Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, September 1, 2024)
Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.
Calloway County, in which Murray is located, is one of several western Kentucky counties that has been officially declared to be in a drought. August has been a very dry month. Calloway is a rural county, and the lack of rainfall may have a negative impact upon agriculture in the county. It will increase the risk of wildfire. Trees and grass are already showing the effects of the drought.
Gardeners will have to water their gardens more often. Otherwise, what plants they have in their garden will not flourish. Plants need water to grow as well as sunlight and good soil.
Our lives in some ways resemble a garden. The things in our life to which we give the most attention flourish and those which we neglect, they do not thrive.
Being human, we may not always give enough attention to what rightly warrants our attention, and we may give more attention to the things that we would do well to let go off—things like anger and resentment. We water these negative feelings, and they take over our life.
In the message we look at what the Scriptures teach us about anger.
GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link in a new tab to hear Carl P. Daw Jr.’s paraphrase of the Benedicite, “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.
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.
3 O men and women everywhere,
lift up a hymn of glory;
let all who know God's steadfast care
tell out salvation's story.
No tongue be silent; sing your part,
you humble souls and meek of heart:
exalt the God who made you.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
Hear God’s word to all who turn to Christ:
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish
but have eternal life.
God has promised forgiveness
to all who truly repent,
turn to Christ in faith
and are themselves forgiving.
In silence we call to mind our sins.
Silence
Let us confess our sins.
Merciful God,
we have sinned
in what we have thought and said,
in the wrong we have done
and in the good we have not done.
We have sinned in ignorance:
we have sinned in weakness:
we have sinned through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry.
We repent and turn to you.
Forgive us, for our Saviour Christ’s sake,
and renew our lives to the glory of your name. Amen.
Almighty God, who pardons all who truly repent,
forgive our sins, strengthen us by the Holy Spirit,
and keep us in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear “Glory to God” from Marty Haugen’s Mass of Creation.
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father,
Amen. Amen.
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17
Let us pray.
Silence
Gentle Father,
show us our sins as they really are
so that we may truly renounce them
and know the depth and richness of your mercy.
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy (chapter 4, beginning at verse 1).
“And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live, so you may enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you.
Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’ For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him? And what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am giving you today?
“But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to ear Mark Haas’ responsorial setting of Psalm 15, “The One Who Does Justice Will Live in the Presence of the Lord.”
The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Whoever walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes reproach with his neighbor;
by whom the reprobate is despised,
honoring those who fear the LORD.
The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and takes no bribes with the innocent.
Whoever does these things
shall never be disturbed.
The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Silence
A reading from the Letter of James (chapter 1, beginnning at verse 17).
Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s “Word of Truth and Life.”
1 Praise the God of all creation, God of mercy and compassion.
Alleluia, alleluia, praise the word of truth and life!
2 Tree of Life and endless wisdom, be our root, our growth and glory:
Alleluia, alleluia, praise the word of truth and life!
3 Living Water, we are thirsting for the Life that you have promised:
Alleluia, alleluia, praise the word of truth and life!
4 Come, O Spirit, kindle fire in the hearts of all your people:
Alleluia, alleluia, praise the word of truth and life!
5 Praise the God of all creation, God of mercy and compassion.
Alleluia, alleluia, praise the word of truth and life!
The Holy Gospel according to Mark (chapter 7, beginning at verse 1)
Praise and glory to God.
One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, as required by their ancient traditions. Similarly, they don’t eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.)
So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.”
Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,
‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’
For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.”
Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”
Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.”
Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowd, and his disciples asked him what he meant by the parable he had just used. “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)
And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”
Silence
This is the Gospel of Christ.
Praise to Christ, the Word.
What Do the Scriptures Teach Us About Anger?
A study conducted by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London, in partnership with the University of Oxford, and published in the journal, Scientific Reports, found that while humans are highly confident that they understand the feelings and opinions of people whose point of view differs from their own, they are often wrong in the assumptions they make about others.
