Chatham Charge Worship Service
January 3, 2021
We come together as a community of faith to praise and worship our Father Almighty, He is the one that calls us to worship. His Holy Spirit is calling us now. He welcomes us into His house to spend time together in fellowship with him and with one another.
*Call to Worship: Psalm 147: 1 – 5 #859
L: Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; a song of praise is fitting.
P: The Lord builds up Jerusalem; and gathers the outcasts of Israel.
L: The Lord heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
P: The Lord determines the number of the stars and gives to all of them their names.
L: Great is our Lord, and abundant in power, whose understanding is beyond measure.
P: The Lord lifts up the downtrodden but casts the wicked to the ground.
Opening Prayer:
God of promise and light, open our eyes this morning, that we may see your light in the darkness. Open our hearts, that we may perceive your promises of justice and righteousness fulfilled in the babe of Bethlehem. May we, like the Magi, have a star to guide us on our journey quest to find the one who will truly set us free. May this time of worship bring us closer to you, that the good news of the birth of light and love will transform our lives. Amen.
*Hymn: Lord of The Dance #261
1 I danced in the morning when the world was begun, and I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun, and I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth. At Bethlehem I had my birth.
[Refrain:] Dance, then, wherever you may be; I am the Lord of the Dance, said he. And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be, and I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
2 I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee, but they would not dance and they would not follow me; I danced for the fishermen, for James and John; they came to me and the dance went on. (Refrain)
3 I danced on the sabbath when I cured the lame, the holy people said it was a shame; they whipped and they stripped and they hung me high; and they left me there on a cross to die. (Refrain)
4 I danced on a Friday and the sky turned black; it’s hard to dance with the devil on your back; they buried my body and they thought I’d gone, but I am the dance and I still go on. (Refrain)
5 They cut me down and I leapt up high, I am the life that’ll never, never die; I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me; I am the Lord of the Dance, said he. (Refrain)
First Scripture: John 1:10 – 18
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
The Lord’s Prayer – Gloria Patri: UMH 70
*Prayer:
Before we turn to the Word of the Lord, let us turn to the Lord of the Word in prayer. Heavenly Father we ask that you send your Holy Spirit to come dwell with us at this time in order that he might open our ears to a new meaning of your Word, open our minds to a new understanding of your works, and open our hearts to greater love for you. Be with us Spirit, be our guide and our companion on this spiritual journey to a greater understanding of the God of this Word. Amen
Message Lesson: Ephesians 1:3 – 14
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
The Words of God for the People of God!
The Message
Blessings Through Christ
Ephesians 1:3 – 4
The Mount Morgan Gold Mine in Queensland, Australia, was one of the richest in the world. In fact, from the time that gold was discovered, and the first mine opened in the late 1880’s until it was closed in the early 1990’s, a period of almost 100 years, the mine produced 283 metric tons of gold, that is almost 9 million ounces of gold with a value in today’s gold price of almost $17.5 trillion dollars. The money taken from under the surface of the ground funded an oil company that eventually that we know BP.
For many years, though, the original landowners lived in deep poverty on the mountain’s barren surface. The ground was too harsh and unpredictable, to farm or even raise livestock efficiently. The ground seemed utterly useless. But unseen to human eyes there was a vast wealth, right beneath their feet all the time, that could have changed their lives but instead they struggled through droughts, sicknesses and financial difficulties. They had no idea of what blessings lay within their grasps. Blessings that could have changed their lives forever. Eventually they gave up on the property and sold it for peanuts.
In our lesson today, Paul is telling us that many Christians live in a similar situation, not aware of the blessings that are theirs for the taking, within their grasps, blessings that if they were to acknowledge them and embrace them would change their lives today as well as for an Eternity. We plod along and struggle through their spiritual lives, laboring every step of the way. We are unaware of the vast riches God has promised us and therefore they do not claim them. Chosen, Adopted and Redeemed Through Christ, these blessings and many more are ours if we recognize the Blessings Through Christ and embrace them, so that we never struggle with spiritual droughts, illnesses, difficulties, or plagues in our lives.
There is irony in Paul telling the Thessalonians and us, about the multitude of blessings that we receive from God through Jesus because he is writing these words from a prison in Rome. Clearly, as Paul is describing blessings that come from our relationship with Jesus, he is not looking around at a home full of expensive stuff, cupboards, refrigerators and freezers full of fine food, a garage with two cars, and a large bank account and copious retirement funds.
Paul goes through his ministry being beaten, tortured, and jailed because of his faith and yet he has the awareness in his faith that none of this matters, because our blessings are things that we couldn’t buy even if they were for sale, which of course, they aren’t.
If we were the ones that were writing from a Roman prison, would we talk about how blessed we are? Would we talk about what Jesus Christ has done for us? I wouldn’t! But that is where Paul started. He started his letter to the churches in Ephesus by reminding them of the tremendous blessings they have in Jesus.
In the lesson today, Paul starts by getting the people’s focus back where it needs to be. Before he goes on to talk about the way they should live and worship and treat each other, he refocuses them on what’s important. He refocuses them on the Lord Jesus Christ by pointing out the tremendous blessings they have in Him.
Paul launches into a grand doxology, a great acclamation of God’s goodness that we find in Ephesians by praising God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, “who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing” This means that in Christ we have an uncountable number benefits of knowing God. Among those blessings are being chosen for salvation, being adopted as his children, redemption, forgiveness, discernment, the gifts of the Spirit, power to do God’s will, the hope of living forever with Christ.
