Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, July 27, 2023)

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows. Small spherical glass oil lamps and pillar candles, when lit, can add ambience to this evening service which is conducive to prayer. It is suggested that one lamp or candle be lit at the very beginning of the service and additional lamps and candles during the singing of the evening hymn. The lamps and candles can be extinguished at the conclusion of the service. Since ancient times lamps and candles have been lit as way of honoring God who is our light and our salvation.

WE GATHER IN GOD’S NAME

A lamp or candle may be lit.

You, O Lord, are my lamp;
my God, you make my darkness bright.

The light and peace of Jesus Christ be with you
and also with you.

As this evening hymn is sung, more lamps and candles may be lit.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Rufino Zaragoza’s hymn, “Radiant Light Hymn.”

Radiant Light Divine,
shine throughout this night.
Jesus, Holy One,
praise to you our Light.
As the daylight fades,
and come eventide,
dwell among us, Holy Fire.

Cristo,
Luz del mundo,
Luz y Amor.
Cristo,
Luz del mundo,
Luz y Amor.

As we recall our disobedience to God's commandments and our failure to do his will; let us bow our heads and confess our sins to God our Father:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
we have sinned in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry
and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ
who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name. Amen.

Merciful Lord,
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Herman Stuempfle, Jr.’s hymn, “How Small Our Span of Life.”

1 How small our span of life, O God, our years from birth till death;
A single beat within a heart, the catching of a breath,
A drop within the ocean's deep, a grain upon the shore,
A flash of light before we sleep to see the sun no more.

2 And yet our speck of life is spanned by your infinity;
Our tick of time on earth is caught in your eternity.
While suns and stars spin endlessly through depths of cosmic space,
while aeons roll and ages pass, you hold us in your grace.

3 O Christ, you left eternity to plunge in time's swift stream.
To share the shortness of our span, our mortal lives redeem.
You filled your cross-closed years with love; you loved us to the end and touch us with your risen life that ours may time transcend.

4 We thank you, God, for kindling faith that lights our transient years,
Illumining our pilgrimage through mists of doubt and fears;
For hope that sees a life beyond the swiftly passing days;
For love, both human and divine, that lifts our hearts to praise.

Let us pray

Silence

Lord, be merciful to your people.
Fill us with your gifts
and make us always eager to serve you
in faith, hope, and love.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.

WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

A Reading from the New Testament (Matthew 6: 1-4)

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Silence

May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory

What Does Jesus Teach about Giving to the Needy?

Does Jesus contradict himself in the Sermon on the Mount. In this evening’s reading he tells the disciples not to do their good deeds publicly, to be admired by others. Early on in the sermon he told them—

"You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." (Matthew 5: 14-16 NLT)

This is a reasonable question to ask.

If, however, we give some thought to what Jesus is saying we will notice an important difference between what he is saying in this evening’s reading and what he said earlier in the sermon. It has to do with our motivation for doing good deeds. When we let our good deeds shine for all to see like the light of a lamp placed on a stand inside a house is not attention to draw attention to ourselves but rather to direct attention to God.

The example Jesus is telling his disciples not to follow is that of those whom he describes as hypocrites, those who claim to have particular religious or moral beliefs but who behaves in a way that shows these beliefs are not sincere.

Almsgiving, giving money or goods to those in need as an act of charity, is a longstanding practice in the Old Testament and it is associated with righteousness. “Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but helping the poor honors him.” (Proverbs 14: 31 NLT) “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and he will repay you!” (Proverbs 19:17NLT). “Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.” (Proverbs 21:13 NLT) “The godly care about the rights of the poor; the wicked don’t care at all.” (Proverbs 29: 7 NLT)

Those whom Jesus describes as hypocrites are not motivated by a desire to help the poor and to please God. What motives them is a desire for public approbation—the praise and admiration of their fellow Jews.

What Jesus instructs his disciples to do is to give those in need quietly and unobtrusively and to not make a fuss or a to-do about it. He is not telling them to hide the good deeds that they do. Rather he is telling them not to do good deeds solely to attract notice or attention. Our motivation for doing good deeds matters.

During the time that Jesus was with us on earth, he himself went about doing good. This was a part of the message that God gave Peter to preach to Cornelius, his relatives, and close friends (Acts 10:34-43). Jesus did not do good in order that people would admire and praise him. He did good because it is God’s nature to do good.

