Welcome
* Thanks for reading this on-line version of our weekly worship.
* To see a shortened version of this service go to
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DaNJURZMKc
Call to Worship (Psalm 33:20-22)
Leader: Our souls waits for the LORD;
he is our help and shield.
People: Our heart is glad in God,
because we trust in God’s holy name.
Leader: Let your steadfast love, O LORD,
be upon us, even as we hope in you.
Opening Prayers
Almighty God, we gather to worship you, to lift our voices in praise.
We come with our questions and our needs,
seeking your guidance for our lives.
We come desiring to be enabled to accept your answers
and to believe that all things do work together for our highest good.
For you alone know all things,
things that are beyond our understanding,
Things too wonderful for us to understand in this life.
Build us up in faith, so that whatever we face,
we may face them with the confidence
that you never forsake or abandon us.
Lift up our faith so that we may in all things witness to your love
revealed to us in Jesus Christ.
Merciful God, whose care never ceases, we come to you as we are.
We are tired from trying to do more than we can manage.
We are anxious about problems which go unresolved.
We are worried about events beyond our control.
We do not easily let go.
For mistakes we cannot redeem,
for tasks left undone, for uncertain goals,
we need your forgiveness and ask for your understanding.
For recovery of strength and enthusiasm, we pray for your Spirit.
For fullness of life, generous hearts, and contented souls,
we pray to be followers of Christ Jesus.
In your mercy, restore us and lead us.
Forgive us God of love and mercy,
Remind us your promise from your servant John who declared…
that if we confess our sins,
You, who are faithful and just,
will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
And now O God, offer you our worship in the name of Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Hymn: Great is thy Faithfulness
Prayer for Understanding
God of all knowledge, prepare our hearts and minds to receive your wisdom. Quiet in us all distracting thoughts so that we may hear your Word, and be strengthened to follow your way. In the name of Christ we pray. Amen.
Scripture
Ecclesiastes 7:15-29: The Preacher Addresses the Riddles of Life
Matthew 5:6, 10, 17-20:
Sermon on the Mount. Blessings and challenges of seeking and following God
Song: You Are God Alone-Phillips, Craig, & Dean
Sermon: Living in a Paradoxical World
The Preacher who wrote Ecclesiastes humbly recognizes that there are many things about living in time that were difficult to wrap his head around.
For example, why do wise and caring people suffer and why do foolish uncaring people prosper?
Why is it that so many choose to live foolishly when there is so much information to help us live wisely? I think the Preacher would have been just as concerned about the foolishness of our time as he was with what he observed in his.
The Preacher shares three wise ways for living in our paradoxical world that can help us.
First, don’t deceive yourself in thinking you can manipulate God. The Preacher says in verse 16,
“Do not be too righteous, and do not act too wise; why should you destroy yourself?”
The language that the Preacher is using here is ironic. He is talking about a person who thinks they are far more righteous and wise than they actually are.
The Preacher is talking about Pharisaical righteousness and wisdom. The Pharisees thought that by being extremely righteous or good, they could persuade God to act as they wanted him to act.
The Pharisees were trying to manipulate God. They believed if enough Pharisees were good enough and followed the laws to the letter, then God would have to send the Messiah and make everything in the world “Right.”
They felt a huge burden to try to persuade God to bring peace and restoration to Israel. Sadly, it was unnecessary. The many hours spent making sure they and others got everything right could have been spent showing mercy and helping others know God.
The Preacher warns us of being too righteous as to believe you can manipulate God by being good, or having the right beliefs, and right practices. There is certainly a place for right belief, right practice, and the right intentions in the Christian faith or any other faith for that matter.
But the problem comes when we think we can manipulate God by doing, thinking, and saying the right stuff. Many in the Bible tried to do this and all of them failed miserably.
Our world knows the harm that various forms of religious extremism have caused.
For example, Boxer Mohamed Ali, was asked by a reporter after 9/11 how he felt as a devout Muslim of having Osama Ben Laden as part of his religious family. He quickly responded to the reporter by asking him how he felt about having Adolf Hitler as part of his Christian family.
