Third Sunday After Pentecost
**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
We
have no good apart from God. That makes Jesus’ call to follow him an invitation
to freedom. This is freedom to revel in the Spirit’s fruit: love, joy, peace,
and patience. This is freedom to not be imprisoned by anything that would keep
us from the fullness of the life God has given us. This is the path of life.
Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed
be the holy Trinity,☩ one God,
whose
steadfast love endures forever.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Merciful
God,
we
confess that we have not followed your path
but
have chosen our own way.
Instead
of putting others before ourselves,
we
long to take the best seats at the table.
When
met by those in need,
we
have too often passed by on the other side.
Set
us again on the path of life.
Save
us from ourselves
and
free us to love our neighbors.
Amen.
Hear the good news!
God
does not deal with us according to our sins
but
delights in granting pardon and mercy.
In
the name of ☩ Jesus Christ, your sins are
forgiven.
You
are free to love as God loves.
Amen.
Gathering Song – Borning Cry (ELW #732)
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.
Prayer of the Day
Let
us pray.
Sovereign
God, ruler of all hearts, you call us to obey you, and you favor us with true
freedom. Keep us faithful to the ways of your Son, that, leaving behind all
that hinders us, we may steadfastly follow your paths, through Jesus Christ,
our Saviour and Lord.
Amen.
Readings
A
reading from the Second Book of Kings. (2:1-2, 6-14)
Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a
whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to
Elisha, ‘Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.’ But Elisha
said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So
they went down to Bethel.
Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here; for the Lord has sent
me to the Jordan.’ But he said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I
will not leave you.’ So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of
prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were
standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and
struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until
the two of them crossed on dry ground.
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me what
I may do for you, before I am taken from you.’ Elisha said, ‘Please let me
inherit a double share of your spirit.’ He responded, ‘You have asked a hard
thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you;
if not, it will not.’ As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire
and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a
whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, ‘Father, father!
The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!’ But when he could no longer see him,
he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, ‘Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?’ When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.
The
word of the Lord.
Thanks
be to God.
Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20
I
cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, that he may hear me.
In
the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out
without wearying;
my soul refuses to be comforted.
I
will call to mind the deeds of the Lord;
I will remember your wonders of old.
I
will meditate on all your work,
and muse on your mighty deeds.
Your
way, O God, is holy.
What god is so great as our God?
You
are the God who works wonders;
you have displayed your might among the
peoples.
With
your strong arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
When
the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
the very deep trembled.
The
clouds poured out water;
the skies thundered;
your arrows flashed on every side.
The
crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lit up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
Your
way was through the sea,
your path, through the mighty waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
You
led your people like a flock
by
the hand of Moses and Aaron.
A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Galatians. (5:1, 13-25)
For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore,
and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only
do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love
become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single
commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ If, however, you bite
and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of
the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the
Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to
prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are
not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication,
impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger,
quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like
these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will
not inherit the kingdom of God.
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
The
word of the Lord.
Thanks
be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
The Lord be with you.
And
also with you.
The Holy
Gospel according to Luke. (9:51-62)
Glory
to you, O Lord.
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his
face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they
entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not
receive him, because his face was set towards Jerusalem. When his disciples
James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to command fire to come
down from heaven and consume them?’ But he turned and rebuked them. Then they
went on to another village.
As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I
will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and
birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’
To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury
my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead; but as
for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Another said, ‘I will follow you,
Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ Jesus said to him,
‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of
God.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise
to you, O Christ.
Sermon
May only truth be
spoken, and truth heard. Amen.
Living
in Canada means you have certain rights. You know you have these rights because
they're guaranteed to you in two documents: the constitution of Canada and the
charter of rights and freedoms.
The
constitution is a legal document that outlines how Canada's government operates
and what laws are recognized. The charter is embedded in the constitution and
describes the basic civil rights of all people living in Canada.
Every government decision and law in Canada must respect our charter rights. So what does the charter guarantee us exactly?
· Fundamental freedoms – anyone living in Canada is free to believe what they choose including religion, politics, or personal beliefs; we’re also free to express them publicly
· Democratic rights – citizens have the right to vote and run for office
· Mobility rights – anyone living in Canada can travel and work anywhere in the country
· Legal rights – all people are innocent until proven guilty and have a right to a fair trial
·
Language
rights – all people have the right to speak the language of their choice;
French speaking people have the right to be educated at French language schools
Within
the charter is a clause that guarantees our equality regardless of race,
national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical
disability.