This study caught my attention because it supported what I have observed on social media. People speak confidently about what they assume is the viewpoint of someone with whom they disagree (and of whom they may disapprove), but their assumptions have no basis in fact and are the product of their own imagination. They then may lash out against that person, criticizing them in a very forceful, unkind, and rude way; impugning their character, honesty, or ability; calling them names; and even demonizing them.
This is bad enough when they make no pretense of being a Christian. It is worse when they identify themselves as a Christian and use the few occasions that the gospels tell us that Jesus became angry to justify their own tirades. They are using these passages to sidestep what the Scriptures teach about anger, particularly, what Jesus himself taught. They are doing something not too far different from what the Pharisees and the teachers of religious law did. They are reading a passage of Scripture and either paying no attention to what it teaches or inventing a way of denying its force in their minds. They are failing to heed the apostle James’ advice to those to whom he wrote his letter—to do more than just listen to God’s Word but also to do what it says and not forget what they have heard.
The twenty-first century has been dubbed “the age of outrage” due to the ease and frequency with which people become angry at others online and the degree to which they become angry. Because of this growing tendency to react in a very angry way to what someone else says or does and not to show them grace, I believe that it would be fruitful for us to take a look at what the Scriptures teach us about anger. What is written in these passages of Scripture is applicable to us. It is not something that can be dismissed as having been applicable in biblical times but is no longer applicable today. It is just as true today as it was then.
Psalm 4:4 cautions us, “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.” If we are easily angered and allow just about everything to trigger our anger, we have surrendered control of ourselves to our anger. Anger distorts how we see situations and people. Anger can affect our grasp on reality, on the state of things as they are, and in turn, our judgment, our ability to think about someone or something carefully and to make good decisions. As my grandmother was wont to say, “A still tongue makes a wise head.” Saying something in the heat of anger may not only do harm to someone else but it also may do harm to ourselves. We may experience unwanted and unwelcome repercussions as a result of what we said.
Psalm 37: 8 warns us against the danger of harboring feelings of anger and suddenly giving expression to these feelings. “Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm.”
Proverbs 22:24-25 warns us against the effects of being around people who are always angry and people who are easily angered. “Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.” They can have an unwholesome influence on our attitudes, ways of thinking, and behavior. Their anger can be contagious. They also set a bad example. We can be drawn into their distorted view of themselves, others, and the world.
Some people use their anger to control others. They may explode when others do not comply with their demands and use the threat of an explosive outburst to intimidate a spouse or partner or child. They may repeatedly bully someone to keep them under their control, humiliating and degrading them. They may become physically violent toward that person and abuse them. Or they may give others the silent treatment, not speaking to them or speaking to them very little. A child who has an angry parent who bullies them may bully his peers at school. Children who are physically abused often are physically abusive toward children when they become adults. A child who witnesses one parent repeatedly give the silent treatment to the other parent may internalize that behavior.
Proverbs 29: 22 describes the shortcomings of people who are always angry and those of people who are easily angered. “An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.” Angry people are eager to fight or argue since fighting and arguing enables them to give expression to their anger. People who are easily angered do not think before they speak or act and consequently they are prone to say or do the wrong thing.
In the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5:21-24, Jesus points to the attention of his disciples and the crowd that gathered to hear him:
“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.
Jeus equates being angry with someone with killing that person. He takes a similar view of insulting someone by calling them rude names. Whe he speaks of cursing someone, he appears to be talking about becoming very angry with someone and saying or thinking unkind or cruel things about them, as well as wishing them harm and saying things intended to bring them bad luck. He also emphasizes pursuing reconciliation, becoming friendly again with someone who has something against us, over performing an important religious duty. While Jesus does not mention holding a grudge against someone, what he does say would exclude harboring strong feelings of anger and dislike for that person even over a short period of time and regardless of what may have happened.
