Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, June 15, 2023)

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows. A disciple of Jesus may be defined as a person who believes in Jesus and his teachings and who seeks to live according to Jesus' teachings. Disciples then are basically students, learning from the one they call teacher and putting into practice what they learn. Beginning this Thursday evening and for the next several Thursday evenings we will be examining what Jesus taught and what his teachings means for us as his followers and would-be followers in the twenty-first century. Jesus taught not only by word but also by example. We will be looking at both his words and his example.

GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME
Gathering Song:
Open this link in a new tab to hear Tom Mills and Tom Elowson’s “Song of the Lamb.”

1 Great and miraculous are Your deeds
And righteousness is Your way, Lord
You are the almighty King of kings
And Lord of all the age

O who will not fear You O Lord
And glorify Your holy name
When Your righteousness is revealed
Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess
You alone are holy
You alone are holy
All nations come and worship You
We'll sing praise to the song of the Lamb
You alone are holy
You alone are holy
All nations come and worship You
We'll sing praise with the song of the Lamb

2 All glory be to You, God and King
The heavens declare all Your greatness
So bright and beautiful in the skies
Their message rings to the earth

O who will not fear You O Lord
And glorify Your holy name
When Your righteousness is revealed
Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess
You alone are holy
You alone are holy
All nations come and worship You
We'll sing praise to the song of the Lamb
You alone are holy
You alone are holy
All nations come and worship You
We'll sing praise with the song of the Lamb

3 One day we'll all sing around Your throne
Praising Your holy name, Lord
Like the waves of a hundred oceans
Thundering on the shore

Singing
O who will not fear You O Lord
And glorify Your holy name
When Your righteousness is revealed
Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess
You alone are holy
You alone are holy
All nations come and worship You
We'll sing praise to the song of the Lamb
You alone are holy
You alone are holy
All nations come and worship You
We'll sing praise with the song of the Lamb

Greeting and Opening Prayer:

The Lord is here.
The Spirit is with us.

Let us pray.

Almighty God,
you bring to light
things hidden in darkness,
and know the shadows of our hearts;
cleanse and renew us by your Spirit,
that we may walk in the light
and glorify your name,
through Jesus Christ,
the light of the world. Amen.

Act of Praise:
Open this link in a new tab to hear Alanna Glover, Liv Chapman, and Philip Percival’s arrangement of John Newton’ “How Sweet the Name.”

1 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In the believer’s ear
It soothes our sorrows heals our wounds
And drives away our fear

2 So weak the effort of my heart
And cold my warmest thought
But when I see you as you are
I’ll praise you as I ought

The rock on which I build
My shield and hiding place with treasure filled
The endless source of grace
My shepherd and my king be ever praised

3 Till then I would your love proclaim
With every fleeting breath
And may the music of your name
Refresh my soul in death

The rock on which I build
My shield and hiding place with treasure filled
The endless source of grace
My shepherd and my king be ever praised

Bridge
My prophet my priest my brother and friend
My Lord my life my way and my end

My prophet my priest my brother and friend
My Lord my life my way and my end

The rock on which I build
My shield and hiding place with treasure filled
The endless source of grace
My shepherd and my king be ever praised

The rock on which I build
My shield and hiding place with treasure filled
The endless source of grace
My shepherd and my king be ever praised

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

Prayer for Illumination:
Gracious God,
Grant that we may not only hear your Word
but also take it to heart.
Let it be to us as seeds of wheat sown
on good soil
so that we may yield an abundant harvest.
For the sake of your name. Amen.

Scripture Reading:
A reading from the New Testament (Matthew 5: 20-26)

“But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

“When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.

Silence

Hear the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

What Did Jesus Teach about Anger?

This evening’s reading forms one of a collection of Jesus’ teachings known as the “Sermon on the Mount.” According to Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus delivered these teachings while seated on a mountainside, his disciples gathered around him. They concern how we should relate to God and to our fellow human beings. They form an important body of his teachings, teachings which anyone who considers themselves a disciple of Jesus needs not only to study but also to live.

