Proper 15 B (August 18): Wisdom

 

 

Bible readings:1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14, Psalm 111, Ephesians 5:15-20, John 6:51-58

About the Images:

Upper Right: A Corel Free clipart to which I added the text.

Upper Left: My reading glasses, my dictionary, my photo - feel free to use them all for worship and related activities. 

Middle Left and middle right Right:  The two images made me think of being drawn into wisdom and the deeper things in life by our relationship with God. The left image is of the Old Ghan Railway Algebuckina Bridge built in 1892 beside the Oodnadatta Track - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oodnadatta_Track .  The right image is part of the walkway in the Cradle Mountain National Park - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle_Mountain

Lower Left: Photo by Ashley Batz on Unsplash. Unspash is the most amazing free site I have so far come across.

Lower Right: A free Heartlight image - see my link column at left  

Bottom Left: Another wonderful image from Cerezo Barredo - see my link column at left.

Listening Song: Deep Calling Deep

By Margaret Becker on her album, Grace (pictured at left) or on WOW 1996. This goes well with the Ephesians and the Kings reading.

Kid's Activity: Based on Ephesians 5:18b

Take a large clear glass of lemonade and drop some sultanas in it. Together watch the sultanas (golden raisins) repeatedly sink and then rise again. Discuss how the Holy Spirit is all around us,(like the lemonade around the sultanas) but we are not always aware of the Spirit’s presence. God's Spirit can lift us again and again giving us strength, courage, hope, faith etc – whatever we need to be Christians in this world.

Film Clip: Stigmata

Use the scene in the film Stigmata (pictured at right) where Frankie bumps into the priest in the market place. As they have a coffee together the priest tells Frankie that he was an organic chemist before he was a priest. She asks him why he became a priest and he tells her that he discovered "too many holes" and that science could not explain everything. He continues on to explain that the explanation he needed could only be found in God.

Discussion questions to get people thinking after the OT reading:

What is wisdom?

Can we be as wise as Solomon?

How does wisdom work in the 21st century?

Story: Choosing Wisdom

This story can be found in Betsy Devine and Joel E. Cohen's book, Absolute Zero Gravity, Simon & Schuster or at

http://www.bible.org/illus.asp?topic_id=1689

Story: The Holy Spirit
Found in 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers Teachers and Writers by Craig Brian Larson and Leadership Journal (Eds.), Barker Books, 1993, ISBN 0801091551, Story No. 307 (pictured at left). This story goes well with the Ephesians reading.

Story: Stopping at the Lights
Found in 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching by Michael P Green, Baker Books, 1989, ISBN 0801063302, story no. 428 (pictured at right). Goes well with the Ephesians reading. 

Response Activity:
Ask people to get in to groups and together write an acrostic prayer using the word "wisdom". It would be useful to have A3 or A4 sheets already brightly printed with the word. At the end of the activity display all the prayers and allow people some quiet reflective time to walk around and pray/read all the prayers.

Also:

Complete Service: Let Us Sing

Found in In this Hour by Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Desbooks, 2001, ISBN 094982433X, page 15ff (pictured at left). 

Drama: What Would You Pick

This links with the 1 Kings reading and is found in Mega Drama 4 by Verena Johnson, Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109186, page 15 (pictured at right).

Poem: Humble Access
Found in The Electric Bible by Peter Dainty, Kevin Mayhew, 2003, ISBN 1844170411, page 95 (pictured at left) and based on the gospel reading. 

Liturgy

By Jean Helmer and found in Before the Amen by Maren C Tirabassi and Maria I. Tirrabassi (Eds), Pilgrim Press, Cleveland, 2007, ISBN 978 0 8298 1750 8, page 113 (pictured at right). Based on the John reading.

Sermon and Worship Suggestions: Redeeming the Time

By Robert J Morgan and Joshua D Rowe in Nelson's Annual Preachers Source Book, Thomas Nelson, 2008, ISBN 1 4185 2536 7, page 2.  These resources are based on the Ephesians reading.

