World Communion Sunday: At-One-Ment

Our Call to Worship

We gather today, different in our personalities, and even in our faith practices. Some of us are Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Lutheran, and more, yet we are united in Christ Jesus.

We gather today as citizens of the United States of America, yet we are a part of the Church of God which transends our nationality. We worship today along with Christians in every nation of our World.

His atonement for our sins places us as equals. Equals in separation from God because of our turning away from him. Equals in redemption as we turn back toward him. Equals as we remain worshiping our Savior, Jesus Christ, Son of God, revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.

We are all children of the Living God.

Prayer:

Creator, Father, Redeemer, and Sustainer we come to worship you and join with the voices of all of your children in our world. Though languages are different the spirit of worship for you is the same. We are all seeking you. We rejoice in the revelation of yourself you have given through your word, Jesus Christ. And we pray that your continued self-revelation continue to join all of your people, so we may worship together on the day when we will all be free. Thank you for being among us this morning. Reveal to us a fresh word of your goodness for all people. Amen.

Hymns:

# 162 Shall We Gather at the River

#23 Open My Eyes, That I May See

Introduction:

I have been raised in the church, from the womb to now. And I am finding that things I thought I heard and understood about scripture, and therefore God, aren’t quite true, or maybe complete or full are better words.

I have believed the only focus of the Old Testament was Israel. Everything circulated around Israel’s forming and being God’s chosen people, who would wander from him, rebel, experience judgement and return.

When you think of the Old Testament Prophets, what comes to mind as the major theme? Judgement? Repentance? Who is being called to repent? Who is being redeemed?

Isaiah 19:21–25 NRSV

The Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians; and the Egyptians will know the Lord on that day, and will worship with sacrifice and burnt offering, and they will make vows to the Lord and perform them. The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing; they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their supplications and heal them. On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. On that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my heritage.”

What surprises you about this passage? Is there a phrase or idea that stands out to you?

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What I noticed is that the language I am used to hearing about Israel is now in reference to Egypt and Assyria! “make himself known...” “they will worship with sacrifice and burnt offering” “make vows to the Lord” “they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their supplications and heal them” “they will be a blessing in the midst of the earth”

Yes Israel is God’s chosen people, but not at the cost of Egypt and Assyria - God’s intentions for the world is that all cultures and nations would find unity in Him! And this has been his intention from the beginning. God’s idea of including other nations and cultures in his promises is not just a New Testament idea.

God’s desire for all people to know him challenges us to make room for differences in cultures, in nations, in people groups all over and to celebrate that we are Unified in Christ Jesus. It is Jesus’ atonement for us that creates our unity.

At-one-ment.

Let’s have a moment of silence as you reflect on the nations, people, missionaries, and stories you have heard about Christians in other cultures.

Let us read

Galatians 3:26–29 NRSV

for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

Is there a phrase, word, or idea that stands out to you in this passage?

Our Old Testament passage challenged us to seek out, find, and practice unity with our brothers and sisters in other nations around the world. Our New Testament passage challenges us within our own American culture. There is no longer:

Jew nor Greek

While we talked about different nations of people in our OT passage, This NT passage is not talking about other nations, but two cultures of people being united into one church. The Jews and Greeks lived among each other and were trying to figure out how to worship God in unity. It meant that prior practices of piety for the Jewish people could not be imposed on their Greek brothers and sisters. Namely, circumcision was this pious practice of purity for the Jews. Paul deftly argues that it cannot be a part of what is required to follow Jesus Christ.

Slave nor free:

Male or Female:

Historically, men have had more choices and freedom than women. Paul is once again speaking against any cultural dynamics that elevates one group above another. We are all just as worthy and unworthy as the other.

By laying down our ideas of how we are better than others, we allow for unity in Christ Jesus.

WE ARE ONE IN CHRIST JESUS

we can find unity because of Christ Jesus. Hi Atonement for us, through his death, burial, and resurrection has made it possible for us to be At-One-Ment even while holding space for our differences.

At-One-Ment

Ephesians 4:1–6 NRSV

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Closing Hymn

#167 Blest Be the Tie That Binds

Prayer

Lord, be glorified in us today, as we practice what it means to be unified in Christ Jesus. Help us to lay down those privileges, abilities, and resources that often elevate us in social circles. Let us lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters so we all may be free and unified in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Doxology

Benediction

May you find all the ways you are one with each other today.

Often, in our Free Enterprise and profitability structure of economy we honor, esteem, elevate those we call successful. Usually it is those who make a lot of money, have a lot of things. Paul’s statement about there being no slave or free people in the Kingdom of God means that our economic status doesn’t elevate us as Christ followers. In fact our wealth might get in the way. There is no hierarchy of power in the Kingdom of God