Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, September 24, 2023)
Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.
Fall is in the air. Mornings are chillier. As the sun rises higher and the day grows warmer, monarch butterflies flitter among the grass and flowers on the beginning of their long migration south to Mexico. Their annual migration is one of the many events that mark the change of seasons in westernmost Kentucky. It is a reminder of our own transitory existence in this world. The Anglo-Saxons compared life to a sparrow flying into a fire-lit hall through the hall’s smoke hole, to flutter around the hall, then fly back out into the darkness of the night.
Christians have taken a different view of life. While they acknowledge the brevity of this life, they place their hope and confidence in Jesus Christ and his promises.
GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link in a new tab to hear the instrumental prelude, “ O the Breath of the Wind.”
Silence
Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
Glory to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
Open a link in a new tab to hear Dale A. Witte’s arrangement of the Venite, “Come, O Come, Let Us Sing to the Lord Our Savior!”
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord our Savior!
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord!
1 Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving.
Let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise.
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord our Savior!
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord!
2 For the Lord is a great God and great King above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in his hands.
The heights of the hills are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his and formed the dry land.
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord our Savior!
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord!
3 Oh, come let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before our Maker.
For he is our God, and we are his people,
the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord our Savior!
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord!
The night has passed and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence
Almighty God,
you have been our guard throughout the night,
keep us in your care throughout the day;
walking in the light, bearing witness to your way,
seeking first your kingdom and seeing Christ in everyone;
guide us in the footsteps of your Son,
and lead us on the path to your everlasting day;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s responsorial setting of Psalm 63, “In the Morning I Will Sing.”
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
1 O God you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting
My body pines for you
like a dry weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
To see your strength and your glory.
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
2 For you love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
3 On my bed I remember you.
on you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
my soul clings to you;
Your right hand holds me fast.
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
Silence
To you we come, radiant Lord,
the goal of all our desiring,
beyond all earthly beauty;
gentle protector, strong deliverer,
in the night you are our confidence;
from first light be our joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Open this link to hear David Haas and Marty Haugen’s setting of Psalm 145, “I Will Praise Your Name.”
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
1 I will extol you, my God and king,
and bless your name forever and ever.
I will bless you day after day,
and praise your name forever and ever.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
2 The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger and abounding in mercy.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
3 All your works shall thank you, O Lord,
and all your faithful ones bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign,
and declare your mighty deeds.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
4 The Lord is faithful in all his words,
and holy in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who fall,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
Silence
King of the universe,
you show the bright glory of your reign
in acts of mercy and enduring love;
raise the spirits of the downcast
and restore those who have fallen away,
that we may sing for ever of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open a link in a new tab to hear Geoffrey Anketel Studdert Kennedy’s “Awake, Awake to Love and Work!”
1 Awake, awake to love and work!
The lark is in the sky;
The fields are wet with diamond dew;
The worlds awake to cry
Their blessings on the Lord of life,
As He goes meekly by.
2 Come, let thy voice be one with theirs,
Shout with their shout of praise;
See how the giant sun soars up,
Great lord of years and days!
So let the love of Jesus come
And set thy soul ablaze.
3 To give and give, and give again,
What God hath given thee;
To spend thyself nor count the cost;
To serve right gloriously
The God who gave all worlds that are,
And all that are to be.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Old Testament (Jonah 3:10–4:11)
When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.
This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”
The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”
Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.
But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.
Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”
“Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!”
Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”
Silence
Hear the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Carl P. Daw Jr.’s paraphrase of the Benedicite Omnia Opera (Song of Creation), “Let All Creation Bless the Lord.”
1 Let all creation bless the Lord,
till heav'n with praise is ringing.
Sun, moon, and stars, peal out a chord,
stir up the angels' singing.
Sing, wind and rain! Sing snow and sleet!
Make music, day, night, cold, and heat:
exalt the God who made you,
exalt the God who made you!