The point that the Preacher is making in verse 16 is the danger of being so extreme in your belief system that you believe that you can manipulate God!
And can we manipulate God? No! God is God and we are not. God is in control and not us. The Preacher declares this numerous times in Ecclesiastes. God is the only one who can straighten out our crooked world not us. (Ecclesiastes 1:15, 7:13).
The one who tries to manipulate God into to do anything God will not do will end up literally destroying themselves trying to do the impossible. The Preacher warns us to avoid this extreme as it doesn’t help us to live in faithfully in this crazy world of ours.
Second, the Preacher warns us of going to the opposite extreme of abandoning God. The Preacher says in verse 17,
“Do not be too wicked, and do not be a fool; why should you die before your time?
Is the Preacher suggesting that it is okay to be a little wicked, just don’t be overly wicked? Is that really what he is saying? I doubt that you could provide a good Biblical rationale for that, although many have tried.
The point of the Preacher is that going to the other extreme and giving up on God, doing your own thing whether God approves or not, is not going to help you live with the paradoxes of life any more than thinking you have all the answers.
Those who face tragedy and disappointment struggle with the temptation of calling it quits with God. Perhaps you like many others have asked
“What’s the point of following all the rules, going to church, doing the religious thing, what is there to show for it?
Does anything change in this world if I am good or do my own thing?”
This kind of thinking leads to despair compared to the overly confident self-righteous person. And people who are despairing and hopeless do all kinds of foolish, harmful, and wicked things to themselves and others, because there are no moral boundaries to guide and direct them anymore. And how tragic it is when one gets to that point.
That is why we pray in the Lord’s Prayer for God to save us from the Time Trial or that point where we want to give up on God. Only tragedy can follow that decision as we have seen so many times in our world lately.
So, if neither self-righteousness nor self-indulgence helps us make sense of our paradoxical world, then what does?
In verse 18, the Preacher offers us a third and middle way to living in our paradoxical world.
He says,
“It is good that you should take hold of the one, without letting go of the other; for the one who fears God shall succeed with both.”
The best way of living in our paradoxical world is the middle way of faith. Here both extremes are held in a kind of creative tension so we can walk between them.
Or to use a similar kind of illustration, think of a tight rope walker walking with a long pole that is weighted at either end that helps the walker to walk on the thin cable.
On one hand, the Preacher holds up the Bible to call to us to walk in a right relationship with God. This includes believing in certain things, doing certain things, and being motivated by a love of God and love of neighbor.
Our right relationship with God is a Gift of God, and not a result of anything we do or have done for God. Therefore, there is no room for us to believe we can manipulate God for any reason.
The Bible also reminds us we are called to do good work in response to what God has done for us. And the mystery of God’s will is that God uses our puny efforts to fulfill his larger plans and desires for our world.
On the other hand, the Bible reminds us that we fall short of God’s good intentions because we sin against God and against one another. God has provided a way of forward for us to connect with God through Christ’s work on the cross. God continually reminds us that our work done for Him is never in meaningless or hopeless.
Therefore we keep both extremes of righteousness and sinfulness, wisdom and foolishness in a kind of creative tension or balance with each other.
We see other forms of this creative tension or balancing act when it comes to other aspects of Christian faith.
I have already mentioned faith and works, but we also hold Grace and Truth in tension. Love and Law are held in creative tension. Social Action and Evangelism, God’s Sovereignty of God and human free will, Old Testament with New Testaments, Past, Present, and Future are held in creative tension. Justice and Mercy; Suffering and Victory, Joy and Sorrow.
These are all held in creative tension with each other. Either extreme leads to a misunderstanding of who God is and leads to a misunderstanding of what God says is ultimately good for us.
Jesus in his life and work demonstrates to us how to live faithfully live with the paradoxes of life, keeping them in balance that helps us to navigate and live faithfully in our times.
He embodied and taught God’s truth and embodied demonstrated God’s grace to all.
He upheld the Law, but called the extreme law-keepers to embrace and show God’s mercy.
He did not reject those who sinned, but forgave them and called them to turn from their foolishness and to follow God as He did.
