All Saints’ Sunday (Year C)
Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016
Theme: God’s kingdom vision
Reflection: What would it mean to see visions? To see with
the eyes of our heart enlightened? To have the long-range, 20/20 foresight of
God?
Imagine
seeing through God’s eyes the entire cloud of witnesses – yesterday, today and
tomorrow. Abraham and Sarah, David, Mary and Martha, Julian of Norwich, Martin
Luther, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, St. Teresa of Calcutta…. They’re all here, along
with my grandparents and yours. And our great-great-great grandchildren,
singing and speaking words of worship that sound just as strange to us as our
words and music must sound to the first century Christians, huddled together in
wonder.
Welcome
to All Saints’ Day. Welcome to Daniel’s vision, when he describes the holy ones
of the Most High entrusted with the kingdom forever. Hear the new songs of all
the faithful ones from the Psalm. Or the spirit of wisdom and revelation that
Paul imparted to the family of faith at Ephesus. Or Luke’s take on the
Beatitudes.
Wait,
Luke’s text on the Beatitudes? Luke doesn’t write, as Matthew does, “Blessed
are the poor in spirit … Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness.” Luke’s version says – blessed are the poor, the hungry, those
who mourn. Stark and challenging words that refute the status quo, both then
and now.
Maybe
we are not as blessed as we think, surrounded by our stuff, satiated by food,
enclosed in relationships. Perhaps Jesus knew us better than we think, that
when we are filled with so much more than we need, we insulate ourselves from
our primary relationship with God.
Blessed
are the poor, the hungry, those who mourn indeed.
Can
we go back to the last time in our lives when one of these was true for us? The
aching, yearning emptiness of not knowing how we were going to get by, either
in physical needs or in our grief? How we found ourselves calling out for God’s
mercy and grace to find us, to feed us, to fill us?
It
didn’t feel like a blessing at the time, but being reliant allowed God to bless
us with what we needed, just in the moment. A meal provided by a friend, a
paycheck to get by, the right person at the right time. God moments. Heaven
touching earth at the thin spaces, pulling us ever closer to the One we need.
And
with that vision, we are pushed to become God’s blessings to the poor, the
hungry, the mourning – everyone who lacks for something. On this day, hear anew
the words of the anthem:
Rise up, O saints of God,
The kingdom’s task
embrace;
Redress sin’s cruel
consequence;
Give justice larger place.
Faith
App: Our first
reaction when we hear the word “saint” is to envision the heroes and martyrs of
the church. Instead, whenever you hear “saint,” as in the “Communion of
Saints,” think about ALL those baptized into Christ, a vision that draws us
together despite our differences.
HYMN/SONG SUGGESTIONS:
Rise
Up, O Saints of God, ELW 669
Blest
Are They, ELW 728
We
Are Called, ELW 720
Rejoice
in God’s Saints, ELW 418
Be
Thou My Vision, ELW 793
For
All the Saints, ELW 422
Give
Thanks for Saints, ELW 428
Eat
This Bread, Drink This Cup, ELW 492
Here
Is Bread, ELW 483
Open
the Eyes of My Heart, Paul Baloche/Sonic Flood
With
Every Act of Love, Jason Gray
Come
Let Us Worship, Chris Tomlin
LESSONS
Daniel
7:1-3, 15-18 The holy ones of the Most High shall receive and possess the
kingdom forever.
Psalm
149 For
the Lord takes pleasure in the people and adorns the poor with victory.
Ephesians
1:11-23 This
is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people.
Luke
6:20-31 Do
to others as you would have them do to you.
Summary
of the Lessons: We stand here today,
shaped by the gentle teachings and loving examples handed down from our faith
fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters baptized into Christ. See God’s
vision (the eyes of our hearts enlightened) that just as we are blessed by God,
we are sent to be blessings for all of God’s people, especially the least of
these.
OPENING
LITANY based on Psalm 149
L: Praise the Lord!
C: Let God teach you the
refrain of a new song –
L: Praises that echo in
the sanctuary for generations;
C: Praises that resound
among the faithful forever!
L: Praise the Lord!
C: Let all the
descendants of God’s people rejoice –
L: Notes of praise on
every keyboard, handbell and guitar;
C: Melodies of worship
from infants, children and choirs.
L: Praise the Lord!
C: For the Lord delights
in the sounds of celebration –
L: The faithful gathered
together to shout God’s name;
C: The family of faith
hearing God’s story together.
