.
They try to fix things according to their own standards of what is right
and wrong but the question is can we even fix ourselves?
With our children we don't need an analyse of what they are doing wrong
or right, and orders barked out and suggestions made and judgements passed.
Rather we need to pray for ourselves and them - to model our own
faithfulness that they may see and to share the word not just in talk -
but by how we show our commitment to it in our daily life and in our
Sabbath observances.
With ourselves - we need to apply the word to our own lives before we get
into trouble - before we sin. We need to remember we are forgiven much...
and love much. To develop a godly humility and faithfulness.
We are forgiven much - each one of us we are called to love much and to
trust that God will honour his word and save us - and work his saving work
on behalf of others through the godly things we do.
* HYMN: "Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive" - VU 364
PASTORAL PRAYER AND THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Gracious God, make our lives, through Jesus our true Vine, living branches
of faith, hope, and love, so that the existence of others may be enriched
and our own lives grow mature with the fruit of the Holy Spirit - that
Spirit given to us by you, our heavenly Father and by your Son and our
brother, Christ Jesus.... Lord, hear our prayer...
Gracious God, help us to be persons who love unconditionally as you love -
people who do not place demands or conditions on those whom we accept and,
equally, who do not give up the freedom that Christ won for us by trying to
win the love of others or of you by seeking to conform to conditions that
they may set upon loving us.... Lord hear our prayer...
Caring God, for our brothers and sisters in all their diverse needs we also
pray this day. We pray with thankfulness for those prayers you have already
answered - and with hearts of hope for those things yet to be... Hear now
the intentions upon our hearts and in the word's of our lips. We remember
before you today, O God, (BIDDING PRAYER) .... Lord hear our prayer...
All these things we pray in the name of Christ Jesus your son, and our
brother and our Lord. Amen
* SHARING GOD'S BLESSINGS: As the Offering is presented all stand for the
Doxology (Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow - VU 541) and Prayer of
Dedication
Father - as you have blessed us and given us a home and a family -
so we would bless you and the home and the family you have given us.
Accept, we pray, our gifts and use them in your loving and healing
service. We ask it in the name of Jesus - Amen
* HYMN: "Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us With Your Love" - VU 593
COMMISSIONING: In the power of the Holy Spirit, we now go forth into the
world to fulfil our calling as the people of God, the body of Christ.
BENEDICTION AND THREEFOLD AMEN
Go in peace, love and care for one another in Christ's name,
- and may the blessing of Christ Jesus be upon each and everyone of you,
- may his mercy uphold you - his compassion guide you - and his strength
sustain you - and his love fill you,
both now and forevermore. Amen
CHORAL BLESSING: "Go Now In Peace" - VU 964
copyright - Rev. Richard J. Fairchild - Spirit Networks, 2001 - 2006
please acknowledge the appropriate author if citing these sermons.
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