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Woship Resources 2009-2010 — Year C: Live Generously, Love Courageously
Return to Year C: 2009-2010
Resource Index
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Increase Our Faith
Ordinary Time (Proper 22)
Scriptures: Lamentations 1:1–6; Psalm 137; II Timothy
1:1–14; Luke 17:5–10; II Nephi 11:79; Doctrine and Covenants
162:7c
Each of the services in October includes a parable told by Jesus. A
month-long worship center may be used with additional items being included each
Sunday. For today’s theme, include a representation of seeds and a small plant
or similar symbolism to represent faith. Additionally, the children’s Sunday
school classes could assist in the preparation of the worship center each week
by creating an illustration of their interpretation of the morning’s parable.
Several of the children could share in presenting the illustration for inclusion
in the worship center as part of the welcome and sharing of good news.
Prelude
Hymn of Gathering: “O Lord, Grace Our Communion” HS 1
OR “Gather Us In” SP 4
OR “As We Gather” NS 3
Welcome and Sharing of Good News
Scripture for Peace: II Nephi 11:79
Prayer for Peace
Call to Worship
“God with Us”
Our Maker and Sustainer,
Our hearts are filled with your presence!
You are our comforter, our counselor,
our ever-present help, and our friend,
—nearer than any other
—knowing us and calling us each by name!
You are our God—and we are your people!
Bless us now with calmness and strength.
Settle us,
center us,
and fill us with your Spirit!
May we—each one—in this place that is so blessed with peace, sense your
presence—your abiding faithfulness!
We are here together, supporting one another
—bringing all our struggles, complexities, and fears;
—bringing all our weakness and sin, our pain and our grief;
—but bringing, too, all our incipient strength and our ability to grow,
—striving to be one family
—in love and kindness and thoughtfulness and patience,
—united and bonded by your love, loving you and loving one another!
May the certainty—that you are with us
—fill us with strength beyond what we have known before!
May we be filled now (at this moment) with faith and expectancy!
—having no fear
—knowing full-well that you are with us!
In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.
—Virginia Bruch in Prayers and Readings for Worship,
Vol. 2, Peter Judd, ed.
(Independence, MO: Herald Publishing House, 1996), 16.
*Hymn of Praise: “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” HS 20
OR “How Majestic Is Your Name” NS 16
*Invocation
*Response
Scripture Reading: Luke 17:5–10
This scripture may be read or used as a children’s focus moment. Include
questions for the children about the scripture and the point that Jesus was
making. Possible questions could include the following:
• What does Jesus say about faith? Is it possible to increase our
faith?
• Why do you think Jesus says that we should not be praised for doing
what we are supposed to do?
Homily
Based on Luke 17:5–10
Hymn of Preparation: “Father, Who in Jesus Found Us” HS 331
OR Meditation Music
“That’s What Faith Must Be” by Michael Card from Joy in the Journey
audio CD. ASIN: B000005KXG.
OR “Eat This Bread” Sing three times. NS 8
Communion emblems may be prepared during the singing of the hymn or
meditation music.
Scripture for Confessional Reflection and Preparation for Communion:
II Timothy 1:3–7
Forgive our cowardice, Lord. Increase our faith beyond our tears.
Sacrament of Communion
Blessing and Serving of Bread
Blessing and Serving of Wine
Instrumental music during the serving of the emblems might include
“Let Us Break Bread Together” HS 342 and “You Satisfy the Hungry
Heart” HS 345.
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.
Scripture: Doctrine and Covenants 162:7c
Blessing and Receiving of Oblation and Mission Tithes
Pastoral Prayer
*Hymn of Sending Forth: “Sent Forth by God’s Blessing” HS 493
OR “With a Steadfast Faith” HS 497
OR “Go, My Children” SP 44
*Sending Forth
May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and
peace. I know that faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you
to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you. For God has not given us
a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. For God saved us and
called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but
because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his
grace through Christ Jesus.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard
the precious truth that has been entrusted to you. Go in Peace. Amen.
—II Timothy 1:1–14 New Living Translation adapted
*Postlude
Sermon Helps
Scriptures: Lamentations 1:1–6; Psalm 137; II Timothy 1:1–14;
Luke 17:5–10
Exploring the Scriptures
Luke places the disciples’ request for increased faith immediately after the
difficult lesson on forgiveness, as if the disciples were protesting: “Wait a
minute! It’s too hard to forgive that many times in one day! Increase our faith
so we can follow your teaching.” Jesus’ response begins with a mild rebuke: “If
you had faith the size of a mustard seed….” The implication is that the faith of
the disciples is even tinier than one of the small black seeds of the local
mustard plant. The rest of the statement appears to provide hope and comfort.
Even faith so tiny can uproot a sycamine tree (in the King James version) and
replant it in the sea. The image, however, is full of both humor and warning.
The sycamine tree is a large mulberry tree with deep, spreading roots. To
uproot it would take an immense amount of effort and time. It would create quite
a sensation among any observers. But apart from creating a sensation, what would
be accomplished? Uprooting a sycamine would undoubtedly kill the tree.
Furthermore, planting one in the sea would have no purpose at all, for the roots
would find no hold in the sea bottom, and the salt water would kill it. The
image presented, then, is of a tiny bit of faith being used to no good purpose.
Paraphrased, it might read, “If you had even a tiny bit of faith, you’d probably
use it to uproot a mulberry tree and plant it in the sea!”
Human beings are eager to ask for increased faith, but our motivation is
often suspect. How do we intend to use or demonstrate that faith? Jesus calls
his disciples to forgive seven times in one day, if necessary—something that we
are capable of, but often unwilling to do. It does, indeed, require faith—faith
in the person who is repentant and faith in our own ability to keep loving and
forgiving. Even a tiny bit of faith will do; but if the investment of faith is
flashy, public, with a demonstration of effort and self-righteousness, we will
defeat the purpose and destroy relationships in the process.
Forgiveness is a delicate thing, deeply rooted in grace and love. A quiet
expression of faith in a person who is repentant can empower transformation and
stabilize a relationship in love. The sacrament of Communion is a sacrament of
forgiveness and celebrates the relationships with one another and with God in
community. Let us increase our faith in one another and in God so that we may
help heal and empower those relationships.
Central Ideas
1. Even a small amount of faith can bring big results.
2. Faith is to be used to bring life and grace, not to demonstrate
arbitrary power.
3. A flashy display of faith can defeat its purpose of deepening our
relationship with God and with others.
Questions for the Speaker
1. When you ask for an increase in faith, what is your motivation?
2. Are you asking God to be responsible for doing something, or cause you
to do something you should take responsibility for yourself?
3. When have you experienced an increase of faith? How did it help you?
What purpose was accomplished?
4. When is it appropriate to ask God for increased faith?
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