The passage of Scripture from which Jesus took the second greatest commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Leviticus 19:18 says in its in entirety, ““Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. I believe that we can safely assume that Jesus was familiar with the entire passage. On the basis of the Parable of the Good Samaritan which identifies all people as our neighbors, the principle or truth underlying the first half of this passage is also applicable to ourselves and has bearing on how we should treat other people. We too are not to seek revenge or hold grudges. A passage in Mark’s Gospel, Mark 11: 25 supports this interpretation. Jesus instructs his disciples, “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”
Jesus recognized that grudges are a common reaction to negative feelings and events. They are not, however, something that is psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy for us to nurture. They can harm our relationship with God and our relationship with other people. The apostle John makes this point in 1 John 20. “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?” Our relationship with other people affects our relationship with God.
The converse is true too. If we love God, we will desire to please God. From Jesus’ teaching we learn that loving others and showing them grace is pleasing to God. In loving others and showing them grace, we give expression to our love for God.
In Ephesians 4:26 the apostle Paul echoes Psalm 4: 4. “And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry….” Paul goes on to warn that spiritual forces opposed to God can use our anger to establish a foothold in our lives. They can exploit it to their own ends.
In James 1: 19-21 from our New Testament reading the apostle James, the brother of Jesus, counsels us, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” Anger will not enable us to experience the kind of spiritual transformation that help us become closer to God and become more like Jesus in our character, our thoughts, and our actions.
“But didn’t Jesus experience anger?” you may have been wondering. Yes, he did. Jesus was fully human as well as fully divine. He experienced hunger, thirst, pain, sadness, and anger. Jesus, however, unlike us, was sinless. While he on several occasions displayed anger and was unflinchingly honest in what he said to the Pharisees and the teachers of the religious law, he did not indulge himself in name-calling, angry tirades, bullying, or anything of that nature. Rather he displayed those characteristics which the Scriptures associate with God. He was “merciful, compassionate, slow to get angry, and filled with unfailing love.” He was eager to forgive and not to punish. Jesus was unwilling to call down fire on a Samaritan village that refused to give hospitality to him and his disciples on their way to Jerusalem. He forgave the woman caught in adultery.
We need to be careful not to make too much of Jesus’ anger and unflinching honesty and use them to rationalize our own words and actions that fall far short of what Jesus taught and typified. If what we have examined can be summarized in a few words it is that it is not a good thing to let anger control us. This is not to say that is wrong to get angry but it is to say that we are going to do harm to others and ourselves if we give anger too greater place in our lives. It can overshadow and stifle our relationship with God and our relationship with others. It can keep us from being the true disciples of Jesus that we are called to be.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear Carey Landry’s “Abba Father.”
Abba, Abba Father
You are the potter,
we are the clay the work of Your hands.
Mold us, mold us and fashion us
Into the image of Jesus Your Son,
of Jesus your Son.
Abba, Abba Father
You are the potter,
we are the clay the work of Your hands.
Father, may we be one in You,
May we be one in You,
as He is in You and You are in Him.
Abba, Abba Father
You are the potter,
we are the clay the work of Your hands.
Abba, Abba, Abba, Abba!
Glory, glory and praise to You,
Glory and praise to You,
forever, amen, forever, amen.
Abba, Abba Father
You are the potter,
we are the clay the work of Your hands,
the work of Your hands.
Abba…
Let us confess our faith, as we say:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER
Let us pray for the Church and for the world, giving thanks for
God’s goodness.
God of heaven and earth, through Jesus Christ you promise to hear
us when we pray to you in faith with thanksgiving.
We pray for one another, for our families and friends, through
whom we learn to love and to be loved. Thank you for all who care
for us. Give us grace to serve Christ by serving our neighbours and
our community, loving others as he loves us.
Silence
God of love
grant our prayer.
We thank you for the unfailing love you hold out to everyone in
Jesus Christ. Comfort and heal those in sorrow, need, sickness or
any other trouble. Give them courage and hope in their distress,
and bless those who minister to them.
Silence
God of love
grant our prayer.
We remember with gratitude your many gifts to us in creation and
the rich heritage of this land. Help us and people everywhere
to share with justice and peace the resources of the earth. Give
wisdom to those in authority among us and to all leaders of the
nations.
Silence
God of love
grant our prayer.