Because we have an intimate relationship with Christ, we can enjoy these blessings today but the phrase, the heavenly realms means that these blessings are not just for the here and now but rather they are also eternal. These blessings come from Christ’s spiritual realm, not the earthly realm.
Paul tells us that despite what we might think considering the times that we live in, God has a plan, for His church and his people. He has had a plan for His people since before the beginning of time. His plan has always been to bless us. God planned for us from eternity past. Paul tells us “He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” Did you hear that before time God foreknew us and planned that we would be holy, blameless and loved. Blessings Through Christ!
Paul goes on to tell us that God planned to adopt us as His sons and daughters according to the good pleasure of his will. He didn’t have to, there was nothing in us that compelled Him to accept us. He accepts us purely and simply out of His eternal love for us, a love that He has had for us since even before He created us.
That was His plan all along. His plan was to take us as rebellious, selfish creatures and adopt us as sons through the shed blood of His Son Jesus Christ. He planned to bless us in Christ. In Jesus’ time when someone was adopted, even if it was a slave, they received full rights of a natural born child. God blesses us by adopting us and making us holy as He is holy and as his Son is holy. We are full blooded coheirs with Christ. Blessings Through Christ!
From before the beginning of time, God knew that His creation would rebel against Him. He knew we would disobey Him. He knew we would mock, beat and put His Son to death on a cruel Roman cross. He knew that, but He loved us enough to create us anyway. He loved us enough to provide a way to restore our relationship with Him.
In our disobedience, we were enslaved by sin but God provided for us a way to be brought back to him, to redeem us he purchased us back but that provision cost Him a lot. As a matter of fact, it cost Him everything.
He temporarily gave up His power and position in heaven. He emptied Himself by sending His son at Christmas who came to earth to be born in a stable, to walk in the dirt for 33 years. He came to be rejected, abused, mocked, and eventually killed. And He did it for one reason, to bring us back into relationship.
Friends we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. God provides redemption for us through the shed blood of His Son Jesus Christ. Blessings Through Christ!
Paul tells us He gives us purpose. He gives us purpose because He “works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we might be for the praise of his glory.”
We are responsible to act in accordance with God’s will, we are responsible to obey Him, that is our purpose. Our purpose is to obey Him, that is all we have to do. Even when it is uncomfortable. Even when it is unpopular. Even when it doesn’t seem to make sense. We are to obey Him because He is in control and will work all things according to His will.
We should praise His glory. Our salvation is not about us. It’s about God. It’s about bringing honor and glory and praise to the God who saved us. That’s our purpose. God gives us a purpose to praise Him for what He has done for us in His Son Jesus Christ. God has a plan for His church in Christ. He makes provision for His church in Christ. And He fulfils a purpose for His church in Christ. Blessings Through Christ!
Finally Paul tells us about one more spiritual blessing that we receive from God and that is He seals His blessing with His Holy Spirit of promise. The Holy Spirit is God’s seal that we belong to him and his deposit guaranteeing that he will do what he has promised.
The Holy Spirit is like a down payment, a deposit, a validating signature on the contract. The presence of the Holy Spirit in us demonstrates the genuineness of our faith, proves that we are God’s children, and secures eternal life for us. His power works in us to transform us now and what we experience now is a taste of the total change we will experience in eternity. Blessing Through Christ!
Hear the Good News my Friends…………
Dear ones we have been Chosen by God, adopted by God, redeemed through Christ, given Holy purpose and sealed with the Spirit. Here in Ephesians 1, we’ve been taking in the big picture, Paul has been putting before our eyes. It is a grand and glorious picture, stretching from eternity to eternity. God has a plan, a purpose, he is accomplishing: “his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” Everything in the whole universe finds its proper place through our relationship with to Christ our Lord, the Son of God. Friends you have received, are receiving and will receive Blessings Through Christ! Amen.
Hymn: Blest Be the Tie That Binds #557
- Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.
- Before our Father’s throne we pour our ardent prayers; our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, our comforts and our cares.
- We share each other’s woes, our mutual burdens bear; and often for each other flows the sympathizing tear.
- When we asunder part, it gives us inward pain; but we shall still be joined in heart, and hope to meet again.
The Lord’s Supper UMC #13
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Holy are you and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:
“Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever.
Amen.
Behold the body of Christ, which was broken for you. Take and eat.
Behold the blood of Christ, which was shed for you. Take and drink.
Dear ones, you have been offered the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, you have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and you have received the Redeeming and Atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ for your transgressions. Brothers and Sisters, you are forgiven.
Amen.
Prayers of the People
Pastoral Prayer:
Hymn: We Three Kings #254
1 We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.
Refrain: O star of wonder, star of light, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.
2 Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain, gold I bring to crown him again, King forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign. [Refrain]
3 Frankincense to offer have I; incense owns a Deity nigh; prayer and praising, voices raising, worshiping God on high. [Refrain]
4 Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom; sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb. [Refrain]
5 Glorious now behold him arise; King and God and sacrifice: Alleluia, Alleluia, sounds through the earth and skies. [Refrain]
Benediction
Go into God’s world, bearing the light of hope and peace. Bring the Good News of the love of God through Jesus Christ to all the people. Go in peace. AMEN.