**Please note this service is based on the format of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, all prayers come from
Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW). Hymns and other prayers have been sourced
to give appropriate credit.
**NRSV translation used for the readings, unless otherwise stated.
Introduction to the Day
Today’s gospel starts with disciples obsessing over who will be closest
to Jesus, leading to Jesus teaching his followers about God’s take on
importance and power. Here Jesus makes it explicit that the reversal of values
in God’s community is a direct challenge to the values of the dominant culture,
where wielding power over others is what makes you great. When we pray “your
kingdom come” we are praying for an end to tyranny and oppression. We pray this
gathered around the cross, a sign of great shame transformed to be the sign of
great honor and service.
Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
who forgives all our sin,
whose mercy endures forever.
Amen.
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from
whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration
of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your
holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we
are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in
thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as
ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive
us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your
ways, to the glory of your holy name.
Amen.
God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and
made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. In the name
of ☩ Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven.
Almighty God strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may
live in your hearts through faith.
Amen.
Gathering Song – How Sweet the Name
of Jesus Sounds (ELW #620)
Greeting
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Canticle of Praise – Glory to God (page #213)
Prayer of the Day
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Sovereign God, you turn your greatness into goodness for all the peoples
on earth. Shape us into willing servants of your kingdom, and make us desire
always and only your will, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
Readings
A reading from the Book of Job 38:1-7, 34-41
Then the Lord answered Job out of the
whirlwind:
“Who is this that darkens counsel by
words without knowledge?
Gird up your loins like a man,
I will question you, and you shall declare to me.
“Where were you when I laid the
foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely
you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone
when the morning stars sang together
and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?
“Can you lift up your voice to the
clouds,
so that a flood of waters may
cover you?
Can you send forth lightnings, so that
they may go
and say to you, ‘Here we are’?
Who has put wisdom in the inward parts,
or given understanding to the mind?
Who has the wisdom to number the
clouds?
Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,
when the dust runs into a mass
and the clods cling together?
“Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
when they crouch in their dens,
or lie in wait in their covert?
Who provides for the raven its prey,
when its young ones cry to God,
and wander about for lack of food?
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35b
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
O
Lord my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with
honor and majesty,
wrapped in light as with a garment.
You stretch out the heavens like a tent,
you
set the beams of your chambers on the waters,
you make the clouds
your chariot,
you ride on the wings of the wind,
you make the winds your messengers,
fire
and flame your ministers.
You set the earth on
its foundations,
so that it shall never be shaken.
You cover it with the deep as with a garment;
the
waters stood above the mountains.
At your rebuke they
flee;
at the sound of your thunder they take to
flight.
They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the
valleys
to
the place that you appointed for them.
You set a boundary
that they may not pass,
so that they might not again cover the
earth.
O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In
wisdom you have made them all;
the
earth is full of your creatures.
Bless the Lord, O my
soul.
Praise the Lord!
A reading from the Letter from Paul to the Hebrews 5:1-10
Every high priest chosen from among
mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer
gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and
wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he must
offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one
does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only when called by God, just
as Aaron was.
So also Christ did not glorify himself
in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”;
as he says also in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.”
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered
up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was
able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent
submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he
suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal
salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest
according to the order of Melchizedek.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation – Alleluia (page #216)
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark 10:35-45
Glory to you, O Lord.
James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us
whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for
you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at
your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you
are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the
baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said
to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which
I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left
is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
When the ten heard this, they began to
be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know
that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over
them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you;
but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever
wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not
to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O
Christ.
Sermon
May only truth be spoken and truth heard. Amen.
One
of the most striking aspects of Hebrews is its prominent identification of
Jesus as high priest.
Such
an identification is surprising because the historical Jesus was not a priest,
was critical of temple practices, and was at odds with the Jerusalem
priesthood.
It
is also surprising because priests only came from the house of Levi, certainly
not from the house of David.
So
what makes Jesus a high priest? His lineage alone seems to disqualify him from
such a seat.
For
an answer to this question, we need to talk about Aaron and a man named Melchizedek,
king of Salem.
Aaron
was the high priest of the old covenant. The law which was the content of the
old covenant was inseparably bound up with the Levitical priesthood, which was
established through the hereditary order of the house of Levi.
In
the Bible, Melchizedek is identified as a priest centuries before Aaron came
along (see Genesis 14:18-20). Since he came first chronologically, he should be
deemed greater than the later Levitical priests.