The early Methodists were expected to do good, by every possible means, of every possible kind, when they had an opportunity, and far as possible to all people. As John Wesley was well-aware, a clear mandate to do so is found in Scripture. This included helping the poor and the needy, not only providing financial assistance and other forms of assistance to them but also teaching a trade to those who had no job skills and employing them and paying them a living wage.

Wesley understood that we cannot put ourselves right with God through our good deeds. However, he recognized that doing good can be evidence that God is working in someone, giving that person the desire and the power to do what pleases God (Philippians 2:13). It can also be evidence of a vital faith (James 2: 17; Galatians 5:6).

I do not believe that we would be far wrong in thinking that Jesus had this in mind when he told the disciples to let their good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise their heavenly Father. Their good deeds would be evidence of a transformed life for which God deserved the credit. Their acts of compassion and mercy would show that they indeed were God’s children.

Silence

WE RESPOND

Open this link in a new tab to hear Keith Getty and Jonathan Rhea’s “God of Grace.”

1 God of grace amazing wonder
Irresistible and free
Oh the miracle of mercy
Jesus reaches down to me

2 God of grace I stand in wonder
As my God restores my soul
His own blood has paid my ransom
Awesome cost to make me whole

3 God of grace who loved and knew me
Long before the world began
Sent my savior down from heaven
Perfect God and perfect man

4 God of grace I trust in Jesus
I'm accepted as His own
Everyday new grace sustains me
As I lean on Him alone

5 God of grace I stand astounded
Cleansed forgiven and secure
All my fears are now confounded
And my hope is ever secure

6 God of grace now crowned in glory
Where one day I'll see Your face
And forever I'll adore You
In Your everlasting grace

WE PRAY FOR GOD’S WORLD

Particular intentions may be mentioned before this prayer. Except where provided, the prayer is said without interpolation.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
you promised through your Son Jesus Christ
to hear the prayers of those who ask in faith:

We pray for your Church in all the world…
for this diocese (district, association, etc.) and … for our pastor
for…

Grant that we, and all who confess your name,
may be united in your truth,
live together in your love,
and reveal your glory in the world.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the nations of the world…
for this country and for
[Canada] Charles our King,
[United States] our President,
for all in authority,
and for the communities in which we live and work…

Guide the people of this land and of all nations
in the ways of justice and peace,
that we may honor one another
and serve the common good.

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

We pray for the salvation of all humankind…
for those who have gone astray
and for those who have fallen away.

Send out the light and truth of your gospel and
bring people everywhere to know and love you. 

Restore the straying and the fallen away. 

Lord, in your mercy.
hear our prayer.

We pray for the sick… the poor,,,
And those in trouble…(and for…)

Save and comfort all who suffer,
that they may hold to you through good and ill,
and trust in your unfailing love.

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

We bless your holy name for all your servants
who have died in faith, (for…)

We rejoice in the faithful witness of your people
in every age, and pray that we may share with them
the joys of your eternal kingdom.

Merciful Father,
accept these our prayers
for the sake of your Son
our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

As our Savior Christ has taught us, so we pray

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.

WE GO FORTH TO SERVE

Open this link in a new tab to hear Dwight Beal’s “Hymn of St. Patrick.”

Christ be with me and within me
Christ behind me and before
Christ beside me and to win me
Christ to comfort and restore

Christ beneath me and above me
Christ in quiet and in danger
Christ in hearts of all that love me
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger

Christ be with me and within me
Christ behind me and before
Christ beside me and to win me
Christ to comfort and restore

Christ beneath me and above me
Christ in quiet and in danger
Christ in hearts of all that love me
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger

Christ in every heart that’s broken
Christ in every joy and pain
Christ in every word that’s spoken
Christ in sun and moon and rain

Christ in resting and in rising
Christ the Lord of all my life
Christ to guide me and to shield me
Christ protecting me in strife

[Instrumental interlude]

Christ be with me and within me
Christ behind me and before
Christ beside me and to win me
Christ to comfort and restore

Christ beneath me and above me
Christ in quiet and in danger
Christ in hearts of all that love me
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger

Let us say together:

Be with us Lord, as we go out into the world.
May the lips that have sung your praise always speak the truth;
may the ears which have heard your Word listen only to what is good
and may our lives as well as our worship be always pleasing in your sight,
for the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The power of God hold and lead us.
His heavenly host be our guard.