The Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek, by Frans II Francken, 1581-1642
Frans Francken the Younger (1581 – 1642) was a Flemish painter and the best-known member of the large Francken family of artists. Francken created altarpieces and painted furniture panels, but his reputation chiefly relies on his small and delicate cabinet pictures with historical, mythological, or allegorical themes. He played an important role in the development of Flemish art in the first half of the 17th century through his innovations in many genres including genre painting and his introduction of new subject matter.
His painting The Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek depicts Abram’s (Abraham) meeting with the mysterious Melchizedek, king of Salem (presumably Jerusalem) and high-priest of the local sanctuary, after Abram won a miraculous battle against a powerful alliance of Mesopotamian monarchs. Melchizedek offered Abram and his men bread and wine and a word of blessing. Abram reciprocated the gesture by offering Melchizedek a tithe (tenth) of everything he had received. This mutual blessing showed Abram the God was keeping his promise to bless him and make him a blessing to others.
Call to Worship – Psalm 110
Sit at My Right Hand
A Psalm of David.
110 The Lord says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
2 The Lord sends forth from Zion
your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!
3 Your people will offer themselves freely
on the day of your power,
in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
the dew of your youth will be yours.
4 The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek.”
5 The Lord is at your right hand;
he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
6 He will execute judgment among the nations,
filling them with corpses;
he will shatter chiefs
over the wide earth.
7 He will drink from the brook by the way;
therefore he will lift up his head.
Invocation
O God, the joy of this day, the hope for every day to come,
Move in our midst, fill us with Your Spirit, and make us one, even as we are apart.
May our words, as well as our actions, and even the secret thoughts of our hearts, be a part of Your worship this hour, O Lord of great power, displayed in sacrificial love.
For we pray focused upon the One who died for all, Your only begotten son.
Amen.
Great is Thy Faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with thee;
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
As thou hast been thou forever wilt be.
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed thy hand hath provided—
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed thy hand hath provided—
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed thy hand hath provided—
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Children’s Sermon
Prayer and Intercession
O Eternal God,
Yours is surpassing greatness, unspeakable goodness, super-abundant grace;
I can as soon count the sands of ocean’s ‘lip’ as number your favours towards me;
I know but a part, but that part exceeds all praise.
I thank you for personal mercies,
measure of health, preservation of body,
comforts of house and home, sufficiency of food and clothing,
continuance of mental powers,
my family, their mutual help and support,
the delights of domestic harmony and peace,
the seats now filled that might have been vacant,
my country, church, Bible, faith.
But, O, how I mourn my sin, ingratitude, vileness,
the days that add to my guilt,
the scenes that witness my offending tongue;
All things in heaven, earth, around, within, without, condemn me–
the sun which sees my misdeeds,
the darkness which is light to thee,
the cruel accuser who justly charges me,
the good angels who have been provoked to leave me,
your countenance which scans my secret sins,
your righteous law, your holy Word,
my sin-soiled conscience, my private and public life,
my neighbors, myself-
all write dark things against me.
I deny them not, frame no excuse, but confess, ‘Father, I have sinned’.
Yet still I live, and fly repenting to your outstretched arms;
you will not cast me off, for Jesus brings me near,
you will not condemn me, for he died in my stead,
you will not mark my mountains of sin, for he levelled all,
and his beauty covers my deformities.
O my God, I bid farewell to sin by clinging to his cross,
hiding in his wounds, and sheltering in his side.
Divine Mercies, from The Valley of Vision
Please take a few moments to pray for:
- The Paradee Family
- Reilly Keith Bachelder, Lissy & Bryce
- Howard Deuso
- Kevin Fleming
- Donna Waguespack, our missionary in Mexico
- Healthcare workers
- Other personal concerns
Scripture Reading – Genesis 14
Abram Rescues Lot
14 At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goyim, 2 these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea Valley). 4 For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim 6 and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. 7 Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar.
8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. 11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.
13 A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
20 And praise be to God Most High,
who delivered your enemies into your hand.”
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.”
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”
Sermon – Of Monarchs and Rescue Missions by Rev. Jason R. McConnell
Father, Take My Life
Lord of Earth and Heaven, my Sovereign King,
I bow myself before you and give you everything.
I come with nothing in my hands for you,
I’ve just got my life, and I am ready to be used.
Father, take my life, here I am
Show me where you want me, let me hold your hand,
I will go, Lord, and follow in your way,
O Lord, what is your call? I will follow you today.
Lord, I read your promise: you will never leave.
Grant me strength to go and be the child you want me to be.
Help me to be humble in your service, Lord,
Always seeking you and my heavenly reward.
Father, take my life, here I am
Show me where you want me, let me hold your hand,
I will go, Lord, and follow in your way,
O Lord, what is your call? I will follow you today.
Words and music by Jennifer McConnell