2 All living things upon the earth,
green fertile hills and mountains,
sing to the God who gave you birth;
be joyful, springs and fountains.
Lithe waterlife, bright airborne birds,
wild roving beasts, tame flocks and herds;
exalt the God who made you,
exalt the God who made you!.
3 O men and women ev'rywhere,
lift up a hymn of glory:
all you who know God's steadfast care,
tell out salvation's story.
No tongue be mute; all sing your part,
you humble souls and meek of heart:
exalt the God who made you,
exalt the God who made you!
A reading from the New Testament (Philippians 1:21–30)
For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.
Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.
Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.
Silence
Hear the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
“Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.”
These words stand out from the others in today’s New Testament reading. Jesus himself taught that his disciples were to live differently from those around them. In this passage in his Letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul repeats in his own words what Jesus taught. How we think, what we say, what we do, the way we live our lives, is to be different from our neighbors, our friends, our colleagues, our fellow students, from those who are not Jesus’ disciples. We are not to adopt the beliefs and values of the culture of the part of the world in which we live. We are to model our lives on Jesus’ teaching and example.
This may prove challenging in today’s world. Here in the United States we are living in a society that is becoming tribalized, divided into many different groups, each having its own perceptions of reality, its owns beliefs, and its own values, and each taking a dim view of how the other groups perceive reality and of what they believe and value. There is a growing tendency to demonize, to portray as evil, those whose perceptions of reality, beliefs, ad values are different from those of our tribe. Some groups despise others with the same intensity that Jonah hated the Ninevites. Jonah harbored such a strong dislike for the people of Nineveh that he became angry with God for sparing them.
Those whom Jesus has called to follow him and who have responded to his call will experience all kinds of pressures to conform to the world, to abandon their faith, and to think, speak, act, and live as whatever group has the most influence upon them thinks, speaks, acts, and lives.
Jesus told his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me….”
In those days a man carrying a cross was considered a dead man. Criminals sentenced to death by crucifixion were forced to carry to their place of execution the cross on which they would be crucified.
What Jesus was telling his disciples is that they must become dead to their old lives, dead to whatever group to which they belonged before they became his disciple, dead to whatever else was influencing them. They must leave all that behind them and walk with him in the new life upon which they embarked when they trusted in him for their salvation and submitted to his lordship over their lives.
They are not as the apostle Paul draws to the attention of the church at Philippi and to us permanent residents of this world. They are only its temporary inhabitants. They are just passing through. They are strangers and sojourners in the words of the Old Testament. Their real home is elsewhere. It is in heaven with their Savior and Lord.
During our time on earth, we are expected to faithfully serve our Lord, to pattern our lives on his teaching and example, to do no harm, to avoid all forms of evil, to do as much good as we can to as many people as we can, and to share our faith with others.
This includes caring for the lodgings with which God has provide us. We may be tenants and not owners, but this fact is not a license to despoil and destroy the world in which God has put us, to befoul its air and water and to make it uninhabitable for others.
Loving our neighbors includes not only loving the living during our time on this earth but also loving future generations not yet born. Indeed, a good principle by which to live during our lifetime on the earth is to leave the world a better place to live than we found it. How we are remembered is integral to our witness to Jesus.
As the apostle Paul also points to the attention of the church at Philippi and us, we can also expect to share in our Lord’s suffering. There will be those who take exception to our faith just as there were those who took exception to Jesus. They may criticize us strongly and say unpleasant things to us or about us. They may treat us unfairly or cruelly over a long period of time because of our faith and constantly seek to do us harm.
What Paul is not talking about is going to great lengths to provoke mistreatment from others or deliberately putting ourselves in situations that result in our suffering. Indeed, Paul encourages us to live peaceably with others and not get involved in fights and arguments.
