Service Sunday January 26, 2025
Worship Leader: Worship Leader: Rev. Max Ward
Music Director: Melissa Stephens
(For a Printer Friendly PDF version click this link)
All are Welcome!
Watch a video recording of the whole service using YouTube below.
The Gathering
Welcome and Announcements.
Focusing Moment.
LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE:
Acknowledgement of Land
We acknowledge the land on which we reside and on which we worship. This is the Traditional land of the Anishinaabe people, shared with us through the signing of a treaty that outlined rights and responsibilities for the people who live here. We acknowledge with respect this land, and we covenant to live as Treaty people, with the responsibilities that come with that promise.
Written by Peter Chynoweth, Cochrane, Alta.
Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2021-2022, p.43. Used with permission.
THE APPROACH
One: Who is welcome in the house of God?
ALL: All are welcome here.
One: Who is welcome in the family of faith?
ALL: Everyone is made for love, and we are adopted into the family of faith.
Written by Robin Wardlaw, Toronto, Ont.
Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2024-2025, p.52. Used with permission.
HYMN: “Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Give Thanks” VU #179
Refrain Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Give thanks to the risen Christ;
hallelujah, hallelujah!
Give praise to God's name.
1 Jesus is Lord of all the earth,
firstborn of all creation. Refrain
2 Spread the good news o'er all the earth:
Jesus has died and is risen. Refrain
3 We have been crucified with Christ,
now we shall live for ever. Refrain
4 Come let us praise the living God,
joyfully sing to our Saviour. Refrain
A SONG OF FAITH: Read In Unison
We sing of Jesus, a Jew, born to a woman in poverty in a time of social upheaval and political oppression. He knew human joy and sorrow. So filled with the Holy Spirit was he that in him people experienced the presence of God among them. We sing praise to God incarnate. Jesus announced the coming of God’s reign — a commonwealth not of domination but of peace, justice, and reconciliation. He healed the sick and fed the hungry. He forgave sins and freed those held captive by all manner of demonic powers. He crossed barriers of race, class, culture, and gender. He preached and practised unconditional love — love of God, love of neighbour, love of friend, love of enemy — and he commanded his followers to love one another as he had loved them. Because his witness to love was threatening, those exercising power sought to silence Jesus. He suffered abandonment and betrayal, state-sanctioned torture and execution. He was crucified. But death was not the last word. God raised Jesus from death, turning sorrow into joy, despair into hope. We sing of Jesus raised from the dead. We sing hallelujah.
MINISTRY OF MUSIC:
LEARNING TOGETHER:
HYMN: “Like a Rock” MV #92 - sung three times
Like a rock, like a rock, God is under our feet.
Like the starry night sky God is over our head.
Like the sun on the horizon God is ever before.
Like the river runs to ocean, our home is in God evermore.
THE WORD
SCRIPTURE: Luke 4: 14-21
Leader: Hear and listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
MESSAGE:
“Why?”
Listen to an audio recording of the message below or read it at the bottom of this page.
OUR RESPONSE
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and A CONTEMPORARY INTERPRETATION OF THE LORD’S PRAYER:
Loving parent of all life, present throughout the cosmos,
The mere mention of your name calls us to love, respect, and care for each other. May justice for all, be imbedded in the hearts of all people.
Today may we accept only what we need, respecting creation, doing our part in sustaining the delicate balance of the natural world. Renew us with your grace, as we stumble through this world and help us to share the spirit of forgiveness, with those who have hurt us. Guide us with your spirit of love when we are tempted to be of this world. May evil be removed and replaced with your love. For by living with your love written on our hearts, we may rise above injustice and share the glory of equality, and peace with all of creation. All the days of our lives and into eternity. Amen
By Rev. Stephanie Richmond Seagrave/ Greenbank UC
Used with permission
HYMN: “Deep In Our Hearts” MV #154
1. Deep in our hearts there is a common vision;
deep in our hearts there is a common song;
deep in our hearts there is a common story,
telling Creation that we are one.
2. Deep in our hearts there is a common purpose;
deep in our hearts there is a common goal;
deep in our hearts there is a sacred message,
justice and peace in harmony.
3. Deep in our hearts there is a common longing;
deep in our hearts there is a common theme;
deep in our hearts there is a common current,
flowing to freedom like a stream.
4. Deep in our hearts there is a common vision;
deep in our hearts there is a common song;
deep in our hearts there is a common story,
telling Creation that we are one.
PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERINGS
OFFERTORY PRAYER:
We have felt your presence this day, O Lord, and the power and authority of your words. We respond with love and gratitude for all you have blessed us with in our lives. Receive our offerings of money and time, signs of our devotion as your faithful and humble disciples. In Christ’s holy name, we pray. Amen. Written by Taylor Croissant, Southminster U.C., Lethbridge, Alta.
Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2024-2025, p.52. Used with permission
SUNG BLESSING: VU #454 (First time, CHOIR, Second time, ALL)
May God who creates you give light,
may God who sustains you make you wise,
may God who protects you give you joy,
may God who surrounds you give you peace. ©
Sending Forth:
A Time of Fellowship
© Music Reproduced with permission under License number A-605748, Valid for: 26/10/2024 - 25/10/2025; One License - Copyright Cleared Music for Churches.
