by Erica Blevins Nye
Greeting
Welcome people individually as they gather in. Select and ask someone at
this time to read the scripture after the welcome.
Official Welcome: “Welcome to this element of our worship! We have come to
the Refiner’s Fire.”
Scripture
Have a participant slowly read one of the following translations:
Malachi 3:1–3 New Living Translation
“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me…. The
messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says
the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “But who will be able to endure it when he comes?
Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a
blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. He
will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the
Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer
acceptable sacrifices to the Lord.”
Malachi 3:1–3 New Revised Standard Version
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me…. The messenger
of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of
hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he
appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as
a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and
refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in
righteousness.
Reading
Please read enthusiastically and loudly the text written in bold print.
Take your time.
God’s grace burns for us.
It is a flame that is never extinguished and is always present.
God’s fire warms us.
We stretch out our hands toward it and gather near it for comfort.
But Christ calls us to go beyond warming our own hearts.
To fully become believers, to be disciples,
Jesus calls us—Step into the Fire!
We must let it consume us.
Only by standing in the bright blaze of God’s grace, can we really become
followers of Jesus: God’s servants to the world.
We are all like raw precious metals.
God sees into our rough, dirty form and recognizes the great potential within
us.
Others may not see it.
Most likely we do not see it ourselves. It’s buried inside.
“I feel comfortable in my current state. I feel solid.
God loves me just the way I am, right?
But so often I can’t hear God’s voice? God is strangely silent.
I don’t hear you anymore. I don’t feel you.
Why won’t the Lord move in my life?”
But the fire of Christ is burning!
Often our own distractions and selfishness keep us from sensing it.
Often we only recognize God’s movement, God’s powerful nearness, when we
are challenged to move ourselves—to change.
We must be willing to be transformed, to be melted—
to let God move us and shape us beyond our comfort.
Jesus calls us—Step into the Fire!
Jesus, God’s Messiah, came to us. He was with us and is still with us.
God’s amazing grace offered us forgiveness and love, despite our brokenness.
It is overwhelming, and it is undeserved.
How can we stand in God’s perfect presence and not painfully recognize our own
unworthiness? our own imperfections? our own addictions and distractions?
God loves us anyway.
God loves us enough to still see our potential and make use of us.
Our Creator burns to use us for God’s own purposes:
for the blessing and care of others,
and to build communities of Christ’s peace.
That’s why we’re here!
We are all like raw precious metals.
We must let God be a metalworker, refining us, heating us to remove our mixed-in
impurities.
When the Refiner steeps the ore in the fire, the pure precious metal melts and
separates from the dross, the impurities. He skims off the dirt.
Jesus calls us—Step into the Fire!
Let’s stand in God’s presence and let go of those things that keep us from
being faithful servants.
Seek forgiveness.
And learn to let go of selfish ways and habits that distract from God’s greater
purposes for us.
When the blacksmith or metalworker heats the metal, it becomes flexible and
moldable. It becomes ready to be shaped for God’s creative plans, crafted into
something we could have never imagined on our own:
a spoon for feeding the hungry
a tool for harvesting souls
a coin for lifting the poor
a beautiful ring to honor a relationship
We must be melted. We must be bent.
Jesus calls us—Step into the Fire!
God’s burning love for all of creation requires us to repent and be changed.
Let’s bravely go, do, and become what God calls us to.
For we are not created to live just as we are, for ourselves.
We are to be shaped to serve others.
It might be uncomfortable.
It might be difficult.
It might even be painful.
But there is no other way to be a disciple.
Jesus calls us—Step into the Fire!
Jesus calls me—Step into the Fire!
Jesus calls me—Step into the Fire!
(Keep repeating and gesture for the group to join in energetically.)
Jesus calls me—Step into the Fire!
Jesus calls me—Step into the Fire!
Jesus calls me—Step into the Fire!
Jesus calls me—Step into the Fire!
Be moved. Be melted. Be molded.
Then we will shine!
And the Refiner’s face will be reflected in us!
