Service Sunday September 15, 2024

Services

Sep 12

Written By Highland Hills

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All are Welcome!

Watch a video recording of the whole service using YouTube below.

The Gathering

Welcome and Announcements.
Focusing Moment.

Acknowledgement of Land

Let us, in this place, remember, acknowledge, and give thanks for the Indigenous Peoples, who have had ties to this land from time beyond memory. We honour and acknowledge Treaty 20, which was signed in Port Hope 200 years ago, with the Curve Lake First Nation, the Hiawatha First Nation, the Mississaugas of Scugog Island, and the Chippewas of Rama First Nation. We acknowledge their stewardship and commit to join with them to care for the land and the waters.

Call to Worship:

One: This is the day that God has made.

ALL: Let us give thanks to God for this day.

One: We are gathered in and among Creation that God has entrusted to us.

ALL: Let us give thanks to God for this created world.

One: Let us use this day wisely and care for God’s created world.

ALL: As we worship, we ask God to empower us to be responsible stewards of Creation and all that is in it.

Written by Catherine Tovell, Kilworth U.C., London, Ont.

Gathering, Pentecost 2024, p.27. Used with permission.

Hymn: “Take Up Your Cross” VU #561

1 Take up your cross, the Saviour said,

if you would my disciple be;

take up your cross with willing heart,

and humbly follow after me.

2 Take up your cross; let not its weight

fill your weak spirit with alarm;

Christ's strength shall bear your spirit up,

and brace your heart, and nerve your arm.

3 Take up your cross, heed not the shame,

nor let your foolish pride rebel;

your Saviour once accepted death

upon a cross, on Calvary's hill.

4 Take up your cross, and follow Christ,

think not till death to lay it down;

for only those who bear the cross

may hope to wear the glorious crown.

OPENING PRAYER: (Spoken In Unison)

We gather here, Creator God, open to new experiences of your presence. All around us the majestic wonders of your creation inspire us. We are not alone. We feel your presence and seek your truth in new and promising ways. Inspire us to be open to the new challenges you place before us, and help us to be open to the gifts of all with whom we share this journey. We pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen

Written by Bill Steadman, Goulais River, U.C., Goulais River, Ont.

Gathering, Pentecost 2 2024, p.28. Used with permission.

MINISTRY OF MUSIC:

LEARNING TOGETHER:

HYMN: “Will You Come and Follow Me” VU #567

1 Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?

Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?

Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known,

will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

2 Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?

Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?

Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?

Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

3 Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?

Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?

Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen,

and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?

4 Will you love the 'you' you hide if I but call your name?

Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?

Will you use the faith you've found to reshape the world around,

through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?

5 Christ, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.

Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.

In your company I'll go where your love and footsteps show.

Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

THE WORD

Scripture: Mark 8: 27 - 38

Leader: Hear and listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church.

ALL: Thanks be to God.

MESSAGE

“What the Heck is Jesus Talking About?”

Listen to an audio recording of the message below or read the message at the bottom of this page.

OUR RESPONSE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and THE LORD’S PRAYER (spoken VU #921)

Hymn: “Take My Life and Let It Be” VU #506

1 Take my life, and let it be

consecrated, all for thee;

take my moments and my days;

let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2 Take my hands, and let them move

at the impulse of thy love;

take my feet, and let them be

swift and purposeful for thee.

3 Take my lips, and let them be

filled with messages from thee;

take my intellect, and use

every power as thou shalt choose.

4 Take my will, and make it thine;

it shall be no longer mine;

take my heart, it is thine own;

it shall be thy royal throne.

5 Take my love: and I will pour

at thy feet its treasure store;

take myself, and I will be

ever, only, all for thee.

YOUR GENEROSITY MATTERS

PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY PRAYER:

In Unison:

Loving God, we have shared our gifts in the hope that they will be a witness to others of your coming commonwealth, when your vision of Creation will be fulfilled and restored. Amen

Written by Sandy Ferguson, Strathearn U.C., Edmondton, Alta.

Gathering, Pentecost 2, 2024, p.31. Used with permission.

SUNG BLESSING: MV #150 v 4

Spirit God: be our breath, be our song.

Blow through us, bringing strength to move on.

Through change, through challenge, we’ll greet the new dawn…

Spirit God, be our song. ©

Sending Forth:

One: Through this time of worship, I hope that we have become a little more aware of all that is around us in Creation, and how it is here for us to take part in as a blessing for all.

Think about the waters becoming clear, the air becoming tolerable, the animals healthier.

What can we do each day in our own way, big or small, so all that God gave will continue to sustain us, the animals, the plants and the earth.

Take care of the earth and take care of each other. We do so as people of God.

ALL: Amen!

Written by Kim Inglis, St. Paul’s-Emmanuel Community Church, Englehart, Ont.

Gathering, Pentecost 2, 2024, p.31. Used with permission.

A Time of Fellowship

Sermon 15 September 2024

“What the Heck is Jesus Talking About?”

Mark 8: 27 - 38

After a worship service, a mother with a fidgety seven-year old boy told me how she finally got her son to sit still and be quiet.

About halfway through the sermon, she leaned over and whispered, “If you don’t be quiet, Rev. Max is going to lose his place and will have to start his sermon all over again!”

It worked!

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.

One day as Jesus and the disciples were walking, Jesus asked a question.

He said, “Who do the people say I am?”

The disciples answered, “Some say you are John the Baptist.

Others say you are Elijah or one of the prophets come back to life.”

Then Jesus made the question more personal.

“Who do you say that I am?”

There was probably a moment of silence as each waited for another to say what they all suspected but dare not give voice.

Then Peter, the bold one - the chief Apostle said, “You are the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed one of God.”