We pray for your Church throughout the world, thanking you for
all who serve Christ and his kingdom. By your Spirit strengthen
your people for their work and witness in the world. Unite us in
your truth and love, that we who confess your name may also
reflect your glory.
Silence
God of love
grant our prayer.
We remember with thanksgiving all who have died in Christ, and
we rejoice at the faithful witness of your saints in every age,
praying that we may enter with them into the unending joy of your
heavenly kingdom.
Silence
God of love
grant our prayer.
Merciful God, you look with compassion on all who turn to you.
Hear the prayers of your people.
Grant that what we have asked in faith
we may by your grace receive;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Now to God who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we can ask or conceive,
by the power which is at work among us,
be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all ages.
Amen.
As our Saviour Christ has taught us, 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.
The Sending Forth of God’s People
Holy and everliving God,
by your power we are created
and by your love we are redeemed;
guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,
that we may give ourselves to your service,
and live each day in love to one another and to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Those present may extend their palms toward each other in a gesture of blessing.
May God, Creator, bless us and keep us,
may Christ be ever light for our lives,
may the Spirit of Love be our guide and path,
for all our days. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Delores Dufner’s “Go Forth in Peace.”
1 Go forth in peace, for Christ is your peace,
and God gives you peace in Christ.
Go forth in joy, for Christ goes with you;
wherever you go, Christ goes.
Daughters and sons of God in Christ Jesus,
share with the world the gift of God’s peace.
Go forth in peace, for Christ is your peace;
and God gives you peace in Christ.
2 Go forth to love as Christ loved the world,
as God has loved us in Christ.
Love all you meet, for love is of God,
and where love is, there is God.
When on the cross Christ died for all people,
he showed the depth and breadth of God’s love.
Go forth to love as Christ loved the world,
as God has loved us in Christ.
3 Go forth to serve as Christ served the world,
as God has served us in Christ.
Not to be served but to serve,
Christ came to teach us God’s way of life.
On that last night, with basin and towel,
Jesus knelt down and washed his friends’ feet.
Go forth to serve as Christ served the world,
as God has served us in Christ.
The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Those present may exchange a gesture of peace with these or similar words:
Peace be with you.
*In the video composer William Bradley Roberts is helping the Greater Richmond’s Children’s Choir to learn his composition “Let Us Bless the Lord: The Song of Creation.” See No. 885, Wonder, Love, and Praise (Church Publishing: 1997). This practice session captures the proper tempo of his composition. It also demonstrates how piano and other percussion instruments may be used to accompany the song.
The twenty-first century has been dubbed “the age of outrage” due to the ease and frequency with which people become angry at others online and the degree to which they become angry. Because of this growing tendency to react in a very angry way to what someone else says or does and not to show them grace, I believe that it would be fruitful for us to take a look at what the Scriptures teach us about anger. What is written in these passages of Scripture is applicable to us. It is not something that can be dismissed as having been applicable in biblical times but is no longer applicable today. It is just as true today as it was then.
Psalm 4:4 cautions us, “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.” If we are easily angered and allow just about everything to trigger our anger, we have surrendered control of ourselves to our anger. Anger distorts how we see situations and people. Anger can affect our grasp on reality, on the state of things as they are, and in turn, our judgment, our ability to think about someone or something carefully and to make good decisions. As my grandmother was wont to say, “A still tongue makes a wise head.” Saying something in the heat of anger may not only do harm to someone else but it also may do harm to ourselves. We may experience unwanted and unwelcome repercussions as a result of what we said.
Psalm 37: 8 warns us against the danger of harboring feelings of anger and suddenly giving expression to these feelings. “Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm.”
Proverbs 22:24-25 warns us against the effects of being around people who are always angry and people who are easily angered. “Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.” They can have an unwholesome influence on our attitudes, ways of thinking, and behavior. Their anger can be contagious. They also set a bad example. We can be drawn into their distorted view of themselves, others, and the world.
