|
Woship Resources 2008-2009 — Year B: Be a Sanctuary of Christ's Peace
Return to Year B: 2008-2009
Resource Index
Sunday, February 1, 2009
God’s Forever Covenant
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany (Ordinary Time)
Scriptures: Deuteronomy 18:15–20; Psalm 111; I
Corinthians 8:1–13; Mark 1:21–28/1:19–25 IV; III Nephi 13:56; Doctrine and
Covenants 98:5k
Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship: Responsive Reading
Leader: God’s forever covenant, the everlasting covenant, calls to us.
People: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in
us the fire of your love.
Leader: Spirit, open the Word of God to us; anoint us as disciples;
entrust us with the gifts we need to build your kingdom, to renew the
eternal covenant with God’s people.
People: Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created, and renew your
kingdom on the earth.
Leader: You are God Almighty; walk with us so we can be holy. We want to
refresh the covenant between us.
People: Praise and thanksgiving to our God who is faithful forever.
Leader: Help us not forget your covenant; write it on our hearts.
People: Praise and thanksgiving to God who treasures us. We are called
God’s own.
Leader: The Lord says, “I will make a covenant of peace with them and I
will bless them. And I will set my sanctuary among them forevermore. And I
will be their God and they shall be my people.”
People: Praise and thanksgiving to God who treasures us and calls us
God’s own.
Leader: May we rejoice in our covenant with God and the covenant with
each other to which we are called. God of all creation is calling all
generations into a living and loving covenant.
People: Praise and thanksgiving to our God, that we should live in the
days of the Spirit.
Leader: May we be given the grace to be faithful, seeking the peace and
unity found in God’s kingdom, extending hands of friendship and love as we
respond.
People: And may God’s forever covenant bless us. Amen.
*Hymn of Praise: “Great and Marvelous Are Thy Works” HS 48
OR “Awesome God” NS 4
*Invocation
*Response
Scripture Reading: Psalm 111
When reading this psalm, the use of dramatic movement or signing would be
effective in bringing ministry. Psalm 111 is a hymn of praise that
celebrates and emphasizes God’s goodness and the importance of wisdom. The
psalmist points out that everything God is and does is wonderful. As for
human beings, our task is to fear and hold God in awe. When we begin to
practice this kind of awareness of God, we will then begin to have wisdom.
Prayer of Preparation for Communion
I invite you to pray with me—a visual prayer. I invite you to focus on
the altar with your eyes open as we pray.
Ancient One—Present One—Future One, this community seems ready to
partake of Holy Communion at this time. (Two helpers lift the white
cloth, revealing a busy-patterned cloth. They drop the white cloth to the
floor.)
But perhaps our minds are still cluttered from the busy-ness of our daily
lives. Often, Lord, we have not taken enough time to be still and listen to
you. We will listen now as we further prepare ourselves. (Pause to
listen. Lift the busy-patterned cloth, revealing the black cloth.)
Perhaps we have not been open, allowing your Spirit to comfort us when we
are lonely. Perhaps we have not recognized and welcomed the friends you have
sent us. Assure us of your grace when we are burdened with guilt and the
darkness of doubt. Have we lost touch with your presence? (Lift the black
cloth, revealing a purple one.)
We confess that we may have allowed our own passions to lead us away from
Christ’s holy passion of bringing the world closer to you, God. (Lift the
purple cloth, revealing a shiny, gold lamé cloth.)
Lord, sometimes I fear we place our trust in earthly treasures: in our
possessions, prestige, and power. Have we let vanity replace humanity?
(Lift the gold cloth to reveal a raggedy, holey, dirty-looking cloth with
patches.)
Lord, there is so much suffering in this world. May we reveal Christ to
the bruised and brokenhearted, the poor, the marginalized, and the lonely.
Make us witnesses of your love and of the wholeness that comes from that
love. Help us promote justice and peace. (Lift the dirty cloth to reveal
a light-blue cloth.)
Now, Lord, as we start to understand that the spiritual journey of the
disciple travels both inward and outward, our burden begins to lighten. Our
witness begins to brighten. The road to transformation is the path of the
disciple. (Lift the light-blue cloth, revealing the last white one.)
You have put your covenant and your law within us. You have written it on
our hearts. You will be our God and we will be your people.
Lord, bless us now. We are ready for Holy Communion with you and with each
other. (Lift and fold the last white cloth, revealing the bread and
wine.)
