Sunday, August 12, 2018

Rebirth Aug 12,2018

Worship on Sunday, August 12

 We continue our theme of Sabbath with a focus on the blessing of renewal, restoration and …

  Rebirth!
╬  “Wait for the Lord.”  You’ve heard people say it; perhaps you’ve said yourself.  Having rested after a time of protracted effort, struggle, exhaustion, recovery from illness … “I feel like a new person!”  This not just “something we say.”  It is a genuine experience of renewals and is  founded in a promise from God.  God ministers to us, body and soul, in times of sabbath rest that we might be refreshed and restored, quite literally “reborn.”  As God says through the prophet:  “Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength … mount up like eagles … walk and not faint … run and not be weary!”  Sabbath is about rebirth!

 The Prayer of the Day and Readings are below.

 We celebrate sabbath as a gift from God that restores us to life!

 - Pr. Brad Highum
bhighum@abidinglove.org

PRAYER OF THE DAY --------------------------
God of life, in you is the invitation to rebirth. You embrace us in your ongoing act of creation and open the way to new life.  We give you thanks for the gift of Sabbath and the way in which you make all things new.  Amen.

 READINGS -------------------------------------------
First Reading:  Deuteronomy 30:15-20
15 See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

 Psalm 40:1-5,16-17
1 I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
4 Happy are those who make the Lord their trust, who do not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods.
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you.  Were I to proclaim and tell of them, they would be more than can be counted.
16 May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, "Great is the Lord!"
17 As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer, O my God.

 Second Reading:  2 Corinthians 5:16-21
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

 Gospel:  Matthew 11:25-30
25 At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
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