31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 4 , 2007
Christian and Citizen;
Daylight Savings Time ends

The Lord Be with You Sideliners

Energy chips flew Friday as I was chauffeured by granddaughters to an art show several hours away  where their woodworking skill was honored. An added blessing was a visit with a dear longtime colleague and friend. What a joyous day. Yep - today has been pay back but worth every minute.

Let us worship.

Shalom, K

(Click here for the rest of Sunday Sidelined)

CALL TO WORSHIP
Come walk with me as I walk with you and in the presence of our God we will commune in spirit and soul. Together we will be refreshed and renewed as we nurture and are nurtured, love and are loved, care and are cared about.

OPENING PRAYER
Gracious Spirit dwell with us now as we celebrate our faith and your faithfulness. Open our minds and our hearts to your word, and as they are opened pour into them the gifts of your grace and love. Let your hope and your healing spirit abound in our midst and as they abound give us healing.

CONFESSION OF SIN
This has been a day for my many imperfections to shine like a beacon lamp on a dark night. I have seen them glaring back at me through the hurt in a person’s eyes because of what I have said, or through the obvious agony of someone who has been hurt by something I have done. Forgive me God. I know I know better but I forget to depend on you and try to do this grace living by myself. Forgive me also for those care less, thought less things that rip at other people for no reason. I seem to do those without even a thought. And while you are forgiving me touch my spirit again with your love so I may be attracted to you with such strength that my weakness is shown for what it is. AMEN.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON
God’s promise in Jesus Christ is always true. In the name of the Risen One, We are indeed forgiven. AMEN. GLORIA PATRI

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Send O Lord your Holy Spirit to guide our reading and enrich our thinking that we may know the word of God.

Readings of the day 

Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Psalm 119:137-144
2 Thess. 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-10

The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw. O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? . . . 4, NRSV).

. . . I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint. Then the LORD answered me and said: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it. For there is still a vision for the appointed time; . . .  the righteous live by their faith. (Habakkuk 2:1-4, NRSV).

Luke 19
Zacchaeus
1 Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. 2 There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. 3 He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way–he was a short man and couldn’t see over the crowd. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by. 5 When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home.” . . . 9 Jesus said, “Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! 10 For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost.”
© 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

During this church season the old and New Testament readings are not usually paired.  But today all I can think of with Habakkuk and Zacchaeus is that both involve climbing up to see.

I went to a concert this week. One of those pay a lot, join the crowd and be treated to a stage/music display to blow the mind. The crowd was probably only a few thousand for Celtic Women but we had ”good” seats on the floor, 20 rows back - just right for sound and spectacular special  effects. Halfway through I asked daughter, Where is the flute?” I had heard flute and bagpipes and other wood winds and could not locate the player among those scattered around the stage and on the scaffolding. Right there,  she said,  pointing . A spectator’s head blocked my view of that one player. I was too short to see. Floor seating may not be the best spot for short people.

They wanted to see. Habakkuk climbed the watch tower, usually a place of protection and warning, not looking for danger but looking for God’s promised good news, a vision to write down so that it could be understood. Our scripture sometimes seems like a vision written and carried to us, yet we don’t always get the message. God’s people of Habakkuk’s day didn’t understand.

And then comes Jesus. God seeking to help us understand - to make the good news clear.

Zacchaeus was a wee little man, the Sunday School song says. Jesus was in town. And all Zach wanted was to see. He was not only short but  hated and shut out by his own people because he worked for the Romans. If you’ve every had an IRS audit you know it’s hard to feel warm and fuzzy about even the most considerate agent turning your life inside out. If you’ve ever been detained at a security point as was my friend, pulled out and borderline mistreated you might know how people felt about Zaccheus. So he knew he didn’t stand any chance of getting close to this man he heard about. So he risked even more public humiliation - he climbed a tree just to see.

But Jesus drew him close. You don’t have to stand off from me Zacchaeus. Just because your work isn’t respected doesn’t cut you out of Jesus circle.

Habakkuk would catch a vision of God’s promise.  Zaccheus would meet that promise.  

From the sidelines it can  feel like just  looking.  Jesus says, I’ll come and sit at table with you.

This We Believe in words of The Apostles’ Creed

DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY?
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST?
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 on the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT?
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
Hear our prayers, O Lord, as we sit at your table on this First Sunday, this All Saints Sunday for we know that your table spreads form north and south and east and west and into your kingdom no matter where we are. 

We pray this days for ourselves and those who feel like Zacchaes - somehow cut off from you and your people. Remind us that you see us wherever we are re and hear us however we form our prayers.

For those who suffer we ask your compassion; for those who grieve, your hope; for those who are discouraged your courage and for those who are afraid, your faith. We hold in our hearts particular family, loved ones, neighbors and friends and ask your special touch on them. Send us as messengers bearing your tablet of good news or send another who may be heard more clearly.     

For those who work so that we may have comfort, for those who brave terrorism and disaster so that we might be safe, we are grateful. Protect and encourage them and bring them safely home.

Hear our prayers from our separate places as we join together, Our Father. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Do not bring us to the test but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and  forever,  Amen

Lord, grant us peace.  

All are invited to join in this cyberconnected Lord’s Supper. Or  you may scroll down to the benediction. 

THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER The Bread - The Cup

Hear the words of the institution of the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ as they were recorded in Scripture. I have received of the Lord that which he also delivered unto me, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had blessed it He broke it and gave it to his disciples saying, Take, Eat. This is my body broken for you. (receive the Bread)

After a like manner he also took the cup saying this cup is the new covenant in my blood poured out for the remission of sin. Drink Ye, All, of it. (receive the Cup)

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING We give you thanks Lord Jesus Christ that You have welcomed us to this table spread across age and space, set in an upper room, in sanctuary, at bedside and across cyber connection. Continue with us as we return to the living to which you have called us knowing that we  are continually nurtured by your love and made whole in your sacrifice.

BENEDICTION May the grace of  the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and  the power of the Holy Spirit go with you in all times and places so you may be blessed. Amen

Your notes are welcome to this meeting on Ecunet or to Kay’s Inbox. kay.puckett AT presbynet.org Please share or use any or all of this as you wish. This liturgy was written in 1997 by Chuck Carter, who entered God’s presence in March 2005. Kay adds weekly portions.