—Linda Mountenay
Cloths:
2 white
1 busy-patterned
1 black
1 purple
1 gold lamé
1 raggedy, holey, dirty, patched
1 light blue
The top white cloth should be thick enough to “hide” the busy cloth under
it. Each cloth should be large enough to hide the one it covers; this
provides an element of surprise. Two people lift each cloth, starting at the
back, and let it drop to the floor at the front of the table (except for the
last one, which is folded). This process seems simple, but it’s a good idea
to practice it.
Hymn: “For the Beauty of the Earth” HS 75
OR “Give Thanks” NS 11
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 Offering of Oblation and Mission Tithes
Prayer for Peace
Communion Message
Based on Psalm 111
Blessing and Serving of Bread and Wine
*Hymn: “Praise to the Living God” HS 47
OR “I’m Gonna Shout and Sing” NS 20
*Sending Forth: III Nephi 13:56 and/or Doctrine and Covenants 98:5k
*Postlude
Sermon Helps
Scriptures: Deuteronomy 18:15–20; Psalm 111; I Corinthians
8:1–13; Mark 1:21–28/1:19–25 IV
Exploring the Scriptures
Psalm 111 is a song of praise and an invitation to praise. It is partnered
with Psalm 112 and begins with the same phrase: “Praise the Lord!” Both are
acrostic poems—meaning each poetic line begins with the successive letters of
the Hebrew alphabet.
The theological meaning of acrostic is significant: the psalm is trying to
say that the subject is covered “from A–Z.” As a psalm of thanksgiving, it
teaches us that gratitude ought to be our root attitude and approach to life.
Praise is both liturgy and lifestyle.
The poem describes God’s work and nature: God is ever mindful of God’s
covenant with the people. God’s righteousness endures forever. God’s trustworthy
precepts are established forever and ever. God’s products are guaranteed to
last! God’s grace and mercy never give out. Even the most ancient of promises
are remembered and kept by God. God is forever covenanted and partnered with
us—no matter what!
God shaped Israel from an enslaved “rabble” into a people. God led them out
of Egypt, stood by them through the desert years, and eventually led them into
the Promised Land. God can be trusted forever and ever!
Because of all these qualities and characteristics, God is worthy of our
praise and our faithfulness. But God invites us to respond to God and to each
other with the same qualities of grace, compassion, and justice so generously
poured upon us. God asks that we give God our whole hearts as a community in
covenant.
If we seek God with our whole heart, God will fully engage us. When we give
our heart to God, we open ourselves vulnerably to loss and pain. But we also are
recipients of blessings beyond imagination.
We remember God’s forever covenant relationship with us as we partake of the
body and blood of Christ. Deuteronomy 4:29 promises: “From there you will seek
the Lord your God, and you will find him if you search after him with all your
heart and soul.” In the memorable words of Jeremiah 29:12–13 we are assured:
“Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you
search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.”
Those who speak on this text might bear testimony of God’s faithfulness in
scripture, human history, and personal life circumstances. Sharing that God’s
mercy never fails would be healing and strengthening to some who have suffered
unspeakable losses, who know about broken covenants in family and congregation,
and who live the realities of a world where God’s promise of reconciliation and
restoration seems to be a promise out-of-date and unfulfilled. Speakers are
encouraged to share hope-filled words to those wounded who are present.
Then, reassured of “God’s Forever Covenant,” those who reach for the bread
and wine are asked to “go and do likewise.” Followers of Jesus are challenged at
the table of covenant to say “I will.” “I will try.” “I will receive God’s mercy
and then be merciful.” “I will receive God’s forgiveness and go forgive
another.” “I will receive the compassion of God then show compassion to an
enemy, a stranger, a spouse, a friend.” “I will—forever and ever—for as long as
I shall live. Amen.”
Central Ideas
- God is worthy of praise because God is righteous, gracious,
compassionate, faithful, and just. God has been so from the beginning and
will be so forever and ever.
- God made an everlasting covenant to love his children. Even if God must
suffer the pain of broken promises on the part of God’s children, God will
never go back on the promise made to stay in relationship with us.
- As God covenants with us in grace, mercy, compassion, and justice, we—by
eating bread and drinking wine as the body of Christ—promise to live those
same qualities before God and humankind for as long as we shall live.
Questions for the Speaker
- What is the essence of God’s covenant with humankind? What is God’s
promise that cannot be broken?
- How can you as speaker confidently proclaim God’s forever faithfulness
given the current realities on the planet?
- What events in the history of Christianity, Community of Christ, and
your congregation testify of God’s forever covenant of love?
- How have you struggled and failed, and struggled and succeeded, to keep
a covenant of trust and love with God and God’s people in your life?
Return to Year B: 2008-2009
Resource Index
| 