L: Praise the Lord!
C: Adore God’s great
works with all your voices –
L: And carry God’s
justice in your hearts and hands;
C: Rejoice that you are
invited to bring in God’s kingdom!
L: This is the glory of
God’s saints in every generation;
C: All God’s faithful
ones proclaim: Praise the Lord!
CONFESSION
L: How blessed we appear
with our own wealth,
C: With things we need
and much to spare,
L: We have so much we
give from our abundance.
C: Why, then, would Jesus
say “Blessed are the poor”?
L: How blessed we feel
with God’s provisions,
C: Pantries well stocked,
markets close at hand,
L: So abundant our food
it often goes to waste,
C: Why, then, would Jesus
say “Blessed are the hungry”?
L: How blessed we seem
with family and friends,
C: Being alone is never
something we worry about,
L: Hardly a moment in our
schedule that isn’t planned,
C: Why, then, would Jesus
say “Blessed are those who weep”?
(silent reflection)
L: In our confession, we
pray together:
C: Most Merciful God … Forgive
us for thinking that we who have everything we need, who have our health and
happiness have been blessed. For these comforts of this world numb us to the
pain that so many of our brothers and sisters face, and keep us from seeking
you first. Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord, to put you first and act on
behalf of the ones who are poor, hungry, mourning and set aside, for this is
how you want us to us show our love to all the saints.
Here is Good News: You, God’s saints, have
been marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit, and are redeemed as God’s own
people. You are forgiven and freed from the power of sin, and are entrusted to
live and love as God’s kingdom people in this world.
In the name of …
Amen.
PRAYER OF
THE DAY
L: We pray together,
C: God of yesterday, today and tomorrow … you’ve
given us the kingdom, and we join with your faithful saints of all times and
places to act with justice for all people. Give us your vision, Lord, to see
with your eyes the poor, the hungry, the grieving and the excluded, and do with
love every service in your name. Amen.
COMMUNION
PRAYER
L: We pray together,
C: We give you thanks, most gracious God, for
the wisdom in this bread, the vision of your kingdom in this cup, signs of your
glorious inheritance for all the saints.
Send us now, to be blessings to those who need us most, and to learn
from them what it is to live faithful lives close to God. Amen.
SENDING
L: Loving our enemies, doing good to all,
C: Finding God’s blessings by serving others,
L: Doing to others what we would have them do to
us,
C: Bringing God’s kingdom to light everywhere we
are.
L: Go now, God’s own saints, to love and to
serve the Lord,
C: Thanks be to God!
First Reading Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 (NRSV)
Setting
the Scene: The first six chapters of Daniel are
historical narrative, including Daniel’s interpretations of royal dreams. The
final six chapters are prophetic, including Daniel’s own visions. The beasts of
Daniel’s vision probably represented the kingdoms of Babylon, Media, Persia,
and the Greek empire of Alexander the Great.
7 In the
first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his
head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream: 2 I,
Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the
great sea, 3 and four great beasts came up out of the sea,
different from one another.
15 As for me, Daniel, my spirit was
troubled within me, and the
visions of my head terrified me. 16 I approached one of the
attendants to ask him the truth concerning all this. So he said that he would
disclose to me the interpretation of the matter: 17 “As for
these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth. 18 But
the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the
kingdom forever—forever and ever.”
Second
Reading Ephesians
1:11-23 (NRSV)
Setting
the Scene: The
church at Ephesus consisted partially of Jewish converts, part gentile
converts. It is believed the letter was written by Paul in prison in Rome,
probably penned just after his letter to the Colossians – the two letters share
some common themes.
11 In Christ we have also obtained an
inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes
all things according to his counsel and will, 12 so that we,
who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his
glory. 13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with
the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14 this is the
pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise
of his glory.
15 I have heard of your faith in the
Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason 16 I
do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I
pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a
spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18 so
that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to
which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among
the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his
power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. 20 God
put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated
him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all
rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named,
not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22 And he has
put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the
church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all
in all.
Gospel Luke 6:20-31 (NRSV)
20 Then he looked up at his disciples
and said:
“Blessed are
you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22 “Blessed are you when people hate
you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the
Son of Man. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely
your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the
prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
25 “Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
for you have received your consolation.
25 “Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26 “Woe to you when all speak well of
you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.
27 “But I say to you that listen,
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless
those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 If anyone
strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away
your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30 Give to everyone
who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them
again. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
