The Celebration of the Gospel
November 10, 2019 — 22nd Sunday after Pentecost
Give to the emperor what is the emperor’s and give to God what is God’s.
—Luke 20.25
_____ We Are Received as Children of God_____
GREETING
PRELUDE – We Are God’s People – Johannes Brahms, arr: Fred Bock
[As we listen to the music we quiet our minds and bodies,
listen for our hearts’ deepest desires,
and become present to the Holy One who is lovingly present for us..]
BINGING OURSELVES
* CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Creator God, all that we have is yours.
All: We thank you for your abundant generosity.
All that we are is yours.
May our whole lives be your praise.
We are your precious coin. Stamp us with your image; spend us as you will.
We worship you now so that in all our living we may worship you, and serve you.
* SONG – When Morning Gilds the Skies – Blue hymnal # 185
_____We Are Transformed by the Love of Christ____
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG – Antiphon from Five Sacred Songs – Ralph Vaughan Williams
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
PRAYER
God of love, eternal creator, you have made us in your image. We are the evidence of your love. Speak your Word to us, shape us in your image, set your seal upon us, that we may be all you have created us to be. We pray in the company of Christ and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
NEW TESTAMENT Romans 14.7-9
(Paul says you are not “your own person.” You belong to God. )
We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to God, and if we die, we die to God; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are God’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be sovereign of both the dead and the living.
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(10:30) * PSALTER – Psalm 145.8-21 – Blue hymnal, page 857
(Psalm 145 proclaims one of the most repeated statements in the Hebrew Bible: God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. God raises the lowly and cares for those who struggle.)
The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The Holy One is good to all.
God is compassionate to every creature.
Everything you have created shall give thanks to you, O God,
and all your people shall bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your dominion,
and tell of your power,
to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your Realm.
Your Realm is an everlasting realm,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The Holy One is faithful in words,
and gracious in deeds.
God upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are oppressed.
The eyes of all look with hope to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand,
satisfying the desire of every living thing.
You are just in everything you do,
and kind in all your actions.
You are near to all who call on you,
to all who call on you in their hearts.
You fulfill the desire of all who revere you;
your hear their cry, and save them.
You watch over all who love you,
and destroy the corrupt.
My mouth will speak your praise, O God,
and all creation will bless your holy name forever and ever.
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GOSPEL – Luke 20.20-26
(Some leaders try to trick Jesus by asking a question with no right answer: is it right to pay the temple tax? (The tax was required by Roman law and prohibited by Jewish law.) Jesus answers them in a way that changes the topic from legal matters to our relationship with God.)
So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be honest, in order to trap him by what he said, so as to hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor. So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and you show deference to no one, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But he perceived their craftiness and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear?” They said, “The emperor’s.” He said to them, “Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were not able in the presence of the people to trap him by what he said; and being amazed by his answer, they became silent.
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SERMON – And to God what is God’s
SONG – I Belong to You – Steve G-H
Beloved, I belong to you.
You give me birth; you make me new,
your image formed, by Spirit stirred.
You are the Song; I am your Word.
Whatever pains I may endure,
I still belong. Your love is sure.
Since I am yours, your will I do.
I trust and give myself to you.
I am your coin to richly spend,
so spend me, God, as you intend.
You bless my end; you hold my worth;
send me to love throughout the earth.
Beloved, I belong to you.
Do with me what your love will do.
Bear me, and I, through ease or strife
will find in you eternal life.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
____ We Are Sent in the Power of the Holy Spirit__
RECEIVED… TRANSFORMED… SENT…
OFFERING OUR GIFTS – I Want Jesus To Walk With Me – – Traditional, arr: Larry Shackley
* OFFERING SONG – Take, O Take Me As I Am – John Bell
Take, O take me as I am; summon out what I shall be;
set your seal upon my heart and live in me.
* PRAYER
Gracious God, we give you our lives, symbolized in these gifts. Receive them with love, transform them with grace and use them according to your will. Send us, bearing your image, into the world. Spend us for love, for the sake of the healing of the world, in the name of Christ. Amen.
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG – Take My Life, and Let It Be – Blue hymnal #399
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE We stand and sing to our neighbors:
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.
POSTLUDE – Postlude on “God Of The Nations” – Tune: NATIONAL HYMN, arr: Matt McConnell