Some people use their anger to control others. They may explode when others do not comply with their demands and use the threat of an explosive outburst to intimidate a spouse or partner or child. They may repeatedly bully someone to keep them under their control, humiliating and degrading them. They may become physically violent toward that person and abuse them. Or they may give others the silent treatment, not speaking to them or speaking to them very little. A child who has an angry parent who bullies them may bully his peers at school. Children who are physically abused often are physically abusive toward children when they become adults. A child who witnesses one parent repeatedly give the silent treatment to the other parent may internalize that behavior.
Proverbs 29: 22 describes the shortcomings of people who are always angry and those of people who are easily angered. “An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.” Angry people are eager to fight or argue since fighting and arguing enables them to give expression to their anger. People who are easily angered do not think before they speak or act and consequently they are prone to say or do the wrong thing.
In the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5:21-24, Jesus points to the attention of his disciples and the crowd that gathered to hear him:
“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.
Jeus equates being angry with someone with killing that person. He takes a similar view of insulting someone by calling them rude names. Whe he speaks of cursing someone, he appears to be talking about becoming very angry with someone and saying or thinking unkind or cruel things about them, as well as wishing them harm and saying things intended to bring them bad luck. He also emphasizes pursuing reconciliation, becoming friendly again with someone who has something against us, over performing an important religious duty. While Jesus does not mention holding a grudge against someone, what he does say would exclude harboring strong feelings of anger and dislike for that person even over a short period of time and regardless of what may have happened.
The passage of Scripture from which Jesus took the second greatest commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Leviticus 19:18 says in its in entirety, ““Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. I believe that we can safely assume that Jesus was familiar with the entire passage. On the basis of the Parable of the Good Samaritan which identifies all people as our neighbors, the principle or truth underlying the first half of this passage is also applicable to ourselves and has bearing on how we should treat other people. We too are not to seek revenge or hold grudges. A passage in Mark’s Gospel, Mark 11: 25 supports this interpretation. Jesus instructs his disciples, “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”
Jesus recognized that grudges are a common reaction to negative feelings and events. They are not, however, something that is psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy for us to nurture. They can harm our relationship with God and our relationship with other people. The apostle John makes this point in 1 John 20. “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?” Our relationship with other people affects our relationship with God.
The converse is true too. If we love God, we will desire to please God. From Jesus’ teaching we learn that loving others and showing them grace is pleasing to God. In loving others and showing them grace, we give expression to our love for God.
In Ephesians 4:26 the apostle Paul echoes Psalm 4: 4. “And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry….” Paul goes on to warn that spiritual forces opposed to God can use our anger to establish a foothold in our lives. They can exploit it to their own ends.
In James 1: 19-21 from our New Testament reading the apostle James, the brother of Jesus, counsels us, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” Anger will not enable us to experience the kind of spiritual transformation that help us become closer to God and become more like Jesus in our character, our thoughts, and our actions.
“But didn’t Jesus experience anger?” you may have been wondering. Yes, he did. Jesus was fully human as well as fully divine. He experienced hunger, thirst, pain, sadness, and anger. Jesus, however, unlike us, was sinless. While he on several occasions displayed anger and was unflinchingly honest in what he said to the Pharisees and the teachers of the religious law, he did not indulge himself in name-calling, angry tirades, bullying, or anything of that nature. Rather he displayed those characteristics which the Scriptures associate with God. He was “merciful, compassionate, slow to get angry, and filled with unfailing love.” He was eager to forgive and not to punish. Jesus was unwilling to call down fire on a Samaritan village that refused to give hospitality to him and his disciples on their way to Jerusalem. He forgave the woman caught in adultery.
We need to be careful not to make too much of Jesus’ anger and unflinching honesty and use them to rationalize our own words and actions that fall far short of what Jesus taught and typified. If what we have examined can be summarized in a few words it is that it is not a good thing to let anger control us. This is not to say that is wrong to get angry but it is to say that we are going to do harm to others and ourselves if we give anger too greater place in our lives. It can overshadow and stifle our relationship with God and our relationship with others. It can keep us from being the true disciples of Jesus that we are called to be.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear Carey Landry’s “Abba Father.”
Abba, Abba Father
You are the potter,
we are the clay the work of Your hands.
