Worship Outline and Sermon
Worship Outline:
Time after Pentecost
Service of the Word
Sunday, June 20, 2021
Introduction to the day
Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation! Now we are in the storm, the boat almost swamped; but Jesus is here now, and when we call him, he will calm the storm. Even the wind and waves listen to him as they would to their creator. We also listen to him and are called to believe in the power of God’s word in him, a power greater than all that we fear.
Time for Reflection and Prayer
Gathering Song In Christ There Is No East or West (ELW 650)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO_N1yv9Efs
In Christ there is no east or west,
In him no south or north,
But one community of love
Throughout the whole wide earth.
In Christ shall true hearts ev’rywhere
Their high communion find;
His service is the golden cord
Close binding humankind.
(St. 1-2. Text: John Oxenham, alt. Music: African American spiritual; adapt. Harry T. Burleigh. Text and Music: public domain.)
Greeting
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the community of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Prayer of the Day
Let us pray.
O God of creation, eternal majesty, you preside over land and sea, sunshine and storm. By your strength pilot us, by your power preserve us, by your wisdom instruct us, and by your hand protect us, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
First Reading: Job 38:1-11
A reading from Job.
At the end of the book of Job, after Job and his companions have argued about the cause of the great suffering Job endures, God finally speaks. These verses begin that speech, which is a grand vision of creation, describing God’s ordering of the cosmos and inviting Job to marvel at its beauty.
1The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:
2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me. 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. 5Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone
7when the morning stars sang together
and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?
8 “Or who shut in the sea with doors
when it burst out from the womb?—
9when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band, 10and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors, 11and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stopped’?”
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Hymn Precious Lord, Take my Hand (ELW 773)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuhUPjuIi70
Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.
Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light.
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.
When my way grows drear, precious Lord, linger near,
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call, hold my hand lest I fall.
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.
(St. 1-2. Text: Thomas A. Dorsey. Music: George N. Allen, adapt. Thomas A. Dorsey. Text and music © 1938, 1966 Unichappell Music Inc., admin. Hal Leonard Corp. Used with permission under OneLicense.net #A-714392. All rights reserved.)
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13
A reading from 2 Corinthians.
Paul and his fellow workers experience great hardships and even rejection while carrying out their missionary work. Nevertheless, Paul continuously proclaims that God has not rejected us but is graciously working for our salvation.
1As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in
vain. 2 For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! 3We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, 7
truthful speech, and the power of God; with the
weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; 10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet
making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
11We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. 12There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. 13In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia. Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation. Alleluia. (2 Cor. 6:2)
Gospel: Mark 4:35-41
The holy gospel according to Mark.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Jesus’ calming of the storm on the sea reveals his power over evil, since the sea represents evil and chaos. The boat on the sea is a symbol of the church and invites us to trust God amid life’s turbulence.
35When evening had come, [Jesus said to the disciples,] “Let us go across to the other side.” 36And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38But he
was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon – “It’s Time” – Pastor Matthew
Hymn of the Day Jesus, Saviour, Pilot Me (ELW 755)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjsJ_5EYny0
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me
Over life’s tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treach’rous shoal;
Chart and compass come from thee.
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.
As a mother stills her child,
Thou canst hush the ocean wild;
Boist’rous waves obey thy will
When thou say’st to them: “Be still.”
Wondrous sov’reign of the sea,
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.
(St. 1-2. Text: Edward Hopper. Music: John Edgar Gould. Text and music: public domain.)
Prayers of Intercession
Let us come before the triune God in prayer.
Holy God, you gather your people from east and west, north and south. We pray for the mission of the church throughout the world, that your steadfast love may be made known to all peoples. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
You laid the foundations of the earth and the waters are the womb of creation. The morning stars sing your name and all creation shouts for joy. We pray for your blessed creation, that it may continue to flourish and magnify your glory. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
You keep watch over the world. We pray for all refugees seeking safety and peace; the work of Canadian Lutheran World Relief, resettlement teams and sponsoring communities. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
You are close to the broken-hearted and near to those in distress. We pray for those who are experiencing oppression. Liberate us from the systems and chains that bind us. Remove the barriers that separate us from one another. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
You dwell with us. We pray for own needs… Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Your love endures in all situations. On this Father’s Day, we pray for those who are
fathers or wish to be fathers, for those with broken or strained relationships, for those who are missing their fathers, and for fathers who have lost children. Bless and strengthen them. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
You are the God of all generations. We give thanks for the lives of those who have died; keep us in your loving presence now and when we join with them in the light of your eternal presence. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We lift our prayers to you, O God, trusting in your abiding grace.
Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
Offering Prayer
Out of our faith, may we be warm-hearted and loving; out of our abundance, may we be generous; out of our humanity, may we be bearers of justice and peace in our world.
Amen.
Blessing
May God our Creator bless us with steadfast love and mercy, + Christ Jesus show
us how to love with compassion, and the Holy Spirit work in us and accompany us
always.
Amen.
Sending Song Light Dawns on a Weary World (ELW 726)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QmwXPtr6L8
Light dawns on a weary world
When eyes begin to see
All people’s dignity.
Light dawns on a weary world:
The promised day of justice comes.
Refrain:
The trees shall clap their hands;
The dry lands gush with springs;
The hills and mountains shall break forth with singing!
We shall go out in joy,
And be led forth in peace,
As all the world in wonder echoes shalom.
Love grows in a weary world
When hungry hearts find bread
And children’s dreams are fed.
Love grows in a weary world:
The promised feast of plenty comes.
Refrain:
(Text: Mary Louise Bringle, © 2002 GIA Publications, Inc. Music: William P. Rowan, © 2000 William P. Rowan, admin. GIA Publications, Inc. Text and music used with permission under OneLicense.net #A-714392. All rights reserved.)
Dismissal
Go out into the world now. Show no partiality. Love as we have been loved.
Thanks be to God.
From sundaysandseasons.com. Copyright © 2021 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Sermon:
Time after Pentecost
Sunday, June 20, 2021
Text: Mark 4:35-41 ELCIC Summer Series, written by Deacon Michelle Collins, Assistant to the Bishop, MNO Synod
Deacon Michelle writes: “Today we begin by acknowledging World Refugee Day on June 20 and National Indigenous People’s Day on June 21. We give thanks for the gifts these communities bring to the church and the world, and pray for all those involved in strengthening, supporting and advocating for the marginalized and vulnerable in our society.”
[Mark tells us that] the kingdom of God is like a group of disciples who get into a boat to cross over to the other side of a lake. The winds blow and the waves crash, and the disciples cry out in fear that the forces of nature may overwhelm and destroy them. In fear and desperation these disciples cry out, only to realize that the one who has authority to calm the storm is in the storm with them.
With a backdrop of parables and stories about the kingdom of God that are sometimes confusing and hard to understand, we get this dramatic story,…[reminding] us that Jesus’ focus is on demonstrating that the Kingdom of God has come near. It is here and it is now, and it is present in the lived experience of the community. ...”
“So yes, this is a story about Jesus calming a storm. But it is also a parable—a story that points us to broader and deeper understandings of God’s reign and of us as God’s people. And so, like with other parables, we read it with some holy imagination, and we play with various aspects of the story as we uncover and discover deeper and deeper lessons and insights about God’s presence and action in the world and God’s
relationship with us.
We find the disciples in a boat, crossing over to the other side of the lake after a long day of teaching and tending to the needs of the community. Some of Jesus’ teaching makes sense and is lifegiving. Other aspects of Jesus’ teaching remain a bit of a mystery to these disciples. And yet, when Jesus invites them to join him in going to a
new place, the disciples do it. They may have questions. They may not always understand Jesus correctly. Sometimes they may downright get it wrong. But when Jesus invites them to follow, the disciples usually respond. Today is no different. Jesus invites them to go to the other side of the lake, and there’s no evidence that they have any concern about it. Jesus is with them. Some of them are fishermen. It’s a familiar lake that they’re crossing. This should be fine, right?
Well, it was not fine. The winds pick up and soon the disciples find themselves in a storm. A sudden weather event probably wasn’t unusual for this body of water. The combination of the shallow water, the surrounding hills and mountains, and the direction of the wind meant that there were often sudden storms on this lake. The disciples find
themselves in a storm, and there’s something about this storm that causes them to cry out in fear and desperation.
And when they do, they are reminded that Jesus is still in the boat. The invitation to cross over to the other side comes from Jesus, and he is still with them in this boat. He stays in the boat with the disciples throughout this tumultuous crossing. Jesus is in the boat, and with a reminder that the force of God is stronger than the force of nature,
he rebukes the storm and invites the disciples into deeper trust and faith. The power and presence of God is real and active, and has the ability to provide calm and rest in the midst of a storm. The kingdom of God is here. The kingdom of God is now.
