Call to Worship – Heidelberg Catechism (Question 1)
What is your only comfort in life and death?
That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.
Invocation
O God, without whose beauty and goodness our souls are unfed, without whose truth our reason withers: Consecrate our lives to your will, giving us such purity of heart, such depth of faith, and such steadfastness of purpose, that in time we may come to think your own thoughts after you; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer – 75. For Holy Thought
How Can I Keep from Singing?
My life flows on in endless song; above earth’s lamentation,
I catch the sweet, though far-off hymn that hails a new creation.
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clinging. Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing? How can I keep from singing?
Through all the tumult and the strife, I hear that music ringing,
It finds an echo in my soul. How can I keep from singing?
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clinging. Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing? How can I keep from singing?
What though my joys and comfort die? The Lord my Savior liveth.
What though the darkness gather round? Songs in the night he giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clinging. Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing? How can I keep from singing?
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, a fountain ever springing!
All things are mine since I am his! How can I keep from singing?
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clinging. Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing? How can I keep from singing?
Robert Lowry (1826-1899)
Public Domain
Children’s Sermon
Prayer and Intercession
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits of mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Please take a few moments to pray for:
Donald Cooper
Fennessey Family
Mays Family
Chelsea Mends-Cole
Brady Adams
The Paradee Family
Kevin Fleming
Donna Waguespack
Healthcare workers
Other personal concerns
Scripture Reading – Genesis 25:19-34
Jacob and Esau
19 This is the account of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac.
Abraham became the father of Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram[c]and sister of Laban the Aramean.
21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless.The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.22 The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.
23 The Lord said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.”
24 When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. 25 The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau.[d]26 After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob.[e] Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.
27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.[f])
31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”
32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”
33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.
So Esau despised his birthright.
Sermon: Family Drama – Rev. Jason R. McConnell
Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)
Amazing grace, How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I’m found, Was blind, but now I see.
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed.
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free. My God, my Savior has ransomed me,
And like a flood His mercy reigns, Unending love, Amazing grace.
The Lord has promised good to me; His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures.
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free. My God, my Savior has ransomed me,
And like a flood His mercy reigns, Unending love, Amazing grace.
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free. My God, my Savior has ransomed me,
And like a flood His mercy reigns, Unending love, Amazing grace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine,
But God, Who called me here below Will be forever mine,
Will be forever mine. You are forever mine.
1 I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3 Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame. 6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. 9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing. 10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. 11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days, 13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies. 14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry; 16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all; 20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned. 22 The Lord will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
Invocation
God of grace,
You have given us minds to know you,
hearts to love you, and voices to sing your praise.
Fill us with your Spirit,
that we may celebrate your glory
and worship you in spirit and in truth
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Mighty to Save
Everyone needs compassion, Love that’s never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness, The kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations
Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save. He is mighty to save
Forever, Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave. Jesus conquered the grave.
So take me as You find me, All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow Everything I believe in
Now I surrender. (Chorus)
Shine Your light and Let the whole world see
We’re singing For the glory of the risen King, Jesus,
Shine Your light and Let the whole world see
We’re singing For the glory of the risen King. (Chorus)
25 Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. 3 Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.
5 Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. 6 But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.
7 Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. 8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. 9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, 10 the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.
James 2:12-24
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
Sermon: Abraham’s Death: The “I’s” Have It – Pastor Vawn Edele
When I Survey Life’s Varied Scene
When I survey life’s varied scene Amid the darkest hours
Sweet rays of comfort shine between And thorns are mixed with flowers
Lord, teach me to adore Thy hand From whence my comforts flow
And let me in this desert land A glimpse of Canaan know
Is health and ease my happy share? Oh may I bless my God;
Thy kindness let my songs declare And spread Thy praise abroad
While such delightful gifts as these Are kindly dealt to me
Be all my hours of health and ease Devoted Lord to Thee
In griefs and pains Thy sacred Word (Dear solace of my soul!)
Celestial comforts can afford And all their power control
When present sufferings pain my heart Or future terrors rise
And light and hope almost depart From these dejected eyes
Thy powerful Word supports my hope Sweet cordial of the mind
And bears my fainting spirit up And bids me wait resigned
And oh whate’er of earthly bliss Thy sovereign hand denies
Accepted at Thy throne of grace Let this petition rise
“Give me a calm, a thankful heart From every murmur free
The blessings of Thy grace impart And let me live to Thee
Let the sweet hope that Thou art mine My path of life attend
Thy presence through my journey shine And bless its happy end”
1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever. 2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom. 4 One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts. 5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 6 They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds. 7 They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does. 18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them. 20 The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.
Invocation
O God who is greater than the most powerful forces in this world, enable us to be still and know that You are God.
O Lord who answers out of the whirlwind of everyday life, breathe in us Your Holy Spirit to strengthen, comfort, and guide us in the midst of the storm.
O still, small voice, speak to us this hour, that we might become makers of Your peace in our homes, in our communities, in our world. We pray all this in the name of the One who calmed the raging sea. Amen.