Let us take a look at this particular teaching and how it applies to modern-day followers of Jesus.

Jesus introduces this teaching with a statement to the effect that the righteousness of his disciples must be better than that of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees. The teachers of the religious law and the Pharisees thought that they were righteous because they scrupulously observed the minutia of the Mosaic Code as they interpreted these rules and regulations in the books of the Hebrew Bible, the books which are also known as the Law and Prophets, and which form the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. But as Jesus pointed to their attention and to the attention of his disciples and the multitude, they were like freshly white-washed tombs. On the inside they were filled with corruption. Despite their outward display of piety, their hearts were far from God.

Jesus is not suggesting that we can establish a right relationship with God by our own works, by our own acts of piety. Rather entering the Kingdom of Heaven, that is, living in conformity with God’ revealed will, requires an inner transformation as well as an outer transformation, a change in our attitude and way of thinking toward God and toward our fellow human beings as well as a change in our behavior. Our pious actions must be more than a public display intended to win the approval and praise of others. They must be the result of a sincere desire to please God.

Jesus goes on to equate harboring anger toward someone else, treating them with contempt, speaking to them in a rude, unpleasant manner, and wishing them ill with breaking the sixth commandment, “You shall not murder.” This includes vilifying someone, saying or writing unpleasant things about them, in order to cause other people to have a bad opinion of them. For Jesus, murder which for which the Hebrew word includes death due to carelessness or neglect, is “not just physical in nature but also the condition of one’s heart toward another.”

Research into people’s motives for murdering someone else found anger to be high on the list. Anger can lead to the murderer “thinging” the victim or victims, so that they are no longer viewed as human beings but as objects, or things. The murderer may also demonize the victim or victims, viewing them as evil and thus feeling justified in taking their lives.

Jesus stresses the importance of being reconciled with someone who has something against us. He tells his disciples that it is more important than fulfilling their religious duties. When two people or groups of people are reconciled with each other, they become friendly again after they have argued seriously or fought and kept apart from each other. Jesus is not saying that if someone is emotionally, physically, or sexually abused by a partner or spouse that they must live with that partner or spouse again. Regrettably what Jesus says about reconciliation is sometimes used by an abusive partner or spouse to manipulate the other partner or spouse into returning to an abusive situation.

Jesus also advices his disciples to quickly settle with someone who is taking them to court to avoid the possible consequences of not having come to a quick settlement with them.

This teaching has several implications for modern-day disciples. It is clear from what Jesus told his disciples on the mountainside that he would not approve of cancelling people at the slightest pretext without giving them an opportunity to offer an explanation or an apology; attacking people’s character; misinterpreting what they say, ascribing evil motives or intentions to them, pinning unfair labels on them, and making disparaging remarks about them; and the like. Nor would he condone harboring ill-will toward someone and nursing a grudge against them; abruptly shutting down communication with them at a critical juncture or giving them the “silent treatment;” saying unkind or untrue things about them behind their back; or encouraging someone else to bully them. He considered thinking about doing such things as tantamount to doing them.

What Jesus told the disciples on the mountainside essentially. was that they should set a guard not on their words and actions but also on their thoughts and desires. What they think and what they desire matters as much as what they say and what they do As Jesus’ twenty-first century followers we also need to do the same. This may require developing a greater degree of self-awareness and maintaining a larger measure of control over our thoughts and desires than we presently do.

Pursuing reconciliation with someone who has something against us is a course of action that Jesus expects his disciples to take if reconciliation is practicable. In some cases that person may not be open to reconciliation with us but that is not sufficient reason for us not to try to be reconciled with them.

In a few instances reconciliation may not be a realistic possibility. However, we need to make sure that is indeed the case. It is a very human tendency to take what may seem to us the easy way and to do nothing.

