The Gathering
Welcome
Hymn Here is
Bread (ELW #483)
Leader: In many and various ways God spoke of old to
our fathers by the prophets,
All: but in these last days he has spoken to
us by a Son.
Christ the Life of all the Living,
Christ,
the death of death our foe,
Christ,
yourself for me once giving
To
the darkest depths of woe:
Through
your suff’ring, death and merit
Life
eternal I inherit.
Thousand,
thousand thanks are due,
Dearest
Jesus, unto you.
Leader: No one has ever seen God
All: The
only Son, who is in the bosom of the father, he has made God known.
Leader: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full
of grace and truth.
All: We
have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the father.
Leader: Therefore we
must pay close attention to what we have heard.
All It
was declared at the first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who
heard him
Leader While God himself also bore witness by signs
and wonders and various miracles
All and
by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will
Leader Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great
a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and sin which clings so
closely,
All and let us run with perseverance the
race that is set before us
Leader: Looking
unto Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith
All For
the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and
is seated at the right hand of the throne of God
Lord, you were so pure and stainless,
Wrapped in true humility,
That your death makes dying
painless
And brings life and joy to me.
Clothed in glory, fading
never,
I shall live with you forever.
Thousand, thousand thanks are
due,
Dearest Jesus, unto you!
Leader These are my words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled
All: We
are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to
those who obey him
Leader When we cry ``Abba Father,`` it is the Spirit
himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are the children of God
All and
if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ
Leader This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached
throughout the whole world, as a testimony all nations.
All We
are witnesses to these things and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to
those who obey him
Leader You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit
comes upon you and you shall be my witnesses.
All We
are witnesses to all that he did. They
put him to death by hanging him on a tree:
Leader but God raised him up on the third day and
made him manifest,
All not
to all people, but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses.
Christ, the faithful Witness,
sharing
Living words from God above:
Christ, yourself the Word
declaring
All the wonders of God`s love:
Let your Word, rich fruit now
bearing,
Be the seed of my declaring.
Grant, O Lord, that I may too
Faithful witness bear for you
Prayer of the day
Almighty God, our heavenly
Father, renew in us the gifts of your mercy; increase our faith, strengthen our
hope, enlighten our understanding, widen our charity, and make us ready to
serve you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
First Lesson Isaiah 53:9-11
They made his grave with the wicked
and his tomb with the rich,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain.
When you make his life an offering for sin,
he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;
through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.
Out of his anguish he shall see light;
he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.
The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Psalmody from
Psalm 22
Leader: The snares of death encompassed me, the horrors
of the grave closed in on me
All: I will tell my people
what you have done; will praise you in their assembly: “Praise him, you
servants of the Lord! Honor him, you
descendants of Jacob! Worship him, you
people of Israel! He does not neglect the
poor or ignore their suffering; he does not turn away from them, but answers
when they call for help.”
Leader: The snares of death encompassed me, the horrors
of the grave closed in on me
All: In the full assembly
I will praise you for what you have done; in the presence of those who worship
you I will offer the sacrifices I promised
Leader: The snares of death encompassed me, the horrors
of the grave closed in on me
All: The poor will eat as
much as they want; those who come to the Lord will praise him. May they prosper forever!
Second
Lesson 1
Peter 3: 8-15
Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. For
“Those who desire life
and desire to see good days,
let them keep their tongues from evil
and their lips from speaking deceit;
let them turn away from evil and do good;
let them seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you;
Theme Hymn Were You There (ELW #353)
Silent Witness…what testimony would be given if things
could speak?
The Shroud
**This sermon is a dialogue between two persons and is from the “Silent Witness” series.**
Excuse me. As you may have heard, we are gathering information from witnesses to the crucifixion of the one called Jesus. We were told that you played a significant role in the events of those three days. So, if you would be so kind, we’d like to hear from you about what happened as you witnessed it.