Not
only does the charter guarantee Canadians these rights, but it says the
government must actively protect them. Canadians have a right to be protected
from certain actions that infringe on their rights such as hate speech and
violence. This means that you're free to express and act of your beliefs,
provided they don't interfere with the rights of other people.
And
if a person feels their charter rights have been violated, they can bring their
case before the courts.
The
goal of the Canadian charter of rights and freedoms is to create a just society
based on equality, freedom, and democracy.
I’m
sure you’re wondering why I’m giving this little history lesson.
We,
as a culture, are confused about freedom. We think freedom means “I can do
whatever I want, whenever I want to.”
We
think it means “I can do what I want, as long as it’s not hurting anyone.”
However,
unbridled self-indulgence is rarely harmless.
We
confuse freedom with “license.” License means you don’t care about anybody
else, so you have no qualms about doing whatever you want, regardless of how it
affects others.
Our
freedoms are always in tension with the freedom of the people around us. When
we think of our neighbors, freedom isn’t just the ability to do whatever we
want, especially if that action puts our neighbors at risk.
And
if we are honest with ourselves, our freedom isn’t as fully inclusive of our neighbours
as we think it might be.
As
we approach the 155th celebration of Canada Day, I think we need to
closely examine what freedom truly exists in this country.
If
you have been at a public event in recent years where our national anthem is
sung, the boos from the crowd will tell you that not everyone believes Canada
is a free country.
While
we would love to think that we, and our government, follow our Charter of
Rights and Freedoms to the letter, if we are honest with ourselves, we know
that not everyone is treated equally, not everyone is considered innocent until
proven guilty, not everyone is free to speak their language (or to be taught
their language), not everything is fully accessible.
There
is an aspect of “not about me” in Canadian culture. But we can make no progress
as communal human beings, which is inherent in being fully human, unless we let
go of our attachment to self.
When
community is inward looking, and concerned with its own problems and survival,
the marks of the Flesh are more prevalent and problematic. This is where Paul
is trying to take us.
Our
second lesson today tells us that, “For freedom Christ has set us free.” The
freedom Paul writes about here is in contrast to the “yoke of slavery.” Sin is
slavery because we lose our freedom to do good.
Paul’s call to freedom is a call to freedom from a certain style of religion
which he believes misses the point and does harm rather than good – in the name
of God and on the basis of the Bible.
He
makes it very clear that freedom is not just release from something – in
this case the demands of the Law – it is also freedom for something,
namely a relationship with the God who loves.
It
is possible to enter a relationship with God, but then abandon God's priorities
and follow after selfish impulses at the expense of others. Just to follow
one's impulses and to gratify one's own needs without regard for others is to
live "according to the flesh".
Not
that our normal human impulses, whether sexual or for food or anything else,
are wrong. They become wrong when they are handled in such a way that we do
harm to others – and to ourselves.
God
wants us to turn that freedom into care for our neighbours. Our inheritance as
God’s children are secured solely by God’s promise made good in Jesus Christ.
God’s unconditional, self-giving love is the only power that can set us free to
love our neighbors as ourselves.
We
are all free to love. And faith working through love is the only thing that
counts.
To
love someone is to not allow them to suffer, and to treat them with compassion,
kindness, and grace. When you love someone, you do not have the freedom to sit
idly by while they are harmed. If you exercise that freedom to do so, you can
no longer claim to love that person.
The
freedom that we have been given does not exclude an inner struggle. We must
wage this struggle with confident trust because we must never underestimate
what the Spirit is able to produce in our lives: “love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...”
But
the freedom that Jesus gives us is not freedom for self-indulgence, but
freedom from self for service to others.
Jesus
set us free on the cross, embracing us, just as we are in our sin. Our
enslavement to the cycle of self-destruction is forever broken as we share his
broken body and drink his shed blood.
We
are given freedom in Christ – freedom to do good things, and not to indulge our
desires to control other people or have power over them.
Each
of us is free in Christ to be for the world what he was for the world: an agent
of reconciliation and love.
Paul
is telling us that if we have right relationship with God, goodness will be the
consequence. Goodness within will bring goodness without. Love generates love.
The
ultimate freedom is the freedom to love those who do not love us.
The
ultimate freedom is the freedom to love our enemies.
Freedom
to love our enemies is empowered by the Holy Spirit; it cannot come from our
own willpower or self-determination.
