The Celebration of the Gospel
August 14, 2016 —13th Sunday after Pentecost
Do not be afraid, little flock,
for it is God’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
— Luke 12.32
We Gather as the Body of Christ
GREETING
PRELUDE The Last Rose of Summer
F. von Flotow, Nancy Vaccaro, Flute
[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: Happy is the Nation whose God is the Lord.
All: We are God’s people, chosen to receive the Lord’s heritage.
Leader: Our God looks down from heaven;
All: God sees all humankind.
Leader: God watches all the inhabitants of the earth.
All: God fashions all our hearts and observes all our deeds.
* SONG Christ for the World We Sing
Blue hymnal # 568
CHILDREN’S TIME
[We invite you to sign and pass the red attendance pads down the row and across the aisle—
and back again, so you can learn your neighbor’s names.]
We Attend to the Word
THE WORD IN SONG The Blessing
Graham & Downes, Nancy Vaccaro, soloist
PRAYER OF THE DAY (adapted from the Church of Scotland, 20th century, alt.)
Holy and Gracious God, you are the hope of all the earth; you are the God of all. Hear our prayer for all races, genders, nationalities and families in the world you have created in love. Turn our hearts to you and to each other that hatred, prejudice, and contempt for those who are different from us may be removed from our hearts and minds. Fill us with your Holy Spirit; guide us into new ways of living that your desire for us may be fulfilled, and we may live in unity with you and all creation. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 15:1-6
After all these things, this word of God came to Abram in a vision: “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I’m your shield. Your reward will be grand!”
Abram said, “God, Master, what use are your gifts as long as I’m childless and Eliezer of Damascus is going to inherit everything?” Abram continued, “See, you’ve given me no children, and now a mere house servant is going to get it all.”
Then God’s Message came: “Don’t worry, he won’t be your heir; a son from your body will be your heir.” Then he took him outside and said, “Look at the sky. Count the stars. Can you do it? Count your descendants! You’re going to have a big family, Abram!”
And he believed! Believed God! God declared him “Set-Right-with-God.”
RESPONSE: The Word of life. All: Thanks be to God.
*PSALTER Psalm 33:16-22
Leader: A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by strength.
All: The war horse is a vain hope for victory, by its great might, it cannot save.
Leader: God sees those who respect the Lord’s way; on those who hope in love’s power.
All: You deliver our souls from death; and keep us alive in famine.
Leader: Our souls wait for the Lord; the Lord is our hope and our shield.
All: Our heart is glad in the Lord, because we trust God’s holy name.
Leader: Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
All: for we always trust in you.
NEW TESTAMENT Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd. By faith, we see the world called into existence by God’s word, what we see created by what we don’t see.
By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations – the City designed and built by God.
By faith, barren Sarah was able to become pregnant, old woman as she was at the time, because she believed the One who made a promise would do what he said. That’s how it happened that from one man’s dead and shriveled loins there are now people numbering into the millions. Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world.
People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home. If they were homesick for the old country, they could have gone back any time they wanted. But they were after a far better country than that – heaven country. You can see why God is so proud of them, and has a City waiting for them.
RESPONSE: The Word of God for the people of God. All: Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL Luke 12:32-40
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
RESPONSE: The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. All: Thanks be to God.
SERMON
SONG We Are Called
Black hymnal # 2172
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 Mother, 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 All Things Bright And Beautiful
Tune: ROYAL OAK, arr: Robert F. Swift
*OFFERING SONG We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise
Black Hymnal #2031
*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 out to live for you and each other for the sake of the healing of the world, in the name of Christ. Amen.
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG Here I Am, Lord
Blue hymnal #593
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
* RESPONSE Please stand and sing to your 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 “WEBB”
Jason D. Payne