Welcome to this Sunday’s Worship at St. Paul’s.
Question: What songs do you listen to or sing when you travel?
Call to Worship (John 1:1–5, TNIV).
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made;
without him nothing was made that has been made.
In him was life, and that life was the light of all people.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Let us worship our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.
Opening Prayer
Gracious God,
gentle in your power and strong in your tenderness,
you have brought us forth
from the womb of your being
and breathed into us the breath of life.
We know that we do not live by bread alone
but by every word that comes from you.
Feed our deep hungers with the living bread
That you give us in Jesus Christ.
Make us a joyful company of your people
Who lives to praise and love you,
Who lives to love our neighbors as ourselves,
Who lives to help others connect with you.
Accept the worship we offer you today
so that with the faithful in every place and time
we may praise and honour you, God most high.
Amen.
Hymn: “Joyful, joyful we adore thee” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxEUIJuDQfA
Words: Henry Van Dyke. Music: Lugwig van Beethoven
Sung by Colin Ray
Scripture Readings
Psalm 121:1-8 Travelers’ Psalm
Philippians 4:4-9 Wise words for keeping mentally, emotionally, and spiritually healthy
John 1:1-18 The Word: Creator, Life Giver and Traveling Companion
Sermon: A Song for Life’s Journey
Whenever I get ready for a road trip, I prepare a “Road Trip playlist” to play the trip. They usually include songs about the place I am going, songs that help me relax, and songs that I love to sing.
One of the most beloved Psalms in Bible is Psalm 121. It is part of a collection of Psalms known as the Psalms of Ascent or Pilgrim Psalms (Psalms 120-134). You might call these songs “Israel’s Going to Jerusalem Road Trip Playlist” These were Psalms sung by Jewish pilgrims as they literally ascended up the Judean hills to the temple in Jerusalem for the important festivals of the Jewish calendar.
They sang as we are prone to do whenever we travel or hike. We are encouraged to sing as we hike for our own protection and safety to keep the local wildlife aware of our presence. Sadly, to my knowledge, no brown or grizzly bear has ever stopped and shown their appreciation for any choir of hikers. I wish a Park Warden would remind them to do that.
Travelling to Jerusalem for festivals in the time of the Psalmist would have been a potentially dangerous endeavor. There were bandits on the road who sought to make a quick score at the expense of devoted pilgrims en route to Jerusalem.
To combat the anxiety and fear, Jewish Pilgrims sang their affirmations about God’s powerful and providential protection in the Psalms of Assent. Singing would have moved them from anxiety to adoration, from fear to faith in God.
Singing has been proven to calm and relax us when we are stressed. Many of us during the Covid-19 pandemic have lowered our stress levels by reading, reflecting on, and singing hymns, contemporary songs, and by listening to choirs.
Music reduces our stress by moving our minds and hearts away from what weighs us down to the God who desires to share our burdens.
And so, Psalm 121 begins with an important question…
I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come?
People who are familiar with the Psalm will often recite verse 1 as though it were a statement instead of a question. When one does this, verse 1 becomes a statement that the hills or the mountains are the source of their help.
But the hills or the mountains are not the place where the psalmist wants us to find our help and strength. The Psalmist answers his own initial question by declaring
“My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.”
One of the names the Psalmist liked to use for God is El-Shaddai, or “the most-high God.” God is the one who created all things, sustains them in love, and who watches over all He has made. God is One who above all others; He is our “higher power.”
The Jewish composer of this Psalm considered his all options as one who is acquainted with the other religions of his day. Back in Bible times, pagan shrines were typically built on hilltops, called “high places,” as to be closer to their god. The Psalmist reminds the pilgrims going to Jerusalem to stay focused on the source of their strength and help and not on any “Most-High-God-El-Shaddai” want a be’s.
