10w for June 29th, Peter & Paul, Apostles.

The following is a 10 minute worship for June 29th, Peter & Paul, Apostles.  You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The Song for the day is "Break These Chains" by Dakota Road from the CD "Break These Chains" which can be purchased HERE

The following is a 10 minute worship for June 24th, John the Baptist.  You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The Song for the day is "Wade in the Water" by Patti Griffin from the CD "Downtown Church" which can be purchased HERE 

Poem for June 24th, The Nativity of St. John the Baptist Luke 1:57-67

Praise be the child

sent from God

who is to usher in the Kingdom

who is to announce that

the time has come

for the world to spin

Free

of the bounds that have held it so long

Free

as the tongue loosened

from the voice of Zechariah

Free

from the bounds placed

by the traditions of this world

Free

to be the pureness

brought forth by Elizabeth

into a world

not Free

and all who heard of this child

wondered

at the birth

and the wonder

to come

10w for June 23rd, Healing Demonics P5.

The following is a 10 minute worship for June 23rd, Healing Demonics P5. You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The Song for the day is "Free" by Shawn McDonald from the CD "WOW Hits, 2007" which can be purchased HERE 

Poem based on Luke 8: 26-39

Jesus heals a demon-possessed man

In this foreign land

Far across the lake

Where we find people of strange values

------ language

----------- ungodly ideas

We follow Jesus

And encounter

As expected

One wild and filled with evil

And as unexpected

One love by Jesus.

What have you to do with us

Jesus

Son of the Most High God?

Who do people say I am

Who do you say I am

As the disciples

And you and I stand

Not understanding what has just happened

As the many descend in uncleanness

To the depths of the chaos waters

And the followers stand in jaw dropping fear

That God’s love might

Just might

Extend

Even across the pond to the other side

Where the people react

As we react

In fear of our bottom line

What is in it for me

And how do I measure

Economy

The cost

While the disciples

You and I

Still stand jaw dropped

While the new evangelists

Gets to work in the Kingdom

Which just became visible

As near.

Opening Litany based on Psalm 22

Pastor: I will declare your name to my people O Lord and in the assembly I will praise you. 

Congregation: Let all who live in awe of the LORD, praise the holy name of God. All the descendants of Jacob and Israel, all the peoples of the world Praise the Holy name of God! 

Pastor:  For the Lord has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted ones but has listened to their cry for help.

Congregation: From you O Lord comes the very essence of my praise in the great assembly before all who live in your grace I will fulfill my vows. 

Pastor: The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will live forever in a life of praise. 

Congregation: All the ends of the earth will remember God’s loving grace and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before the Lord, who is ruler of all. 

Pastor: All the blessed of the earth will feast and worship, All mortals will bow before the Lord of all creation. 

Congregation: We will use the blessings of this world are to serve the Lord so that all future generations will know of the righteousness the Lord has done. 

we are lost

Sunday June 23^rd,  Isaiah 65:  ¹ "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me.  To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.' Several years ago there was a rash of bumper stickers with the words, “I’ve found it.”  I always found it to be an interesting example of anthropocentric arrogance.  It reminds me of the time in the store when one of my children wandered off.  I followed them, remaining somewhat out of sight just to see how long it would take for them to notice they were lost, and then be near and use it as a teaching moment about the need to stay near.  The goal is that when they finally realized they are lost and cry out, you can descend on the scene and use the moment to comfort and teach.  Sometimes however, my children would simply respond with “O there you are” as if they had found me and then they would prepare for their next getting lost session.  So it is with humanity.  We wander away through the aisles of life, unaware of being lost until some calamity strikes, we cry out, God appears and we assume that God was the one who was distant and we somehow, through our own holiness, found God.  The reality is that God is the one combing the aisles of life waiting patiently for us to realize we are lost and need God in our lives and then we open our eyes to see the God that has been there all along. When we open our eyes, or hearts or heads or spirits to the presence of the God who is already there, it is to us, a sign of grace.  

temper tantrum

Monday June 24^th, Isaiah 65: ⁸ This is what the LORD says: "As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and men say, 'Don't destroy it, there is yet some good in it,'    so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all. ⁹ I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains; my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live.  We can prune trees, cultivate gardens, even practice animal husbandry, but the cultivation of the human species is best left up to God.  We have tried, and we are all too familiar with the results of trying to play god by our rules.  The results are often ethnic cleansing, war, genocide, gas chambers and draconian immigration policies. The difference between our attempts of societal cultivation and God’s attempts at human cultivation is that God loves us and takes the spoils of the messes we have created and tries to work them for the good.  Humanities attempts are only thinly disguised attempts of tyranny and often look like a two year old having a temper tantrum.  

