Opening Prayer

Come all who are weary of wealth, of poverty, of power, of struggle, of division

Come all who are heavy-laden with too much, with too little, with anxiety, with fear, with anger

Come all who have hope for liberation, for peace, for freedom, for the kingdom

Hear these words “See, I am making all things new.”

Children’s Time

Know God by knowing Jesus

Confession & Words of Assurance

 

God of honesty, 

we confess that we don’t always understand our own actions. We clearly know what is right—what You expect of us—but we don’t always do it.            

We also clearly know what is wrong—the thoughts and actions that hurt others and offend You—but we do these things anyway.            

Forgive us!            

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, set us free from the sin that controls us.

 People of God, know this: Our God is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry, and filled with unfailing love. When we stumble, God is there to catch us; when we are weighed down, God is there to lift us up. So be at peace: your sins are forgiven.

Scripture

 

Never good enough

Matthew 11¹⁶ You people are like children sitting in the market and shouting to each other,

¹⁷ “We played the flute,
    but you would not dance!
We sang a funeral song,
    but you would not mourn!”

¹⁸ John the Baptist did not go around eating and drinking, and you said, “That man has a demon in him!” ¹⁹ But the Son of Man goes around eating and drinking, and you say, “That man eats and drinks too much! He is even a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Yet Wisdom is shown to be right by what it does.

Come to Me and Rest

²⁵ At that moment Jesus said:

Abba, Lord of heaven and earth, I am grateful that you hid all this from wise and educated people and showed it to ordinary people. ²⁶ Yes, Abba, that is what pleased you.

²⁷ My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who truly knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so that they can know him too.

²⁸ If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. ³⁰ This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light.

 

Sermon

 

Performed by Margaret Whisselle

Prayers of the People

(Please add your prayers aloud and in the comment in section below)

God, You promised that Your requirements of us are light, easy by the standards of the world. And yet we look at the world around us and see so much brokenness. We have to ask, how can it be easy to follow You? How can we know we are doing what You ask when there are still so many things that need fixing? How can we trust that You are active in the world when things take so long to change?

And then we remember that we are on Your time, not ours. You walk with all who hunger and suffer, all who are homeless and scared. You ask us to be Your helpers, not to do it all ourselves or expect You to do it without help.

We pray for those we know and for those we will never know. For the medical staff that dissolve into tears when they cannot heal the sick. For clerks and servers who often tend to the ungrateful. For teachers and parents who love Your children and want only good things for the future. For farmers and workers who keep us fed.

We pray for politicians who listen to Your people and work for a better world. We pray local leaders as they try to solve problems and make life a little bit easier. We pray for those who walk the streets looking for those who need help and to feel connected to You.

We pray for those who deny You and pretend the world is better without a belief in You. We pray for those who take Your name in vain or make You into creations of their own imaginations, denying the love You so freely offer. We pray that all will see Your light and have their hearts open to Your very real presence in this world.

We pray for our families and friends in these trying times. Let them always know they are loved and we look to the days when we can gather again free of disease and division.

Gathering all of these prayers and so many more that are left unspoken, we pray the words that tradition taught us:

Our Father, who art in heave, hallowed be Thy name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Benediction & Commission

 

As you leave this time of worship

remember this:

The Creator we serve is merciful and compassionate, endlessly patient and full of faithful love. God is trustworthy in all things says, and faithful in all things done. So go out in confidence, knowing that God goes with you.