And as Christians we believe that the Creator of all, became human in Jesus the Christ, to reveal God’s grace and truth in a personal and intimate way. We can be with God where ever we go be it on a mountain top in Banff, or while reading with a lamp, or on the flat prairies with your friend Mary, on a hike or on a bike, in a car going someplace near or far, in a church or doing a google search, alone or with others before God’s throne. Sorry got into a Dr. Seuss groove there.
We are reminded in the opening words of the Psalm that we find our ultimate help and strength not from the creation, but from the God who made heaven and earth, who breathed his life and His spirit into us. And one who walks with us wherever we go.
The Psalm continues in Verse 3 to declare that God “will not let your foot slip.” It is a statement of finding our security not in circumstances, but in God alone.
The brief book of Jude concludes with this doxology says that God is “able to keep us from stumbling” (vs 24). Peter, in his first letter, assures us that we are “kept by the power of God” (1 Pet 1:5). Though the paths of life are often difficult and perilous, God will not allow our feet to slip from underneath us.
Psalm 121 helps us meet straight-on the issue of how to deal with our fears and insecurities in a dangerous world and time.
When the Israelites made their pilgrimage to Jerusalem their homes were unprotected. The Psalmist reminds the pilgrims in v. 3 that God “will not slumber nor sleep.” God is awake and alert watching over them.
This statement brings to mind a time when I had concussion after a cycling accident and Kathy and others in the house watched over me throughout the night to make sure I was OK.
While we may suffer from sleepless nights when we feel pounded by things beyond our control, God keeps His ever vigilant and loving watch over us. We can rest securely in God love when we turn our cares over to Him.
Verse 5, says that God is our “shade.” The desert is an unforgiving place; the sun burns and the unrelenting heat can quickly drain your strength. In the Middle East it can get up to 40 degrees Celsius or 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the Summer months. If you have driven through Kelowna, British Columbia in August you know that your rubber soled sandals will literally stick to the pavement when use a cross walk because it so hot.
Heat injuries are a common threat even in the mountains. The Psalmist reminds us that God shades us or covers us with his protective umbrella to provide us with moment of escape or rest from the heat of stress.
Throughout this pandemic, many of us discovered again the importance of taking a break and resting in the presence of God to renew our strength and perspective.
Then you have this strange insertion into the Psalm about “the moon not striking us at night.” The People of the Psalmist day feared the power of the moon to affect their minds. People still say all sorts of craziness can happen during a full moon.
One of the biggest challenges of the past three months has been keeping ourselves mentally and emotionally healthy. Paul in his letter to the Philippians after talking our how to deal with anxiety shares with us guideline to keep us mentally healthy. Paul says . . .
Finally, beloved,
whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence
and if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.
Keep on doing the things
that you have learned and received
and heard and seen in me,
and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8–9)
These are wise words from Paul, who learned from God how to keep mentally healthy in various circumstances.
Regardless of circumstances, God changes us from the inside-out, guarding our thoughts and emotions as we lay all that is threatening and concerning us before God. When we do, God gives us the gift of peace and renewal of ours heart, mind, and spirit when we humbly draw near to Him.
In verses 7 and 8, the Psalmist reminds us that watches over us in every circumstance we can image be it good or bad, easy or stressful, familiar or unfamiliar.
A farmer once printed the words GOD IS LOVE on the moving portion of his weather vane. When someone asked the farmer if he meant that God was as unpredictable as the wind?
The farmer replied, “No, I mean that God is love whichever way the wind blows.”
Phillips Brooks, renowned pastor of Boston’s Trinity Church, stated:
“Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger people.
Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.”
From the perils and stresses of traveling to Jerusalem in the day of the Psalmist to the perils and stresses of our travels into the “New Normal” of worshiping God and carrying out God’s mission, the Psalmist reminds us that God is continually keeping us, guarding us, and directing so that we will arrive safely where God needs and wants us to be.
As the Psalmist declares
The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in
from this time on and forevermore.
AMEN.