Over the last year, there have been plenty of ways to use the imagery of a storm to speak to the chaos and disruption we find ourselves in, even as it is clear that as a church, as a society, and maybe even as a world, we are moving into new territory—we are crossing over to another side. And in the process of this crossing, we are in the midst of a storm. With the disciples, we likely have cried out in fear and frustration—
more than once—“Do you not care that we are perishing!” Do you not care that we are exhausted from isolation and anxiety? Do you not care that communities are being ravaged by injustice and inequity? Do you not care that there’s an imbalance of power that feeds privilege and preferential treatment to some while keeping others dependent and disadvantaged? Do you not care that a global pandemic continues to restrict the community and connection that gives us life? Do you not care that we are perishing?
When the disciples cry out in fear and desperation, Jesus wakes up and responds to their cries. He rebukes the wind, which is the same action he takes when casting out demons and disease in other parts of the gospel. Jesus responds to the fear of the disciples and he rebukes—he casts out—the storm. When he says “Be still,” [Deacon Michelle imagines] that perhaps the disciples are taken to the words of Psalm
46— Be still…and know that I am God.
This story affirms that in the midst of the perils and struggles of a storm, when the journey to the next place is still in process and feels
unending, the authority of the crucified and risen Christ is with us. Be still...and know that I am God. In Jesus—the resurrected Christ—God is with us. We are not alone in this storm (Sharon Ringe, Wesley Theological Seminary, workingpreacher.org). Into those cries of desperation, the voice of Christ speaks…Peace. Be still. Do not be afraid.
The wind of the Holy Spirit that blows over the Church in Pentecost is powerful enough to calm the storms, and the very real presence of the risen Christ stays with us in this boat, reminding us that we are not alone and that this invitation to go to another side comes from the One who accompanies us and encounters us along the journey. As we see and feel the raging storms around us and within us, we cry out in desperation— sometimes our own desperation, sometimes on behalf of others—and in that crying out, we activate, participate in and witness hope and restoration in new ways.
In this story we find a metaphor for the life of discipleship—responding to the invitation of Jesus to allow the Holy Spirit to move the church to another side, to stay on this journey of faith as it takes us into new territory, and to continue to be attentive to the mysterious ways the reign of God is revealed in our communities. As we continue to live through this pandemic, we find ourselves caught up in the wind and waves of disruption and change. But Jesus is with us in this boat as we follow the call of discipleship into mission and ministry in new ways. Jesus is with us in this boat as we tirelessly and faithfully find new ways of staying connected and strengthening community. Jesus is with us in this boat as we continue to care for and lift up the needs of those around us.
Jesus is with us in this boat as we face the pain and realities of our history and privilege, as we repent of our role in systems of oppression, and as we continue to work for reconciliation with those whom we have harmed.
As much as we may wish this journey would be smooth and without struggle, the reality is that we find ourselves in a storm. In fact, as we respond to the invitation to follow Christ deeper into the world around us, we discover that crossing to another side with Jesus tends to be risky, and often leads us into some unpredictable situations where we are faced with our deep fears and concerns. We may find that following Jesus often takes us into encounters of pain and suffering in the world. And it is into these experiences where Jesus’ powerful words of peace and healing are most needed.
At the end of this story, the disciples are not sure exactly who this Jesus is. They still have questions. Their faith still needs some strengthening, and they have moments where they still don’t get it. But Jesus continues to invite them into relationship with him and participation in God’s mission. Jesus continues to have conversations with them,
continues to answer their questions, and continues to try to find new ways to demonstrate who he is and what he is about. He continues to call them to faithfully follow him. These moments where fear and faith collide become epiphany moments, where the light and revelation of God is made real in new ways.
And so it is with us. The promises poured over us in the waters of baptism are more powerful than the waves of chaos, disruption and struggle we experience throughout life. Strengthened and sustained by these promises, we navigate individual and community storms as we seek to make our way to the other side—as we seek to follow this call of discipleship. When the storms become just a bit stronger than we can
handle on our own, we find comfort in the reminder that the resurrected Christ is still in the boat with us. The resurrection is not just a one-time thing, but a reality that folds into daily life. When our fear becomes stronger than our faith, we cry out to the One who has power and authority over the wind and the waves. And when our questions consume us and keep us from seeing a way forward, we hear once again the voice of God casting out our fear, speaking into the storm with a word of peace, and inviting us to stay close in relationship.
The kingdom of God is like a group of people who seek to follow Jesus, even when they don’t always know what that means. As they face the storms of life— individually and on behalf of others—they discover over and over that the One who has authority over the wind and the waves is the one who calls them, who invites them to cross over to the other side, who stays with them in the midst of the storm, and who
faithfully speaks words of peace and calm into their fears and doubts. Amen.