I know that you have already heard from other silent witnesses. Perhaps you have even found their accounts fascinating. It seems to me that some of them would be hard to believe. I guess I would have difficulty accepting them as accurate too, except for the fact that I too participated in that historic event. If I hadn’t been so close to the events myself…well, maybe I had better just tell you what happened.
Perhaps you could begin, as the other witnesses did, by telling us a little bit about yourself.
I think you ought to know that I came from a very humble beginning. After being scattered along with many other flax seeds, I grew to be a slender, straight flax plant with beautiful blue flowers, if I do say so myself. It’s difficult to match the natural beauty of the flowers of the earth, even the flowers of plants which seem to many to be weeds. It’s amazing, too, what changes can take place that make the common precious, the average valuable, and the simple elaborate. That’s what happened to me.
Even though you started as a weed.
Yes, I did start as a simple weed in the fields, but I was selected – along with many, many others, to be sure – to be carefully prepared for a special purpose. You see, with the proper care and preparation, what seems to be no more than a somewhat pretty weed in the fields can be turned into a gift fit for a queen. I had wondered as I grew if I would become more than I was. How excited I was when I was “picked” (literally!) to be woven into linen. That’s what they do with some flax, you know: they make it into linen.
Linen. That is more impressive!
It may surprise you to know that linen is often as fine and smooth as silk, and it can have a beautiful shine and amazing strength. That come about by all of us individual plants of the field being properly prepared and working together. There is a spinning and a weaving that takes place, and the plants become threads and the threads become the beautiful, strong piece of linen.
Is there a lesson in all of that?
Someone has commented that people could take a lesson from us. It has been said that some people are simply happy to grow tall and let their blossoms bloom for all to see. The sad part is that they are unwilling to allow themselves to be gathered with others in order to become more beautiful, more useful, and stronger. For some it is difficult to give of themselves in that way, but oh, what a fantastic difference when the spinning and weaving are finished! But becoming a piece of linen is only one part of the miraculous change and use made of former flax plants. Once the change has taken place through the skilled hands of spinners and weavers, there are any number of ways we can be used.
Used?
Many pieces of linen are used to adorn the tables in palaces during the grand banquets which are commonplace among those with much money and in positions of authority. Some of us linen is used to hang and display our beauty for all to see. Some pieces of linen are used to make clothes to cover the bodies of those who can afford us. (You see, linen is not only very nice and pleasant to the eyes, but linen is cool as well. In this area of the world, cool is in demand!) So, as you can see, it is one thing to be transformed from flax into linen, but then there is the anticipation of how one will be finally used. Personally, I had hoped to be a fine garment wrapped around the body of a king, or prince, or queen. The again, I guess I’ve always had high expectations, considering that I began as a simple plant of the field.
I appreciate your beginnings and certainly agree that expectations don’t always agree with reality, but please, get on with your testimony.
Apparently, my hopes were too high; I found that out when my use was finally made clear. It was a blow to my ego, if linen can have an ego. Maybe I had better just tell you what happened.
I wish you would!
A man named Joseph – I believe he was from Arimathea – came in, asking for a piece of linen. At first glance I was excited. I knew it was my turn to be sold for use since I was now on top of the stack. Well, this man Joseph was very will dressed. I assumed he was a person of high position. I found out that he was a member of the Council; that means he was a leader among the church officials. Knowing that, my mind raced with thoughts of adorning a fine table, or hanging to be appreciated by those who gazed at my silken sheen and beautiful weave. I could picture myself draped over the noble body of this man, or his wife. I knew I was about to become famous! I was right…in a way. I was wrong, too.
I don’t understand.
This man, Joseph, told the shop keeper that he needed a piece of linen to be used as a burial shroud. Can you imagine the cold, drafty, damp feelings that shot through my fibers at that moment? Here I had seen myself as an important part of nobility or royalty, only to find out that I was to be wrapped around a corpse and buried away in a dark, dank tomb, never to be seen or appreciated again.
How humiliating!