He called us to hunger and thirst for God’s ways above anything else so we would experience God’s love and grace in deeper more fulfilling ways. Jesus also knew that in following his narrow and middle way of being faithful to God, we would experience opposition from those who reject God or who think they can manipulate God to their own ends.
The wisdom of the Preacher points us to the wisdom of Jesus, who calls each of us to walk the uncomfortable, narrow, and middle way that leads to fulfillment, blessing and success.
The Preacher reminds us
for the one who fears God shall succeed with both.
May God continue to grant us the wisdom to live in these challenging times of ours.
AMEN!
Moment for Mission – A Light in the Community
Kenora Fellowship Centre is one of nine Indigenous ministries supported by generous gifts made to Presbyterians Sharing.
Known in the community as “A /na/mie/wi/gum/mig,” meaning House of Prayer in the Ojibway language, the drop-in centre offers basic essential services such as food, shelter, showers, clothing, laundry and transportation.
In addition to offering skills training courses and health and wellness programs.
Even more, the centre offers a place of hope, encouragement and safety for those who come through its doors, many of whom are displaced, living in poverty or struggling with addiction and mental health issues.
Please pray that this ministry would continue to be a light in the community and a safe space where people can find the healing love of Christ.
Presbyterians Sharing reaches out with the love of Christ
Prayers of the People
God of light and hope,
we pray for those who face lives filled with darkness:
those who suffer in body, mind, and spirit;
those bent under burdens of sorrow;
those who cannot see the way ahead.
We pray for those who accompany others in dark times and places;
For those who comfort the grieving, and work for healing and new possibilities.
May all these find their darkness transformed by your presence.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our Prayer
God of liberation and justice,
we pray for those who suffer abuse, violence, or injustice
at the hands of powerful people or forces in their lives,
and for those who have been betrayed by people entrusted with their care.
Stir in all people a deep respect for life.
Encourage those who struggle for freedom,
and work for truth to be heard and reconciliation achieved.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our Prayer
God of peace and promise,
we pray for those who work for peace in the world,
for leaders and decision makers,
for those who hold power and can make a difference in their communities,
and for those who make, interpret, and enforce laws.
Awaken a respect for the needs of the most vulnerable, including the earth and its fragile balances.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our Prayer
God of wisdom and understanding,
we pray for those who misunderstand the words and actions of others,
and for those who are misunderstood.
We pray for those who teach, and those who learn,
especially those who struggle and are afraid to ask for help.
In this challenging school year,
guide teachers and students in new patterns of learning
and keep each one safe and healthy.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our Prayer
God of forgiveness and reconciliation;
we pray for those we have hurt or offended
and for those to whom we have been unkind.
We pray for those who have hurt us, or been careless with our feelings.
Work in our lives to redeem broken relationships.
Shape us into gracious and forgiving people.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our Prayer
In silence we name before you other concerns on our minds today…
(Keep silence for at least 10 seconds)
And now we pray together as Jesus taught us;
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory
are yours now and forever. Amen..
Song: O Master Let me walk with thee
Charge and Benediction
We go to walk
the uncomfortable middle road of faith
which is the best way to live faithfully
for Christ in our paradoxical world
And now
May the peace of God,
which passes all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds
in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord;
Congregational Blessing “Peace of Christ be with you”
Prayer Partnership
Monday, September 14 We pray for the faculties and staffs of our theological colleges as they work to provide academic programs to support the leadership needs of congregations across Canada.
Tuesday, September 15 We pray for the Continuing Education Grants Committee which meets this month.
Wednesday, September 16 We give thanks for those whose call has included the call to teach, research and write for the benefit of others.
Thursday, September 17 We thank God for the gift of communion. May the Lord’s Supper be celebrated as a sign of our unity in Christ and a means to grow together in love.
Friday, September 18 We thank God for music, and the choir members and musicians who share their gifts at church on Sunday mornings.
Saturday, September 19 (WCC Week of Prayer for Peace in Palestine and Israel) We pray for a just peace in Palestine and Israel so that all children may grow up in a safe place with equal opportunities to thrive.