O Great God
O great God of highest heav’n, occupy my lowly heart.
Own it all and reign supreme, conquer every rebel pow’r.
Let no vice or sin remain that resists your holy war.
You have loved and purchased me, make me yours forevermore.
I was blinded by my sin, had no ears to hear your voice,
Did not know your love within, had no taste for heaven’s joys.
Then your Spirit gave me life, opened up your Word to me
Through the gospel of your Son, gave me endless hope and peace.
Help me now to live a life that’s dependent on your grace.
Keep my heart and guard my soul from the evils that I face.
You are worthy to be praised with my every thought and deed.
O great God of highest heav’n, glorify your name through me.
Providence in the Particulars: The Astonishing Account of My Arranged Marriage – Rev. Jason McConnell
Be Thou My Vision
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me, save that thou art–
Thou my best thought by day or by night, waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word; I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I thy true son; Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and thou only, first in my heart, High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won, may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Translated by: Mary E. Byrne/Eleanor Hull
Public Domain
1 Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: 8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. 15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. 17 But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— 18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. 21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. 22 Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the Lord, my soul.
Opening Prayer
We have come, O Lord. Not as faithful as we should be, nor as joyful as we could be. Even so, we have been attracted by Your faithfulness and Your joy. Holy Spirit, teach us this day more about Your truth, as revealed by Jesus Christ. Fill us with Your promised happiness. Challenge us to follow You this moment, this day, this coming week. All this we ask in the name of Jesus, whom we adore as Christ the Lord. Amen.
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Come Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, Mount of Thy redeeming love.
Here I raise my Ebenezer; Hither by Thy help I’m come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let thy goodness like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.
Words by Robert Robinson
Children’s Sermon
Prayer and Intercession
Please take a few moments to pray for:
Chelsea Mends-Cole
Brady Adams
The Paradee Family
Kevin Fleming
Donna Waguespack
Healthcare workers
Other personal concerns
Scripture Reading – Genesis 23
The Death of Sarah 23Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old.2 She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.
3 Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said,4 “I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”
5 The Hittites replied to Abraham,6 “Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty princeamong us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”
7 Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.8 He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf9 so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”
10 Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city.11 “No, my lord,” he said. “Listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”
12 Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land13 and he said to Ephron in their hearing, “Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.”
14 Ephron answered Abraham,15 “Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”
16 Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver,according to the weight current among the merchants.
17 So Ephron’s field in Machpelah near Mamre—both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field—was deeded18 to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city.19 Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is at Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.
Sermon: Buying Burial Plots – Rev. Jason McConnell
Before the Throne of God Above
Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is Love, who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on his hands, my name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heav’n he stands,
No tongue can bid me thence depart, no tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see him there who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free,
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on him and pardon me, to look on him and pardon me.
Behold him there, the risen Lamb! My perfect spotless Righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM, the King of glory and of grace.
One with himself, I cannot die, my soul is purchased by his blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God, with Christ, my Savior and my God.
By Charitie Lees Bancroft & Vikki Cook
CCLI #2487144
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Invocation
O God, our maker and redeemer, you have made us a new company of priests to bear witness to the Gospel. Enable us to be faithful to our calling to make known your promises to all the world.
O God, the Lord of all, your Son commanded us to love our enemies and pray for them. Lead us from prejudice to truth; deliver us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and enable us to stand before you, reconciled through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From the Lutheran Book of Worship
Your Name
As morning dawns and evening fades
You inspire songs of praise
That rise from earth to touch Your heart and glorify Your Name
Your Name is a strong and mighty tower Your Name is a shelter like no other Your Name, let the nations sing it louder ‘Cause nothing has the power to save But Your Name
Jesus, in Your Name we pray
Come and fill our hearts today
Lord, give us strength to live for You and glorify Your Name
Your Name is a strong and mighty tower Your Name is a shelter like no other Your Name, let the nations sing it louder ‘Cause nothing has the power to save
But Your Name is a strong and mighty tower Your Name is a shelter like no other Your Name, let the nations sing it louder ‘Cause nothing has the power to save,
‘Cause nothin has the power to save, ‘Cause nothing has the power to save But Your Name.
22 At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. 23 Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.”
24 Abraham said, “I swear it.”
25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized. 26 But Abimelek said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.”
27 So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty. 28 Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, 29 and Abimelek asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?”
30 He replied, “Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well.”
31 So that place was called Beersheba, because the two men swore an oath there.
32 After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.
Sermon: Turning Your Enemies into Allies – Rev. Jason McConnell
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Come Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, Mount of God’s redeeming love.
Here I raise my Ebenezer; Hither by Thy help I’m come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger, Bought me with His precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let thy goodness like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.
