Sunday, March 29, 2020
Prayers for the World:
In our world today, there are many who need prayer.
We lift up the ill, and those who care for them.
We lift up the vulnerable, that you might surround them with your protection.
We lift up the grieving, and we ask that they find comfort in you.
We lift up those who are afraid, and we ask your peace.
We lift up leaders, that they might find wisdom.
We lift up scientists, that you give them the spark of knowledge.
We lift up ourselves, needing your peace, presence, and healing touch.
As we worship you today, be with us. Amen
Prayer of Confession:
Beloved Creator, like the men of Saul, we sometimes only see the giants in our lives, and we are afraid. We forget that you have always been our deliverer. Help us in these days to remember the courage of David, small and weak, and yet willing to trust you. Help us to put aside our fears, and trust that you alone are our comfort, in life and in death. Be with us as we face giants in our lives. Turn our eyes back to you, that we might find comfort and safety. Amen
Assurance of Pardon:
Hear the words of Jeremiah from Lamentations: But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lamentations 3:21-24 NRSV) Know that no matter what happens, the steadfast love of the Lord will not cease. Know that you have been forgiven for your fears, and be at peace.
1 Samuel 17:34-37, 40-49 (NRSV)
34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 David said, “The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.” So Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you!”
40 Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd’s bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine.
41 The Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field.” 45 But David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hand.”
48 When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.
Message:
Strange as it seems, in this upside down world, we continue our series on stones. Today our journey has brought us to David, the shepherd boy, facing the giant. No one sent David out alone, Saul actually gave him his own armor to wear. But David discovered that the armor was too big. It was he who chose the simple weapon of five small stones and a slingshot.
Goliath laughed at him. But not for long. Because David had an invisible weapon, his trust in God. That along with a lack of fear brought down Goliath.
I have seen many people face down fears as this pandemic rages across our world, nation, state, and even here at home. One such person was Don Giuseppe Berardelli, 72, the archpriest of Casnigo, a town in northern Italy about 50 miles northeast of Milan. As the virus began it’s journey, the Pope called upon the priests of Italy to continue their call to help care for the sick and dying. Father Don did so. And when he inevitably came down with the disease, at his age, it quickly became serious. The community of Casnigo raised funds to pay for a private ventilator to save his life. When it arrived, he turned it down, offering it to a stranger in the hospital. Father Don is now in the loving arms of God, and the stranger, at last word, was doing well.
But he is not the only one acting out of love for others. You have seen the stories. Restaurants, cafeterias, even Disneyland and Disney World, closing, but taking the food that they would have sold and giving it to those feeding the hungry. Teachers and volunteers, packing and distributing breakfasts and lunches so that the children will have food. Teachers reaching out to parents who suddenly are trying to homeschool their children. As I mentioned two weeks ago, distilleries converting ethanol into hand sanitizers.
But best of all are the private neighborhood things that are happening. Teens have offered to pick up items at the store for those who are vulnerable. Families drawing words of encouragement in chalk on the pavement for those who walk by. Children are posting pictures of rainbows in the window, promising hope that the storm will be over.
Yes, there are people who act with selfishness. But there are many more who act with love and compassion. Just as David held five small stones in his hand and defeated the giant, we too can use the small stones at our disposal to fight this giant. The stones of love and compassion will ripple out, bringing hope, bringing love, carrying the power of the Lord into the world. And in the end, the disease will pass, but the things we have done in these days will remain.
In this time of uncertainty, I invite you to take the Word of the Lord, to hold onto the hope that you have, and to cast that stone out into the world. With small acts of love and kindness, we can defeat the fear that is holding us down. What stone do you hold in your hand today?
Statement of Faith (From a Brief Statement of Faith):
In life and in death we belong to God.
Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit,
we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel,
whom alone we worship and serve.
In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit,
we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks
and to live holy and joyful lives,
even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth,
praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
With believers in every time and place,
we rejoice that nothing in life or in death
can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
