Worship Notes: September 9, 2024 ; Matthew 4:18-22 ; Romans 12:9-21

September 15, 2024

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

10:00am

WELCOME

OPENING PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we call upon you in Jesus’ name.

We come with empty hands.

We have not been able to love our enemies.

As a rule we have never even seen them.

We have avoided them.

When we saw them, we felt only fear and anger, not love.

So we come to you, not as the children of your love,

but as the enemy of our enemies,

beseeching you for ourselves and all the others;

Bless those who curse you,

do good to those who hate you.

Forgive us for what we have failed to do for our enemies.

You lead us out of the constriction of fear

and out of the prison of hate,

into the wide space of freedom.

Let us see your sun,

which rises upon the evil and the good,

and rejoice in its warmth, together with our enemies. Amen.

PRELUDE “Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart” Colin Curtis

CALL TO WORSHIP

The heavens are telling the glory of God.

With Wisdom, we rejoice, knowing the streets are full of God’s glory!

The sky proclaims God’s handiwork.

With Wisdom, we rejoice, worshiping in the sanctuary of creation!

The ways of the Holy One make wise the simple.

With Wisdom, we rejoice, sharing in the oneness of love.
Let’s worship the Holy One in the streets, sanctuaries and squares!

*HYMN No. 804 “Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart”

1 Rejoice, ye pure in heart!
Rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
Your festal banner wave on high,
the cross of Christ your King.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice, give thanks, and sing!

2 With voice as full and strong
as ocean’s surging praise,
send forth the sturdy hymns of old,
the psalms of ancient days. (Refrain)

3 Yes, on through life’s long path,
still chanting as ye go,
from youth to age, by night and day,
in gladness and in woe:

4 At last the march shall end;
the wearied ones shall rest;
the pilgrims find their home at last,
Jerusalem the blest. (Refrain)

5 Then on, ye pure in heart!
Rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
Your festal banner wave on high,
the cross of Christ your King. (Refrain)

*CALL TO CONFESSION

Let us trust God’s mercy and enter the liberating waters of forgiveness and grace. Together, let us boldly confess our sins and acknowledge our need for forgiveness.

*PRAYER FOR CONFESSION

You call out to us, Holy God, from city streets, town squares and cattle gates, but we refuse to listen. Preoccupied with our projections of you, we fail to see how these thoughts disrupt our communion with each other. You offer an outstretched hand to join you in transforming our lives, but we deny such a dance with Divinity is possible, choosing complacency to your counsel. Forgive us, Logos of Love, when we ignore your unremitting call to live in the way of love. By your mercy, may we heed your call to examine our foolish- ness so we may live as fools for Christ’s sake. Amen.

*SILENT PRAYER FOR CONFESSION

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Beloved friends, receive the good news: the Risen Christ enters all corners of our lives and declares us forgiven.

Having been forgiven, we take up Wisdom’s way of knowing, embracing it as we journey toward wholeness and peace. Thanks be to God.

*RESPONSE No. 1 “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!” v.4

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

*PASSING OF THE PEACE OF CHRIST

Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us forgive one another.

May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

And also with you.

ANTHEM “Lord Make Us Holy and Pure” David Lantz

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE & BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKS

God of fresh starts and new beginnings, we bring ourselves, our big feelings, and our backpacks to you. In our backpacks, we carry blank pages, sharpened pencils, and pointy crayons, and in our hearts, we carry big feelings, unanswered questions, and hopeful expectations. There are endless possibilities of what this new year might bring— of what we might learn, who we might meet, and who we might become. God, our friend who is always with us, be with us through it all.

Be with us as we ride the bus. Be with us as we walk. Be with us as we buckle seat belts, zip-up jackets, and tie shoes. However we get there, and whatever we wear, bless this journey into something new. For the grown-ups going back to school, With-Us God, be with them too. Thank you for our teachers, helpers, caregivers, and leaders, and for all they do to help us learn and grow. God, our friend who’s full of wonder, fill their hearts and bless their hands. Amen.

UNISON PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

Please join me in the unison prayer…

Speak to us, Spirit of Knowledge, so that we may focus on divine things. Pour out your Wisdom upon us so we may respond by taking up our cross and following you. Amen.

