September 17, 2023
Lectionary Texts
Exodus 14.19-31— Israel crosses the Red Sea and escapes from Egypt.
Exodus 15.1b-11, 20-21— On the far shore, Moses and the prophet Miriam lead the people in singing: “Sing to the Holy One, for God has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider God has thrown into the sea.”
Romans 14.1-12— Don’t judge people’s religious practice as if they are accountable to us. They are not. It is we who are accountable to God. We are not even our own masters, let alone theirs. “Whether we live or we die, we are the Lord’s.” (I like to add verse 13, a summary against judging.)
Matthew 18.21-35— Forgive not once, not seven, but seven times 70 times. The parable of the two debtors, one owing 100 denarii and the other 10,000 talents.
Preaching Thoughts
September is recognized as the Season of Creation.
Click here for Creation Centered worship resources.
Exodus
Some translators call it the Reed Sea, or even Weed Sea, as if it were really just a shallow swamp, since obviously no one could cross an actual ocean. But elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible the Yam Suph is seen as not just a body of water but the Water of Chaos present at Creation. Israel didn’t just cross some water: they left a whole world behind and entered a new Creation. The Red Sea was a birth canal. It deepens the waters of baptism, doesn’t it?
This won’t bear much on preaching, but it’s interesting stuff: The story as we have it is a stitching together of two stories, one from J and one from E & P. The two stories were cut-and pasted together into one, and you can literally cut them apart with scissors and restore two complete, though differing, stories of the crossing of the Red Sea. (Here it is.) One difference between the two stories is that in J God parts the water with a strong wind and it lies flat. In E/P it’s Moses raising his staff (looking like a priest, no?) and the water piles up. One might attribute God’s working to natural phenomena such as a strong east wind, or to more direct intervention, such as a priest’s action, but either way, God gets it done. Like all biblical stories this one begs the question of God’s intervention. Does God actually “cause” specific things to happen, or is God (Love) a basic force of the universe like gravity that influences everything but doesn’t intervene or control anything? Maybe, like the wind and Moses’ staff, we work together.
Matthew
A talent was a measure of weight, about 60 lbs. So the first debtor owes something like 300 tons of silver. At today’s rate that would be about $230 million. (Yeah, Jesus likes to exaggerate.) The second owes something like a thousand bucks. How much more we are forgiven than we are owed! Really, in the end, forgiving and being forgiven are one and the same. Once we know how forgiven we are, how can we not forgive?
Speaking of math, different versions have Jesus saying we must forgive 70 times, or 77 times, or 70 times 7 (that’s 490). Given Jesus’ penchant for exaggeration I’ll go with 70×7. Besides, the reality is that forgiveness isn’t just a one time thing. Sometimes our sense of loss, betrayal, or violation lingers or re-surfaces and we have to keep on forgiving; we have to sustain forgiveness. It’s ongoing. So maybe even 230 million is a good number.
To forgive is not to forget, or to excuse or even to tolerate. To forgive someone doesn’t mean they didn’t hurt you, and it doesn’t mean you trust them. It means you accept the hurt as part of “what is.” It means letting go of feeling something needs to happen for you to be OK—usually that they need to repent, or apologize, or learn from their error, or pay you back, or suffer some consequences, or even just suffer. Forgiveness means you carry no unfinished business. They might indeed need to learn, or repent, or suffer consequences, but you don’t need for them to. You are whole as you are. When you refuse to forgive you carry the hurt with you; you’re still hurting—they’re still hurting you. When you forgive you accept yourself as hurt but still whole. So really forgiving someone for hurting you means forgiving yourself for being hurt, and trusting that you are both wounded and also beautiful at the same time. This is how God forgives. There’s no “deserving,” no prerequisite of repentance, no score. No payback, not even Jesus dying on the cross. Just love. It’s a free gift. “God forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us” (Colossians 2.13-14).
Call to Worship
1.
Leader: God of grace, we are a broken people, but you love us.
All: We will bear your mercy. Alleluia!
Christ our redeemer, you forgive us and make us new.
We will bear your mercy. Alleluia!
Holy Spirit, you fill us with love even for those who hurt us.
We will bear your mercy. Alleluia!
God of mercy, we worship you. We serve you. Alleluia!
2.
Leader: Creator God, you alone give us life!
All: We praise you. We thank you. We worship you.
Crucified and risen Christ, you show us the way of life.
We hear you. We love you. We follow you.
Holy Spirit, you fill us with life, and call us to honor life.
We receive you. We breathe you. We bear you into the world.
Teach us your ways. Change our hearts. Re-create us again.
Alleluia! Come, Spirit of life, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
3.
Leader: Generous God, we praise you!
All: Risen Christ, we greet you.
You have led us across the Read Sea.
You have set us free from all that enslaves us.
You have forgiven us all alike. Set us free again, Beloved.
Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
4.
Leader: Holy One, God of powerful love,
you have brought us thorough the Red Sea of all that diminishes us
into the wide freedom of your grace.
All: You have brought us into the land of your deep forgiveness.
You have given us outrageous hope.
You surround us with huge love and confident peace.
We thank you. We worship you. We listen for your Word. Alleluia.
5.
Leader: God, you have created us in your image: free and beautiful.
All: But we are oppressed by systems and judgments,
powers and expectations.
And so in love you have set us free from all that oppresses us.
You have led us out through the Red Sea of fear
into the dominion of your grace.
Help us remember that we are not subject to the old pharaoh,
but we are free with you.
Help us to become free as we worship you with gratitude and joy. Amen.
Collect / Prayer of the Day
1.
God of mercy, we are held in slavery to our resentments and judgments. We are burdened by our wounds and fears. Speak to us, call us to you, and lead us through the sea of our hurts to freedom in you. God of love, we are hungry for your Word. We open our hearts to hear. In your mercy, speak to us. Amen.
2.
God of grace, God of mercy and justice, you have come to set us free from all that diminishes life, that enslaves our hearts, that imprisons our spirits, that constricts our love. Come to us and speak your liberating Word to us. Set us free and bring us on your Way through the Red Sea. Amen.
3.
God of truth, you led your children out of Egypt into a new life, and a new world. Jesus shows us a new way to live. We open ourselves to your Word, and pray that you lead us into newness of life, by the grace of your Spirit, always present within and among us. Amen.
4.
Gracious God, you have set us free from all that enslaves us and brought us through the Red Sea to freedom. Your Christ forgave those who harmed him, and taught us to forgive. You forgive us and call us continually to live new lives. O God, call us out of Egypt once again, into a land of freedom and forgiveness. Speak your Word to us lead us into the Promised Land of your grace. Amen.
5.
God of grace, it is your will and your glory to forgive. In the cross of Christ you have set us free from the power of sin and death. In awe and gratitude we worship you, and pray that by your Holy Spirit you might always set us free to worship and to serve, to love and forgive, in the name of Christ. Amen.
6.
Eternal One, you led the children of Israel through the Red Sea to freedom. You accompany all who are becoming free. We pray for all who are becoming free, from personal demons, guilt or shame, abusive relationships, coercive situations or slavery of any kind. Give them strength, hope and courage. And give us the faith to go with them, for by your grace we too are becoming free. We pray in the name of Jesus, who forgives, who liberates, who redeems, who sets us free like no other. Amen.
Listening Prayer
(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to prayer)
Out of the Egypt of our anxieties,
through the Red Sea of our doubt,
you bring us to this place of peace
where we are free with you.
We come to you. We sit with you.
We are here.
Prayer of Confession
Pastor: The grace of God is with you.
Congregation: And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, let us confess our sin to God with one another.
God have mercy.
God of love, we bring to mind those ways we have not followed your will,
those ways we have been enslaved by our fears and desires,
and we ask your forgiveness.
God, have mercy.
… Silent prayer …
God of love, we bring to mind those whom we ourselves need to forgive.
We confess our bitterness and ask your forgiveness,
and we ask you to help us forgive those whom we have not yet forgiven.
God have mercy.
[Silent prayer … The word of grace]
Eucharistic Prayer
[After the introduction, the body of the prayer may be read responsively with the presiding leader(s) and congregation, or by the leader(s) alone.]
1.
God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.
Holy God, we thank you, for in love you Create us, you claim us,
and you commit to being present for us in all things.
You condemn the forces of injustice and all that diminishes life,
and you set us free.
You accompany all who are escaping slavery of any kind,
and you go with us in our journeys of recovery and liberation.
You bring us through the Red Sea of all our doubts and anxieties,
to a place of freedom.
You forgive us perfectly and completely; your grace is infinite.
We are free with you, and we thank you.
Therefore together with all those who love you
we sing your praise with one voice.
[Sanctus, spoken or sung:]
Holy, holy, holy One, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God.
Hosanna in the highest.
[or alternate version]
Blessed are all who come in your name,
and blessed is Jesus, your Christ,
who fed the hungry and healed the broken.
He showed us forgiveness, so that we might be forgiving.
He set us free to be ourselves with you and with others.
By the forces of oppression he was crucified,
and by the power of your grace he was led
through the great Red Sea of the grave, to new life.
To those who had betrayed and denied him he came in forgiveness.
And to us he comes, repeating your promise to be with us always in love.
(The Blessing and Covenant)
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.
Therefore, remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
[Memorial Acclamation, spoken or sung:]
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
—or—
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ will come again in glory.
[or alternative]
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Spirit on us, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ,
full of your forgiveness,
walking with all who are becoming free,
in the name and the company of Jesus,
for the sake of the healing of the world.
[Spoken or sung]
Amen.