Proper 14 B (August 11): Love is the Guide

 

 Bible Readings: 2 Samuel 18: 5-9, 15, 31-33, Psalm 130, Ephesians 4:25-5:2,                         John 6: 35, 41-51

About the images:

Above Left: This is my photo so feel free to use it for worship and related activities. The sunset is taken from the foreshore of Lake Victoria at Paynesville. For more info on the Gippsland Lakes and Paynesville please visit http://www.visitvictoria.com/Regions/Gippsland/Destinations/Paynesville

Above Right: This is a free Corel image onto which I put the Biblical text. 

Middle Left: This is a free Microsoft clipart image with words from the song "Where I Wanna Be" (see below).

Middle Right: This is a free image from the Heartlight site (see my link column at left)

Lower Left: Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Lower Right: Another free image from Heartlight (see my link column at left).

Bottom Right: Another brilliant image from Cerezo Barredo's weekly gospel illustration.

Listening Song: Where I Wanna Be

By V'Enna on their album, Where I Wanna Be (pictured at left) or on WOW 2001 as a bonus track, This song makes a great call to worship.

Listening Song: Thankful
By Caedmon's Call on their album 40 Acres, 1997, (pictured at right) or on WOW 2000. This is a prayer of thanks but it also goes with the Ephesians readings for this whole month or so.

Listening song: Psalm 130: More than a Watchman

by Sons of Korah on their Redemption Songs album.  Here is a youtube clip:

Story: Don't Change Channels

You can find this story at https://meetingintheclouds.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/what-a-nightmare/.   This story makes a great introduction to the Psalm - the point being that changing frequencies when talking to God is never going to work well. The Psalm also makes a great prayer of confession.

Kids: Weapon or tool?

Based on Ephesians 4:29. Person A comes in and begins to hammer in a nail or saw a piece of wood (or whatever). Do it in such an obvious over-exaggerated way that the kids can see that if Person A continues, they will hurt themselves; eg by having a finger across where they intend to cut. Person B arrives and points out what is going to go wrong. Person B shows person A how to cut the wood or hammer the nail in a safe manner and points out that in Person A's hands the saw/hammer is a weapon whereas in their hands it is a tool. Then have a discussion with the kids as to how our tongues can be weapons or tools.

Drama: We Are A Family

Found in Let's Make A Scene Too by Verena Johnson, Lutheran Publishing, 1991, ISBN 085910608, page 31 (pictured at left). This drama is linked to Ephesians 5:1 and 2.

Drama: We Could Die of Hunger

Found in Let's Make A Scene Too by Verena Johnson, Lutheran Publishing, 1991, ISBN 085910608, page 33 (pictured at left). This drama is linked to the gospel reading.

Film Clip: Bella

Show the scene from the film (pictured at right) where brothers Mannie and Jose argue in the kitchen after Jose quits working in his brother's restaurant. This goes well with the Ephesians reading.

Discussion: Bella
1. What are Mannie and Jose arguing about?
2. How do the brothers differ in their treatment of other people?
3. Who do you think is right?

Story: Why Mark Twain was turned off Christianity

Church leaders were largely to blame for Mark Twain becoming hostile to the Bible and the Christian faith. As he grew up, he knew elders and deacons who owned slaves and abused them. He heard men using foul language and saw them practice dishonesty during the week after speaking piously in church on Sunday. He listened to ministers use the Bible to justify slavery. Although he saw genuine love for the Lord Jesus in some people, including his mother and his wife, he was so disturbed by the bad teaching and poor example of church leaders that he became bitter toward the things of God.

Source Unknown.

Story: You are playing the notes, but not the music

A post graduate student, studying cello under Pablo Casals, was called upon by the Master to play a certain piece previously set. As he played, the other students listened in raptures, for this was Casals prize student. When he concluded the piece every one of the students stood and clapped and cheered, they were thrilled. Casals rose to his feet, and when the maestro stood, silence fell, for they waited with batted breath for his words on the performance of his star student. Looking directly at the young man he said, "young man, you are playing the notes but not the music." 

Source unknown but found all over the net when you google bits of the story.

Response Activity: Patchwork

Found in Multi-Sensory Prayer by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2000, ISBN 1859994652, page 36 (pictured at left). This goes well with any of the readings as a prayer, but is particularly relevant to the Ephesians reading.