Words: Robert Robinson (1758)
Music: John Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music, 1813
I will extol the Lord with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2 Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. 3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. 4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate. 5 He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations. 7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. 8 They are established for ever and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness. 9 He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever— holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
Invocation
Father in Heaven, we praise you for you are good. We thank you for your faithfulness, even though we are unfaithful; for your grace, though we are ungracious; for your love, though we fail to love; for hearing us when we call, though we don’t listen well. Be with us this hour: fill us with your Spirit, open our hearts to receive Your word, and help us to trust you more fully. We pray this in the name of the One who died to make us whole, Amen.
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee, Op’ning to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day!
All Thy works with joy surround Thee, Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, Center of unbroken praise;
Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain Call us to rejoice in Thee!
Always giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring of the joy of living, Ocean-depth of happy rest!
God our Father, Christ our Brother, All who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, Lift us to the joy divine.
Mortals, join the happy chorus, Which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, Brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, Victors in the midst of strife;
Joyful music leads us sunward In the triumph song of life.
Words: Henry J. VanDyke
Music: Ludwig van Beethoven
CCLI #2487144
Children’s Sermon
Prayer and Intercession
LORD OF HEAVEN,
Thy goodness is inexpressible and inconceivable.
In the works of creation you are almighty,
In the dispensations of providence all-wise,
In the gospel of grace all love,
And in your Son you have provided for
our deliverance from the effects of sin,
the justification of our persons,
the sanctification of our natures,
the perseverance of our souls in the path of life.
Though exposed to the terrors of your law,
we have a refuge from the storm;
Though compelled to cry, ‘Unclean’,
we have a fountain for sin;
Though creature-cells of emptiness,
we have a fullness accessible to all,
and incapable of reduction.
Grant us always to know that to walk with Jesus
makes other interests a shadow and a dream.
Keep us from intermittent attention
to eternal things;
Save us from the delusion of those
who fail to go far in religion,
who are concerned but not converted,
who have another heart but not a new one,
who have light, zeal, confidence, but not Christ.
Let us judge our Christianity,
not only by our dependence upon Jesus,
but by our love to him,
our conformity to him,
our knowledge of him.
Give us a religion that is both real
and progressive,
that holds on its way and grows stronger,
that lives and works in the Spirit,
that profits by every correction,
and is injured by no carnal indulgence.
Fourth Day Morning: True Christianity fromThe Valley of Vision
Please take a few moments to pray for:
Chelsea Mends-Cole
Brady Adams
The Paradee Family
Kevin Fleming
Donna Waguespack
Healthcare workers
Other personal concerns
Scripture Reading – Genesis 21:1-21
The Birth of Isaac 21 Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him.5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 7 And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away 8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”
11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son.12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”
14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.
15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob.
17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.
Sermon: Two Mothers, One Father, Two Boys, and One God
-Pastor Vawn Edele
Mighty to Save
Everyone needs compassion, A love that’s never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness, The kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations
Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save. He is mighty to save
Forever, Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave. Jesus conquered the grave.
So take me as You find me, All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow Everything I believe in
Now I surrender.
Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save. He is mighty to save
Forever, Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave. Jesus conquered the grave.
Shine Your light and Let the whole world see
We’re singing For the glory of the risen King, Jesus,
Shine Your light and Let the whole world see
We’re singing For the glory of the risen King.
Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save. He is mighty to save
Forever, Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave. Jesus conquered the grave.
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Invocation
O God, who gives to those who ask, provide for each of us in Your way, a special gift to be used for Your glory, and for the good of our neighbors. O God, who reveals to those who seek, show us this day what these gifts are, and how they may be used. O God, who opens to those who knock, help us to step forward, now, into Your gracious presence, knowing that we are each and all blessed with something special to share. Help us not to become too self-satisfied, and forget to keep asking, and seeking, and knocking. We pray all this in the name of the One who asks for the voiceless, who seeks out the lost, who stands at the door and knocks. Come in, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Here I Am to Worship
Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness,
Opened my eyes, let me see
Beauty that made this heart adore you, Hope of a life spent with you.
So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, Here I am to say that you’re my God. You’re altogether lovely, altogether worthy, Altogether wonderful to me.
King of all days, Oh so highly exalted,
Glorious in heaven above.
Humbly you came to the earth you created,
All for love’s sake became poor.
So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, Here I am to say that you’re my God. You’re altogether lovely, altogether worthy, Altogether wonderful to me.
And I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, Here I am to say that you’re my God. You’re altogether lovely, altogether worthy, Altogether wonderful to me.
Words and Music by Tim Hughes
CCLI #2487144
Children’s Sermon
Prayer and Intercession
O LORD MY LORD,
This is thy day,
the heavenly ordinance of rest,
the open door of worship,
the record of Jesus’ resurrection,
the seal of the sabbath to come,
the day when saints militant and triumphant
unite in endless song.
I bless you for the throne of grace,
that here free favour reigns;
that open access to it is through the blood
of Jesus;
that the veil is torn aside and I can enter
the holiest
and find you ready to hear,
waiting to be gracious,
inviting me to pour out my needs,
encouraging my desires,
promising to give more than I ask or think.