not reached maturity

Tuesday June 25^th, Galatians 3: 23-24 Until the time when we were mature enough to respond freely in faith to the living God, we were carefully surrounded and protected by the Mosaic law. The law was like those Greek tutors, with which you are familiar, who escort children to school and protect them from danger or distraction, making sure the children will really get to the place they set out for.  When our children are young, we need to deal with them with lots of love and limits, which is another way of saying the law.  Don’t touch the stove, Don’t play in the street, Don’t hit, and sometimes there is a time out or some toys taken away.  As they grow in years, they learn to make their own good decisions (hopefully).  Part of the process of learning to make good decisions is having gone through the process of making some bad decisions.  Until we as individuals, as cultures, and humanity in general, reach the state of maturity where we can freely respond in faith to the living God, there are always some of those laws to keep us in line.  It is an ongoing process.  One sure way to know you have not reached maturity is to think you have reached maturity. Maturity always knows there is more growing to do.  In the meantime, we live in the tension between Law and Gospel and are lead forward by grace. 

being mean

Wednesday June 26^th, Galatians 3: 25-27 But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe—Christ's life, the fulfillment of God's original promise. 28-29 In Christ's family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal.  If our baptism dresses us in an adult faith, most of us spend a lot of time trying to get naked.  If this sign of maturity is to recognize there can be no divisions, humanity in general spends a lot of time and energy getting naked.  Wars, vast income differentiations, health insurance discrepancies, insane increases in CEO pay while the debate for a living wage on the bottom goes on and on.  The old days of slavery may be gone in the U.S. but the new attitudes of economic slavery through vast disparities in wealth are growing. Every major religion has as one of its basic teachings some form of the Golden Rule, do onto others as you would have them do onto you.  We say it, we say we believe it, but when it comes to the rubber meeting the road it once again becomes all about “Me” which is the very essence of sin.  In Christ’s eyes there is no difference, all are the children of God.  The differences we see are the brothers and sisters being mean to each other.     

seeing these wretches

Thursday June 27^th, Luke 8:  26 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  The disciples didn’t get it, the religious leaders didn’t get it, and even John the Baptist sent a message asking if Jesus was the one or if he should wait for another. It was the poor naked, demon-possessed man in the unclean foreign land that got the fact that Jesus was the Son of the Most High.  Sometimes you wonder if Jesus were to come back today, if the church would get it, or if it would be some wretch in Baghdad, Beijing or Mogadishu to say, truly you are the son of God. Perhaps we should start seeing these wretches as the children of God, as well as our brothers and sisters now.  Perhaps that would be a step toward that maturity Paul talks about in Galatians.  

damn it Jesus,

Friday June 28^th, Luke 8:  34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.  The demons were dispatched, lives were set right and salvation offered, all good God stuff, but damn it Jesus, don’t mess with the economic bottom line or we will run you out of town again.  Things haven’t changed much.  What’s next, the Supreme Court saying corporations can act as persons in campaign spending?  Oh, they already did!

changing a demon

Saturday June 29^th, Luke 8: 38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 "Return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.  After all the training and seminars we go to that help us design our evangelism programs, what it really takes is the passion of lives changed.  I believe Luther put it this way; we are simply beggars telling other beggars where to get food.  Perhaps our passion should be on changing lives and letting evangelism happen naturally.  Changing a demon state of mind as well as a demon state Godly, one life at a time.  

a little more "Late Night Jesus" on forgiveness

A little Late Night Jesus as we continue our look at the Lords Prayer in the Narrative Lectionary.

10w for June 16th, Grateful, P4.

The following is a 10 minute worship for June 16th, Grateful, P4. You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The Song for the day is "Choose Love" by Dakota Road from the CD "Break These Chains" which can be purchased HERE 

Opening Litany based on Psalm 32

Start with the song, "You Are My Hiding Place"

Pastor: Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Congregation: When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD "— and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Pastor: Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.

Congregation: You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Pastor: I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.