____________________
2.
God be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.
God of Creation, God of Covenant,
you who brought light out of darkness, life out of chaos,
we praise you.
Through the struggle of birth you give life.
Through the labor of liberation you make us whole.
From slavery to others or to ourselves, you grant us Exodus.
You defeat every Pharaoh and break every chain of oppression.
You make a way through the wilderness,
through seas of chaos and fear,
through deserts of exile and separation.
Even when, as hard-hearted Pharaohs
we trap ourselves in ways of violence,
or deny in ourselves the power of your Spirit,
Gracious God, you redeem us.
You free us and empower us and make us whole.
You have brought us out to share in your Covenant.
Therefore with all your Creation we praise you with on voice.
[Sanctus, spoken or sung:]
Holy, holy, holy One, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God.
Hosanna in the highest.
[or alternate version]
Blessed are all who come in your name,
and blessed is Jesus, your Christ,
who in the midst of our oppression revealed to us our redemption:
good news to the poor, release to the captives,
and recovery of sight to the blind.
In Christ the broken are healed, the estranged embraced.
The bent over are raised, the paralyzed are empowered,
the oblivious are awakened, the trapped are freed.
Offering the blood of the paschal lamb,
suffering the death of the firstborn, Christ proclaims to us our Passover.
(The Blessing and Covenant)
Crossing the sea of suffering and being raised from death,
Christ proclaims to us our Exodus:
[Memorial Acclamation, spoken or sung:]
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
—or—
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ will come again in glory.
[or alternative]
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Spirit on us, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ.
In the sharing of this meal, God,
grant us ransom for our captors and strength for the journey.
We repent of all the chains we place on ourselves and others.
Together with all your beloved, bring us out of bondage.
Free us from our violence and our dependence on injustice.
Grant that we may share your liberating power with all people,
to your eternal glory.
[Spoken or sung]
Amen.
____________
* The Blessing and Covenant
[I usually don’t print the words. I want people to be looking at the bread, not their bulletins.]
On the night in which he gave himself for us
Jesus took bread, blessed it,. broke it, and gave it to his disciples,saying,
“Take and eat; this is my body.”
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup,
blessed it with thanks and gave it to them, saying,
“Drink of this, all of you. This is my blood,
poured out for you and for many, in a new Covenant,
which is the forgiveness of sin.”
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.
Prayer of Dedication / Sending / after Communion
[Adapt as needed.]
1.
Gracious God, we thank you for (the mystery that you give yourself to us / this mystery in which you have given yourself to us.) In gratitude we give you /these gifts as symbols of/ our lives. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. Go with us toward the pain of the world with healing. Go with us toward our own darkness with trust and humility. Go with us toward the unknown with hope, for the sake of the healing of the world, in the name of Christ. Amen.
2.
… Send us into the world, fed by your grace, to be gentle in the midst of violence, to love in the face of fear, to live deeply, even in the shadow of death. By your Spirit within us, make us vessels of your grace in the healing of the world, in the name and the presence of Christ. Amen.
Suggested Songs
(Click on titles to view, and hear an audio clip, on the Music page)
Keep On Walking
In the beginning, water and the Spirit:
“Let the light shine through.”
Always a beginning, Spirit and the water, :
God makes all things new.
Refrain: Keep on walking, step into the water,
God will bring us over with an outstretched hand.
Remember our history: through the pain and mystery
leads the way to the Promised Land.
We have been walking, waking through the water,
walking through the great Red Sea.
Pharaoh once bound us; chaos now surrounds us:
that’s how God sets us free. —Refrain
We have been walking, walking on the water,
walking on the storm-tossed sea.
“I will give you power to live,”
to do great things. Follow me. —Refrain
We have been walking, walking by the water,
baptized in God’s name.
Died in the water, born in the water,
we will never be the same. —Refrain.
Set Me Free (Red Sea) (Original song)
Forgive me, God of mercy, set me free. (Repeat)
Refrain: From slavery to the past, through the deep Red Sea,
lead me God of love. Set me free.
From anger and resentment…
From blaming and from judgment…
To be completely loving…
Your Holy Feast (Tune: Londonderry Air —“Oh Danny Boy”)
Oh healing Christ, you bring us to your table here,
to share with you, and all the ones you love.
We come as one, alike forgiven, healed and dear.
Oh come and bless us, Spirit, tender Dove.
Oh, make us yours, your servants and your lovers.
Oh, make us one, united here in you.
Oh, make us new: the Red Sea lead us over,
and set us free to walk in harmony with you.
We come to eat the bread of peace you offer us.
We come to drink your resurrecting wine.
We come to feast upon your presence here with us,
and so become your Body as we dine.
So make us whole again, and be our living breath.
Make us your hands, and you will be our nerve.
Oh, risen Christ, we join you, rising up from death,
and by your side we’ll go, made new, to love and serve.