SCRIPTURE

Matthew 4:18-22 (CEB)

As Jesus walked alongside the Galilee Sea, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, throwing fishing nets into the sea, because they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” he said, “and I’ll show you how to fish for people.” Right away, they left their nets and followed him. Continuing on, he saw another set of brothers, James the son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father repairing their nets. Jesus called them and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Romans 12:9-21 (CEB)

Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good. Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other. Don’t hesitate to be enthusiastic—be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord! Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you’re in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer. Contribute to the needs of God’s people, and welcome strangers into your home. Bless people who harass you—bless and don’t curse them. Be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying. Consider everyone as equal, and don’t think that you’re better than anyone else. Instead, associate with people who have no status. Don’t think that you’re so smart. Don’t pay back anyone for their evil actions with evil actions, but show respect for what everyone else believes is good.

If possible, to the best of your ability, live at peace with all people. Don’t try to get revenge for yourselves, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. It is written, Revenge belongs to me; I will pay it back, says the Lord. Instead, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. By doing this, you will pile burning coals of fire upon his head. Don’t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good.

Pause…

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God!!

SERMON “Choosing to Follow What is Good”

Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow

Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is an active speaker, writer, and “coachsultant” on topics of faith, leadership, culture, race, and technology. He writes and podcasts on Substack through his newsletter, “The Amalgamation,” and has authored five books, most recently, “In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World” (Chalice Press, 2021) and “Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith” (Broadleaf Books, 2024).

His speaking has taken him to The Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and Canada. He has also been active in local politics and community organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area for nearly three decades. Bruce has been an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) since 1995. In 2008, he was elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA, 2008-2010, the youngest and first Asian American to hold that office. He is also a Senior Consultant and Coach with Convergence and is a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths Coach.

He and his wife are parents of three adult children, senior pups, and too many houseplants, and they currently live in San Jose. Bruce can be found on most social platform via @breyeschow.

Liturgy and Commentary provided by The PC(USA) Book of Common Worship, the Presbyterian Outlook, Jurgen Moltmann, and Adam Quine.

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH

from the Barmen Declaration

As Jesus Christ is God’s assurance of the forgiveness of all our sins, so in the same way and with the same seriousness is he also God’s mighty claim upon our whole life. Through him befalls us joyful deliverance from the godless fetters of this world for a free, grateful service to God’s Creatures.

We reject the false doctrine, as though there were areas of our life in which we would not belong to Jesus Christ, but to other lords – areas in which we would not need justification or sanctification through him.

*HYMN No. 720 “Jesus Calls Us”

1 Jesus calls us: o’er the tumult
of our life’s wild, restless sea;
day by day his sweet voice soundeth
saying, “Christian, follow me.”

2 Jesus calls us from the worship
of the vain world’s golden store,
from each idol that would keep us,
saying, “Christian, love me more.”

3 In our joys and in our sorrows,
days of toil and hours of ease,
still he calls, in cares and pleasures,
“Christian, love me more than these.”

4 Jesus calls us: by thy mercies,
Savior, may we hear thy call,
give our hearts to thy obedience,
serve and love thee best of all.

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER

Steady and comforting God, with you, every transition and new start is a reminder of your goodness, for you are always creating fresh, amazing things in us and through us. Though we are sad about summer’s ending, we are grateful for this school year. Especially this one. After all we’ve faced, overcome, and released with the past years of COVID-19, we come to this year changed, with new levels of gratitude, hope, and connection carved in us.

We appreciate the opportunity to learn and grow, knowing it is one of the biggest privileges we have. And the gift of physically being with friends and teachers for school this year feels like a holy hug. With thanks and love, we now offer everything we are to you, asking for your blessing.

We pray as and for students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. We pray for our hearts and all they hold—excitement and nervousness, disappointment and hope. We give you all our loves and fears. We pray for steady self-esteem and deepening resilience.

ALL: Loving God, hold us and our prayers.

We pray for our minds, that they will expand in wonder and celebration, learning not just from the books studied but the people beside us. Open our minds with a willingness to be changed in unexpected ways, and settle our thought loops in peaceful places.