What Paul is also not talking about is misinterpreting everything that others say or do as directed at us and our faith. Our brains are wired to look for the negative, as Charles Stone and others have pointed out. For this reason, it is easy for us to feel threatened. Our brain is always looking for a problem. Regrettably our brains are not good at distinguishing between an imaginary threat and a real one. We may see a threat where there is no threat.
If we subscribe to a worldview in which the world is seen as a very threatening place, our perception of reality will influence how we interpret what others are saying and doing. We will see as threatening what others do not see as threatening. We may even become paranoid, feeling extremely worried or nervous because we believe other people do not like us or are trying to harm us.
What psychologists have found is that people who are paranoid will often put themselves in situations which reinforce their perceptions of reality. One might say that they go looking for trouble. For example, they may leave their car keys in the ignition, the driver’s side window wide open, and the car doors unlocked. They then complain that bad things are aways happening to them when someone steals their car.
In his Gospel the apostle John tells us—
Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart. John 2: 23-25 NLT
This, however, is no reason for us to become so distrustful of others that we become paranoid. While it is true that human beings have a sinful nature and are prone to do evil, it must also be recognized that God, when God created the world, declared it to be good, and that God’s grace is working in the world. We are living in a fallen world but not an utterly evil world. To view the material world as completely evil is to succumb to the ancient heresy of Gnosticism. It s a Gnostic worldview that Paul has in mind when he writes Timothy—
They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth. Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4: 3-5 NLT
While we may have no innate goodness of our own, being the fallen creatures that we are, having lost our original goodness and acquired a proclivity to rebel against God and to do what is not pleasing in God’s sight, following our own ways and the desire of our own hearts, not loving God with our whole heart, and not loving our neighbors as ourselves, God’s grace is at work in the world, in the people wo live around us, in those who live in other parts of the world, and in ourselves.
To prevent an attitude of negativism from pervading and dominating our thoughts and not expecting any good things to happen and considering only the bad side of situation, we need to keep this knowledge in our innermost thoughts more than anything else. As Jonah begrudgingly admitted, “I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.” God's character does not change.
The story of the Bible is that God did not turn his back on humanity after humanity, represented by Adam and Eve, disobeyed him. While it stretches over several books, that is the story which the Bible tells. In the end, God sent Jesus, his own Son, God himself in human flesh, fully human, fully divine, to redeem us from our fallen state and to bring about our reconciliation with God. This is the Good News about Christ in a manner worthy of which Paul urges us to conduct ourselves. Our words, our actions, and our lives are to be a proclamation of that Good News. We show and share the love of Jesus to all the world.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear Bernadette Farrell’s paraphrase of the Benedictus Dominus Deus, “Blest Be the Lord, the God of Israel.”
1 Blest be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who brings the dawn and darkest night dispels,
who raises up a mighty Saviour from the earth,
of David's line, a son of royal birth.
2 The prophets tell a story just begun
of vanquished foe and glorious vict'ry won,
of promise made to all who keep the law as guide:
God's faithful love and mercy will abide.
3 This is the oath once sworn to Abraham:
all shall be free to dwell upon the land,
free now to praise, unharmed by the oppressor's rod,
holy and righteous in the sight of God.
4 And you, my child, this day you shall be called
the promised one, the prophet of our God,
for you will go before the Lord to clear the way,
and shepherd all into the light of day.
5 The tender love God promised from our birth
is soon to dawn upon this shadowed earth,
to shine on those whose sorrows seem to never cease,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.
6 All glory be to God, Creator blest,
to Jesus Christ, God's love made manifest,
and to the Holy Spirit, gentle Comforter,
all glory be, both now and ever more.
Let us affirm our faith in God and his love for us.
We believe in one God,
who made us and loves all that is.
We believe in Jesus Christ,
God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was born, lived, died and rose again,
and is coming to call all to account.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
who calls, equips and sends out God’s people,
and brings all things to their true end.
This is our faith, the faith of the Church:
We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER
One or more people may pray.
Let us pray for all people, and for Christ’s church throughout the world.
