We had a short sermon on June 28 that wasn’t recorded.
SCRIPTURES
Jeremiah 29:4-7
4Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
I John 3: 17-18
17How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? 18Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.
Matthew 5:14-16
14‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
X-Days – Call to Worship:
Leader: God has given us gifts to use for the common good.
All: Today let our work be our worship!
Leader: God has given us talents to share for the betterment of neighbors.
All: Today let these projects be our praise!
Leader: God has given us hearts to love and hands to serve others.
All: Today let the collaboration of congregations embody Christ in our community!
Meditation Troy
Jesus says the greatest commandment is to love God with all we’ve got, and love neighbors as ourselves. His answer prompts another question, “And who is my neighbor?” That question echoes down the cul-de-sacs of West Chester and Mason. Today we’re given an opportunity to love our neighbors in a very concrete, tangible way. I want to thank each of you for your commitment this day to be part of an effort that enlists countless volunteers from 10 churches, with 90 projects at 78 project sites, all to show God’s love for neighborhoods and residents in our community. A special thanks to Dave Diehl, our site coordinator for all his efforts in making today possible.
Certainly one question that could be raised is: Why? Why commit a Sunday morning to mulching trails, cleaning and organizing inside and out, and staining the deck and wheel chair ramp of the Mason Nature Center? Our passage from Jeremiah begins to answer that question. “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you, for in its welfare you will find your own.” The word translated as “welfare” is “shalom” which is more than simply peace, but wholeness, health and wellness. Shalom is having everything you need to flourish physically, socially, spiritually, and economically. It’s about justice and righteousness, prosperity and fairness. In seeking peace and justice for others, we discover our own. In seeking health and wellness for our community, we find our own. In seeking prosperity and flourishing for others, we somehow find ourselves blessed, too. One of the reasons for today is simple reciprocity, that in seeking the common good for our larger community it redounds upon this community. In seeking to bless others, we become blessed.
The first letter to John asks a hard question of us: If we ourselves are blessed and say we love God, but don’t share that with those in need, how can God’s love be in us? Love is easy in word and speech, but love in action and truth is another thing entirely. The author later in that same letter says, “Those who don’t love a brother or sister whom they have seen cannot love God whom they have not seen” (1 Jn 4:20). In other words, the author is saying, when it comes to love, talk is cheap. It doesn’t cost us anything to mouth a few false syllables of love, but the truth of one’s love for others is costly: it’s borne out in deeds, in actions, in commitment. Today we have an opportunity to love neighbors in action and in truth.
Ultimately, the reason we do this is more than simply reciprocal flourishing or demonstrating enacted love. Ultimately, it’s not about us or our neighbors, it’s about God. That’s what Jesus is telling us in Matthew. The point of letting our light shine is not so the light illuminates us, nor that the light bedazzles our neighbors, but that the light points beyond either of us toward the source of life and light for all people. It is in following that light, and walking in that light, that we discover that the city of light where there is “no need of lamp or sun” (Rev. 22:5) is reflected within our very own city, our very own neighborhoods. Today affords us an opportunity to catch a glimmer of the golden glow of the New Jerusalem’s streets among the roads of our town. To see among our neighbors a glimpse of a city where every tribe, tongue, and nation is just around our corner. What an opportunity we are afforded today! Amen.
From Dave D. : A great day of Serving our neighbors and community. Thanks to all that came out and got dirty for Jesus, Faith Alliance X Days 2015 was a great success! Over 40 people from TRCC were involved working to mulch over a tenth of a mile of woodland trails, power wash the wheelchair ramp, clean and organize the inside, paint a door, all at the Mason Nature Center; Gardening, clean-up and packing the supplies for the Knapsacks of love at TRCC. Thanks again to all that were involved, the sore muscles are worth it!
Here is the path to the photos from this morning, enjoy!:
Follow along with the video: (you can put cc closed captions on to see the words on the screen – sometimes YouTube gets lost in translation, but it’s mostly accurate)
SCRIPTURE Acts 11:1-18
1Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, 3saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” 4Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, 5“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. 6As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8But I replied, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9But a second time the voice answered from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ 10This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. 11At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. 12The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.
13He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; 14he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ 15And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. 16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” 18When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”
Follow along with the video: (you can put cc closed captions on to see the words on the screen – sometimes YouTube gets lost in translation, but it’s mostly accurate)
SCRIPTURE Genesis 32:22-31
22The same night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had.
24Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” 27So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.”
29Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” 31The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.