Hymn: “Guide me, O thou great Redeemer” Words / Music: William Williams
Sharing our Concerns and Thanksgivings
Please feel free to pass on your prayer requests to me through email, text, or phone. You can reach me at stpaulsbanff@telus.net or 403-609-0872 call or text. I lift you all in prayer each day and would like to know how to pray for you and what concerns you.
Closing Prayer
God of compassion and courage,
In our weakness you are strength.
In our darkness you are light.
In our sorrows you are comfort and peace.
Embrace each situation
we remember in our prayers this day
with your steadfast love.
We thank you for moments of joy
that still break into our lives,
even in the strange times of pandemic and re-opening of our communities:
for love given and received,
for friends who furnish our life with meaning and happiness,
and for family who embrace us with love and understanding.
We celebrate the accomplishments
of our high school and other graduates
both known and unknown to us.
Guide them as they make decisions
about work, schooling, and careers.
And we thank you for all
caring and faithful fathers celebrated this day,
remembering those whose fathers have died
and praying for those fathers
cut off from their families.
God of the nations
We pray for our country
and countries around this world
so deeply affected by COVID-19.
Guide leaders to make wise decisions about reopening communities,
and give patience and courage to those whose lives have been disrupted,
especially those who fear what the future holds.
Wherever injustice rules and misinformation confuses,
protect the vulnerable and shine the light of your truth
to reveal the path to justice and renewed hope.
God of compassion
We pray for all those who are suffering and for all who mourn significant loss.
Surround them with your love and support them with the strength of your Spirit.
Open our eyes to see how we might bring comfort to those are hurting, struggling,
and who feel the pain of racism.
Open our eyes that we may be
more just, kind and merciful, and humble
in our interactions with each other,
as you remind us thru the Prophet Micah.
Guide us all
Ever faithful and ever watching God,
Guide us to use the gifts of time, talent, treasure you have given to us in this coming week,
To Honor you, to serve, love and bless others, in your name.
We offer our prayers to you through Christ our Creator and Lord. Amen.
Offering of our Time, Talent, Treasure to God
Thank you for ongoing gifts to St. Paul’s. And thank you for the sharing of the time, talent and treasure God has given to you to bless, love, serve, and witness to your neighbors. Donations for St. Paul’s can be sent by mail to St. Paul’s, Box 1264, Banff, AB T1L 1B3.
Hymn: “Lord Jesus, you shall be my song”
Words/ Musics: Les Petites de Jesus and L’Arche Community.
Translation: Stephen Somerville
Pastoral Blessing
“The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.
(Numbers 6:24–26, TNIV).
Have great week. Stay safe!
We bless each other using the words of the Spirit Song,
MISSION MOMENT – SUNDAY, JUNE 21 WORLD REFUGEE DAY (JUNE 20)
No one chooses to be a refugee. Inspired by God’s promise of abundant life, Presbyterian World Service & Development (PWS&D) envisions a world where no human has to fear for their life or liberty. Refugee sponsorship has enabled refugees from all over the world to find peace, encouragement and stability in a new home. This World Refugee Day, we are thankful for the congregations and groups across Canada who, with support from PWS&D, make refugee sponsorship possible. Together, in 2019, we were able to welcome 77 people. Hand-in-hand we will continue to welcome those in need who are trying to find security and safety.
PWS&D welcomes the stranger
PRAYER PARTNERSHIP
Monday, June 22 We pray for families of those suffering from dementia, that they might find the strength to support their loved one.
Tuesday, June 23 We pray for Pauline Brown, former mission staff to India from 1951 to 2007. May she continue to enjoy good health and the company of good friends.
Wednesday, June 24 God of joy and laughter, give us hearts full of delight at the beauty and surprise of this wonderful world that you have made.
Thursday, June 25 We pray for ministers who are seeking to discern God’s call. May they have a clear sense of God’s leading and a willingness to be open to where God will lead.
Friday, June 26 We pray for Presbyterian church camps that had to close for the summer season due to concerns around the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Saturday, June 27 We pray for the safety and well-being of agricultural workers and all who process, transport, distribute and sell our food.