Abraham,
the founding patriarch of the Hebrew nation, presented Melchizedek with a tenth
of the spoils he had captured in a battle and received a blessing from him – a
remarkable indication of the superiority of Melchizedek, for tithes are paid by
the lesser to the greater and it is the lesser who is blessed by the greater.
But
this display of homage carries the further implication that, through Abraham,
Levi, as yet unborn and “still in the loins of his ancestor,” paid homage to
Melchizedek on this occasion; that is to say, the Levitical priesthood (named
after Levi) acknowledged, so to speak, the superiority of the priesthood of
Melchizedek.
The
author of Hebrews also mentions the Rabbis taught that Melchizedek was without
lineage; this they deduced because the Jewish Bible doesn’t mention his
parents. The sudden appearance of Melchizedek in Genesis, without genealogy or
record of his death, signals to the author of Hebrews a resemblance to the
eternal Son of God.
Our
author has not only discovered that Melchizedek was a priest, but he was also
the king of Jerusalem.
When
David captured Jerusalem he inherited both the crown and priestly role of
Melchizedek.
So
because in Genesis Abraham gives a tithe to Melchizedek, the author further
deduces that he is superior to Abraham. After all Melchizedek blesses Abram,
not the other way around.
Put
that alongside the reference to an eternal order of priests under Melchizedek
in Psalm 110 and the author is making a statement that is a Christological
affirmation: Melchizedek is the figure of the Christ-priest-king.
We
now have what we need, says the author, an eternal High Priest who offers the
ultimate sacrifice.
Add
in bread and wine in the Genesis reference alongside the meaning of the names
used – Melchizedek means King of righteousness and Salem (Shalom) means peace –
so Melchizedek, King of Salem, is a king of righteousness and peace.
And
Melchizedek clues us in to who Jesus really is – a king High Priest of
righteousness and peace. The verse goes “You are a priest for ever, according
to the order of Melchizedek.”
The
history of the high priesthood was an inglorious one, the office having become
highly politicized, especially in the Maccabean and Roman periods that led into
the time of Jesus.
Christ’s
divine appointment to the high priesthood is explained briefly in verses 5-6
(and at much greater length in chapter 7). To twenty-first century readers, the
passage’s explanation will likely be baffling. The author simply quotes verses
from the middle of two different psalms and viola — we have Jesus as high
priest!
The
key for the original audience was that both psalms, Psalm 2 and Psalm 110, were
widely recognized as messianic prophecies, so it would have been natural for
the audience to apply these two verses to Jesus.
The
first quote (Psalm 2:7) establishes the Messiah as God’s Son; Hebrews already
quoted the verse for this very purpose in Hebrews 1:5.
The
second quote (Psalm 110:4) is where the priesthood comes in explicitly.
The
image of Jesus as priest is absent elsewhere in the New Testament, continuing
with the pattern of uniqueness in the Letter to the Hebrews we have established
over the last couple of weeks.
The
closest parallel is John 17:19, where Jesus sanctifies himself so that others
might also be sanctified.
The
more common motif pictures Jesus not as a priest but rather as a sacrificial
animal.
Curiously,
Hebrews does not substitute one image for the other but instead provides us
with one of the most outstanding mixed metaphors of all time:
Jesus
is both the priest and the sacrifice.
He
offers his own sinless blood, which is obviously a greater sacrifice than the
blood of sheep or goats.
We
have established here how the author of Hebrews concludes that Jesus is a high
priest, despite his having no royal or priestly lineage.
The
question becomes is Jesus qualified for the office of high priest?
The
author of Hebrews gives us a resounding “yes!”
He
examines two qualifications in particular – humility and compassion.
With
respect to humility, the author first notes that high priests do not grasp at
this position of honor. Those who arrogantly seize the office disqualify
themselves. Aaron and his descendants who followed him as high priest came to
their position because God called and appointed them.
Jesus
fulfills this qualification as well. He has not presumed to take the office;
God selected him.
The
author knows Jesus does not fulfill the requirement of physical descent from
Levi. How can he then continue to argue that God has appointed him to be high
priest?
Since
any straightforward logic is blocked, the writer uses a chess knight’s move to
jump over the objection. Christ, he points out, is not a priest like Levi at
all. He is a priest like Melchizedek, who belongs to an older (and therefore
better) order of priests.
The
second qualification is that of compassion or mercy. The high priest must be
able to deal mercifully with the ignorant and the wayward since he too is hampered
by human frailty. Most high priests must also offer sacrifice for their own
sins as well as those of others.