Almighty and eternal God you have taught us to offer prayer and thanksgiving for all people.
In your mercy receive our prayers.
Set the nations on the path of righteousness and peace.
Direct all those in authority, especially…, our….., that under them the world may be godly and quietly governed.
Pour out your Spirit on your church, so that all who acknowledge your holy name may agree in the truth of your word and live in unity and godly love. Give grace to all ministers and leaders of the Church (especially …), to set forth your life-giving word by their example and teaching and rightly administer your holy sacraments.
Guide and prosper all those who are laboring for the spread of the gospel among the peoples of the world and enlighten with your Spirit all places of education and learning.
Give grace to your people gathered here, to receive your word with humble and obedient hearts and serve you in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives.
Save us through your heavenly benediction from drought, scarcity, and famine, and enable us with thankful hearts to enjoy the fruits of the earth in their season.
Comfort and sustain, merciful Lord, everyone in this fleeting life who is in sorrow, need, sickness, or any other distress (especially …).
We praise you for all who have died in the faith of Christ (especially …). Help us to follow their good examples, that with them we may inherit your heavenly kingdom.
Hear us, Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only mediator and advocate. Amen.
God, you have given us a lodging in this world
but not an abiding city.
Help us, as a pilgrim people, to endure hardness,
knowing that at the end of our journey
Christ has prepared a place for us.
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen.
Eternal God and Father,
by whose power we are created
and by whose love we are redeemed,
guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,
that we may give ourselves to your service
and live every day in love
to one another and to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us join together in the prayer Jesus gave us.
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 OUT OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve us. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to her Sylvia Dunstan’s “Go to the World!”
1 Go to the world! Go into all the earth.
Go preach the cross where Christ renews life's worth,
baptizing as the sign of our rebirth.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
2 Go to the world!
Go into every place.
Go live the word of God's redeeming grace.
Go seek God's presence in each time and space.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
3 Go to the world!
Go struggle, bless, and pray;
the nights of tears give way to joyous day.
As servant church, you follow Christ's own way.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
[Instrumental interlude]
4 Go to the world!
Go as the ones I send,
for I am with you till the age shall end,
when all the hosts of glory cry “Amen!”
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Those present may exchange a sign of peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link in a new tab to hear the instrumental prelude, “ O the Breath of the Wind.”
Silence
Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
Glory to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
Open a link in a new tab to hear Dale A. Witte’s arrangement of the Venite, “Come, O Come, Let Us Sing to the Lord Our Savior!”
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord our Savior!
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord!
1 Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving.
Let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise.
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord our Savior!
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord!
2 For the Lord is a great God and great King above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in his hands.
The heights of the hills are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his and formed the dry land.
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord our Savior!
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord!
3 Oh, come let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before our Maker.
For he is our God, and we are his people,
the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord our Savior!
Come, O come, let us sing to the Lord!
The night has passed and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence
Almighty God,
you have been our guard throughout the night,
keep us in your care throughout the day;
walking in the light, bearing witness to your way,
seeking first your kingdom and seeing Christ in everyone;
guide us in the footsteps of your Son,
and lead us on the path to your everlasting day;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s responsorial setting of Psalm 63, “In the Morning I Will Sing.”
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
1 O God you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting
My body pines for you
like a dry weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
To see your strength and your glory.
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
2 For you love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
3 On my bed I remember you.
on you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
my soul clings to you;
Your right hand holds me fast.
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
Silence
To you we come, radiant Lord,
the goal of all our desiring,
beyond all earthly beauty;
gentle protector, strong deliverer,
in the night you are our confidence;
from first light be our joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Open this link to hear David Haas and Marty Haugen’s setting of Psalm 145, “I Will Praise Your Name.”
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
1 I will extol you, my God and king,
and bless your name forever and ever.