Response Activity:

1. Give everybody a small blank card.

2. Ask them to write on one side the name of somebody they have known or know who lived/s by love rather than just by good rules.

3. Ask them to share a story (without necessarily identifying the person) about that person.

4. Ask them to write prayerfully on the other side of the card what they intend to do this week to live in God's love and not just by God's rules.

Poem and prayer: come and see.

Found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 108 (pictured at right).These are based on the gospel reading. I am going to give everyone a copy of the poem as a conclusion to my sermon.

Also:

Meditation: Watching

Found in Meditations from the Iona Community by Ian Reid, Wild Goose Publications, Trowbridge, 1998, ISBN 1901557022, page 36 (pictured at left).

Complete Service based on all the readings: Walk in Love

Found in In this Hour by Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Desbooks, 2001, ISBN 094982433X, page 105ff (pictured at right). 

Drama: Heaven's Gate 6

This links with the Ephesians reading and is found in Mega Drama 4 by Verena Johnson, Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109186, page 38 (pictured at left).

Drama: Someone Who Once Knew Her

Found in Let's Make a Scene for..... by Verena Johnson, Open Book, 1998, ISBN 0859108937, page33 (pictured at right). This goes well with the Ephesians reading. 

Activity: Walking the Bible

Found in Multi-Sensory Scripture by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1 84427 166 8, number 32. This is based on the John reading.

Liturgies: The Broken Body that  melts hearts

Found in Navagatio: Pocket Liturgies by Safe Space Telford, Proost, 2007, ISBN 978 1 9066340 03 2, page 87ff. These use the John reading.

Proper 13 B (August 4): Come Together

  

Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a, Psalm 51:1-12, Ephesians 4:1-16, John 6:24-35

About the images:

Upper Left: Free clipart from www.heartlight.com - an excellent site for scripture slides which you can access via my link column at left.

Upper Right: This is my image so feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Middle Left:  This is a Microsoft free clip art with my text.

Middle Right:  A Norfolk island road.  This is my image so feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Lower Left: Another Heartlight image

Lower right: A free Hermano Leon clipart from a site which appears to be no longer functioning.

Bottom Left: A free clipart from the Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú

Listening Song: Come Together

By Third Day on their album, Come Together (pictured at right). This goes well with the Ephesians reading.

Choral Reading: Create in Us A Clean Heart

By Martha Keys Barker and found in Building Worship Together by Martha Keys Barker and the Fisherfolk, Celebration Services, 1981, ISBN 0906309212, page 87 (pictured iat left). This relates well with Psalm 51.

Kids: The Man Who Loved Boxes

By Stephen Michael King, Scholastic, 2005, ISBN 1865048372 (pictured at right). A man, who most people think is useless, finds a unique way to express his love to his son. This relates well with the Ephesians reading.

Pass the Peace:

Change the words for this morning to - Peace be with you: You are an important part of this church.

Film Clip: Ratatouille

This film  has heaps of good scenes which suit this topic - it is all about teamwork and co-operation and each person discovering what he can do. The scene I will use is the one where Remy (the rat) is talking to the imaginary chef and very proudly identifying all the different roles and jobs of those who work in a kitchen. When the chef asks him what the boy washing the floor does, and what his role is, Remy brushes him off and says the boy does nothing important and is basically useless.

Discussion: Ratatouille

1. Why does Remy think the boy is a nobody?

2. What role do you think the boy has in the kitchen?

3. Is everyone a somebody?
 

Helpful Illustration/Sermon Idea: Life Aboard the Fellow-ship

Chapter 16 in In the Grip of Grace by Max Lucado, Word, 1996, ISBN 0849913241, page 159ff (pictured at right). The comments/questions on Ephesians at the end of the book are also helpful.

Teens: Let Your Bodies Talk

Found in 40 devotions That Work With Youth by Geraldine Anderson (Ed.), JBCE, 1983, ISBN 0858194147, page 42 (pictured at left). This is based on the Ephesians reading and would also work well for a kids talk as long as the kids were older primary school children.

Story: Unity

Found in either

1. Your Point Being by Graham Twelftree, Monarch, 2003, ISBN 1854245929, story 286 (pictured at right), or

2. More Hot Illustrations For Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Zondervan, 1995, ISBN 0310207681, page 91 (pictured at left) who attributes this story to William Barclay.