How utterly degrading! I wished that I had been left in the field to die and go to seed. At least then I would have served a purpose and would have left my mark on the face of the earth. But, to be stuck away in a hole!
It’s enough to unravel even the finest linen.
I was sold and taken from the shop by the man named Joseph. Shortly, we met up with a man named Nicodemus, another member of the Council. He and Joseph seemed a bit ill at ease. I found out later that what they were about to do could get them into a lot of trouble with the other members of this Council.
More humiliation.
Anyway, Nicodemus had bought about a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes. It was the custom to wrap a body in linen and place spices and aloes between the wrapped layers. This was supposed to preserve the body somewhat. I’m sure that people will come up with some better means of doing this as the years pass. However, it was certain now that I was to be wrapped around a body and stuffed with all these spices. (What if I’m allergic to them? No one bothered to think about that!) I finally accepted that my hopes were gone, my usefulness a sham, and my purpose…you call this a purpose? Not me! Then, things got even worse.
Worse?
That’s right: things got worse! I was set down on the ground so the two men could get the body I was to be wrapped around. And here’s where it got worse. The body was hanging on a cross! I was to wrap the corpse of a criminal who had been crucified! Why didn’t they just toss him into the pit over there. Or let him be prey to the birds the way they did with others who had been crucified? After all, criminals weren’t entitled to a burial! Why was this man special? He didn’t look special; he just looked dead. Well, they got him down and began to wrap me around him. I had to be used in strips; that’s the Jewish custom for burial – strips of linen with layers or myrrh and aloes between.
This sounds quite different from the other accounts we have heard. Oh, don’t get me wrong; I’m certainly not doubting what you say. It’s just that what happened to you was very different. Please go on.
Remember, please, how I told you that my beginning was unique, in that I had come from being a simple plant into being fine linen.
Yes.
I also told you that I had high hopes of possible serving a use for nobility, or even wrapping around a king to dress him in finery to keep him cool.
You did.
And, I also told you that I had given up all hope of any of that happening. I said that, didn’t I?
Yes, you did.
Well, I don’t know how to get you to understand, but I’m just going to tell you how it was, and you can wrestle with the confusion. That’s what I’ve had to do.
OK.
Here’s what happened: When the body of the crucified man first touched me, there was a sensation that passed through all of my strands and bridged the gaps in my weave. It was as though I was being fused into one solid mass, a mass with strength, beyond the strength of common (or even fine) linen, a mass with a sheen beyond that of the finest silk, a softness to surpass the flesh of an infant. Now, one would expect a different kind of feeling from touching a body, don’t you think?
I would.
It was clear that this couldn’t be the body of the average criminal who was crucified. This was someone with special powers, or purpose. There was no doubt that the man was dead, yet there was this sensation which made me feel alive and stronger, while he lay dead and weak as I was carefully wrapped around him. Are you still with me?
I think so.
If you’re finding this hard to understand, imagine how I felt! All of a sudden, I felt that being able to touch this man and serve as his shroud was far more important than any other use I could have ever imagined. I knew that I had been set apart from the time I was shooting up as a sprout in the field. I was not just one of the flax of the earth; I was a small part of a great plan to accomplish something magnificent. I never imagined, in my wildest dreams, that something as simple as I could be put to such an important use! But I knew that it was true. I didn’t understand it, but I knew it. I could feel it through every fiber of my being. Finally, I was completely bound around the body. I pressed tightly against his lifeless flesh. There was no movement, no breathing, no trace of a heart beating. He was indeed without life. How shameful!
Shameful?
I had no idea who this man had been, but if in death he had the power to change and affect me as he did, can you imagine what he could have or must have done for human beings when he was alive?
If only he could have lived longer and changed more people!
