Scriptures: I Kings 17:8–24; Psalm 146; Galatians 1:11–24; Luke 7:11–17;
Helaman 2:111–12; Doctrine and Covenants 162:3b

Prelude

Welcome and Call to Worship

Reader: God created all that is and called it good.

People: God breathed into us the breath of life and formed us in the divine image, to love and be loved. When we are tempted to turn from God—

Reader: God’s love remains steadfast.

People: Let us join all of creation—on heaven and earth—and praise God.

Reader: Let us praise God whose presence is our promise.

People: God’s love is trustworthy.

Reader: Let us give praise to God.

OR Psalm 146

*Opening Hymn: “As We Gather” NS 3
OR “With Happy Voices Ringing” HS 29

*Opening Prayer: We Open Ourselves to God’s Grace

*Response

Lighting of the Peace Candle

Scripture for Peace: Helaman 2:111–12

Prayer for Peace

Scripture for Confessional Reflection: I Kings 17:18–24

Disciples’ Generous Response

Communion Challenge

Congregational Hymn: “Touch Me, Lord, with Thy Spirit Eternal” HS 409
OR “Yesu, Yesu, Fill Us with Your Love” HS 407
OR “Come, Holy Spirit, Come” NS 6
OR Ministry of Music

Personal Reflection: three or four minutes

Blessing and Serving of the Bread and Wine

*Closing Hymn: “We Are Living, We Are Dwelling” HS 376
OR “Behold the Savior at Your Door” HS 372 OR “Go, My Children” SP 44
OR “Now Sing to Our God” NS 40

*Closing Prayer
OR Sending Forth

Leader: We have met in the love of Jesus Christ.

People: We respond to that love through our praise, our prayers, and by sharing in Communion with our Lord and with one another. May we continue to respond during this coming week.

Leader: Go in peace.

People: Amen.

*Response

*Postlude

Scriptures: I Kings 17:8–24; Psalm 146; Galatians 1:11–24; Luke 7:11–17

From a twenty-first-century perspective, we run the risk of interpreting this scripture solely as either a miracle story or a foretaste of Christ’s resurrection. Revisiting the Luke scripture text from a first-century Jewish perspective adds depth to the story. It is particularly enlightening on a Sunday when we celebrate solidarity with the poor by sharing in the oblation offering and celebrate our unity by sharing in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.

At the end of this unique story, not found in any of the other Gospels, Luke describes the effect of Jesus’ action upon the crowd. They exclaim, “A great prophet has risen among us!” and “God has looked favorably on his people!” Luke’s effort to portray Jesus as a “great prophet,” a man of God, is reiterated in the succeeding discussion with disciples of John as Jesus echoes his earlier pronouncement (Luke 4:18–19) that the hope found in Isaiah has been fulfilled. However, Jesus’ prophetic nature is most significantly demonstrated by the obvious similarity with the story found in I Kings 17:17–24, also part of this week’s lectionary. Those familiar with the Hebrew story, as the first hearers of the gospel were, notice a remarkable resemblance, e.g., Elijah and Jesus met the woman, a widow in both stories, for the first time at the gate of the town. Most striking, however, is the use of exactly the same phrase in Greek, “he gave him to his mother,” found in Luke 7:15 and in I Kings 17:23 of the Septuagint, i.e., the Greek version of the Hebrew Bible known to the Gospel writer.

Luke tells us that this is the only son of the widow. This is significant, as the boy is the sole heir of his deceased father and caretaker of his mother. Would her only son die, the woman would be deprived of any property as the nearest male relative of her late husband would inherit her son’s estate, and she would become poor and dependent on charity. Jesus not only raised the dead, but also brought good news to the poor (compare to Luke 7:22).

Verse 14 relates the manner in which Jesus raises the dead man. The text reveals two interesting aspects. One is a reaffirmation of the prophetic nature of Jesus. For many, Jesus was the promised prophet of Deuteronomy 18:18. According to this tradition, the new prophet would speak in the name of the Lord and it would happen. The other aspect is the source of our theme for today.

Jesus is overwhelmed with compassion for the mother. In order to help her, he performs an act that was and still is considered by traditional Jews as unclean. Jesus touched the bier! Jewish tradition not only considers touching a dead body unclean (Numbers 19:11), but also the bier (or framework) on which a dead body is carried. Jesus had a prophetic vision. He envisioned the reign of God where traditional barriers would be broken down. The gospel is full of examples where Jesus breaks with tradition in order to heal relationships with those who are marginalized, outside of society. On Communion Sunday we restore our relationship with God. We long to be touched by God. In addition, in partaking of the bread and wine, we also restore our relationships with one another, and most of all recommit ourselves to reach out to those who need our touch, especially those despised and rejected.

4. Doctrine and Covenants 163:3b calls us to be prophetic and “Courageously challenge cultural, political, and religious trends that are contrary to the reconciling and restoring purposes of God.” What trends need to be challenged so mothers have far less fear of losing their children?