Sacred Journey 5-8-2024 by www.firstcapecod.org

First Lutheran Church

1663 Main St W Barnstable, MA 02668

of9ice@9irstcapecod.org

Please note our services are both live streamed and video recorded, your image may be appear online.

Pastor: Rev Dr Derek J Cheek

Music Minister: Eric Williams

Of9ice Administrator: Laurie Fogel

Sexton: Chuck Fillian

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Sacred Journey

May 8, 2024

Welcome

please stand as you are able

P: Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

C: I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”

P: As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.

C: The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

P: The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

C: I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

P: Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my 9lesh also dwells secure.

C: For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.

P: You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; C: At your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (from Ps 16)

Please be seated

Lectio continua—Reader: from Psalm 49

Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together! My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life. For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.

But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

Please be seated after you have lighted a candle(s)

The Prayer

AM: Jesus says: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”

C: Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.

AM: If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

C: Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.

AM: The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

C: Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening. (from Rev 3:20-21 & 1Sam 3:9)

Reflection

We center our hearts and minds on Jesus by pondering “trust”: from Genesis 27:1-29

When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. Now then, take your quiver and bow, and go out to the 9ield and hunt game for me, and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.” Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the 9ield to hunt, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, ‘Bring me game, that I may eat it and bless you before the LORD before I die.’ Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Go to the 9lock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves. And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.” So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. And she put the delicious food into the hand of Jacob. So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your 9irstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly?” He answered, “Because the LORD your God granted me success.” Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you.” So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” And he did not recognize him. So he blessed him. He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him. “May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”

What are your Sirst thoughts on this story?

God told Rebekah 2 nations were in her womb, & the Sirst born would serve the younger (Gen 25:23). It seems God didn’t directly share this info with Isaac. Isaac favored Esau, Rebekah favored Jacob.

• Do you think the fact that God told Rebekah and not Isaac of his choice played into this dynamic? Jacob is about 70 when this story happens…

• Does that change your thoughts on this story at all?

Isaac doesn’t actually die for another 40 years…while Joseph is in prison in Egypt.

• How does that change your understanding of what’s going on here?

What do you think of the deceit and trickery involved in all of this? How could God continue to bless such underhanded people?

Would you be friends with any of these people?

: please stand as you are able 5

Hymn of the Evening

Prayer in the Spirit:

AM: Lord we lift our hearts to you. May we carry the unity we share into every moment knowing we are one with the risen Christ.

C: Lord, we lift our eyes to you.

AM: As the sun sets, may these moments stay with us, reminding us to look for the beautiful colors of promise in your word.

C: Lord, we lift our prayers to you.

AM: As the chill of evening descends, remind us that you always enfold us; keep us, & work within us.

C: Lord, we lift our voices to you.

AM: Help us to realize afresh what your death and resurrection mean for us: forgiveness, freedom, and the knowledge that we walk with you through this fallen world into eternity.

C: Lord, we lift our hearts to you.

AM: Jesus, you rose from death, defeated darkness, and bathed the world in stunning resurrection light.

C: Lord, we want to share that light with the world. Amen.

We pause to surrender ourselves to God:

AM: The risen Christ meets us at the tomb, and turns our tears to joy.

C: We give you thanks, O God.

AM: Christ comes through our locked doors, and turns our fear to courage.

C: We give you thanks, O God.

We pause to ponder our fears

AM: Christ comes to daily life and work, and turns our failure to new vision.

C: We give you thanks, O God.

AM: Christ breaks the bread, and turns our despair to hope.

C: We give you thanks, O God.

We pause to ponder our failures

AM: If you were not risen, Lord Christ, to whom would we go to discover the radiance of the face of God?

C: We give you thanks, O God.

AM: If you were not risen we would not be here seeking your presence, communion, & new beginnings.

C: We give you thanks, O God.

We pause to ponder Christ’s victory

AM: Give us the energy to follow you right to the end of our earthly lives.

C: Amen.

(adapted from Brother Roger of Taize)

~~We observe a few moments of Silence~~

please stand as you are able

Communion

P: Christ is risen!

C: He is risen indeed!

P: Let’s celebrate this uncontainable life; let's open our hearts to the joy and wonder of in9inite possibility, of unquenched hope, of eternal resurrection.

C: We raise our voices and our hearts in worship to the God who lives.

Communion Song: repeated

P: Resurrection happened because Christ was

C: His love for the Father, and for humanity, is so strong.

P: Defying death, he refused to release His hold on life and love.

C: So now, we choose to remember so we too can truly live.

Verse

P: At supper on the night before He died Jesus took bread and blessed it. Then He broke it and gave it to His disciples saying: This is my body, broken so that you may know life. Eat it and remember Me.

P: After the meal Jesus took wine and blessed it. Then He gave it to His disciples saying: This is my blood, shed so that you may know life. Drink it and remember Me.

Verse

P: We join our hearts and lift our voices in prayer as Jesus taught us:

C: 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.

Verse for distribution

Please form a close circle around the Altar

AM: Filled with life, we now offer ourselves to be life-bringers in the world.

P: Touched by resurrection we pledge to resist death wherever we 9ind it.

P: God has claimed us for his own.

C: He has brought us out of darkness, and made us light to the world. Amen.