It is probably not my place to second-guess the God who created this power-filled man and even created me as simple flax. How thankful I am, though, that God saw fit to allow me, as a humble piece of linen, to come in contact with such a great, life-changing person as this crucified one. Even though I was confused about all of these events, there was a sense of confidence and security as I was allowed to hold his precious body resting in death. Even though I knew he was truly dead, there was a feeling that it wasn’t over yet, a feeling that there was more to happen, an excitement which replaced the usual depression at a time like this.
How do you mean?
I no longer felt myself to be a useless rag wrapping a corpse; rather, I felt as though I was being used for a very special purpose, one that I might never understand. But I was content to accept that and be thankful for it.
Oh, how unbelievable that feeling must have been – to be so close to the crucified one!
We were moved into a new grave – the crucified one and I, that is – and laid to rest. We were sealed tightly inside by a huge stone. Darkness, quiet, and emptiness surrounded us. We lay motionless for a couple of days, I guess, and then…I don’t know if I should even say it.
Say it, please!
We were lying as still as death itself…and I felt a movement. I figured that it must be another earthquake; what else could be moving in a grave? The movement was slight. It was a tugging, a straining against me. It was as though the body I held was trying to expand, as it would if breath were to re-enter it. It was a rhythmic movement, as though the silenced heart were pumping once again, pumping life back into the limp body. Yes, that was it – it was the movement of life! I had no sooner realized what it was when I found myself alone on the slab.
Alone?
I was in place; I was still wound, I was still filled with spices; but I did not surround a body any more. Something beyond imagination had occurred, something I cannot explain. I can only tell you as an eyewitness it happened! And I, a simple flax plant transformed into linen, had been transformed into a shroud of life! I didn’t give life to the crucified one, mind you, but I was allowed to serve him by holding him only as long as he chose to be held. He was never really bound. And now, so I hear, neither are you! He is free from that which held him. And so are you! I used to think death was the end. Obviously, it’s only the beginning.
Obviously!
Hymn Saviour when in Dust to You (ELW #601) verse 1, 3, 4
Apostles’ 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.
Prayer
Leader: Lord Jesus Christ, by your redeeming love
All: We
have been called into your kingdom, gathered as holy people, enlightened by the
word of Your Gospel, sanctified to serve you in our various callings, and kept
in your strong care
Leader Though we are dust, you shared our life and
died for us the death that sets us free
All: Now
cover us with the bright shining garment of your forgiveness
Leader: Remove from us all discontent, and make us
willing witnesses to this, Your cleansing and renewing love.
All: Knit
us together Lord we pray, and scatter us, according to your calling and the
gifts which you provide, to demonstrate by word and deed the mercies which
transformed us so.
Leader:
And when the day of resurrection comes – your final calling, gathering,
enlightening, sanctifying day –
All: unite
us then, we pray by your forgiving grace, with those whom you have clothed in
light that never fades.
Leader: All this we ask in Your redeeming name, and as
you, Lord have taught us to:
Lord's Prayer
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
and deliver us from evil.
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
Offering Hymn -
The Great
Thanksgiving
The Invitation
He was always the guest.
In the homes of Peter and Jarius, Martha and Mary, Joanna and Susanna,
he was always the guest.
At the meal tables of the wealthy where he pled the case of the poor, he was always the guest.
Upsetting polite company, befriending isolated people, welcoming the stranger, he was always the guest.
But here, at this table, he is the host.
Those who wish to serve him must first be served by him, those who want to follow him must first be fed by him, those who would wash his feet must first let him make them clean.
For this is the table where God intends us to be
nourished; this is the time when Christ can make us new.
So come, you who
hunger and thirst for a deeper faith, for a better life, for a fairer world.
Jesus Christ who has sat at our tables, now invites us to be guests at his table.
Hymn – Eat This Bread (ELW #472)
The Story
What we do here, we do in imitation of what Christ
did. To his followers in every age Jesus
gave us an example and command rooted in the experience he shared with his
disciples in an upstairs room in Jerusalem.
