February 5, 2023
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
10:00 am
WELCOME
OPENING PRAYER
Masters, two and more, competing for our money clamoring for our time; creating chaos in our lives. Master, one God, quiet us and draw us near. We pray this in Christ’s name, Amen.
PRELUDE “Bassse et Dessus de Trompette” L.N. Clerambault
CALL TO WORSHIP
We have been blessed by the Eternal God, who has been faithful to us.
As thankful stewards, we will remain faithful to God.
The mystery that has been hidden through the ages…is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
As redeemed stewards, we will remain faithful to Christ.
God has empowered us with the Holy Spirit to be our Comforter and Guide, our unfailing source of strength.
As Spirit-filled stewards, we will remain faithful to one Master.
*HYMN No. 610 “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing”
Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing
My dear Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and king,
The triumphs of God’s grace!
The name of Jesus charms our fears,
and bids our sorrows cease—
Sings music in the sinner’s ears,
Brings life, and health, and peace.
Christ speaks, and, listening to His voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, waken to rejoice,
The poor in heart believe.
My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad,
The honors of Thy name.
To God all Glory praise and love
Be now and, ever given
By saints below and saints above,
The church in earth and heaven.
*CALL TO CONFESSION
In worship, everyone is welcome as they are. We invite each other to set our burdens down, including the burden of false pretenses. Let us be honest with God and with our selves about the ways that we fail so that we can hear the good news of Jesus’ redemption anew. Let us confess our sins together and individually.
*PRAYER FOR CONFESSION
Almighty God, you have called us to bring out the best in the world around us, to be bold in our faith, to share your love with those around us. We have failed your command. We choose conflict. We choose laziness. We choose excuses. Forgive us for rejecting the identity that you offer us freely, for rejecting the work of your Holy Spirit in our hearts.
Silence is observed
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Even when we fail, even when we are not perfect, God still claims us. God still calls us by name. God still places God’s Spirit upon us.
We are known and loved and forgiven. Amen.
*RESPONSE No. 581 “Glory Be To The Father”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
*PASSING OF THE PEACE OF CHRIST
Our peace comes from knowing how much God loves us in Jesus Christ. With God’s help, we try to love and forgive one another as Christ loves and forgives us.
“The peace of Christ be with you,”
“And also with you.”
ANTHEM “How Beautiful” Twila Paris
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
UNISON PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Father, reveal to us exactly who it is or what it is that we treasure most. Let the light of your word and the work of your Spirit expose to us where our treasure is and where our hearts are. If they are not completely with you, then please change our hearts and causes us to treasure You above all other things and persons. May we love you above all others. May we be devoted to you above all others. May you be our deepest devotion and truest treasure. Through Christ I pray, Amen.
UNISON SCRIPTURE Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
SERMON “GIVE: WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS…”
Money is my god!
These were not the words of a young man in 1992 as he settled into the home with his new bride, but they may just as well have been. We shall call that young man Wayne. Raised in public housing, as one of four boys, with a father who had been ill much of his childhood Wayne swore to himself that we would no longer live a life of free school meals, charity shops and yard sale – hand me downs- once he was an adult. At the age of 24, he was on the first step towards getting out of that cycle. A three-bedroom home, a good job, company car and a beautiful wife. Over the next few years, a bigger house and a family would appear.
But it was a family that He would spend little time with, if he continued to live the life that said Money is my god. Leaving home at 6 am and returning in the early evening only to continue working from home was the pattern that his god, money, demanded of him. But it was a lifestyle, and a god that the people around Wayne applauded him for, after all, he seemed successful. Money was Wayne’s god, and he, of course, was not alone in that being the case.
The reality is that we all know a Wayne or we are Wayne or could have been Wayne: that is certain people’s attitude, we all have heard this story of people worshipped money, and as we know that we have all been guilty of this behavior. Indeed, in society today it does seem that the number one religion is money. Why are we talking about giving and Money?
