WORSHIP-SUNDAY, MARCH 22
Worship - Sunday March 22
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CALL TO WORSHIP (inspired by Psalm 23)
If you are worshiping with others, you may read this responsively.
Loving shepherd,
you know our names and care for us.
When we face times of uncertainty and threat,
You walk beside us, guiding us and protecting us.
When we hunger for your your comfort and assurance,
You fill us with your presence.
When we are fearful and anxious,
You feed us at your table of peace and plenty,
And we will dwell in the your house of goodness and mercy
All the days of our lives.
HYMN "Blessed Assurance" (with lyrics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDeiy9-t2GE
SPECIAL MUSIC "Be Thou My Vision"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lczmaRem3w4
CHILDREN'S MESSAGE "Here's Mud in Your Eye!"
Source:: sermons4kids.com
When I was a child, most of my days were spent playing outside with my friends. We built houses out of cardboard boxes, played baseball in a vacant lot, and climbed trees. When the day was over, I must admit that I was covered with dirt from head to toe, but I sure had a lot of fun.
A company in England which makes laundry detergent was concerned that many children today are missing out on the simple pleasures of childhood because their mothers don't want them to get dirty. They began a campaign called "Dirt is good!" and they came up with a list of "The 33 things you must do before you are 10." Some of the things that made their list might surprise you. Number one on the list was to roll on your side down a grassy bank. Number two on the list was to make a mud pie!
Making mud pies is one great thing you can do with mud, but in our Bible story today, Jesus does something even more wonderful with a little mud. Listen, and I think you will agree.
Jesus was walking with his disciples when they saw a man who had been blind since birth. The disciples thought that man was blind because he or his parents had sinned, but Jesus told them, "It is not because of his sins or his parents' sins. This happened so that the power of God could be seen in his life." Then Jesus knelt down, spit on the ground, and stirred up some mud. He took the mud and put it on the blind man's eyes. He told him, "Now, go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam." The man went and washed the mud from his eyes and when he came back, he could see!
Now, you would think that everyone would think that it was wonderful that the blind man could see, but the Pharisees weren't. Do you know why? It was because Jesus healed the blind man on the Sabbath. The Pharisees thought that was a sin to do anything on the Sabbath -- even if it was to help someone in need. You see, they were more concerned with keeping their religious laws than they were with helping people. When the pharisees asked the man how he had been healed, he told them that Jesus had healed him. They became angry and said to him, "God should get the glory for this -- we know this man Jesus is a sinner."
"I don’t know whether he is a sinner," the man replied. "But I do know this: I was blind, and now I can see!"
I don't know what problems you may be facing in your life, but I know that if Jesus can heal a blind man with a little bit of mud, he can help you with anything you might be facing.
Heavenly Father, we are here today in need of the touch of Jesus. We pray that you provide whatever we need for whatever problems and troubles we have. Watch over us and protect us. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Gracious and loving God, Christ our good shepherd and Holy Spirit our guide,
We give you thanks for this day and your abiding presence with us. We are the sheep of your green pastures and drink of your living waters. We thank you for providing for our basic needs and your protection.
This has been a trying time for us and many others. Some of us and those we know find ourselves in dark valleys of fear, sickness, shortages and disruption of our lives as we find ourselves isolated in many different ways. Grant us patience and show us ways that we as your flock may encourage and support each other during this time.
Thank you for always being available to us and always ready to hear our prayers and help us carry our burdens.
We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, who first taught us to pray, saying ...
Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever, Amen.
**GIVING THANKS Even though we are not able meet together, please continue to financially support the mission of God and the ministry of Christ through your gifts and offerings by contributing either through the mail or by electronic giving. Thank you.
SPECIAL MUSIC "Give Thanks"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blbslHDgceY
PRAYER
Gracious Lord, as followers who are blinded by your wondrous light, we seek to be amplified beacons of your astonishing light to others. Help us to reflect your love by listening to your call and to your will for our lives. In gratitude, we dedicate our lives and our gifts in the name of the one who lived, died, and rose for our sake, Jesus Christ. Amen.
GOD'S WORD John 9:1-41
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4JVRwG3j8M
MESSAGE "Eyes Wide Open" by Pastor Lane Van
As bad as my eyesight is, I can't imagine what losing my eye sight completely would be like. I do admit that there are times I worry about going blind. What would I do? How would it affect my ministry? Yet, as a person of faith, the bigger danger would be spiritual blindness.
In the healing of the blind man from John 9, do you hear the echo of the story of creation? Jesus scoops up dust from the road, spits in it, forms it into mud and creates -- a new beginning, new possibilities and choices -- a new life for the sightless beggar.
The beggar didn't question Jesus' actions and intructions. Without hesitation, he hurried to the Pool of Silom to wash the mud from his eyes. After his sight was restored, the people of his community who had known all of his life, marveled at the miracle. "Is this really the man who was blind from birth?" Imagine how thrilled the man was to see the face of his parents for the first time! How they rejoiced that their son could now see! This should have been an occassion, for calling their friends, family and neighbors over to celebrate? But where was the party?
The Pharisees put a stop to that. They were skeptical because they were called to debunk false prophets and fake miracles. I believe, though, there was more behind their reaction to the blind man's healing because Jesus was the one who healed the man. The Pharisees and other religous leaders had made up their mind about Jesus. Jesus was a sinner because he healed on the Sabbath. (If the work of healing isn't a holy and appropriate activity for honoring the Sabbath, what is? Just asking.)
I think that there was nothing Jesus could do to change their minds about him. It was more important to be right than recognize the signs of God among them. The source of spiritual blindness is a prideful and closed mind.
Like the Pharisees, we all have beliefs, attitudes, biases and prejudices, positive and negative that form the way we view and react to people and circumstances we encounter. They may form blinders that constrict and narrow our thinking and perceptions. They rob the ability to see people and events through God's eyes from us and restrict our ablity to love others as Christ loves. We can't live fully as people of faith if we are spiritually blind.
When we are closed-minded, when our spiritual sight is dimmed, It becomes more important to be right than to be forgiving. It is more important to be right that to seek unity and understanding. It is more important to be right than find solutions that bless everyone. It is more improtant to be right than to see the divine image of God in people and understand how much they matter to Jesus.
Let's be honest, none of us have "20-20" vision when it comes to seeing though eyes of faith and love. But, hey, here's the good news. God loves us too much to allow us to remain as we are, and is ready to do for us what Jesus did for a blind beggar. When we are honest about our own blindness and ask for forgiveness and healing, the power of the love of God through Christ can transform us and clear our eyes so that we can go forth in Jesus' name to share Christ's amazing love with eyes wide open.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
HYMN "Open My Eyes" (with lyrics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPmmQFl58Ec
BENEDICTION
May the love of God surround you, the peace of Christ surround you, and the Holy Spirit Guide your way. Go and walk in faith, with eyes wide open. Stay healthy, be safe. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
"GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijytLs96yig
"GO NOW IN PEACE"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T_KSLqIAcM
**SUNDAY, MARCH 22
UMCOR SUNDAY
The United Methodist Committee on
Relief allows us to respond to disasters and people in need throughout the world. Please follow the link below to contribute:
https://www.umcmission.org/umcor/give
Thank you for providing us with a worship service. I appreciate your efforts! This is very helpful when we are stuck at home.
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