Reader:
On the night on which we he was betrayed, and as they
were sitting at a meal, Jesus took a piece of bread and broke it. He gave it to his disciples saying, “This is
my body. It is broken for you. Do this to remember me.” Later, after they had eaten, he took a cup of
wine and said, “This cup is the new relationship with God made possible because
of my death. Drink this all of you, to
remember me.”
Presider:
So, now we do as Jesus did. We take this bread and this wine, the produce
of the earth and fruit of human labour.
In these, Jesus has promised to be present; through these, Christ can make us whole.
Eucharistic Prayer
Presider Let
us Pray
The
Lord be with you
All And also with you
Presider Lift up your hearts.
All We lift them to the
Lord
Presider Let
us give thanks to the Lord our God
All It is right to give
our thanks and praise
Presider It is indeed right, for you made us, and before us, you made the world we inhabit, and before the world, you made the eternal home in which, through Christ, we have a place.
All that is
spectacular, all that is plain have their origin in you; all that is lovely,
all who are loving point to you as their fulfillment.
And grateful as
we are for the world we know and the universe beyond our ken, we particularly
praise you, whom eternity cannot contain, for coming to earth and entering time
in Jesus.
For his life
which informs our living, for his compassion which changes our hearts, for his
clear speaking which contradicts our harmless generalities, for his disturbing
presence, his innocent suffering, his fearless dying, his rising to life
breathing forgiveness. We praise you and we worship him.
Here too our
gratitude rises for the promise of the Holy Spirit, who even yet, even now,
confronts us with your claims and attracts us to your goodness.
Therefore we
gladly join our voices to the son of the church on earth and in heaven:
Sanctus Holy,
Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your
glory. Hosanna in the highest
Benedictus Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest
Presider And now, lest we believe that our
praise alone fulfils your purpose we fall silent and remember him who came
because words weren’t enough.
Setting our
wisdom, our will, our words aside, emptying our hearts, and bringing nothing in
our hands, we yearn for the healing, the holding, the accepting, the forgiving
which Christ alone can offer
Silence
Merciful God, send now, in
kindness, your Holy Spirit to settle on this bread and wine and fill them with
the fullness of Jesus.
And let that same Spirit rest
on us, converting us from the patterns of this passing world, until we conform
to the shape of him whose food we now share.
Amen
Fraction (Taking and breaking bread)
Among friends gathered around
a table, Jesus took bread, and broke it, and said, “This is my body – broken
for you.”
(Holding up a cup of wine)
Later he took a cup of wine
and said “This is the new relationship with God made possible because of my
death. Take it, all of you, to remember
me.”
Jesus , firstborn of Mary
All Have mercy on us
Jesus
Saviour of the world
All Have mercy on us
Jesus,
monarch of heaven
All Have mercy on us
He who has suffered for our
injustices is now present in this bread. He whose body was hung on a cross is now
offered to us in this cup.
So take this bread and this
wine. In them God comes to us so that we
may come to God.
The sharing of the bread and the wine
The Peace
Leader: Please Stand
Christ
who has nourished us, is our peace.
Strangers and friends, male
and female, old and young, he has broken down the barriers to bind us to him
and to each other. Having tasted his
goodness, let us share his peace.
The peace of the Lord be
always with you.
All And Also with you
Concluding Prayer
Leader Let
us pray
In gratitude, in deep
gratitude for this moment, this meal, these people, we give ourselves to you.
Take us out to live as changed people because we have shared the Living Bread
and cannot remain the same.
Ask much of us, expect much
from us, enable much by us, encourage many through us.
So, Lord, may we live to your
glory, both as inhabitants of earth and citizens of the commonwealth of
heaven. Amen
Closing Blessing
As we go now
from this moment,
as we leave
behind our time together.
May we walk
with one another,
may we help
each other on the way.
As we go now
from this moment,
as we go into
the future together.
May we
treasure one another,
may we realize
how precious we are.
May we realize
how precious we are.
May we realize
how precious we are.
Sending Hymn - Beneath the Cross of Jesus (ELW #338)
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