I detest talking about money in services, I would much rather talk about God’s Vision and Identity and Purpose for us in Woodbury. But you see I think I must have secretly bought into the lie that we as a church talk too much about is money. The issue is of course that God’s Vision Identity and Purpose needs resources and gifts. It will need money and talents to implement God’s Vision Identity and Purpose in our community. And it may have been historically true that church talked too much about money, I honestly could not tell you, or it may even be true in certain parts of the church today, but the truth is we don’t talk enough about money in most churches.
Jesus talked about money a great deal.
Sixteen of the thirty-eight parables were concerned with how to handle money and possessions.
In the Gospels, an amazing one out of ten verses (288 in all) deal directly with the subject of money, that’s ten percent. Going by that ratio, we should be hearing a sermon on money and possessions every couple of months.
The Bible offers 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, but more than 2,000 verses on money and possessions. If we were to follow that example two in every three points, I made in any sermon I preached would be about money and possessions. And yet when the subject of money comes up in Church, we all cringe a little. I wonder why that is? I believe it links in a great deal with what we worship.
“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me,” from Matthew 4:9 is one of the tactics used by The Satan to test Jesus in the wilderness. The fact that we are often called away from worshipping what we were made to worship, God continues to be a major problem in our culture. We are told to worship stuff. So, it is as important that we talk about money as it is that we talk about the fact that we are forgiven. It is as important that we talk about what we give, as it is that we talk about what gifts and skills we have been given by God.
It is all part of our walk towards Jesus, and if we neglect one part then we are less who Jesus would have us be as a community that walk towards him. What we worship is key to our walk towards Jesus as individuals and as a community. Because Jesus spent ten percent of his teaching, teaching us how to walk as disciples of Him with all our money and possessions.
We return to an essential question: Are we called to give? We give not because the church needs the money or our time or our skills, but because it a way to walk towards our Savior. Generosity is a core indicator of my walk towards Jesus was the day that generous giving moved from the head to my heart, my talents and my wallet.
So, the question I guess we need to ask ourselves is what does Jesus have to say about generosity, money, and the impact it has on those of us who want to follow Him? On our worship. Today’s Gospel passage is an interesting one, isn’t it?
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
It is a passage that church leaders around the world use as their go-to text when calling for their congregation to open their wallets and plug a gap in the church budget. And you can see why.
But look at what Jesus has been speaking about beforehand in this chapter. Jesus has been speaking about how we worship and pray. How we don’t make a big show of worshipping and praying but how it is simply part of who we are as His disciples. He has been talking about and continues to go on talking about how God provides for all our needs. He says you can’t chase God and Money choose God.
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
And he continues to remind us not to be worried about how we look and or how we will live. And in the midst of all this, he teaches us to pray in the Lord’s prayer.
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread.”
Jesus didn’t preach for fifty-one weeks a year on how to follow him and worship God, and then one week a year on money because the church needed to top up its budget. No, for Jesus money and worship were intertwined. Who we worship, the world or God was all one. Our walk with Him and worship of God includes the use of our time, the relationships we have with others. It includes how we use the skills we have, the homes we have and yes, our worship includes how we use the money God has allowed us to earn.
So, for Jesus, it is not if we give, it is simply a matter of the heart and our worship.
And that is where Paul picks up when he speaks to the Corinthian church. Corinth was a rich place. A place of business. And Paul speaks into this: Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
He is not saying if you give money, you will get even more money. No, he is saying the Kingdom will come if we give: Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Give with joy Paul says and lest we think we are not rich we might wish to look around the world. Of course, how rich we are might differ but if we have a roof over our head, food on our plate then we are rich. We are all in the top ten percent of wealthy people in the world, and if we work in a similar job to an accountant, nurse, schoolteacher or even a pastor we fall well within the top one percent worldwide. The reality is whatever our background we have been given a much better start in life, by simply being born into the west. So, we are Corinth. We are called to give with Joy.
OK if our worship includes giving joyfully then what do we do about it then?