But while I bless you, shame and confusion
are mine:
I remember my past misuse of sacred things,
my irreverent worship,
my base ingratitude,
my cold, dull praise.
Sprinkle all my past sabbaths with the cleansing
blood of Jesus,
and may this day witness deep improvement
in me.
Give me in rich abundance
the blessings the Lord’s Day was designed
to impart;
May my heart be fast bound against worldly
thoughts or cares;
Flood my mind with peace
beyond understanding;
may my meditations be sweet,
my acts of worship life, liberty, joy,
my drink the streams that flow
from thy throne,
my food the precious Word,
my defence the shield of faith,
and may my heart be more knit to Jesus.
The Lord’s Day fromThe Valley of Vision
Please take a few moments to pray for:
Chelsea Mends-Cole
Brady Adams
The Paradee Family
Kevin Fleming
Donna Waguespack
Healthcare workers
Other personal concerns
Scripture Reading – Genesis 20
Abraham and Abimelek 20 Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, 2 and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
3 But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”
4 Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.”
6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. 7 Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet,and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”
8 Early the next morning Abimelek summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid. 9 Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.” 10 And Abimelek asked Abraham, “What was your reason for doing this?”
11 Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”
14 Then Abimelek brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelek said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.”
16 To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels[a] of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.”
17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again, 18 for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.
Sermon: Half-Truths and the Whole Life – Bryce Bachelder
Be Thou My Vision
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art–
thou my best thought by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
thou my great Father, I thy true son;
thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
thou mine inheritance, now and always:
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Attr. St. Dallan Forgaill
Tune: SLANE
Public Domain
Lot and His Daughters by Antonio Bellucci (c. 1680)
Antonio Bellucci (1654–1726) was an Italian soldier who became a painter of the Rococo period and was best known for his work in England, Germany, and Austria. He was one of the many Venetian-trained artists of his time, including Ricci, Tiepolo, Amigoni, and others, who sought commissions north of Italy, providing patrons with the then-popular Italianate grand-manner frescoes for private palaces.
This is an autograph painting by Bellucci dated circa 1680; the subject, Lot and his daughters, is the famous one taken from Genesis 19:30-38. Lot escaped with his two daughters from destruction of Sodom took shelter in a cave. The daughters were convinced that they were the only survivors in the world to perpetuate the human race, so they planned to get their father drunk and seduce him on two consecutive nights.
As a result, a child was born to each of them. The oldest daughter conceived Moab, father of the Moabites. The youngest one conceived Ben-Ammi, father of the Ammonites. This subject was widely interpreted by the painting of the seventeenth century because it provided the pretext for the representation of the woman’s femininity and, sometimes, the female nude. The vibrant colors together with the dramatic contrast between the heightened senses of the daughters and the inebriated state of their old father are elements both dear to the Baroque culture.
Call to Worship – Galatians 5:16-26
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Invocation
Creator and Ruler of the Earth, we lift up our voices, our hearts, and our lives to You in praise. Help us to worship You in spirit and in truth. Uphold the weary, for whom praise may be very difficult. Humble the strong, for whom “alleluia” may be too easy. Creator and Ruler of the Earth, continue to form us into Your new creation, that we might welcome You to more fully become the ruler of our hearts and minds. Through Him who came as a servant, and who now reigns over all creation: Jesus, our Christ. Amen.
The Solid Rock
My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
His oath, his covenant, his blood Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
When He shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
Words & Music: Edward Mote
CCLI # 2487144
Children’s Sermon
Prayer and Intercession
O THOU MOST HIGH,
Creator of the ends of the earth,
Governor of the universe,
Judge of all men,
Head of the church,
Saviour of sinners;
your greatness is unsearchable,
your goodness infinite,
your compassions unfailing,
your providence boundless,
your mercies ever new.
We bless you for the words of salvation.
How important, suitable, encouraging
are the doctrines, promises, and invitations
of the gospel of peace!
We are lost: but in it you hast presented to us
a full, free and eternal salvation;
weak: but here we learn that help is found in
One that is mighty,
poor: but in him we discover unsearchable riches,
blind: but we find he has treasures of wisdom
and knowledge.
We thank you for your unspeakable gift.
Your Son is our only refuge, foundation, hope,
confidence;
We depend upon his death,
rest in his righteousness,
desire to bear his image;
May his glory fill our minds,
his love reign in our affections,
his cross inflame us with ardour.
Let us as Christians fill our various situations in life,
escape the snares to which they expose us,
discharge the duties that arise from our
circumstances,
enjoy with moderation their advantages,
improve with diligence their usefulness,
And may every place and company we are in
be benefited by us.
The Gospel – Sixth Day Morning fromThe Valley of Vision
Please take a few moments to pray for:
Chelsea Mends-Cole
Brady Adams
The Paradee Family
Kevin Fleming
Donna Waguespack
Healthcare workers
Other personal concerns
Scripture Reading – Genesis 19:30-38
Lot and His Daughters 30 Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. 31 One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children—as is the custom all over the earth. 32 Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father.”
33 That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and slept with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 35 So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. 38 The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today.