Congregation: Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Sing the opening song one more time

truth seen too late

Sunday June 16^th, 2 Samuel 12: ¹ and the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. ² The rich man had very many flocks and herds; ³ but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. ⁴ Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.” ⁵ Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; ⁶ he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” David was a good and godly man, but sometimes, even good and godly men and women can get so caught up in themselves that they forget why they are good and godly people and to whom they should be giving the glory.  So David, full of himself and his own importance and power gets caught in his own trap. Oh, that we would have more Nathans in the world, those who have the ear of the powerful and important and let them know they are being duped by their own since of power and importance.  This story however also pertains to so much that goes on in our seats of power.  The ones who have so much arranging for cuts in programs who help those who have so little, so they can have a bit more.  So pray for the welfare cheats, especially the ones from Apple to Oil to Wall Street who so covet a meal of lamb chops stolen from the hope of the working poor.  

bony finger

Monday June 17^th, 2 Samuel 12: ⁷ Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; ⁸ I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more. ⁹ Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.¹⁰ Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house.  Hell is truth seen too late.  It is not that David, or you and I don’t know what we are doing, but we have all mastered the ability to shield the truth from our eyes with a thin veneer of self-righteousness.  Once David proclaims judgment and verdict, Nathan tightens the noose and in one of the greatest images in scripture points that bony finger and David and says, “You are that man!”  And lest we pretend to believe that this is one of those text that pertains to that someone else in life, rest assured, it is not.  It pertains to all of us some of the time and some of us most of the time.  It is that human desire to be like gods, knowing good and evil and having our eyes opened to the shame this adventure in self-righteousness brings.  It is the essence of human sin.  But even as in the story of David, it is not a cause for God to gloat over our failings any more than we gloat over the failings of our children.  Rather it is an opportunity to learn and with the grace and forgiveness of God, move forward in life, perhaps a bit more forgiving of others along the way.  

gift we nurture

Tuesday June 18^th, Galatians 2: ¹⁵ We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; ¹⁶ yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in/of Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in/of Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law.  There is that little word that can be translated as either in or of that sometimes throws us for a loop.  In the Greek, the work can mean either in or of and carries a bit of the meaning of both.  If however as is understood in English that it is faith in Christ, then it is our doing.  We muster up the faith and build the faith and are in charge of the faith and that faith can and often does become its own work for which we can take self-righteous pride.  But faith is a gift from God, and like any gift, it is useful only in as much as it is used.  So faith is not something we achieve, only a gift we nurture, and sometimes help nurture in others in the process.  It is less about boasting than it is about giving thanks. 

this gift life

Wednesday June 19^th, Galatians 2: ¹⁹ For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ;²⁰ and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,  who loved me and gave himself for me. Sometimes we get it, and when we get it, what we get is that it is not all about us.  It is then we get to start living this Gift life.  And when we start living this gift life, Oh what a gift it is.  The vistas open before you and instead of asking what must I do to be saved, you start asking, now that I don’t have to do anything, what shall I do, what shall I do?  I still want to dive back into the old self though.  I still want to be in control and do it my way.  But when I am open, open to the presence of Christ within me, that is when I start to live.  

extravagant response

Thursday June 20^th, Luke 7:  36 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When we know we are sinners, we tend to approach from behind.  We are aware of our sin and we can’t believe the grace that comes with forgiveness, at least not for us.  It is when we have the greater sin, that of not being aware of our sin, that we approach from the front, arrogant and full of self.  The woman’s response was an intimate pouring out of herself in thankfulness that comes from encountering unbelievable grace.  This extravagant response was an embarrassment to the good upstanding folk who were all too aware they were good upstanding folk.  Perhaps they too would be open to God’s amazing grace if only they could take an honest look inside to see the extent of God’s grace in their lives .  Perhaps then, they too could let their hair down and truly respond to that grace with extravagant love of their own.  

Friday June 21^st,  Luke 7: 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."  If the Pharisee knew what kind of Prophet Jesus was, he would know who was touching his life, and why that nerve was so raw.  Jesus did know all he needed to know, all anyone needed to know, what kind of woman she was, one with a hurting heart that longed for forgiveness.  Jesus knew what kind of man the Pharisee was, a good man who thought he was good enough and wanted to impress his friends with his goodness by inviting Jesus over for dinner, showing just how open and liberal he was.  It would help him in his status.  Liberal or conservative, we are both capable of being cold hearted and calculating for our own glory.  Liberal or conservative, we are both saved by the grace of God.

self-absorbed goodness

Saturday June 22^nd, Luke 7:  44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."  48 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."  She was not any greater sinner than Simon was.  Simon was not any more righteous than she was.  The only difference between the two was that she was aware of her sin and therefore open to forgiveness.  Simon on the other hand, not so much.  How do we try to keep the grace of God at bay? What self-respecting and self-absorbed goodness do we use to keep most of God out of our lives?  What would be the cost to let it go and graciously accept God’s grace?

Give us this day our daily bread

A little Late Night Jesus discussing "Our Daily Bread" with Pastor Dan, for the Narrative Lectionary discussion on the Lord's Prayer.