Well, the good news you can do nothing if you want. I like most church leaders in the USA make a point of not knowing what people give to the church. I do that because my desire is to walk with you towards Jesus and I don’t want the knowledge of how much you give to impact that as we walk together. So, you can rest assured it doesn’t matter how little or how much you give our relationship is not going to be impacted one way or the other by that.
And the good news is that the fact you are loved by God is not going to change. You can rest assured it doesn’t matter how little or how much you give God will still love you.
But what I have found is the day I stopped worshipping other things. The day I stopped saying money is my God. The day money was included in my worship of Jesus something in ‘my’ heart changed.
Beforehand I kept asking questions like.
I know the Jewish people use to tithe ten percent, is that a minimum or a maximum. But then I was reminded: Each of [us] should give what [we] have decided in [our] heart to give.
I asked questions like where should it go to church or charity? And I was reminded that: Each of [us] should give what [we] have decided in [our] heart to give.
I asked what about my debt, do I clear that first? And I was reminded that: Each of [us] should give what [we] have decided in [our] heart to give.
I asked what if my wife/husband/partner is not on the same page as me. And I was reminded that: Each of [us] should give what [we] have decided in [our] heart to give.
It’s not a money thing it’s a heart thing.
Yes, we each have different circumstances that impact our ability to give.
Yes, of course, we need money to implement the mission of God in Gloucester County.
But that is not what I am interested in.
Yes I want you to review your giving, but that is not what I am interested in.
What I am truly interested in is our heart as a community to worship Jesus.
What I am truly interested in is our heart as a individual to worship Jesus.
If we can get that right, everything else will follow. Thanks Be To God!!
Liturgy and Commentaries provided by Doug Bratt, Church Colson, Elizabeth Shively, Jo Ann Taylor, Barron Mullis, Dan & Barbara Dick, NT Wright, Teri McDowell Ott, Stephine Sorge, Adam Hamilton, PCUSA Book of Order and PCUSA Book of Confession
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH from The Confession of Belhar
We believe that God has entrusted the church with the message of reconciliation in and through Jesus Christ; that the church is called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, that the church is called blessed because it is a peacemaker, that the church is witness both by word and by deed to the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells; that God’s life-giving Word and Spirit has conquered the powers of sin and death, and therefore also of irreconciliation and hatred, bitterness and enmity, that God’s life-giving Word and Spirit will enable the church to live in a new obedience which can open new possibilities of life for society and the world.
*HYMN No. 518 “Your Only Son”
1 Your only Son, no sin to hide,
but you have sent him from your side
to walk upon this guilty sod,
and to become the Lamb of God.
Refrain:
O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God,
I love the holy Lamb of God!
O wash me in his precious blood,
my Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
2 Your gift of love, we crucified;
we laughed and scorned him as he died;
the humble King we named a fraud
and sacrificed the Lamb of God. (Refrain)
3 I was so lost, I should have died,
but you have brought me to your side
to be led by your staff and rod,
and to be called a lamb of God. (Refrain)
PREPARATION FOR ON-LINE COMMUNION
We will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper online and in person as a community of faith. Celebrating at the Lord’s Table together is a time we are united with each other and we “remember.” For our participation in virtual communion, you are encouraged to engage in the following intentional practices of remembering your baptism, setting up your space, reading the Word, and what virtual communion will entail.
Remember Your Baptism: At 9:45 am, go and wash your hands, remembering your baptism. As we gather at the Table, we are reminded of our baptismal promises, so participating in a hand washing—something that all of us are doing in this pandemic reminds us that God continually transforms the ordinary into the sacred.
Cultivate Your Space: Set up your communion space. Perhaps it will mean putting a colorful scarf over a coffee table or other place.
Prepare Yourself: Just as you took time to remember your baptism, intentionally spend time in the Word.