Despite
his exalted status as Son, Jesus too is able to sympathize with human frailty
and limitation because of what he experienced in “the days of his flesh”.
The
analogy between Jesus and the other high priests does not hold in every respect
because Jesus is without sin. Nonetheless, his experience of testing
encompasses the full range of human experience so that he is able to sympathize
with us.
What
does this all mean for us?
It’s
an issue of solidarity. Jesus really is one of us. He is able to deal gently
with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness.
This
Jesus is flesh and blood, emotions and reason, heritage and independence, just
as we all are.
The
Davidic Christ, in his atoning sacrifice upon the cross, now serves as the
eternal faithful and merciful high priest who represents lost humanity before
the throne of the living God.
As
we struggle through life, we are constantly being tempted to abandon our
loyalty to Christ. If we do this we are lost. Our only hope is to throw
ourselves on Christ's mercy, seeking aid in our strife. The question is, can
Christ meet our need?
The
answer is yes. He is a high priest who is willing to represent us in the
presence of the living God;
he
is a high priest who is well able to empathize with our weakness;
and
he is a high priest appointed by God.
Jesus
is completely able to help us in our daily life and eternally save us, and this
because he has gone before us as the perfect Son of God.
Next week, I’m going to talk about something that many of us struggle with….Rest.
Hymn of the Day – Will You Let Me Be
Your Servant? (ELW #659)
Creed
Let us confess the faith of our baptism, as we
say the Apostles’ Creed:
I
believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator
of heaven and earth.
I
believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who
was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born
of the virgin Mary,
suffered
under Pontius Pilate,
was
crucified, died, and was buried;
he
descended to the dead.
On
the third day he rose again;
he
ascended into heaven,
he
is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and
he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I
believe in the Holy Spirit,
the
holy catholic church,
the
communion of saints,
the
forgiveness of sins,
the
resurrection of the body,
and
the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
Set free from sin and death and nourished by the word of truth, we join
in prayer for all of God’s creation.
Silence
Holy One, for the gift of the church handed down through the ages and
for all who carry on the servant ministry of Jesus, we praise you. Send your
Holy Spirit upon all who are discerning calls to ministry in its many forms and
equip them with your gifts.
Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Creating One, for the lush and abundant habitat you provide for all your
creatures, we praise you. Provide healing for the earth so that waterfowl,
reptiles, wild horses, dolphins, and all living things flourish as you intend.
Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Suffering One, for all who work toward peace and who lead nations with a
servant’s heart, we praise you. Bring justice for all who suffer violence,
persecution, discrimination, hunger, poverty, and homelessness, and create
places of refuge for all people.
Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Merciful One, for all who do the work of healing in mind, body, and
spirit, we praise you. Surround and comfort all who struggle with depression,
anxiety, cancer, diabetes, dementia, or any illness, that all may be healed.
Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Sustaining One, for all who volunteer for the vitality of this
congregation, we praise you. Strengthen and encourage greeters, ushers, office
volunteers, bakers, counters, committee and group leaders, teachers, students,
evangelists, singers, builders, nurturers, and all who serve with generous
hearts.
Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Please take time to offer your own intercessions or pray in silence.
Risen One, we thank you for those who have shaped your church and shared
your gospel. Through the witness of your saints, continue to inspire us with
hope until we all are gathered at your eternal feast.
Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Confident that you hear us, O God, we boldly place our prayers into your
hands; through Jesus Christ, our truth and life.
Amen.
Peace
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Hymn
of Thanksgiving – Blest Be the Tie That Binds (ELW #656)
**Although
not physically at our church buildings to share our offering together I would
encourage you to set your offering of money aside so that it can be dropped off
or placed in the church once services resume, to mail your offering to the
church, or to make donations online. Please remember ministry is still taking
place.
Thanksgiving for the Word
Let us pray.
O God of justice and love, we give thanks to you that you illumine our
way through life with the words of your Son. Give us the light we need, awaken
us to the needs of others, and at the end bring all the world to your feast;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy
Spirit, be honor and glory forever.
Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our
daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time
of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the
power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
Blessing
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord’s face shine on you with grace and
mercy.
The Lord look upon you with favor and ☩ give you peace.
Amen.
Sending Song – On Our Way
Rejoicing (ELW #537)
Dismissal
Go forth into the world to serve God with gladness; be of good courage;
hold fast to that which is good; render to no one evil for evil; strengthen the
fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honor all people; love and
serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Thanks be to God.
No comments:
Post a Comment