I will bless you day after day,
and praise your name forever and ever.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
2 The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger and abounding in mercy.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
3 All your works shall thank you, O Lord,
and all your faithful ones bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign,
and declare your mighty deeds.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
4 The Lord is faithful in all his words,
and holy in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who fall,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
Silence
King of the universe,
you show the bright glory of your reign
in acts of mercy and enduring love;
raise the spirits of the downcast
and restore those who have fallen away,
that we may sing for ever of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open a link in a new tab to hear Geoffrey Anketel Studdert Kennedy’s “Awake, Awake to Love and Work!”
1 Awake, awake to love and work!
The lark is in the sky;
The fields are wet with diamond dew;
The worlds awake to cry
Their blessings on the Lord of life,
As He goes meekly by.
2 Come, let thy voice be one with theirs,
Shout with their shout of praise;
See how the giant sun soars up,
Great lord of years and days!
So let the love of Jesus come
And set thy soul ablaze.
3 To give and give, and give again,
What God hath given thee;
To spend thyself nor count the cost;
To serve right gloriously
The God who gave all worlds that are,
And all that are to be.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Old Testament (Jonah 3:10–4:11)
When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.
This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”
The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”
Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.
But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.
Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”
“Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!”
Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”
Silence
Hear the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Carl P. Daw Jr.’s paraphrase of the Benedicite Omnia Opera (Song of Creation), “Let All Creation Bless the Lord.”
1 Let all creation bless the Lord,
till heav'n with praise is ringing.
Sun, moon, and stars, peal out a chord,
stir up the angels' singing.
Sing, wind and rain! Sing snow and sleet!
Make music, day, night, cold, and heat:
exalt the God who made you,
exalt the God who made you!
2 All living things upon the earth,
green fertile hills and mountains,
sing to the God who gave you birth;
be joyful, springs and fountains.
Lithe waterlife, bright airborne birds,
wild roving beasts, tame flocks and herds;
exalt the God who made you,
exalt the God who made you!.
3 O men and women ev'rywhere,
lift up a hymn of glory:
all you who know God's steadfast care,
tell out salvation's story.
No tongue be mute; all sing your part,
you humble souls and meek of heart:
exalt the God who made you,
exalt the God who made you!
A reading from the New Testament (Philippians 1:21–30)
For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.
Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.
Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.
Silence
Hear the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Citizens of Heaven
“Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.”
These words stand out from the others in today’s New Testament reading. Jesus himself taught that his disciples were to live differently from those around them. In this passage in his Letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul repeats in his own words what Jesus taught. How we think, what we say, what we do, the way we live our lives, is to be different from our neighbors, our friends, our colleagues, our fellow students, from those who are not Jesus’ disciples. We are not to adopt the beliefs and values of the culture of the part of the world in which we live. We are to model our lives on Jesus’ teaching and example.
This may prove challenging in today’s world. Here in the United States we are living in a society that is becoming tribalized, divided into many different groups, each having its own perceptions of reality, its owns beliefs, and its own values, and each taking a dim view of how the other groups perceive reality and of what they believe and value. There is a growing tendency to demonize, to portray as evil, those whose perceptions of reality, beliefs, ad values are different from those of our tribe. Some groups despise others with the same intensity that Jonah hated the Ninevites. Jonah harbored such a strong dislike for the people of Nineveh that he became angry with God for sparing them.
Those whom Jesus has called to follow him and who have responded to his call will experience all kinds of pressures to conform to the world, to abandon their faith, and to think, speak, act, and live as whatever group has the most influence upon them thinks, speaks, acts, and lives.
Jesus told his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me….”
In those days a man carrying a cross was considered a dead man. Criminals sentenced to death by crucifixion were forced to carry to their place of execution the cross on which they would be crucified.
What Jesus was telling his disciples is that they must become dead to their old lives, dead to whatever group to which they belonged before they became his disciple, dead to whatever else was influencing them. They must leave all that behind them and walk with him in the new life upon which they embarked when they trusted in him for their salvation and submitted to his lordship over their lives.
