The Celebration of the Gospel
January 17, 2016 —2nd Sunday after Epiphany
“The Spirit of God is upon me… to bring good news to the poor.”
— Luke 4.18
_______ We Gather as the Body of Christ_______
GREETING
PRELUDE 8:15: Poème, Edvard Grieg
10:30: “Mystique” from Toot Suite – Claude Bolling (Richard Given, Trumpet)
[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.]
* CALL TO WORSHIP adapted from Ps. 36.5-10
[God is the source, the “fountain of life.” … “You give us drink from the river of your delights.”]
Leader: O God, your love reaches to the ends of the universe.
All: Your grace that saves all living things is as solid as a mighty mountain.
We take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
We feast on the abundance of your house; we drink from the river of your delights.
With you is the fountain of life. In your light, we see light.
We open our hearts to your love now and always,
your grace to all who will receive it!
* SONG There’s a Spirit in the Air Blue hymnal # 192
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
____________ We Attend to the Word__________
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG
“La Grâce” from Heldenmusik George Philipp Telemann
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Creator God, we confess that too much we live by our own wits and wants, and not by the leading of your Spirit. Yet your Spirit is within us. Speak to us now; revive your Spirit in us, and by it lead us in lives of faithfulness, love and justice, in the name of Christ. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT Isaiah 42.1-4
[God’s servant will establish justice and liberate the oppressed nonviolently— so gently as to not even break a bruised blade of grass.]
Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit within you;
you are to bring forth justice to the nations.
Do not cry or lift up your voice,
or make it heard in the street;
Gently, so as not to break a bruised reed
or quench a faint candle,
faithfully bring forth true justice.
You will not grow faint or be crushed
until you have established justice in the earth;
and far lands wait for your teaching.
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NEW TESTAMENT 1 Corinthians 12.1-11
[The Spirit moves in each of us differently, with different gifts, but there are not separate spirits: there is one Holy Spirit, and it is in us all.]
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
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GOSPEL Luke 4.14-21
[Jesus begins his ministry by quoting from Isaiah (61.1-2): “God has sent me to bring about justice for the poor, the powerless and the oppressed.”]
Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of God is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. God has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of God’s favor.”
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
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SERMON
SONG Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness Black hymnal # 2120
* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
We trust in God, Creator of all that is and all that shall be, who is continually creating and re-creating the world, and each of us, as images of God’s love.
We follow Jesus, God’s Anointed One, who in the power of God’s Spirit brought good news to the poor. He liberated people from the bondage of sickness, fear and shame. He confronted the powers of oppression and brought forth justice. He was crucified by the powers of this world, but raised from the dead by the grace of God.
The Spirit of God is upon us; and in the power of the Spirit we are followers of Christ, and members of the Body of Christ, devoted to transforming this world with the love of God. We commit ourselves to live lives of justice and mercy, to bring good news to the poor and release to captives in Christ’s name. We trust in the power of forgiveness, the reality of resurrection and the mystery of eternal life; and in the eternally present love of God in Christ. Amen.
* SONG Do Justice Steve G-H (Micah 6.8)
Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.
Lord, help us humbly live your justice, your love, your mercy.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
RESPONSE: This is my prayer. All: This is our prayer.
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.
PASSING THE PEACE
_____ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World______
OFFERING OUR GIFTS — Including Human Relations Day Offering
* OFFERING SONG O Young and Fearless Prophet Blue hymnal #444
* PRAYER
Gracious God, we give you these gifts as symbols of our lives. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. Send us in the power of your Spirit to change the world with your love: to work for justice and peace, to bring good news to the poor, to open the prisons, to join in the healing of the world, in the name of Christ. Amen.
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG Sent Out in Jesus’ Name Black hymnal #2184
* 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
8:15: Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven – John Goss, arr: Don Wyrtzen
10:30: “La Vaillance” from Heldenmusik – George Philipp Telemann
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]