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Woship Resources 2009-2010 — Year C: Live Generously, Love Courageously
Return to Year C: 2009-2010
Resource Index
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Be Generous and Ready to Share
Ordinary Time (Proper 21)
Scriptures: Jeremiah 32:1–3a, 6–15; Psalm 91:1–6, 14–16;
I Timothy 6:6–19;
Luke 16:19–31/16:24–36 IV; Alma 3:57–91; Doctrine and Covenants 162:8c
Prelude
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Prayer for Peace
Call to Worship: “The Call”
Choose readers for the Narrator and parts 1 and 2.
Narrator: The Good Shepherd calls you; in his own name he calls you,
which is the name of Christ!
1: Behold, he sends an invitation to all, for the arms of mercy are
extended.
2: Repent, and I will receive you.
1: Come to me and you shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life;
2: You shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely.
1: Come to me and bring forth works of righteousness.
Narrator: Behold, the glory of the King of all the earth, and also the
King of heaven, shall very soon shine forth among all people.
Behold and remember the Holy One.
—Adapted from Alma 3:57–91 by Pat Lowman in Prayers and
Readings for Worship, Vol. 2,
Peter Judd, ed. (Independence, MO: Herald Publishing House, 1996), 67.
*Hymn: “Christ Has Called Us to New Visions” SP 38
OR “Send Forth Thy Light, O Zion” HS 317
OR “Meet Me in a Holy Place” NS 36
*Invocation
*Response
Youth Focus
“Benjamin, a King Who Served Others”
This story is most effective if shared by a storyteller rather than just
reading it. It presents an opportunity to briefly discuss the meaning of
covenant and relate to the covenant made through baptism. Another
possibility for worship is to bring two large sheets of paper or poster
boards, printing the heading: “A follower of God is…” on one paper and “I
can serve God by helping others…” on the other. Then write down the group’s
responses. This story can be told with flannel graph or dramatized with
careful preparation.
“Teach [your children] to love one another and to serve one another” (Mosiah
2:27).
More than 470 years had passed since God led Lehi and his family to the
promised land. Children were born; families grew and spread out over the
land. Some of the people chose to follow the leadership of Nephi and were
called Nephites. Others followed Laman and Lemuel to become Lamanites. There
were frequent wars between these two groups of people.
The Nephite people lived in the land of Zarahemla under the leadership of
King Benjamin. King Benjamin wasn’t like most kings of the earth. He planted
crops, raised his own food, and provided for the needs of his family. He
didn’t just sit on a throne and expect people to bring things to him.
King Benjamin loved God and taught his children to love God. He read the
records Nephi had brought from Jerusalem and taught his children to read the
language of the plates. King Benjamin was very happy to have these wonderful
stories about God’s dealings with people. He wanted to share these stories
with everyone.
One day King Benjamin called his son Mosiah. “Mosiah, gather my people
together so I can talk to them. I have some good news to share.” Mosiah got
helpers and went all over the land of Zarahemla. People everywhere were
invited to come hear the king. Families prepared for the trip. They packed
tents, blankets, food, and clothes. They came and set up their tents so that
the doors faced the temple.
King Benjamin looked out from the temple. There were so many people!
Everywhere he looked were tents, parents, children, and old people. There
were too many to get inside the temple. King Benjamin had a tower built so
more people could see him, but only the ones close could hear. So King
Benjamin had his scribes write down his words so they could be shared with
all who had come.
It was a wonderful sermon. King Benjamin talked about love and serving
your neighbor. “Do to each other what you have seen me do for you. Work for
your family and share with those who have needs. Believe in God. Pray every
day. Tell God you’re sorry for your sins. Love your neighbor. If you borrow
something from someone, return it. God shares with you; you have a new
breath every minute.”
The people were touched by the wonderful words of King Benjamin. They
listened as he told of the coming of God’s son, Jesus, to the earth. How
they wished they could see him!
King Benjamin was thrilled to hear the promise his people made. Each one
said, “We are willing to enter into a covenant with our God. We will do
God’s will and keep his commandments.” King Benjamin had his scribes write
down the names of all the people who made this covenant. Then he gave his
people a very special name. “From this time forth you shall be called ‘The
children of Christ’ for you have become his sons and daughters.”
King Benjamin smiled at his happy people. He knew how very much God loved
them. He believed they would keep their promises. King Benjamin appointed
his son Mosiah to be the next king and then set apart priests to teach the
people the wonderful message of love. “Remember when you are in the service
of others, you are only in the service of God.”
—Hazel Imrie Scott, Heroes of the Book of Mormon
(Independence, MO: Herald Publishing House, 1986), 277–78.
Hymn: “Source of All Gifts” HS 400
OR “Lord, I Give You” NS 32
OR Ministry of Music
Scripture for Confessional Reflection: Psalm 91:14–16
Let us always look to the Lord for our protection and salvation rather
than to our own resources. In loving and sharing with others, we love God.
Disciples’ Generous Response
Each Sunday, as part of the Disciples’ Generous Response, we ask you to
integrate the message of “share equally” between Local and World Ministries
Mission Tithes. Generosity stories are provided to keep the church in touch
with how contributions to Mission Tithes spread the peace of Jesus Christ.
Please use the stories, testimonies, and up-to-date contribution information
as part of your offertory ministry. Visit
www.CofChrist.org/generositystories to print a copy, or contact your
pastor, congregational financial officer, or worship coordinator for a copy.
Blessing and Receiving of Mission Tithes
Sermon
Based on I Timothy 6:6–19
*Hymn: “Companions on the Journey” NS 7
OR “Let Your Heart Be Broken” HS 377
*Benediction
*Sending Forth: Doctrine and Covenants 162:8c
*Response
*Postlude
Sermon Helps
Scriptures: Jeremiah 32:1–3a, 6–15; Psalm 91:1–6, 14–16; I Timothy
6:6–19;
Luke 16:19–31/16:24–36 IV
Exploring the Scriptures
The writer of this letter is raising a common theme and caution to God’s
people. Love of money and the desire to be rich can create temptations and bring
about decisions that draw us away from our faith journey with God. Many times we
interpret these scriptural warnings to mean that being rich is wrong or not
acceptable. However, the writer wants us to understand something much deeper and
available to all of God’s people.
God is generous, and for us to be generous we must first acknowledge as the
scripture does that “God…gives life to all things.” God’s gift of life, and
first gift, is Jesus Christ who, as we are told in John 3:16, came “so that
everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” The
question is, “Will we receive this gift and pursue righteousness, godliness,
faith, love, endurance, and gentleness?”
Have you ever received a gift and not opened or acknowledged it? Doctrine and
Covenants 85:7 (adapted) tells us: For what does it profit persons if a gift is
bestowed on them and they receive not the gift? Behold, they rejoice not in the
gift given to them, neither do they rejoice in the giver of the gift.
Being generous and ready to share means we allow Christ to awaken us and our
capacity to be generous to others. Rich or not, all have the opportunity to be
the means for God’s generosity to pass through them.
Central Ideas
1. God is generous by giving life to all things through Jesus Christ.
2. Receive God’s generous gift of life in Christ and pursue
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.
3. As disciples, we are to receive God’s gift of life and not be tempted
by the world’s many diversions that come from a desire for wealth.
Questions for the Speaker
1. How would your understanding of generosity change if you first saw
yourself as the body of Christ and an extension of God’s gift to the world?
2. Have you received a blessing (gift)? How has that gift prepared you to
share generously with another person?
3. It has been said that the love of money is the root of all evil. Do
you believe this? Why or why not?
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