They are not as the apostle Paul draws to the attention of the church at Philippi and to us permanent residents of this world. They are only its temporary inhabitants. They are just passing through. They are strangers and sojourners in the words of the Old Testament. Their real home is elsewhere. It is in heaven with their Savior and Lord.
During our time on earth, we are expected to faithfully serve our Lord, to pattern our lives on his teaching and example, to do no harm, to avoid all forms of evil, to do as much good as we can to as many people as we can, and to share our faith with others.
This includes caring for the lodgings with which God has provide us. We may be tenants and not owners, but this fact is not a license to despoil and destroy the world in which God has put us, to befoul its air and water and to make it uninhabitable for others.
Loving our neighbors includes not only loving the living during our time on this earth but also loving future generations not yet born. Indeed, a good principle by which to live during our lifetime on the earth is to leave the world a better place to live than we found it. How we are remembered is integral to our witness to Jesus.
As the apostle Paul also points to the attention of the church at Philippi and us, we can also expect to share in our Lord’s suffering. There will be those who take exception to our faith just as there were those who took exception to Jesus. They may criticize us strongly and say unpleasant things to us or about us. They may treat us unfairly or cruelly over a long period of time because of our faith and constantly seek to do us harm.
What Paul is not talking about is going to great lengths to provoke mistreatment from others or deliberately putting ourselves in situations that result in our suffering. Indeed, Paul encourages us to live peaceably with others and not get involved in fights and arguments.
What Paul is also not talking about is misinterpreting everything that others say or do as directed at us and our faith. Our brains are wired to look for the negative, as Charles Stone and others have pointed out. For this reason, it is easy for us to feel threatened. Our brain is always looking for a problem. Regrettably our brains are not good at distinguishing between an imaginary threat and a real one. We may see a threat where there is no threat.
If we subscribe to a worldview in which the world is seen as a very threatening place, our perception of reality will influence how we interpret what others are saying and doing. We will see as threatening what others do not see as threatening. We may even become paranoid, feeling extremely worried or nervous because we believe other people do not like us or are trying to harm us.
What psychologists have found is that people who are paranoid will often put themselves in situations which reinforce their perceptions of reality. One might say that they go looking for trouble. For example, they may leave their car keys in the ignition, the driver’s side window wide open, and the car doors unlocked. They then complain that bad things are aways happening to them when someone steals their car.
In his Gospel the apostle John tells us—
Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart. John 2: 23-25 NLT
This, however, is no reason for us to become so distrustful of others that we become paranoid. While it is true that human beings have a sinful nature and are prone to do evil, it must also be recognized that God, when God created the world, declared it to be good, and that God’s grace is working in the world. We are living in a fallen world but not an utterly evil world. To view the material world as completely evil is to succumb to the ancient heresy of Gnosticism. It s a Gnostic worldview that Paul has in mind when he writes Timothy—
They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth. Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4: 3-5 NLT
While we may have no innate goodness of our own, being the fallen creatures that we are, having lost our original goodness and acquired a proclivity to rebel against God and to do what is not pleasing in God’s sight, following our own ways and the desire of our own hearts, not loving God with our whole heart, and not loving our neighbors as ourselves, God’s grace is at work in the world, in the people wo live around us, in those who live in other parts of the world, and in ourselves.
To prevent an attitude of negativism from pervading and dominating our thoughts and not expecting any good things to happen and considering only the bad side of situation, we need to keep this knowledge in our innermost thoughts more than anything else. As Jonah begrudgingly admitted, “I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.” God's character does not change.