Sermon
Lewd and Lascivious Conduct: Lessons from a Regrettable Life – Rev. Jason R. McConnell
There is a Redeemer
There is a Redeemer, Jesus, God’s own Son,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One.
Thank you, O my Father, for giving us your Son
And leaving your Spirit ‘til the work on earth is done.
Jesus, my Redeemer, name above all names,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Hope for sinners slain.
Thank you, O my Father, for giving us your Son
And leaving your Spirit ‘til the work on earth is done.
When I stand in glory, I will see his face
And there I’ll serve my King forever In that holy place.
Thank you, O my Father, for giving us your Son
And leaving your Spirit ‘til the work on earth is done.
Thank you, O my Father, for giving us your Son
And leaving your Spirit ‘til the work on earth is done.
The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (1852) by John Martin
John Martin (1789 – 1854) was an English Romantic painter, engraver and illustrator. He was celebrated for his typically vast and melodramatic paintings of religious subjects and fantastic compositions, populated with minute figures placed in imposing landscapes.
Martin’s painting shows the biblical story of the destruction of the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which was God’s punishment for the two cities for people’s immoral behavior. Only Lot and his daughters were saved. Lot’s wife disobeyed God’s instruction not to look back and was turned into a pillar of salt. The fiery red color is characteristic of John Martin’s dramatic scenes of destruction. The swirling storm in heaven was also a frequent feature of his paintings.
Call to Worship – Luke 17:20-33
20 Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
22 Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23 People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. 24 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
26 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.
28 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
30 “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything.32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.
Invocation
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is discord, union;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that we may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and
it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi
Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)
Amazing grace, How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I’m found, Was blind, but now I see.
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed.
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free. My God, my Savior has ransomed me,
And like a flood His mercy reigns, Unending love, Amazing grace.
The Lord has promised good to me; His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures.
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free. My God, my Savior has ransomed me,
And like a flood His mercy reigns, Unending love, Amazing grace.
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free. My God, my Savior has ransomed me,
And like a flood His mercy reigns, Unending love, Amazing grace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine,
But God, Who called me here below Will be forever mine,
Will be forever mine. You are forever mine.
Almighty God, we confess our need of Your presence and Your guidance. We each have our hopes and expectations for what lies ahead, but only You can give us the strength and the wisdom we need. In life’s uncertainties, assure us of Your unchanging love. In disappointing moments, help us turn to You for stability. In temptation, give us courage to humbly place our hands into Yours. In daily preoccupations, open our eyes to the sorrows of our hurting world that we might respond with compassion.
Gracious God, our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips tremble to name, what our hearts can no longer hear, and what has become for us a consuming fire of judgement. Set us free from a past that we cannot change; open to us a future in which we can be changed, and grant us grace to grow more and more in Your likeness and image, through Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.
Please take a few moments to pray for:
2020 Graduates
Chelsea Mends-Cole
Brady Adams
The Paradee Family
Kevin Fleming
Donna Waguespack
Healthcare workers
Other personal concerns
Out of the Deep I Call
Out of the deep I call To Thee, O Lord, to Thee.
Before Thy throne of grace I fall; Be merciful to me, Be merciful to me.
Out of the deep I cry, The woeful deep of sin,
Of evil done in days gone by, Of evil now within, Of evil now within.
Out of the deep of fear And dread of coming shame;
All night ’til morning watch is near I plead the precious name, I plead the precious name.
Lord, there is mercy now, As ever was, with Thee.
Before Thy throne of grace I bow; Be merciful to me, Be merciful to me,
Be merciful to me.
19 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 2 “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.”
“No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.”
3 But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate. 4 Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house. 5 They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.”
6 Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him 7 and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. 8 Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.”
9 “Get out of our way,” they replied. “This fellow came here as a foreigner, and now he wants to play the judge! We’ll treat you worse than them.” They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.
10 But the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door. 11 Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door.
12 The two men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, 13 because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the Lord against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it.”
14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, “Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.
15 With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished.”
16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. 17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”
18 But Lot said to them, “No, my lords, please! 19 Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. 20 Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it—it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life will be spared.”
21 He said to him, “Very well, I will grant this request too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of. 22 But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it.” (That is why the town was called Zoar.)
23 By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. 24 Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land.26 But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
27 Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28 He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.
29 So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.
Sermon
Sin City, O What a Pity! – Rev. Jason R. McConnell
O Come to the Altar
Are you hurting and broken within?
Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin? Jesus is calling.
Have you come to the end of yourself?
Do you thirst for a drink from the well? Jesus is calling.
O come to the altar, the Father’s arms are open wide. Forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
Leave behind your regrets and mistakes;
Come today there’s no reason to wait, Jesus is calling.
Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy;
From the ashes a new life is born, Jesus is calling.
O come to the altar, the Father’s arms are open wide. Forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
O come to the altar, the Father’s arms are open wide. Forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
Oh what a Savior, Isn’t He wonderful, Sing alleluia, Christ is risen;
Bow down before Him for He is Lord of all, Sing alleluia, Christ is risen.