10w for June 11th, Barnabas, Apostle.

The following is a 10 minute worship for June 11th, Barnabas, Apostle. You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The Song for the day is "Jah Kingdom" by Burning Spear from the CD "Jah Kingdom" which can be purchased HERE

10w for June 9th, Rising Widows Son, P3.

The following is a 10 minute worship for June 9th, Rising Widows Son, P3. You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The Song for the day is "Mourning into Dancing" by the African Musical Experience from the CD "Worship Africa, Vol. 3"  which can be purchased HERE

Opening Litany based on Psalm 30

Congregation: I will exalt you, LORD, for you rescued me and refused to let my enemies and fears triumph over me. I cried to you for help, and you restored me, you brought me up from the depths and kept me from falling even deeper.

Pastor: Therefore sing to the LORD, all you godly ones! Praise the Lord’s holy name for though there may be anger at our deeds and lack of belief, the Lord’s favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning light.

Congregation: When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!” In my pride I claimed your favor O LORD, and felt it made me as secure as a mountain. Because of my arrogance you turned away from me, and I was shattered.

Pastor: We cried out to you, O LORD and begged for mercy, saying, “What will you gain if we die and sink into the grave? Can our dust praise you or tell of your faithfulness? In our despair, we finally turned from our pride to your love and cried out, hear us, O LORD, and have mercy on us, Help us, O LORD, for we turn now to you.

The psalm ends with: (Mourning into Dancing)

You've turned my mourning into dancing again, You've lifted my sorrows
I can't stay silent I must sing For Your joy has come


Where there once was only hurt, you gave Your healing hand
Where there once was only pain you've brought comfort Like a friend
And I feel the sweetness of your love Piercing my darkness
And I see the bright and morning sun
As it ushers in your joyful gladness


You've turned my mourning into dancing again you've lifted my sorrows
And I can't stay silent I must sing For your joy has come

Live generously

Sunday June 9^th, 1 Kings 17: ¹⁷ After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill; his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. ¹⁸ She then said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!” This was the son who, along with his mother, was going to die in the famine and whom Elijah convinced to bake a little bread for him.   Elijah had been staying with them and they brought him life as he brought them life.  Now the son had died.  This was a tragic event to be sure, and one that calls us to remember the fragility of life and all we hold dear.  What will you do today with this fragile life of yours? We know that in the story God intervenes and the child is brought back to life, but that is not always the case.  There are times when tragedy strikes and that is the full extent of it, tragedy.  With the gift you have that is today, live your life as a child of God.  Live generously, live lovingly, live free and forgiven and knowing that for today, you can be a blessing to others. 

bring life back

Monday June 10^th, 1 Kings 17:  ²⁰ He cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I am staying, by killing her son?” ²¹ Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” ²² The Lord listened to the voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. ²³ Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and gave him to his mother; then Elijah said, “See, your son is alive.” How quickly we are to lay the blame for things at the feet of God, almost as quick as we are to claim the positive in life as our doing.  But in our world god is not the great puppeteer who pulls the strings to make life happen.  God is instead the directory that gives us our cues as to how to play our part in life in such a way that brings out the God flavors in the world.  Open your heart to God and let the spirit work within you.  You might not bring children back to life, but you might just bring life back into the lives around you as well as your own.  

soil is tilled

Tuesday June 11^th, Galatians 1: ¹¹ For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; ¹² for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Have you seen the latest guru to hit the Christian scene?  You too can harness the power of God in your lives, own the best cars, live life to the fullest….  But you know it doesn’t work that way.  Instead God calls the most unlikely people and equips them for the job.  There are good and poor pastors, preachers, and teachers, but the good ones are only as good as the receptive ears and hearts on which the words of God fall.  Paul was the most unlikely of all those who brought the good news, but God had tilled the soil and the word took and the glory was given to God.  We are called to do no less.  When you live as a child of God, the soil is tilled and the seeds are ready, and once in a while God pulls off a miracle and allows us to be a part of it.  

not travel alone

Wednesday June 12^th, Galatians 1: ¹³ You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. ¹⁴ I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. ¹⁵ But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus. Some have said that if you want to give God a good laugh, just tell God what your plans are.  Where that is not always the case, it sure seemed to be for Paul.  So if you think about it, and look what God did with Paul, imagine for a moment what God can do with you in this world.  This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears, all nature sings and around me rings the music of the spheres.  We can all be used by the God of grace to bring the message of God’s love and grace into a hurting world.  Be open to what God has in mind for you and be open to the journey.  The path will not be smooth, but will not travel alone. 