Sermon 2025 01 26
“Why?”
Luke 4:14-21
Gracious God, be with us today in this place, in the Scriptures and in our words.
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts praise your Holy name. Amen.
“Why:” it was Lily, Emily and Thomas’s favorite word when they were small.
They were constantly saying it.
“Daddy, why do I have to go to bed at bedtime?”
“Daddy, why does it thunder?”
Often attempts to answer these questions simply lead to more questions.
“Daddy, why are green beans green?”
“Because then they wouldn’t be green beans if they weren’t green.”
“Why would they not be green beans?”
“Because they would be brown or yellow or some other colour.”
“Why would they be brown?”
And so on...
Of course, sometimes this was just a game in seeing how long Dad will keep answering questions until he loses his patience.
But it grew out of a very real interest and wonder.
Why is the world the way it is?
A growing mind starves for understanding.
But a four-year-old’s understanding is so limited that the only question that comes forth is an all encompassing “Why?”
Whatever happens to that thirst for knowledge?
As we get older, we stop asking and just accept that things are the way they are.
We stop asking why.
Why do we stop asking?
Do impatient teachers and parents stomp out the fire of curiosity?
Or do we just kind of get used to things and stop wondering.
Why?
I look at our lesson from Luke today and I ask, “Why?”
And I want you to ask “Why” with me.
So I am going to ask you to do something with me today.
When I cue you, I want the whole congregation to ask
“Why?”
Feel free to turn your microphone on so that we can all hear a cacophony of curious people.
Let’s try it. CUE “Why?”
The scripture reading today says, “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country.
And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.”(Luke 4:14-15)
CUE “Why?”
Why did Jesus return to Galilee?
Jesus had been tempted in the desert.
He overcame the Temper so why did he return to Galilee of all places.
It was a sparsely populated place with little political importance.
Why didn’t he go to Jerusalem or Rome where the real power was?
Why did he teach in the synagogues?
He was the Son of God.
He could have been out changing the world.
Yet, filled with the power of God, he chose to teach.
Jesus also said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”(Luke 4:18-19)
CUE “Why?”
Why did God anoint Jesus to preach to the poor?
Why not to the rich?
They are the ones with the power and wealth.
If he could only change their hearts, then they could make real change.
Why did God send him to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind?
Why waste time announcing it?
Why didn’t he just do it?
This lesson makes me ask “Why?”
Why did Jesus come?
Why did he do things the way he did?
Why should I care that God’s appointed time had come?
I have asked a lot of questions.
Let me venture at some answers.
CUE “Why?”
Why did Jesus return to Galilee to preach in the synagogues?
Because he cared.
He cared about the people.
His priority was to reach people; common people like you and me, with the good news of God’s love and grace.
CUE “Why?”
Why did he teach instead of working miracles?
Well, the other Gospels tell us that he was working miracles.
Yet the deeper truth of what God was doing through him was not how he could cleanse lepers or transform water into wine.
The deeper truth that people needed to see was that through him God would cleanse souls and transform lives.
If he merely worked wonders, then people would be entertained and amazed, but not changed.
CUE “Why?”
Why did Jesus preach to the poor?
Because the poor would listen.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”(Matthew 5:3)
Those who are “poor in spirit” are those who realize that no matter how much wealth they have it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans, green, brown, yellow or otherwise, from an eternal perspective.
The “poor in spirit” may have money, but they realize that they really have nothing if they have not the Kingdom of God in their hearts.
So Jesus went to the “poor” who would listen and allow God to change them and use them.
CUE “Why?”
Why did Jesus proclaim God’s power instead of just doing it?
It is because God is so loving that God never forces anything on anyone.
It hurts God when we hurt ourselves and or others.
God will not make us stop.
However, in Christ, God offers to free us.
In Christ, God offers to give us spiritual vision and lead us in eternal light.
Jesus proclaimed these blessings from God so that all who would accept them could come to him and receive them.
The last question and perhaps the most important…
CUE “Why?”
Why should I care that God’s appointed time has come?
I should care, and you should care, because the appointed time has come for God to bless and transform you and me.
You see we all need Jesus.
We all need spiritual support.
We all need to be renewed.
In Christ, God has offered us this.
Now is the acceptable time for God to do it.
Jesus said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”(Luke 4:21)
Not tomorrow, not next week, not when it feels right, but now.
God offers each of us the grace to live that we need now.
Now is the right time to ask for it and accept it.
Now is the right time because we all need that help from God.
I am here today to tell you that in Jesus Christ all of God’s promises are fulfilled.
Jesus will support you and free you.
Come to him for forgiveness.
Come to him for renewal and new life.
Come to him for purpose and direction.
Come to him for strength, joy and a peace that passes all understanding.
Come to him.
Oh, you may say,
“Well, preacher, you didn’t convince me to come to Jesus.”
That may be so.
But I did get you to ask, “why,” and that’s enough - for now.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
