Sunday, September 22

(First time here? Read the Introduction for more information)

Well, we're done with themed Sundays until November. However, the scripture readings for this week kind of present a theme of their own.

Opening Hymn: Christ for the World We Sing H-537

The Old Testament passages this week (Amos 8:4-7 and Psalm 113) speak very strongly to me of social concern. In the verses from Amos, the Lord vows not to forget the deeds of those who "trample on the needy." In the Psalm, the Psalmist praises God for taking the weak out of the dust and lifting the poor from the ashes. With that in mind, the opening hymn this week practically selected itself: Christ for the World We Sing.

"Christ for the world we sing
The world to Christ we bring
With loving zeal
The poor and them that mourn
The faint and overborne
Sinsick and sorrow-worn
Whom Christ doth heal"


Sequence Hymn: O Jesus, I Have Promised H-655

In the Gospel reading, Jesus tells a story of a rich man and a shrewd manager. The manager is about to be fired so he lessens the debts of others so they will welcome him into their homes when he loses his job. Jesus ends the parable by saying, "Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much, and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No one can serve two masters, for you will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

For the Sequence hymn, I chose "O Jesus, I Have Promised."

"O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end
Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my friend
I shall not fear the battle, if Thou art by my side
Nor wander from the pathway, if Thou wilt be my guide."

I hope that we can all think of this as our own promise to follow and serve Christ above all else. This is another tune that has been set to a variety of lyrics so I couldn't find a recording or video of this tune with these words. But here is a nice organ rendition of the tune.


Offertory anthem: I Will Joyfully Sing by Mary McDonald

This week the choir is singing, "I Will Joyfully Sing" which is a lovely little song of praise. The beginning of the Psalm reading this week says, "Hallelujah! Give praise, you servants of the Lord; praise the name of the Lord. Let the name of the Lord be blessed from this time forth for evermore. From the rising of the sun to its going down, let the name of the Lord be praised." Compare that to "I Will Joyfully Sing" which says:

"I will joyfully sing in the morning, I will joyfully sing all the day
I'll sing praises to Thee in the morning, for the Lord is the strength of my day.
I will lift up my eyes in the morning, for the Lord will not turn me away
I'll sing praises to Thee in the morning, for the Lord is the strength of my day."


Communion Hymn: Let Us Be Bread G-585

In Amos and in the Psalm, the scriptures tell of God's mercy towards the poor and down-trodden. Since we are God's representation on earth, we must extend this mercy toward others. "Let Us Be Bread" is a musical conversation between Christ and his people.

Refrain (this is us as The Church speaking)
"Let us be bread, blessed by the Lord
Broken and shared, life for the world.
Let us be wine, love freely poured.
Let us be one in the Lord."

Verses (Christ speaking to us)
1. I am the bread of life, broken for all. Eat now and hunger no more.
2. You are my friends if you keep my commands, no longer servants but friends.
3. See how my people have nothing to eat. Give them the bread that is you.
4. As God has loved me so I have loved you. Go and live on in my love.

I really love how this ties everything together. In the first verse, Christ offers Himself to us. In the second verse, He tells us that if we obey His commands, we become friends instead of servants. In light of the Gospel passage, I find this very beautiful. We can't serve two masters, but if our one master is Christ, then we aren't merely servants but companions. In the third verse, Jesus reminds us that there are others who are hungry and we should meet their needs. This can be both physical and spiritual. In the last verse, Jesus reminds us of the love of God, bringing the message of the song full circle.


Recessional: Rise Up, Ye Saints of God! H-551

Now that we've been reminded by the Gospel who our true Master is, and shown by the Old Testament that the needy require our compassion, let's "Rise Up!"

"Rise up, ye saints of God! Have done with lesser things. Give heart and soul and mind and strength to serve the King of kings."


Feel free to let me know your own thoughts on how the music and the scriptures connect. I hope this adds to your worship experience on Sunday. See you there!