We
can practice this kind of freedom when we are filled with Spirit and begin
manifesting the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Only the truly free can
live out these fruits.
When
we experience the freedom to practice the fruits of the Spirit, we become a
blessing of freedom to everyone we meet.
This
is the freedom we were created to experience, and it is the freedom that Jesus
calls us to today.
“Come, be free,” Jesus says. “Follow me, and you will bless the world with your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, and gentleness.”
Amen.
Hymn
of the Day
– Just a Closer Walk with Thee (ELW #697)
Apostles’ Creed
Let us declare the faith of our baptism as we say together
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
United in Christ and guided by the Spirit, we pray for the
church, the creation, and all in need.
Silence.
God of faithfulness, set the face of your church firmly on you. Rooted in your self-giving love, may the church find freedom in loving our neighbors.
God
of grace,
hear
our prayer.
God of gentleness, strengthen the earth’s ability to heal. Where there are dangerous storms, bring calm. Where there are destructive fires, bring rain. Protect homes, habitats, and livelihoods threatened by climate disasters.
God
of grace,
hear
our prayer.
God of peace, guide all who govern, that they place the good of their citizens above self-promotion. Anoint leaders of nations with your Spirit of neighborly love. Protect refugees and all who live under tyranny or conflict.
God
of grace,
hear
our prayer.
God of kindness, reveal your healing presence to all who are sick or dying. Uphold those who grieve. Support the needs of any who are unemployed, hungry, or have nowhere to lay their heads.
God
of grace,
hear
our prayer.
God of love, attend to those struggling with addiction, depression, or
uncontrolled anger. Provide support systems and loving companions as they work
toward health, that they may rest in hope and know the fullness of joy in your
presence.
God
of grace,
hear
our prayer.
God of joy, we give thanks for all wh o have died and now celebrate the inheritance of life in you. Keep their examples of faithfulness always before us, that we trust your promises in life and in death.
God
of grace,
hear
our prayer.
God of every time and place, in Jesus’ name and filled with your Holy Spirit, we entrust these spoken prayers and those in our hearts into your holy keeping.
Amen.
Peace
The
peace of Christ be with you always.
And
also with you.
Offering Hymn – O Jesus, I Have Promised (ELW #810)
Offering Prayer
Let
us pray.
God
of abundance, you have set before us a plentiful harvest. As we feast on your
goodness, strengthen us to labor in your field, and equip us to bear fruit for
the good of all, in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
Dialogue
The
Lord be with you.
And
also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We
lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It
is right to give our thanks and praise.
Preface
It
is indeed right, our duty and our joy,
that
we should at all times and in all places
give
thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God,
through
our Savior Jesus Christ;
who
on this day overcame death and the grave,
and
by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life.
And
so, with all the choirs of angels,
with
the church on earth and the hosts of heaven,
we
praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, Holy, Holy
Thanksgiving at
the Table
Holy
God,
our Maker, Redeemer, and Healer,
in the harmonious world of your creation,
the plants and animals,
the seas and stars
were whole and well in your praise.
When
sin had scarred the world,
you sent your Son to heal our ills
and to form us again into one.
In
the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do
this for the remembrance of me.
Again,
after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do
this for the remembrance of me.
Remembering,
therefore,
his acts of healing,
his body given up,
and his victory over death,
we await that day when all the peoples of the earth
will come to the river to enjoy the tree of life.
Send
your Spirit upon us and this meal:
as grains scattered on the hillside become one bread,
so let your Church be gathered from the ends of the earth,
that all may be fed with the Bread of life, your Son.
Through
him all glory and honor is yours,
Almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit,
in your holy Church,
both now and 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.
Invitation to Communion
In
Christ’s presence there is fullness of joy.
Come
to the banquet.
Sharing of the Eucharist
Table Blessing
The
body and blood of our Lord
Jesus
Christ strengthen you
and
keep you in his grace.
Amen.
Prayer After Communion
As
we have feasted around the table, let us pray.
Life-giving
God, through this meal you have bandaged our wounds and fed us with your mercy.
Now send us forth to live for others, both friend and stranger, that all may
come to know your love. This we pray in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
Blessing
The
God of peace,
Father,
☩ Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless
you, comfort you,
and
show you the path of life
this
day and always.
Amen.
Sending Song – Will You Come and Follow Me (ELW #798)
Dismissal
Go
in peace to love and serve your neighbor.
Thanks be to God.