Prepare Your Elements: Select a cup, plate, and elements The Directory of Worship states: “The bread used for the Lord’s Supper should be common to the culture of the congregation” (Book of Order W3.0413). You are encouraged to use elements in your own home
Partaking the Lord’s Supper: There will be an invitation to the Lord’s Supper followed by the Great Prayer of Thanksgiving and Words of Institution. Please follow the invitation from the worship leaders when to partake the elements.
We hope that you will find these steps meaningful and helpful as we join virtually in the Lord’s Supper. For some, this may feel awkward, so know it is your individual decision to participate in this manner. If you do not feel comfortable, you may abstain from virtual communion. This is the Lord’s Table, and our Savior invites all who believe and trust in him to share in this sacrament.
Jesus Christ meets us at the table by the power of the Holy Spirit, and the power and meaning of this sacrament is not limited only to participating physically together. This pandemic has expanded our understanding of the Lord’s Supper. May this be a deeply spiritual and meaningful celebration tonight.
You are invited to take a photo of your elements and email to [email protected].
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
Invitation
Jesus said:
Come to me,
all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me;
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
I am the bread of life.
Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Prayer of Thanksgiving & The Lord’s Prayer
Holy God, we praise you. Let the heavens be joyful, and the earth be glad.
We bless you for creating the whole world,
for your promises to your people Israel,
and for Jesus Christ in whom your fullness dwells.
Born of Mary, he shares our life. Eating with sinners, he welcomes us. Guiding his children, he leads us. Visiting the sick, he heals us.
Dying on the cross, he saves us.
Risen from the dead, he gives new life. Living with you, he prays for us.
With thanksgiving we take this bread and this cup and proclaim the death and resurrection of our Lord. Receive our sacrifice of praise.
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us
that this meal may be
a communion in the body and blood of our Lord. Make us one with Christ
and with all who share this feast.
Unite us in faith,
encourage us with hope,
inspire us to love,
that we may serve as your faithful disciples
until we feast at your table in glory.
We praise you, eternal God,
through Christ your Word made flesh,
in the holy and life-giving Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Communion
And so he took bread, gave thanks to you, and said: “Take, and eat;
this is my body, broken for you.”
In the same way he took the cup, saying:
“This is my blood, shed for you.
When you do this, do it for the remembrance of me.
Closing Prayer
God of grace,
you renew us at your table with the bread of life.
May this food strengthen us in love
and help us to serve you in each other.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Almighty God,
you provide the true bread from heaven,
your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
OFFERING OF TITHES & OFFERINGS
Friends, we have confessed our sins; we have reminded each other of our forgiveness; we have heard the Word of God proclaimed. Let us respond by offering God what we hold as precious, whether that is our money, time, or talents.
OFFERTORY
*RESPONSE N0. 609 “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow”
Praise God, from whom all blessing flow, Praise God, all creatures here below. Alleluia, Alleluia Praise God in Jesus fully known; Creator, Word, and Spirit one. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
* PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Heavenly Parent, we offer you these gifts. Please bless them, just as you bless those who gave them and those who will receive them. May the sharing of these gifts remind us of the connection that holds us all together and the beloved community you call us to form. Amen.
*HYMN No. 679 “Let the Whole Creation Cry”
1 Let the whole creation cry,
“Glory to the Lord on high.”
Heaven and earth, awake and sing,
“Praise to our almighty King.”
Praise God, angel hosts above,
ever bright and fair in love;
sun and moon, uplift your voice;
night and stars, in God rejoice!
2 Men and women, young and old,
raise the anthem loud and bold;
join with children’s songs of praise;
worship God through length of days.
From the north to southern pole
let the mighty chorus roll:
“Holy, holy, holy One,
glory be to God alone!”
*BENEDICTION
Go now and live as one body in Christ. Be at peace, and care for one another; Suffer with one another and rejoice with one another. Give your attention to the Word of God and proclaim the good news of freedom to all. And may God delight your heart and sharpen your vision; May Christ Jesus keep you, thought and word, in his grace; And may the Holy Spirit be the fountain that sustains you all ……..and binds you together as one.