This story pops up in so many places it could possibly be an urban myth or something .... but then, when you think about it, does a story have to be fact to portray a truth?

Story: Stewardship

Found in 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers Teachers and Writers by Craig Brian Larson and Leadership Journal (Eds.), Barker Books, 1993, ISBN 0801091551, Story No. 686 (pictured at right). This story goes well with the Ephesians reading - if you want more information about this story, visit http://www.stradivarisociety.com

Prayer/Meditation: Growing in Christ

By Tellhard de Chardin and found in Imaging the Word, Volume 3 by Susan A Blain(Ed.), United Church Press, 1996, ISBN 0829810862, page 269 (pictured at left).  I put images with these words on ppt and backed the images with I Hate Kareoke from the soundtrack of the film, Japanese Story.

Response Activity: Jigsaw

There are at least four ways you can do this:

1.This will depend on the size of your congregation, however, if possible give each person a piece of a jigsaw puzzle and then make the puzzle together - you may need a large enough table and jigsaw so that everybody can gather around it - encourage people to see that without all the pieces the jigsaw would be incomplete.

2. Give people a piece of jigsaw as they arrive. Tell them to put it in a prominent place at home to remind them that they are a vital part of the whole church picture. If we were to make the jigsaw and their piece was missing or deliberately witheld, then the picture would not be complete.

3. Make a mosaic (just google "mosaic" if you want a free program which makes such mosaics) of your church with photos of the congregation.

4. Make a homemade jigsaw using a large photo of the congregation.

Also:

Meditation: Bread

Found in Meditations from the Iona Community by Ian Reid, Wild Goose Publications, Trowbridge, 1998, ISBN 1901557022, page 80 (pictured at left). This goes well with the gospel reading.

Prayer Exercise: Confession

Found in Prayer: Heart of the Pilgrimage by Jenny Youngman, Upper Room Books, Nashville, 2007, ISBN 0835898369, page 46 (pictured at right).  This is based on the Psalm reading.

Lots of Useful Stuff: Sorry State

Found in Multi-Sensory Together by Ian Birkinshaw, Scripture Union,2005, ISBN 1844271641, page 17.  Based on the Psalm reading.

Complete Service based on all the readings: The Bread of Eternal Life

Found in In this Hour by Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Desbooks, 2001, ISBN 094982433X, page 91ff. 

Drama: Gifts Anonymous

This links with the Ephesians reading and is found in Mega Drama 4 by Verena Johnson, Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109186, page 35.

Bread Bible

Found in Messy Church 2 by Lucy Moore, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2008, ISBN 978 1 84101 602 3, page 123. This is based on the John reading.

Bread

Found in Messy Church 2 by Lucy Moore, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2008, ISBN 978 1 84101 602 3, page 204. This is based on the John reading.

Messy Baptism 

Found in Messy Church 2 by Lucy Moore, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2008, ISBN 978 1 84101 602 3, page 191ff. This is based on the Ephesians reading.

Prayer

By Ann B Dayand found in Before the Amen by Maren C Tirabassi and Maria I. Tirrabassi (Eds), Pilgrim Press, Cleveland, 2007, ISBN 978 0 8298 1750 8, page 214. Based on the Ephesians reading.

Listening Song: A Broken Spirit and a Contrite Heart
By Sons of Korah on their album, Shelter, Wordsong Artists, Belmont, Victoria, 2002 (pictured at right).  This song uses the words of Psalm 51.

Activity: Scripture News

Found in Multi-Sensory Scripture by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1 84427 166 8, number 9. This is based on the Psalm reading.

Sermon and Worship Suggestions: Fighting the Battle for Purity

By Robert J Morgan and Joshua D Rowe in Nelson's Annual Preachers Source Book, Thomas Nelson, 2008, ISBN 1 4185 2536 7, page 213.  These resources are based on the 2 Samuel reading.

Confessing Sin

Found in Words to God, Words From God by Howard Neil Wallace, Ashgate, 2005, ISBN 0 7546 3692 5 PBK, page 96ff. This uses the Psalm.