Mold us, mold us and fashion us
Into the image of Jesus Your Son,
of Jesus your Son.
Abba, Abba Father
You are the potter,
we are the clay the work of Your hands.
Father, may we be one in You,
May we be one in You,
as He is in You and You are in Him.
Abba, Abba Father
You are the potter,
we are the clay the work of Your hands.
Abba, Abba, Abba, Abba!
Glory, glory and praise to You,
Glory and praise to You,
forever, amen, forever, amen.
Abba, Abba Father
You are the potter,
we are the clay the work of Your hands,
the work of Your hands.
Abba…
Let us confess our faith, as we say:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER
Let us pray for the Church and for the world, giving thanks for
God’s goodness.
God of heaven and earth, through Jesus Christ you promise to hear
us when we pray to you in faith with thanksgiving.
We pray for one another, for our families and friends, through
whom we learn to love and to be loved. Thank you for all who care
for us. Give us grace to serve Christ by serving our neighbours and
our community, loving others as he loves us.
Silence
God of love
grant our prayer.
We thank you for the unfailing love you hold out to everyone in
Jesus Christ. Comfort and heal those in sorrow, need, sickness or
any other trouble. Give them courage and hope in their distress,
and bless those who minister to them.
Silence
God of love
grant our prayer.
We remember with gratitude your many gifts to us in creation and
the rich heritage of this land. Help us and people everywhere
to share with justice and peace the resources of the earth. Give
wisdom to those in authority among us and to all leaders of the
nations.
Silence
God of love
grant our prayer.
We pray for your Church throughout the world, thanking you for
all who serve Christ and his kingdom. By your Spirit strengthen
your people for their work and witness in the world. Unite us in
your truth and love, that we who confess your name may also
reflect your glory.
Silence
God of love
grant our prayer.
We remember with thanksgiving all who have died in Christ, and
we rejoice at the faithful witness of your saints in every age,
praying that we may enter with them into the unending joy of your
heavenly kingdom.
Silence
God of love
grant our prayer.
Merciful God, you look with compassion on all who turn to you.
Hear the prayers of your people.
Grant that what we have asked in faith
we may by your grace receive;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Now to God who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we can ask or conceive,
by the power which is at work among us,
be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all ages.
Amen.
As our Saviour Christ has taught us, 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.
The Sending Forth of God’s People
Holy and everliving God,
by your power we are created
and by your love we are redeemed;
guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,
that we may give ourselves to your service,
and live each day in love to one another and to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Those present may extend their palms toward each other in a gesture of blessing.
May God, Creator, bless us and keep us,
may Christ be ever light for our lives,
may the Spirit of Love be our guide and path,
for all our days. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Delores Dufner’s “Go Forth in Peace.”
1 Go forth in peace, for Christ is your peace,
and God gives you peace in Christ.
Go forth in joy, for Christ goes with you;
wherever you go, Christ goes.
Daughters and sons of God in Christ Jesus,
share with the world the gift of God’s peace.
Go forth in peace, for Christ is your peace;
and God gives you peace in Christ.
2 Go forth to love as Christ loved the world,
as God has loved us in Christ.
Love all you meet, for love is of God,
and where love is, there is God.
When on the cross Christ died for all people,
he showed the depth and breadth of God’s love.
Go forth to love as Christ loved the world,
as God has loved us in Christ.
3 Go forth to serve as Christ served the world,
as God has served us in Christ.
Not to be served but to serve,
Christ came to teach us God’s way of life.
On that last night, with basin and towel,
Jesus knelt down and washed his friends’ feet.
Go forth to serve as Christ served the world,
as God has served us in Christ.
The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Those present may exchange a gesture of peace with these or similar words:
Peace be with you.
*In the video composer William Bradley Roberts is helping the Greater Richmond’s Children’s Choir to learn his composition “Let Us Bless the Lord: The Song of Creation.” See No. 885, Wonder, Love, and Praise (Church Publishing: 1997). This practice session captures the proper tempo of his composition. It also demonstrates how piano and other percussion instruments may be used to accompany the song.
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