Lord, Show Us Your Steadfast Love: A 21st Century Resource Pentecost 2A

Revised Common Lectionary Readings
Genesis 22:114
Psalm 13 (UMH 746)
Romans 6:1223
Matthew 10:4042

Gathering Meditation
(Genesis 22:1-14)
From time to time, God tests us — as Abraham was tested — to see just how much we trust God and how much we can be trusted with God's future plans and blessings for humankind. God tests us to see if, like Martin King and Mandela, Sojourner and Bethune, we will make ourselves available to God's deeper calling on our lives. You may very well be tested to see just how faithful you are to God and God's mission for your life and the lives of others.

Our lives are punctuated by sacrifices — sacrifices of our time, sacrifices of our energies, sacrifices that affect our families, sacrifices now, with the hope of a better future. God shows us where God wants us to be, what God wants us to do. As we, like Abraham, look up and see God's possibilities, even in the depths of our trials and tribulations, our sufferings and shames, we will be able to respond with hope, like Abraham, knowing that the worship of God will sustain us in the test.

And so, we continue in readiness to sacrifice. Sometimes we work two and three jobs so that our youngins' can get an education. Sometimes we burn the midnight oil so that our dreams and the dreams of others will come to pass. Sometimes we position ourselves to give up the very thing we love, so that God can do far more with that love than we ever dreamed of. But we go, as children of God we go, as ancestors of the Motherland who remember that we've come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord, trusting in his Holy Word. God has never failed us yet, so we go.

We go trusting and believing that the Lord will make a way somehow. The Lord will provide. And as we go, and as we do what the Lord says do, God intervenes in the midst of our tests. God shows up in the midst of our trials. Well done, my good and faithful servant. Now I know you fear God. And there are rewards for passing tests, you know. When we do not withhold anything or anybody from God, God will take what we have offered, bless it, prosper it, expand it, and increase it for the betterment of generations and generations to come. From time to time, like Abraham and multitudes in our African ancestry, God tests us. But tests become testimonies for those who remain faithful. Have faith in God today. God will reward those who diligently seek him.

Opening Sentences
(Matthew 10:40-42)
Lord, just as you have welcomed us when we were strangers with no home, just as you have taken us in when others said, "No," we ourselves seek to welcome those who have come to worship and praise your holy name. We welcome you this morning in this place to sit down and be present with us. Let us worship God!

Call to Worship
(Psalm 13)
How long, O Lord, will we be destroyed by drive-bys, ravaged by regentrification and misinformed, through mis-education?
Lord, show us your steadfast love and cause us to rejoice in your salvation.

How long, O Lord, will economic injustice, unemployment and underemployment, domestic violence and depression gain victory over us?
Lord, show us your steadfast love and cause us to rejoice in your salvation.

How long, O God, will marriage mishaps, family fractures, down-low disguises, and the sadness of searching singles cause pain in our souls and sorrow in our hearts all the day long?
Lord, show us your steadfast love and cause us to rejoice in your salvation.

We come this morning looking for an answer from the Lord, who shines light into darkness and brings hope to replace despair. O God, our help in ages past, our hope in years to come, we come now to worship you. For in our singing and praise to you, we know that you will deal bountifully with us. You will hear and answer our prayers! Let us worship God!
Lord, show us your steadfast love and cause us to rejoice in your salvation!


Prayer for Illumination Before the Sermon
(Psalm 13)
Lord, open our eyes to see your grace afresh today. Open our ears, to hear your mercy anew today. We've been suffering for a long time, God, and we need to hear a word from you. We've been a long time in our family dysfunction. We've been a long time in our relationship folly. We've been a long time in poverty and economic pain. We have been too long in sin and shame. Lord, give light to our eyes today and encouragement to our souls, so that our hearts can rejoice in your salvation. Elevate our hopes because of the positive expectations we have in you. Speak Lord, we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Litany
(Romans 6:12-23) Leader: In the passion of the moment, at the point of no return, God's grace took hold of me and continues to keep me whole.
People: Sin done lost its grip on me.

Leader:In the greed of this generation and in the selfishness of this society, God's mercy still chases me and rests securely around my soul.
People: Sin done lost its grip on me.

Leader: In my failure to love my neighbor, in my failure to love myself, in my desire to love the world before God and anything else, still I'm rescued by a divine love that, in my wretchedness, refuses to let me go. I tell you,
People: Sin done lost its grip on me.

Leader: In my rebellion against God, in my devastation and despair, there's a heavenly hand that holds me and cares.
People: Yes, sin done lost its grip on me.

Leader: When I want to do right, but end up doing wrong; when the good I want to do, I don't do; and the evil I don't want to do, I do — still I see that God's grace is sufficient because
People: Sin done lost its grip on me.

Leader: We've been brought from death to life.
People: Sin done lost its grip on us.

Leader: We've been made instruments of God's righteousness.
People: Sin done lost its grip on us.

Leader: We've been set free from transgression.
People: Sin done lost its grip on us.

Leader: So emerge from your guilt; rise up from your shame. Return to the game. There's something about his name.
People: Sin done lost its grip on us.

Leader: Remember that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rejoice, for . . .

ALL: SIN DONE LOST ITS GRIP ON US!

Offertory Prayer
(Genesis 22:1-14)
Lord God, as we approach this offertory moment, may our giving reflect how grateful we are to you for providing a ram from the thicket — from moment to moment and generation to generation. Just as you provided for Abraham, you continue to provide for us. We are reminded that you have provided for us in our deepest trials and greatest tests. We are reminded that you provided for us through the terror and suffering of the Middle Passage. We are reminded that you provided for us amid the choking thorns of Jim Crow and discrimination. We are reminded that you have provided a way for us through immigration proceedings and green card worries. We are reminded that you have provided that check when we didn't know where the money was coming from, that job when all other employers said, "no." We're reminded that you have been our God through family strife, community disenfranchisement, cultural chaos, depression, and despair. We are reminded that because you have provided, our tests have become testimonies; for you have strengthened us, blessed us, and prospered us for your purposes. Lord, you have been good to us. Now as we come before you this day with a fresh chance to give, may our material gifts reflect gracious and giving hearts for the rams that you have provided from moment to moment and generation to generation. You are worthy to be praised. In Jesus' name. Amen.

The Rev. Joseph W. Daniels, Jr. is the Senior Pastor of Emory United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C.

Copyright © 2005 Joseph W. Daniels, Jr. Used with permission. This 21st Century Liturgy resource may be printed, copied, distributed, reprinted in church bulletins or newsletters, or otherwise used for nonprofit local church worship or education with the inclusion of the copyright citation. It may not be used for profit or republication without the author's prior permission. It may not be reproduced on another website, although other websites are welcome to link to this page.