Oh what a Savior, Isn’t He wonderful, Sing alleluia, Christ is risen;
Bow down before Him for He is Lord of all, Sing alleluia, Christ is risen.
O come to the altar, the Father’s arms are open wide. Forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
Bear your cross as you wait for the crown;
Tell the world of the treasure you’ve found.
Isaiah 35
35 The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, 2 it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
the splendor of our God.
3 Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way; 4 say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you.”
5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert. 7 The burning sand will become a pool,
the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.
8 And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness;
it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
wicked fools will not go about on it. 9 No lion will be there,
nor any ravenous beast;
they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there, 10 and those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Invocation
As we come before You in Jesus’ name, we praise You with our inmost being; we praise Your Holy name. We will not forget Your benefits and we give You praise and thanksgiving because You have forgiven our sins and healed our diseases. We praise You because You have redeemed our lives from the pit and crowned us with compassion. Father, we praise You because You satisfy our desires with good things and You renew our Youth like the eagle’s. Father, we praise You and honor You for You work righteousness for the oppressed. You are compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love. Amen.
(Psalm 103:1-8)
Here I Am, Lord
I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin, My hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain, I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them. They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone, Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my word to them. Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame,
I will set a feast for them. My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them. Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart. I will hold your people in my heart.
Give me to love you, to embrace you,
though I once took lust and sin in my arms.
You loved me before I loved you,
an enemy, a sinner, a loathsome worm.
You owned me when I disclaimed myself;
You love me as a son,
and weep over me as over Jerusalem.
Love brought you from heaven to earth,
from earth to the cross,
from the cross to the grave.
Love caused you to be
weary, hungry, tempted,
scorned, scourged,
buffeted, spat upon,
crucified, and pierced.
Love led you to bow your head in death.
My salvation is the point where
perfect created love
and the most perfect uncreated love
meet together;
for you welcome me,
not like Joseph and his brothers,
loving and sorrowing, but loving and rejoicing.
This love is not intermittent, cold, changeable;
it does not cease or abate for all my enmity.
Holiness is a spark from your love
kindled to a flame in my heart by your Spirit,
and so it ever turns to the place
from which it comes.
Let me see your love everywhere,
not only in the cross,
but in the fellowship of believers
and in the world around me.
When I feel the warmth of the sun
may I praise you, the Sun of righteousness
with healing power.
When I feel the tender rain
may I think of the gospel showers
that water my soul.
When I walk by the river side
may I praise you for that stream that makes
the eternal city glad, and washes white my robes
that I may have the right to the tree of life.
Your infinite love is a mystery of mysteries,
and my eternal rest lies
in the eternal enjoyment of it.
Love from The Valley of Vision
Please take a few moments to pray for:
The Paradee Family
Kevin Fleming
Donna Waguespack
Healthcare workers
Other personal concerns
Scripture Reading
Genesis 18:16-33
16 Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. 17 The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” 20 Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, 21 I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”
22 So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” 26 And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29 Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” 30 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” 31 He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” 32 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” 33 And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
Sermon
Lessons from Abraham’s Conversation with the Lord – Pastor Vawn Edele
Micah 6:8
He has shown thee (He has shown thee)
O man (O man)
What is good and what the Lord requires of thee.
He has shown thee (He has shown thee)
O man (O man)
What is good and what the Lord requires of thee.
But to do justly (But to do justly)
And to love mercy (And to love mercy)
And to walk humbly with thy God.
But to do justly (But to do justly)
And to love mercy (And to love mercy)
And to walk humbly with thy God.
He has shown thee (He has shown thee)
O man (O man)
What is good and what the Lord requires of thee.
But to do justly (But to do justly)
And to love mercy (And to love mercy)
And to walk humbly with thy God.
Sermon Manuscript: Lessons from Abraham’s Conversation with the Lord Pastor Vawn Edele
Last week we heard that Abraham and Sarah had three unexpected visitors come to their home. They were welcomed and treated royally. They came not just to eat a delicious meal but to deliver a wonderful and amazing message. The promise made 25 years ago was going to come true by the end of next year. Abraham and Sarah were going to have a baby boy after waiting, wondering and trying for so long. Sarah responded by laughing at this shocking and what seemed silly and impossible news. And she lied when asked if she laughed. Yes, the news was hard to believe but one of the visitors was the Lord himself, right there in their presence speaking to them. Abraham had heard the Lord several times before this. He had grown accustomed to hearing from the Lord; certainly he recognized His voice but now He was right there in front of him. We continue this week with the visitors, the Lord and Abraham
A few weeks ago during a children’s sermon I mentioned that Abraham was called a friend of God. Separate authors of the scriptures remind us of this special relationship between Abraham and God.
2 Chronicles 20:7 Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?
Isaiah 41:8 “But you, Israel, mt servant, Jacob , whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend.”