The story of the Bible is that God did not turn his back on humanity after humanity, represented by Adam and Eve, disobeyed him. While it stretches over several books, that is the story which the Bible tells. In the end, God sent Jesus, his own Son, God himself in human flesh, fully human, fully divine, to redeem us from our fallen state and to bring about our reconciliation with God. This is the Good News about Christ in a manner worthy of which Paul urges us to conduct ourselves. Our words, our actions, and our lives are to be a proclamation of that Good News. We show and share the love of Jesus to all the world.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear Bernadette Farrell’s paraphrase of the Benedictus Dominus Deus, “Blest Be the Lord, the God of Israel.”
1 Blest be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who brings the dawn and darkest night dispels,
who raises up a mighty Saviour from the earth,
of David's line, a son of royal birth.
2 The prophets tell a story just begun
of vanquished foe and glorious vict'ry won,
of promise made to all who keep the law as guide:
God's faithful love and mercy will abide.
3 This is the oath once sworn to Abraham:
all shall be free to dwell upon the land,
free now to praise, unharmed by the oppressor's rod,
holy and righteous in the sight of God.
4 And you, my child, this day you shall be called
the promised one, the prophet of our God,
for you will go before the Lord to clear the way,
and shepherd all into the light of day.
5 The tender love God promised from our birth
is soon to dawn upon this shadowed earth,
to shine on those whose sorrows seem to never cease,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.
6 All glory be to God, Creator blest,
to Jesus Christ, God's love made manifest,
and to the Holy Spirit, gentle Comforter,
all glory be, both now and ever more.
Let us affirm our faith in God and his love for us.
We believe in one God,
who made us and loves all that is.
We believe in Jesus Christ,
God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was born, lived, died and rose again,
and is coming to call all to account.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
who calls, equips and sends out God’s people,
and brings all things to their true end.
This is our faith, the faith of the Church:
We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER
One or more people may pray.
Let us pray for all people, and for Christ’s church throughout the world.
Almighty and eternal God you have taught us to offer prayer and thanksgiving for all people.
In your mercy receive our prayers.
Set the nations on the path of righteousness and peace.
Direct all those in authority, especially…, our….., that under them the world may be godly and quietly governed.
Pour out your Spirit on your church, so that all who acknowledge your holy name may agree in the truth of your word and live in unity and godly love. Give grace to all ministers and leaders of the Church (especially …), to set forth your life-giving word by their example and teaching and rightly administer your holy sacraments.
Guide and prosper all those who are laboring for the spread of the gospel among the peoples of the world and enlighten with your Spirit all places of education and learning.
Give grace to your people gathered here, to receive your word with humble and obedient hearts and serve you in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives.
Save us through your heavenly benediction from drought, scarcity, and famine, and enable us with thankful hearts to enjoy the fruits of the earth in their season.
Comfort and sustain, merciful Lord, everyone in this fleeting life who is in sorrow, need, sickness, or any other distress (especially …).
We praise you for all who have died in the faith of Christ (especially …). Help us to follow their good examples, that with them we may inherit your heavenly kingdom.
Hear us, Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only mediator and advocate. Amen.
God, you have given us a lodging in this world
but not an abiding city.
Help us, as a pilgrim people, to endure hardness,
knowing that at the end of our journey
Christ has prepared a place for us.
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen.
Eternal God and Father,
by whose power we are created
and by whose love we are redeemed,
guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,
that we may give ourselves to your service
and live every day in love
to one another and to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us join together in the prayer Jesus gave us.
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 OUT OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve us. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to her Sylvia Dunstan’s “Go to the World!”
1 Go to the world! Go into all the earth.
Go preach the cross where Christ renews life's worth,
baptizing as the sign of our rebirth.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
2 Go to the world!
Go into every place.
Go live the word of God's redeeming grace.
Go seek God's presence in each time and space.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
3 Go to the world!
Go struggle, bless, and pray;
the nights of tears give way to joyous day.
As servant church, you follow Christ's own way.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
[Instrumental interlude]
4 Go to the world!
Go as the ones I send,
for I am with you till the age shall end,
when all the hosts of glory cry “Amen!”
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Those present may exchange a sign of peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
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