The Celebration of the Gospel
September 24, 2017 —16th Sunday after Pentecost
“Is God among us or not?”
— Exodus 17.7
________ We Gather as the Body of Christ______
GREETING
PRELUDE Rondo Espressivo C. P. E. Bach
[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, Creator of life, your sacred gift, we thank you!
All: Alleluia!
Loving Christ, offering of mercy, we praise you!
Alleluia!
Holy Spirit, energy of grace, you make us vessels of your gift.
Alleluia! We worship with full hearts. Alleluia!
* SONG He Leadeth Me Blue hymnal # 128, vv. 1-2
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
___________ We Attend to the Word___________
PRAYER
Merciful God, the world often seems unfair, confusing or threatening You are our solid ground, our mercy, our hope. Speak to us your peace. We open our hearts to your grace. Fill us with your Spirit, in the presence and love of Christ. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT Exodus 17.1-7
[The Israelites wandering in the desert complain, as usual—this time about having no water. God tells Moses to strike a rock with his staff, and out streams water.]
From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as Yahweh commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test your God?” But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?”
So Moses cried out to God, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” God said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested God , saying, “Is God among us or not?”
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PSALTER Psalm 4
[The Palmist criwes, “God, hear me,” and invites us to trust in God. God gives us joy, and provides the security in which we can lie down and sleep without fear.]
[Sung Response:] Be still my soul; the lord is on your side.
Answer me when I call, O God, source of my life!
You gave me room when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.
How long will I be entangled in the shame of this world?
How long beset by lies and illusions?
But I know that your arm is around the faithful;
you hear when I call to you.
Sisters and brothers, when you are disturbed, do not sin;
ponder it on your beds, and be silent.
Offer your heart to God,
and put your trust in the Lord.
There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!
Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!”
You have put gladness in my heart
more than when their grain and wine abound.
I will both lie down and sleep in peace;
for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.
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GOSPEL Matthew 20.1-16
[Jesus tells a parable: an employer hires workers in early morning, midday, afternoon, and at the end of the day¾and then pays them all exactly the same amount—a day’s living wage— no matter how long they worked. Bitterness ensues.]
Jesus said: The realm of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, the owner sent them into the vineyard. The owner then went out about nine o’clock, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. The owner also went out again about noon and about three o’clock, and did the same. And about five o’clock the owner went out and found others standing around; and said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said, “Because no one has hired us.” The owner said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.
When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to the manager, “Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But the owner replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” “So, Jesus said, “the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
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SERMON
SONG Saranam, Saranam Blue hymnal # 523, vv. 1-2
* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Creator God, we trust in you, maker of all, source of all life, giver of all blessings. You are the water of life flowing from the rock of all things.
Loving Christ, we follow you: embodying God’s love, you healed the broken, taught those who were open, and fed the hungry. You blessed and raised up all who were faltering. You walked with us in our struggles and even our death, crucified on a cross. But God raised you from death, for yours and ours is a story of grace.
Holy Spirit, we live by your grace. By your light in us we trust in God for life, for guidance, for power to serve in love. You make us vessels of your mercy and hope. Help us, God, to trust you and to serve you with our whole lives, with gratitude, courage and love, in the name and the Spirit of Christ. Amen.
* SONG Nothing Can Trouble Black hymnal # 2054
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 Ministry to the World_____
OFFERING OUR GIFTS How Can I Keep From Singing? Robert Lowry, arr: Lani Smith
* OFFERING SONG Doxology Blue hymnal #94
* PRAYER
Gracious God, we give you our lives, symbolized in these gifts. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. Give us the gift of trust in your grace, that relying wholly on you, we may let the water of your grace flow from the rock of our lives, for the sake of the healing of the world, in the name of Christ. Amen.
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG How Firm a Foundation Blue hymnal #529
* 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 Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah John Hughes, arr: Don Wyrtzen
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]