James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
Abraham was God’s friend because of his faith in God. His faith expressed itself at different times and in different ways. Sure he had his moments where his faith stuttered but he always came back. I’d like us to keep in mind this relationship between Abraham and God as we go through the passage. We will see that Abraham talked to God as you would talk to a friend.
As the 3 visitors left, we are told Abraham went with them. It wasn’t because he was invited or just curious as to where they were going. Neither was it because they needed directions as to where they were going (even if they were men).He simply didn’t just step outside his tent, shake hands and say good-bye. Whenever someone visits with us we usually walk them to their car. It’s the polite thing to do with friends and strangers who come by the house. And who better to be polite to than the Lord Himself. Yes, it was a custom that was a sign of respect, kindness and appreciation to those stopping by to visit. In this case perhaps there was an element of wanting to stay with the Lord as long as possible.
As we go on, the remainder of the passage is largely a conversation between God and Abraham. It is not just a one direction interaction, where God speaks and Abraham listens. No ,in this case Abraham speaks and God listens. They are actually talking to each other. What they are talking about and what they say shows us the depth of their friendship.
They are not just communicating on the most basic level of small talk. “Hello. How are you? Did you find everything you were looking for?” You know the type of conversation you have at the grocery check out line. Neither are they just talking about facts, “ Sure is nice weather we are having. And did you see the beautiful sunset the other night. You did a great job with that one, God.” Sure they are talking about ideas and opinions. But something bigger than, “I think it would be a good idea to paint the living room. What color would you like?” It went beyond that. It was even deeper than just expressing feelings and emotions. It was a mutual open and honest conversation with each of them sharing personal thoughts. In simplest terms it is God revealing His plans and Abraham responding to those plans. It is the type of conversation you would hear close friends having. A true heart to heart conversation.
Notice who and how this conversation begins. The Lord initiates. As we look back and even as we will hear in the weeks ahead God initiates talking to Abraham. God not only began this friendship with Abraham but he sustains it. God first spoke to him by blessing him. God spoke, giving Abraham instructions to obey. God spoke to him in a vision and in a dream promising a land the nation of Israel would inherit. God told Abraham about the future 400 years of slavery Israel would face. God spoke to him, changing his name and Sarais’ names. God spoke to him to announce the birth of his son. In each case God wasn’t waiting for Abraham to speak first. Instead God spoke to Abraham first.
The Lord starts this conversation with a question, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” Seems kind of odd for God to ask this. Not that it was a secret to be kept or would be hard for Abraham to understand. Was the Lord looking for advice from the men with him. As we see, The answer was no. He didn’t hide it from him.
The Lord then repeats the promises made to Abraham. The promise to be a great nation and a blessing to all nations.
But why did God want to tell Abraham this information? It didn’t affect him personally. I read in a commentary that, “ God’s purpose in revealing this to Abraham was not just to present interesting and shocking news. And not simply to satisfy Abraham’s curiosity. But he wanted to do something in Abraham’s life through what he would reveal.” If that is the case what then did God want to do in Abraham’s life? A clue is found in what God continues to say about Abraham’s responsibility, which was to present the truths of God’s words and impress the importance of obedience to his children and to all his descendants He had the responsibility to pass on a heritage of righteousness and to encourage those who would come after him to not turn to wickedness.
The Lord continues to speak. He reveals what he did not want to hide. The spiritual condition of Sodom and Gomorrah and the consequences. And the Lord was going to go and see for himself. Sounds kind of odd. He didn’t need to really go. It tells us He doesn’t rely on second – hand information, but personally makes His own observations.
Then the men continue on while Abraham and the Lord are left alone.
Notice the posture of Abraham in verse 22: “Abraham stood still before the Lord.” It is always easy to want to get on with it. Hurry. Hurry. Our lives are so active we don’t know what it is to stand still, motionless in one place. We get impatient And want to move on. Psalm 46:10 tells us, “ Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Abraham put aside his agenda and enjoyed the moment. No words needed to be said at this moment. It wasn’t time to do or even talk but time to be with the Lord.
After standing still we read he draws near. In a term brought to our attention recently, Abraham did not want to be socially distancing from the Lord. He was not satisfied to be at a distance. He wanted to be closer than 6 ft away. Perhaps Abraham wanted to draw near to God so that God would draw near to him.
It was only after being still and drawing close that he then spoke. That in itself could be an important lesson to apply. Then his plea begins.
I have a question before we get in too deep into Abraham’s plea: Is this a prayer? Some would say no. It doesn’t fit the traditionally accepted prayer format. First a greeting to God. Like the introduction of a letter. Dear God. Yes you could say there was a request as a prayer often contains. But this is more like a series of questions. He is presenting and pleading his case. But we will see it is not for himself. And there is no Amen at the end. Is all that somehow necessary for a prayer to be legitimate.
Let us first consider the traits surrounding Abrahams plea before looking at the plea itself..
First we see that Abraham was speaking to the Lord. This was not a discussion with another person about the Lord’s actions. “Is God doing the right thing in this situation.” He went right to the source with his issue. He wasn’t going to talk behind His back. As if you really ever could.