And Jesus said, “You are right, now don’t you dare tell anyone!”

Now why did Jesus tell them not to tell anyone?

You would think that he would tell them to spread the word that the Messiah had come but instead he told them to keep quiet.

I think it was because Jesus wanted time to re-educate the disciples before they started spreading this great news.

Jesus wanted to teach them what God’s plan was for the Messiah.

You see the disciples were sure they already understood God’s plan for the Messiah.

The Rabbis had taught them that part well.

According to the Rabbis the world would get worse and worse, spiraling down into a moral and spiritual pit.

Finally, when things could not get any worse God would send Elijah back to prepare the way of the Messiah.

Then God’s Messiah would arrive like a knight in shining armor.

He would be a great warrior king.

One who comes with political and military might to physically crush his foes.

He would unite the people in a great battle against whoever oppressed God’s people and vanquish them.

Then he would take his throne in Jerusalem and rule Israel in peace and prosperity.

It would be like the “good old days” when David was king all over again.

Well, things had gotten pretty bad.

The Romans had occupied the country.

Other religions and cultures were corrupting the people.

Maybe the time had come for the Messiah to make war on the Romans and conquer them.

Jesus had to straighten out all their misconceptions about the Messiah before too many realized who he was.

If the people found out he was the Messiah before they got it straight it would be a disaster.

If they discovered that he was the Messiah with their misunderstanding of Messiah, they might go form a ragtag army and try to draft him as supreme commander.

Hundreds or thousands would die.

So Jesus explained to his disciples God’s plan for the Messiah.

“The Messiah must go through great suffering.

Even the elders and religious authorities will reject him.

He will be killed and in three days rise again.”

Jesus didn’t mince his words, but got straight to the point.

This was an affront to everything the disciples had been taught.

God’s anointed king, suffer and die? Never!

That verged on blasphemy!

To suggest that God would allow Gentiles to torture, mistreat, and even kill the Messiah was against everything they had been taught.

No, God’s Messiah would have the power of the Almighty and would conquer!

So Peter rebuked Jesus.

He didn’t suggest that Jesus was mistaken, he rebuked him.

“No Jesus. You’re dead wrong on that one.”

And Jesus rebuked him back, “Get out of here! You are thinking like men not like God.”

Jesus noticed that Peter was defining victory and life in human terms not in God’s terms.

Jesus had given them God’s definition of Messiah, one who suffers, dies, and rises, now he would give them God’s definition of victory.

And he let the crowds in on this one.

“If any want to be my followers let them take up their cross and follow me.”

Take up a cross?

Only thieves and criminals take up a cross.

The Bible says, “Cursed is the one who hangs on a tree.”

What could he mean?

Jesus continued, “For those who seek to save their life will lose it, yet those who lose their life for me and the Gospel will save it.”

That contradicts logic.

If you want to save your life you should fight and even kill to preserve it.

But here Jesus says the way to life is through death.

“For what do you gain if you gain the whole world and lose your life.”

Ahhh, maybe Jesus means that true life is not found in political or military power, but in spiritual power.

God will conquer the Romans and the evil of our world, but not with a sword.

Maybe Jesus will conquer it - by dying?

But how can anyone defeat the Romans by dying?

What’s this cross got to do with it?

Did he say something about rising again?

I am sure many walked away from that assembly very puzzled.

Jesus asked his disciples some questions so let me ask you some questions.

Why do people come to church?

Let’s make that more personal:

Why do you come to church?

My belief is that in some sense we all came here because we want to live.

Like Peter, we have recognized that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God.

And we believe that Jesus can give us new life.

Not just life in the here after, but abundant life in the here and now.

And so we have come here to learn and to follow Jesus in the way of life.

Yet Jesus says, “If you want to follow me you must take up an instrument of torture and death; a cross.

Because if you try to hold on to life you will lose it, but if you surrender your life for me and the Gospel you will have true life.

After all what good is it to gain the whole world and never really live.”

Maybe abundant life is not about all the things people often think it is.

Maybe “the good life” is not being materially well off or even comfortable.

Maybe “living large” isn’t about having leisure time to contemplate the mysteries of the world.

Maybe abundant living does not depend on being in good health or on good terms with everyone.

*****Oh no! I lost my place…

Well, I guess I can just start at the beginning again…

After a worship service, a mother with a fidgety seven-year old boy told me how she finally got her son to sit still and be quiet.

Just Joking Around with you!!!

Let’s continue with the message, right where I left off…

I read an article written by Kevin Little, a United Church minister serving a congregation in Nova Scotia.

It is entitled “Fighting for Others makes life worth living.”

He speaks of Lt.-Gen. Romeo Dallaire and his understanding of the meaning of life.

Here is a short excerpt…

Dallaire is not interested in enlisting young people to fight for “our freedom” but rather to fight for the freedom of people who don’t look like us, who live on the other side of the planet, without oil reserves.

He wants us to be willing to die for an elderly grandmother in Africa looking after her orphaned grandchildren.

He wants us to have the courage to welcome refugees into our country and our communities.

The happy consequence of this approach is that if we in the affluent West are willing to give up our lives for the freedom of people we have never met, we may finally find something worth living for, something that can get us out of bed and feeling good when we look in the mirror.

If we want real life we should follow Jesus’ example.

And what is that example?

It is to take up the pastime of suffering for others.

Of picking up the shame and rejection of others and placing it on our shoulders to help them bear it to a hill of forgiveness.

Maybe we should follow Jesus in the way of putting our self interest aside and dying for another.

Maybe after we have put our lives aside for love of another and die to self, then we will know what it really means to live.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Highland Hills