Jesus described loving our fellow human beings as the next greatest commandment to loving God. Loving them requires a willingness on our part to let go of anger and to forgive, to withhold harsh judgment, to show grace, and to make allowances. It also requires a willingness to mend damaged or broken relationships. These are qualities of character that God himself exhibits. They are qualities of character that demonstrate that we are truly children of God.

Anthem:
Open this link in a new tab to hear Becki Slagle Mayo’ arrangement of Shakeress Polly Rupe’s “Gentle Words.”

What the dew is to the flower,
gentle words are to the soul,
and a blessing to the giver,
and so dear to the receiver
we should never withhold.
gentle words, kindly spoken,
often soothe the troubled mind,
while links of love are broken
by words that are unkind.
Then O, thou gentle spirit,
my constant Guardian be,
"Do to others," be my motto,
"as I'd have them do to me."

Words of friendship, words of peace,
words of hope and care,
sharing words of comfort, words of love,
spreading kindness everywhere, everywhere—

What the dew is to the flower,
gentle words are to the soul,
and a blessing to the giver,
and so dear to the receiver
we should never withhold.
Gentle words, kindly spoken,
often soothe the troubled mind,
while links of love are broken
by words that are unkind
sharing words of comfort, words of love,
gentle words.

THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER

Concerns and Prayers:
Let us pray for all people and for the Church throughout the world.

We pray for your holy Church, that it may be filled with truth and love,
and be found without fault on the day of our Lord’s return.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the ministers of the Church (especially…), that they may be
faithful to the Gospel and worthy servants of your people.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

We pray for all who fear you and believe in the Lord Jesus, that our divisions may cease, and that all may be one, as he wills.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the mission of the Church, that in faithful witness it may proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth and make disciples of every nation and people.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

We pray for those who do not yet believe, and for those who have lost their faith, that they may receive the light of the Gospel.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the peace of the world, that respect and understanding may grow among nations and peoples.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

We pray for those in positions of public trust (especially….), that they may serve justice and truth, and promote the dignity and freedom of every person,

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

We pray for ourselves and each other, our families and all those who are dear to us, those with whom we work and learn, our neighbors and our friends that we may be enabled by your Spirit to live for you and one another.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and all who suffer; for refugees, prisoners, and all who are in danger, that they may be protected and relieved.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

We pray for our enemies, and for those who wish us harm; and for all whom we have injured or offended, that they may no longer harbor bad feelings toward us, and we may be reconciled and at peace with them.

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

Intercessions may be offered by anyone present.

We pray for….

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

Eternal God and Father,
You have promised to hear those who pray
In the name of your Son.
Grant that what we have asked in faith
we may obtain according to your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer:
With the confidence of children we dare to say

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, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

THE SENDING FORTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE

Closing Song:
Open this link in a new tab to hear Martin E. Leckebusch’s "Called by Christ to Be Disciples.”

1 Called by Christ to be disciples
every day in every place,
we are not to hide as hermits
but to spread the way of grace;
citizens of heaven’s kingdom,
though this world is where we live,
as we serve a faithful Master,
faithful service may we give.

2 Richly varied are our pathways,
many callings we pursue:
may we use our gifts and talents
always, Lord, to honor you;
so in government or commerce,
college, hospice, farm, or home,
whether volunteers or earning,
may we see your kingdom come.

3 Hard decisions may confront us,
urging us to compromise;
still obedience is our watchword—
make us strong and make us wise!
Secular is turned to sacred,
made a precious offering,
as our daily lives are fashioned
in submission to our King.

A Prayer for Grace:

In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Choral Benediction:
Open this link in a new tab to hear Carlton R. Young's musical setting of "The Lord Bless You and Keep You."

The Lord bless you and keep you,
the Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you.
The Lord bless you and keep you,
the Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you.
And give you peace.
And give you peace.
Amen.
Amen.

Go now to love and serve the Lord. Go in peace.
Amen. We go In the name of Christ.