He spoke to the Lord with respect. He acknowledged and accepted the position and the power behind that position that the Lord was the Judge of all the earth.
He was persistent. He kept asking and asking and asking. In doing so he was not demanding or whining. He just didn’t give up .
Abraham not just heard the Lord’s voice but listened.He wanted to hear what He had to say.Although he disagreed he continued to listen. A conversation involves 2 both talking and listening. And Abraham’s ears were open.
Abraham was very specific with his request.He did not just speak in general, broad, sweeping terms. “Oh Lord bless all the righteous in the world.”
His request was not self centered. There was no real benefit for himself. It was for the benefit of others. Remember Lot was living in Sodom and Abraham had rescued the people of Sodom from being captured in battle. So he had a genuine concern for their welfare.
Abraham was bold. It took some courage to ask what he did. And even to keep asking. That sounds alot like he asked in faith.
Abraham was humble. “Who am I but dust and ashes.” These are not words of someone who is prideful. For he saw his position in relation to who God was.
Lastly Abraham felt free to be open and honest to express his thoughts and opinions to the Lord.
And so I ask again, Is this a prayer? It certainly had the traits even if not the typical accepted format.
One more thing before looking at the plea. He doesn’t ask what the judgement will be. Will it be a natural disaster? A pandemic? A famine or drought? I believe he knew God was in the right to bring any fashion of judgement he wanted. He was God. Neither does he ask when will this take place? Give me a time frame. He trusted in God’s timing. He didn’t even say that the wicked somehow did not need to be judged. He accepted that they deserved to be judged.
The question he asks is, “Will you then sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” What is at the core of his question? A question of fairness. He felt that both the righteous and wicked should get what they deserved. Punishment or reward. They should not be treated equally. Don’t we all want that? Fairness. Almost 200 years ago Aristotle said “Equals should be treated equally and unequals unequally.” This is a timeless question and still repeated today, but said a different way.
Abraham then begins his bargaining with God.
Karey and I have gone to a few of the auctions that are held in Sheldon. I don’t always go because I need or want something. It is a fun date together. I like listening to the auctioneer and seeing what something sells for and to see what is a hot item. And it is fast. It usually goes something like this: An item is held up in front of the crowd and described. Let’s begin the bidding this evening at $30. Who will give me 30. Anyone! Yes I see 30 there. What about 35? We have a bid for 40. Anyone for 50? 45 Yes. 50 .We have 45 once. 45 twice. I see 50 . Any one for 60. We are at 50. Again 60 anyone. We have 50 once. 50 twice . Sold to number 135 for $50. Typically the price goes up. However sometimes it goes this way instead. Let’s start the bidding for our next item at $50. Anyone for 50? 50. Then 40. No takers. What about 30? Still no one. I hear ten from the back. Anyone for 12. We are at 10. 10 once. 10 twice. $10 sold to the women with number 234. Everyone is looking for a bargain. Certainly the best bargain is when the numbers go down and someone gets the best bang for their buck. Perhaps not so rapid. But isn’t this what Abraham was doing? Bargaining for the lowest number with the best return.
Abraham starts at 50 and gets all the way down to 10. Is he trying to change Gods mind or just trying to find out what is on God’s mind? Prayer can do both. But can we really change the mind of God.While Moses was still on mount Sinai after receiving the 10 commandments God notified him that the people had become corrupt and built a golden calf idol. God then tells Moses, (Exodus 32: 9 & 10) “I have seen these people and they are stiff-necked people.Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” God was set on what He was going to do.Moses then prays and asks God to to not bring this disaster on the people. We read that the Lord changed his mind and did not wipe them out. Moses had prayed and God changed his plans.
Why stop at 10? Lot and his family numbered 4. If Lot himself was righteous he would be spared and part of the 10. I wonder if Abraham felt at peace and thought why push it anymore. Or maybe he thought there ought to be at least 10 righteous people in Sodom no matter how wicked a town it was.
Now what about God’s answers to Abraham’s questions? Remember Abraham asked if the righteous will be judged along with the wicked. Fairness for the righteous. God responds that he would spare the city because of the righteous. Beginning with 50 and even as little as 10. God the judge was willing to extend grace and not destroy the wicked because of the righteous. The impact of few would be life changing for the city.
This scene between Abraham and God closes. And Abraham returns to his place. He could return home knowing that God had listened and God had answered. He had discovered God’s final answer and He was at peace. He could go home and wait to see what the Lord would do.
As we close, what lessons can we take away from this conversation between Abraham and God? We should adopt and regularly practice a correct posture before God. Stand still and draw near to God Although not a prerequisite, it certainly will be beneficial to our time of conversation with God. We ought to build the traits Abraham did in our prayer life. Talk to God with respect. Be persistent, bold yet humble. Feel free to talk to God about anything on your mind. He is willing to listen. And be willing to listen to what He has to say. Pray for others, both the righteous and the wicked. When we receive God’s final answer, be satisfied and go home.
