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Woship Resources 2009-2010 — Year C: Live Generously, Love Courageously
Return to Year C: 2009-2010
Resource Index
Sunday, February 28, 2010
What Matters Most
Second Sunday in Lent
Scriptures: Genesis 15:1–12, 17–18/15:1–16, 20–21
IV; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17—4:1; Luke 13:31–35/13:31–36 IV;
Mosiah 8:49; Doctrine and Covenants 163:11a, b
Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Each day we are faced with tasks that consume our time and energy. There
are hundreds of causes to care about and organizations to support, taking
our time and money. Yet, this morning, we are called to be still—together in
this place during this time—and once again consider what matters most in our
individual lives and as a Community of Christ.
This morning I ask you to consider what some of the greatest issues of
our time are, and how we can lovingly and faithfully respond in their midst
in ways that proclaim Christ’s peace to the world.
*Hymn: “Help Us Accept Each Other” HS 171
OR “The Cause of Zion Summons Us” HS 314
OR “Gather Your Children” SP 3
*Invocation
*Response
Scripture for Confessional Reflection: Doctrine and Covenants 163:11a, b
When have we been distracted by petty and material things that don’t
matter in the realm of God’s purpose? God, help us discern what matters
most.
Hymn: “In Nature’s Voice We Hear You, Lord” HS 441
OR “Called by Christ to Love Each Other” SP 36
Scripture for Peace: Mosiah 8:49
Prayer for Peace
Hymn: “Listen” NS 30
OR Ministry of Music
OR “I Am Standing Waiting” SP 27
Message
Based on Philippians 3:17—4:1
Disciples’ Generous Response
Each Sunday, as part of the Disciples’ Generous Response, we ask you to
integrate the message of “share equally” between Local and World Ministries
Mission Tithes. Generosity stories are provided to keep the church in touch
with how contributions to Mission Tithes spread the peace of Jesus Christ.
Please use the stories, testimonies, and up-to-date contribution information
as part of your offertory ministry. Visit
www.CofChrist.org/generositystories to print a copy, or contact your
pastor, congregational financial officer, or worship coordinator for a copy.
Ask the congregation to discuss the following questions with people
seated around them: What is important about this place? Is it the moments
that we have had in this place or the physical place itself? How have our
relationships grown in this congregation?
Call the group to come together once again. Have a couple of people
briefly share with the rest of the congregation what they talked about. When
we begin to realize what is truly important in each place we are in, we
begin to recognize that it is often the relationships that we have
established or are sharing in that moment that most sustain and empower us.
As Community of Christ, we are called to create communities of joy, hope,
love, and peace in the midst of a world that has many competing voices. As
we consider what to give monetarily in the offering this morning, may we
think of ways we can give of ourselves—our time, energy, and gifts.
Blessing and Offering of Mission Tithes
*Hymn: “God! When Human Bonds Are Broken” SP 18
OR “We Are One in the Spirit” HS 466
OR “Community of Christ” R-11
*Benediction
*Postlude
Sermon Helps
Scriptures: Genesis 15:1–12, 17–18/15:1–16, 20–21 IV; Psalm 27;
Philippians 3:17—4:1; Luke 13:31–35/13:31–36 IV
Exploring the Scriptures
The church in Philippi was established around 50 CE as a new area of
missionary work by Apostle Paul. Philippi was a small city that came under Roman
rule in the second century and whose citizens were extended the privileges
granted to Roman colonies. Their allegiance to Rome was grounded in cultural,
social, religious, and political factors that were often in tension with Paul’s
teachings about their new “citizenship” as believers and followers of Jesus
Christ. Paul’s message in Philippians 3:17—4:1 is directed to this
tension and challenges the church in Philippi to remember their commitment to
Christ and to the principles of the kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed in his
life, ministry, death, and resurrection.
Paul reminds them in verse 17 of the example that he and others have set that
they should also follow: “Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and
observe those who live according to the example you have in us.”
It is helpful to look at verses 7–16 in this same chapter to better
understand what Paul is saying about following his example of apostolic witness.
Apostles are called to be witnesses of the good news of the kingdom in both word
and deed. Paul talks about his personal struggle in being that kind of example
and how this goal is something to always be working toward as we seek to
understand God’s mission in our world. It was quite normal in those times and in
that cultural setting for an author like Paul to call upon the readers to
imitate him and offer them examples of the behavior he wanted them to imitate.
In the next few verses Paul describes first how they should not live. They
should not live as an enemy of the cross as so many apparently did. He tells
them this with tears in his eyes, which tells us about Paul’s devotion to the
Christ. He tells us that these people have their minds set on earthly things. We
do not associate with them, Paul goes on to say, because we have our citizenship
in heaven. It is Jesus we look for. This can be accomplished by the power of the
Holy Spirit, not by our own power.
Bible commentaries often suggest that Paul’s motivation for writing this
letter was to remind the church in Philippi of their allegiance to Christ and
their commitment to live lives that modeled behaviors aligned with the
principles of God’s peaceable kingdom. This would require a different set of
standards of citizenship than those applied to their Roman allegiance. Paul
wanted them to understand that their Christian citizenship, membership in the
body of Christ, took precedence over their Roman citizenship and required them
to live individual and collective lives transformed by the Holy Spirit and
representative of God’s kingdom.
This challenge is still faced by the church today. Doctrine and Covenants
163:3a and b remind us of this same tension that we too must live in as
disciples of Jesus Christ and citizens of God’s kingdom: “You are called to
create pathways in the world for peace in Christ to be relationally and
culturally incarnate. The hope of Zion is realized when the vision of Christ is
embodied in communities of generosity, justice, and peacefulness. Above all
else, strive to be faithful to Christ’s vision of the peaceable Kingdom of God
on earth. Courageously challenge cultural, political, and religious trends that
are contrary to the reconciling and restoring purposes of God. Pursue peace.”
Central Ideas
1. The call to share authentic apostolic witness is for all who profess
to be followers of Jesus Christ and requires behaviors that imitate God’s
kingdom principles of shalom that were present in Jesus’ life, ministry,
death, and resurrection.
2. We are called to not only proclaim the word, but also to be doers of
the word. To be and do anything less is giving allegiance to principles that
are other than those represented in God’s peaceable kingdom.
3. There is always a tension between some of our cultural, social,
economic, and political understandings/behaviors and our commitment to be
authentic disciples of Jesus Christ and citizens of God’s peaceable kingdom.
Christian disciples are to be imitators of Jesus during his time on the
cross and stand against those forces that diminish the worth of persons and
destroy God’s creation.
Questions for the Speaker
1. What are the cultural, political, and religious trends in our world
that are in tension with your understandings of God’s peaceable kingdom that
were incarnate in Christ’s mission?
2. How can your congregation discern together where God is calling you to
share your apostolic witness in the communities and world where you live?
3. How do members of Christ’s body hold each other accountable as
citizens of God’s peaceable kingdom for sharing and modeling kingdom
principles and behaviors in the spirit of forgiveness, compassion, and
unconditional love?
4. What would be different in your life and congregation if you would
strive to be true followers of Jesus Christ and pursue peace in all its
dimensions?
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