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Woship Resources 2009-2010 — Year C: Live Generously, Love Courageously
Return to Year C: 2009-2010
Resource Index
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Seek God’s Peace
Ordinary Time (Proper 27)
Scriptures: Haggai 1:15b—2:9; Psalm 145:1–5, 17–21;
II Thessalonians 2:1–5, 13–17; Luke 20:27–38; Jacob 5:30; Doctrine and Covenants
163:4a
Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship: The Leader should be an older child.
Leader: Let every living thing bless God’s name! Lord, you are gracious
and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
Women: …slow to anger and rich in love!
Leader: You lift up those who are falling
and raise up those who are oppressed.
Men: …lift up those falling and raise up the oppressed!
Women: The eyes of all look to you in hope,
and you give them their food in due season.
Men: You open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
Leader: You are just in all your ways
and loving toward all that you have created.
Women: …just and loving toward all!
Leader: You are near to all who call upon you,
all who call upon you in truth.
Men: …near to all who call in truth!
Leader: Let every living thing bless God’s name!
Women: Let every living thing bless God’s name!
Men: Let every living thing bless God’s name!
All: My mouth will speak your praise, Lord.
May all creation bless your holy name forever and ever!
—Psalm 145:8–21 The Inclusive Psalms adapted
*Hymn of Praise: “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” HS 32
OR “All Creatures of Our God and King” HS 72
OR “I’m Gonna Shout and Sing” NS 20
*Prayer of Praise and Invocation
*Response
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. Offertory 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.
Reflection: Haggai 2:6–9
The Hebrew word which was translated as “prosperity” in the preceding
scripture is shalom. A broader understanding of shalom is peace,
completeness, and welfare. As we struggle for meaning in a time of economic
uncertainty and spiritual searching, Haggai still points us toward a promise
that God will give wholeness in all things—spiritual, physical, and
mental—not merely affluence or financial prospering. God’s prosperity arises
when our community priorities are based on spiritual values. When we seek
God’s prosperity, we are truly seeking God’s peace.
Offertory Scripture: Doctrine and Covenants 163:4a
Blessing and Receiving of Oblation and Mission Tithes
Communion Message
Based on Haggai 1:15b—2:9
Hymn: “O Christ Who by a Cross” SP 30
OR “Church of Christ, in Latter Days” HS 291
OR Ministry of Music
OR “Hosea” NS 15
Scripture for Confessional Reflection and Communion Preparation: Jacob 5:30
Lord, if we have mislead because of what we believed, help us to make it
right and the truth be known.
Blessing and Serving of the Bread
Blessing and Serving of the Wine
Scripture for Peace: Doctrine and Covenants 161:2a
Prayer for Peace
*Hymn: “Song of Shalom” SP 40
OR “Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus HS 201
OR “Take the Path of the Disciple” R-19
*Sending Forth: II Thessalonians 2:14–17
*Response: Use the same child leader.
Leader: Let every living thing bless God’s name!
Women: Let every living thing bless God’s name!
Men: Let every living thing bless God’s name!
All: May all creation seek God’s prosperity, seek God’s peace, and bless
God’s name forever and ever!
*Postlude
Sermon Helps
Scriptures: Haggai 1:15b—2:9;
Psalm 145:1–5, 17–21; II Thessalonians 2:1–5, 13–17; Luke 20:27–38
Exploring the Scriptures
Haggai is one of the twelve “minor” prophets whose writings appear in the Old
Testament. They are called minor because their writings are shorter, not because
their message is less important, than Isaiah and Jeremiah—for instance. Haggai
consists of only two chapters. In this passage the prophet is addressing those
who have returned from exile and find the temple destroyed. For good reason, the
people are discouraged. He asks, “How does it look to you now? Is it not in your
sight as nothing?” (v. 3). But Haggai goes on to call his listeners to “take
courage” (v. 4). The reason why the people should have courage is because the
Lord is with them, according to God’s promise dating back to when they were
freed from Egypt (vv. 4–5).
This is a lesson for all people in all times, and is certainly for today.
There are many reasons to feel discouraged and to look back wishfully on former
times when it seems, from today’s vantage point, that things were better. The
prophet counsels the people not to fear, because God’s Spirit abides with them.
That is always wise counsel. God’s presence with us is what we can always count
on, even when times get rough.
Haggai, in verses 6 and 7, goes on to prophesy that God will shake things up;
they will not remain as they are. And in verse 9 he says that the splendor of
the new temple that will be built will exceed that of the old one that was
destroyed. This is a very future-oriented passage. The people are not to remain
in the past or even the present but are to have confidence that God will do a
new thing in the future. For those who have confidence in God, there is every
reason to hope.
In the last verse, the NRSV uses the word “prosperity”; but this can be
misleading. It has been used by many as support for the idea that those who
follow God’s laws and ways will be rewarded with material prosperity. However,
the King James and Inspired versions use the word “peace,” which in its broadest
sense means wholeness. This is the promise for those who trust in God during
times of adversity, those who have hope when there appears no reason to have it.
In the words of today’s theme, we are called to “seek God’s peace.” This is
not a seeking where we spend time and energy looking for something that is lost.
Rather, God’s peace is much more likely to be found when we stop allowing
ourselves to be caught up by the hustle and bustle of life and the attempt to
fix all our problems ourselves. This peace comes to us as we rest in the promise
that God is always with us and trust that the future is in God’s hands.
Sharing in the Communion is an expression of God’s peace as found in Jesus
Christ. We receive the emblems in faith that God will always be present and that
Gods calls us to a new and unknown future.
Central Ideas
1. Putting our confidence in things of the past does not bring us real
hope.
2. God calls us to have courage in times of adversity.
3. God is working out new ways that will shake up the status quo.
4. God’s new creations will exceed the splendor of the old ones that have
been destroyed.
5. God offers us peace, and we seek it by opening ourselves to receive it
as God’s gift.
Questions for the Speaker
1. When have you looked back on something that no longer exists and
wished it were still there?
2. When have you heard God calling you to have courage? What was your
response?
3. Where do you see God’s new creation in the world around you? How does
what you see give you hope?
4. How have you experienced God’s peace—personally or in your family,
neighborhood, or congregation?
5. How is God’s peace found in the Lord’s Supper?
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