The Celebration of the Gospel
October 19, 2014 — 19th Sunday after Pentecost
Give to the emperor what is the emperor, and to God what is God’s.
— Matthew 22.21
_______ We Gather as The Body of Christ_______
GREETING
PRELUDE I Love You, Lord Laurie Klein, 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.]
* CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Holy One, source of life!
All: Divine Presence, blossoming of love!
Spirit of Unity, breathing among us!
We open the window of our hearts to your light.
We worship you in gratitude, in readiness, in peace. Alleluia!
* SONG We Gather Together Blue hymnal #131
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
____________ We Attend to the Word__________
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheep John Rutter
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of love, you hold our hearts in your hands.
God of love, you hold our lives in your light.
God of love, you hold our present in your care.
We are still, and we listen for your voice. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT Exodus 33.12-23
[Moses asks God, “If you are pleased with me and this people, then show me. If you are going with us on this journey, then we can go. But if you do not go with us, we cannot go on.” God replies, “I will go with you and give you peace.” Moses, still a little anxious, asks God, “Let me see you in all your glory.” God says, “You can’t see my face: what you can see is my mercy.” God passes by, but only lets Moses see God’s back.]
Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have said to me, “Bring up this people’; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, “I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.”
God said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Moses said,, “If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.” The Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”
Moses said, “Show me your glory, I pray.” And God said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, “The Lord’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.” And the Lord continued, “See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”
NEW TESTAMENT 1 Thessalonians 1.4-8
[Paul thanks God for the people of the church, and commends them: “When you received the good news of God’s grace, you didn’t just hear the words, you were changed by the power of the Holy Spirit, and despite persecution you became examples of faith for other people.” ]
My dear friends, God loves you, and we know God has chosen you to be God’s people. When we told you the good news, you didn’t just hear the words—you absorbed the power and assurance that come from the Holy Spirit. You knew what kind of people we were and how we helped you. So, when you accepted the message, you followed our example and the example of the Lord. You suffered, but the Holy Spirit made you glad. You became an example for all the Holy One’s followers in Macedonia and Achaia. And because of you, God’s message has spread everywhere in those regions. Now the news of your faith in God is known all over the world,
GOSPEL Matthew 22.15-22
[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.
Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
SERMON
SONG Take My Life and Let it Be Consecrated Blue hymnal #399
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
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, forever. Amen.
PASSING THE PEACE
_____ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World______
OFFERING OUR GIFTS: A REFLECTION
10:30 OFFERING MUSIC Softly And Tenderly Will Thompson, arr: Lee Evans
* OFFERING SONG We Give Thee but Thine Own
We give Thee but Thine own,
Whate’er the gift may be;
All that we have is Thine alone,
A trust, O Lord, from Thee.
May we Thy bounties thus
As stewards true receive,
And gladly, as Thou blessest us,
To Thee our firstfruits give.
* PRAYER
Gracious God, we are made in your image. We are yours. We give ourselves to you. Give us to the world, for the sake of the healing of all Creation, in the name of Christ. Amen.
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG Lord, Be Glorified Black hymnal # 2150
* 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 All Hail the Power Of Jesus’ Name Tune: DIADEM, arr: Anna Laura Page
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]