extravagant love

Thursday June 13^th, Luke 7:  36 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When we know we are sinners, we tend to approach from behind.  We are aware of our sin and we can’t believe the grace that comes with forgiveness, at least not for us.  It is when we have the greater sin, that of not being aware of our sin, that we approach from the front, arrogant and full of self.  The woman’s response was an intimate pouring out of herself in thankfulness that comes from encountering unbelievable grace.  This extravagant response was an embarrassment to the good upstanding folk who were all too aware they were good upstanding folk.  Perhaps they too would be open to God’s amazing grace if only they could take an honest look inside to see the extent of God’s grace in their lives .  Perhaps then, they too could let their hair down and truly respond to that grace with extravagant love of their own.  

calculating

Friday June 14^th, Luke 7: 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."  If the Pharisee knew what kind of Prophet Jesus was, he would know who was touching his life, and why that nerve was so raw.  Jesus did know all he needed to know, all anyone needed to know, what kind of woman she was, one with a hurting heart that longed for forgiveness.  Jesus knew what kind of man the Pharisee was, a good man who thought he was good enough and wanted to impress his friends with his goodness by inviting Jesus over for dinner, showing just how open and liberal he was.  It would help him in his status.  Liberal or conservative, we are both capable of being cold hearted and calculating for our own glory.  Liberal or conservative, we are both saved by the grace of God.

cost

Saturday June 15^th, Luke 7:  44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."  48 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."  She was not any greater sinner than Simon was.  Simon was not any more righteous than she was.  The only difference between the two was that she was aware of her sin and therefore open to forgiveness.  Simon on the other hand, not so much.  How do we try to keep the grace of God at bay? What self respecting and self absorbed goodness do we use to keep most of God out of our lives?  What would be the cost to let it go and graciously accept God’s grace?

A little Late Night Jesus

A little Late Night Jesus on the Narrative Lectionary "Thy Will Be Done"

10w for June 2nd, Trusting Forgiener P2.

The following is a 10 minute worship for June 2nd, Trusting Forgiener P2. You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The Song for the day is "Healer" by Dakota Road from the CD "Break These Chains" which can be purchased HERE

Poem for 2nd Sunday in Pentecost Luke 7:1-17

The small child places the feather in the stream

watching it float down the rough seas

and the log jams of leaves

imagining the perils at each turn

and the maneuvering of the crew

as they bring the ship around

with each new dip and swirl

in the foot wide seas

and she knows

she knows what can and can’t be done

what is and what is not real

but does not limiter herself to these

she knows instead the power of believing

beyond the realms of the reality

of this world

into a world ruled by love

the love of God, which says

be healed

be whole

Opening litany based on Psalm 96

Psalm 96:1-13

 

Pastor: Sing to the LORD a new song; let all the people of the earth sing a new song unto the Lord. 

Congregation: We will sing praises to the Lord and proclaim the salvation of the Lord all our days.  We will proclaim the glory of the Lord to all the nations and the Lord’s marvelous deeds to all peoples. 

Pastor: For the Lord is great and worthy of praise above all gods.

Congregation: Our idols in this world are only that, just idols, but the Lord God created the heavens and the earth.  Splendor, Majesty and Glory surround the presence of the Lord. 

Pastor: Let all the peoples in all the nations of the earth ascribe to the Lord the glory and honor due the name of the Lord of all creation. 

Congregation: We will worship the Lord with praise and say to all people, “The Lord Reigns” For the justice of the Lord will be established over all the earth. 

Pastor: Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad, let the sea resound and all that is in it.  Let the fields be jubilant and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.

Congregation: Let all creation rejoice before the Lord who comes to judge the earth and all people with righteousness and loving kindness.  

including

Sunday June 2^nd, 1 Kings 17: 8 Then the word of the LORD came to him: 9 "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks.  Wherever we go in life, God is already there ahead of us.  Wherever we are called in ministry, God is already there ahead of us setting the stage. As the children of God, we are not so much sent out to bring the word of God as we are called out to witness the word of God at work. Sometimes we religious types get all hyped up about what we have done in the name of God.  We sometimes get all jazzed about how many came forward for an altar call or how many do or don’t attend a worship service, but in the end, it is not about us.   It is at those times we forget that God has already been there, done that, and is calling us as witnesses and ministers out there.  The next time something wonderful happens in ministry, know that you are just the witness of what God has already done.  Your job is to provide the logistical support in the aftermath and thank the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Leah, Mary and Martha and all the hosts of saints from the beginning of time for including you in this gift of the God life.