Page | 1 Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost Remembrance Day 8 November 2015 The Mission and Discipleship Council would like to thank Rev Margaret Whyte, retired minister previously of Pollokshaws Parish Church, Glasgow, for her thoughts on the twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost. Contents Ruth 3: 1-5; 4: 13-17 .................................................................................................................................. 2 Psalm 127 ................................................................................................................................................ 3 Hebrews 9: 24-28 ................................................................................................................................... 3 Mark 12: 38-44 ....................................................................................................................................... 4 Order of Act of Remembrance ............................................................................................................. 5 Stories for sermon illustrations ........................................................................................................... 9 Time with Children ............................................................................................................................... 14 Musical Suggestions ............................................................................................................................ 17 Material based on the Lectionary Readings for 8 November ........................................................... 19 Additional Material .............................................................................................................................. 22 Additional Resources ........................................................................................................................... 27 Page | 2 Helping people prepare for reading the Bible in worship can make a real difference. Overcoming nerves, reading in ways suitable to the text, speaking clearly etc. You may wish to email these three links to the people reading Scripture on Sunday to support them in their involvement in worship: Managing your nerves; Creative readings; Worship at the Lectern For remembrance Psalm 46 Micah 4: 1-4 John 15: 9-17 Lectionary Reading For year B Ruth 3: 1-5, 4:13 –17 Psalm 127 Hebrews 9:24- 28 Mark 12:28 – 34 Ruth 3: 1-5; 4: 13-17 Desiring security and a chance for happiness for this most loyal and biddable but determined of daughters’ in law, Naomi cleverly plans a way for Ruth to marry her kinsman, Boaz, not forgetting that they are pretty desperate having no means of support, of making a living or of a man to support them. Desperate they had to be, to hatch such a plan, for Ruth to seduce Boaz in his own bed, once he had retired for the night. Boaz deals very honourably and nicely with Ruth. And perhaps sees more in her than just ruthlessness! He saves her reputation and hatches his own plan, so that they can live happily ever after as man and wife. The Levite law required that her nearest relative should marry a widow to take care of her. Boaz wasn’t so close but makes the arrangements with the next of kin. The whole point of the story of course is that the child born to Ruth and Boaz is the grandfather of David. Page | 3 I didn’t think anything of it myself but commentators make much of the fact that the neighbouring women thought the child belonged to Naomi! Perhaps a subtle way of making the Moabite ancestry of David more acceptable to an Israelite audience. Psalm 127 This was perhaps a Song of Ascent sung by pilgrims approaching the temple for one of the great festivals or sung by the Levites themselves as they climbed the fifteen steps leading from the court of the women, to the court of Israel which was for men only. Hebrews 9: 24-28 (Adapted from the Internet) This may have been written for a Jewish Community to convince them of the supremacy of Christ or struggling Christian converts from Judaism in the early days of Christianity. The liturgy of the Day of Atonement is the central focus here. This was the annual occasion when the chief priest would enter the holy of holies; the most sacred shrine of Israel which was believed held the invisible presence of Yahweh. There he would perform three distinct sacrificial acts to atone for sin. 1. He used smoking coals to perfume the sanctuary so that the high priest himself might be safe from the divine mystery. 2. After prayer in the nave of the temple, the high priest returned to the holy of holies to sprinkle the blood of a slain bull as atonement for all the priests. 3. After slaughtering a scapegoat chosen from one of two, the high priest entered the inner shrine a third time to offer its blood on behalf of the people. The second scapegoat was then driven out of the temple and city into the wilderness with a red ribbon tied around its neck. When it was pushed over a cliff to its death, a similar red ribbon on the door of the sanctuary turned white as a sign that the sins of the people were forgiven. I suppose this shows that someone who was very familiar with this ritual wrote this letter. Page | 4 Yet the point is clear - Christ is the only true mediator between God and his people. Instead of repeating this sacrifice annually Christ has died once and for all for us on the cross, to atone for our sins, which has eternal significance. Thus Christianity is very different from the Hebrew Tradition. As the Messiah, he is high priest and scapegoat, the means of reconciliation between God and humankind. Christ will come again to bring his people into the presence of God. It is by faith in his all-sufficient sacrifice that we are redeemed. This may not seem terribly relevant to explain the deep mystery of the death of Christ to us 2,000 years later, except to celebrate that he gave himself in love for us and his death touches us as his birth at the deepest point of our humanity. Mark 12: 38-44 Jesus courting controversy, attacks these experts in religious law, the scribes for their hypocrisy in their very sanctum, the temple precincts. They come in for a lot of stick from Jesus for obvious reasons. Their job was to interpret the law which gave them a lot of power and control and made some of them very rich and powerful – powerful enemies too, for Jesus. They made life very difficult for the poor, while aggrandizing themselves in costly clothes, taking the best seats, in ostentatious displays of piety and lording it over those in their care. Jesus emphasizes what he said about hypocrisy by drawing attention to the sacrificial offering of a poor widow in contrast to the giving of the rich who could well afford their large donations. Everyone who visited the temple had to pay temple tithes and taxes. But Mark seems to suggest that a donation was also expected to the temple treasury – possibly a sort of poor box. We are told by Jesus that the poor widow gave all she had. How he knew this except by her poor clothing we aren’t told, except we believe Jesus to have been incredibly insightful and instinctive about the human condition. It has made a great story anyway and has set the benchmark for charitable giving, for the point is very clear – if it doesn’t hurt, if it isn’t a sacrifice it’s not really giving at all. Page | 5 When an Aunt of mine died a few years ago, her executor and her inheritors were surprised how little she had left – they had forgotten how very generous she was when she was alive. She had given them all she had. But as one of the sermon suggestions says – it is not really about money – it is about giving our all to God, who has given so much to us. The sacrificial nature of giving – of money, of talents of one’s life, is a very good illustration for this Remembrance Sunday when Our Lord and Saviour and so many gave so much, gave of their all for us. Order of Act of Remembrance Scripture Sentences The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Our help is in the name of the Lord maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 124: 8 The Bidding (from Service to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Second World War) We come to worship God, to give thanks for those who died in wartime, and to give thanks that we live in peace and security. But our commemoration is wider than this, for it is right for us to remember the part played by all the people of all nations who lived through all the periods of war; for they shared the conviction that oppression and tyranny must not prevail. So during this act of worship, we shall acknowledge with gratitude the courage of men, women, and children who, despite the hardships and horrors of war, kept hope alive. Page | 6 Hymn (depending on when the service begins) Let us pray. Almighty God you have created us in your image and have called us to live in peace and mutual love. Forgive our sins and our failure to live according to your will; and give us grace to serve you, and our brothers and sisters for your sake. For all who came before us, for all those who gave from their hearts, who gave from their lives, that there might be a better world, a safer world, we pray for peace in their name. That all their dreams that all their struggles, would not end in great sadness and bitterness – but in peace - we pray for peace in their name. And for the children, that the children may live, that they will have children of their own and that it will go on – that they would have a world worth being born into, a future worth dreaming about - we pray for peace, in their name. And through him who died to reconcile the world to you, Jesus Christ our Lord. Lord’s prayer. (Though you may prefer to use this at another point in the service) Page | 7 Act of Remembrance Let us remember before God all who have died as a result of war. The Kohima Epitaph When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today. For the Fallen They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.