Each week, worship is an opportunity to reorient ourselves toward God. Yes, the object of worship is giving praise to God and lifting up the name of Jesus. At the same time, we re-declare our commitment to walk the path of discipleship and live as though we were a part of the kingdom of God. Come, let us worship God!
Scriptures: Isaiah 12: 2-6, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 and Luke 21:5-19
Message; ”The Pickle Jar”
Isaiah 12: 2-6
(2) Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord , the Lord , is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”
(3) With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
(4) In that day you will say: “Give thanks to the Lord , call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.
(5) Sing to the Lord , for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.
(6) Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
Warning Against Idleness
(6) In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. (7) For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, (8) nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. (9) We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. (10) For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”
(11) We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. (12) Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. (13) And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
(14) If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. (15) Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Luke 21:5-19
Signs of the End of the Age
(5) Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, (6) “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”
(7) “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”
(8) He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. (9) When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
(10) Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. (11) There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
(12) “But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. (13) This will result in your being witnesses to them. (14) But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. (15) For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. (16) You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. (17) All men will hate you because of me. (18) But not a hair of your head will perish. (19) By standing firm you will gain life.
This is the word of God, for the people of God. Thanks be to God.
No reading of Luke is complete without coming to realize that Luke is concerned that the world understands that Jesus is the hope of the world and that any teaching that leads away from that fact is a false teaching. No matter what, no matter when, Jesus will be there to give us life and hope.
There have been those who have predicted that the end was near because of some tragedy that has shaken our world. There is nothing new in people claiming such knowledge. It happened in the time of Jesus and it will happen again in our time, as well.
In the world in which Jesus lived, there were certain events that seemed to foretell the end of the world. Just such an event was the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. To some people that event signaled the time when Jesus would come again and the end was near. Luke is careful to teach that the end of the world is not going to be connected with any event we can orchestrate.
Jesus uses the story of the temple being destroyed to make an important point. History tells us that on a clear day the temple in Jerusalem was visible from miles away. The reason it was so easy to see was that it was constructed of huge pieces of white marble and when the sun struck it just right it almost looked like a snow-covered mountain. The temple was a visible reminder of stability and strength. Anyone who had ever seen it knew that it was always going to be standing as a witness to the greatness of God. The huge marble pieces would stand the test of time and would always remind the Jewish people of the permanence of their place in the promised land.
Our gospel reading today tells us that the disciples asked Jesus a couple of very human question. If what Jesus has taught them is true, namely that the temple itself will be destroyed, they asked Him. “When will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” Hey, wouldn’t you want to know? Of course you would, so would I.
Remember that temple meant as much to the disciples as it did to anyone else. And we like the disciples would want to be prepared for what is to come.
Think about it. As Christians we know that in this day and age of wars and rumors of war of terrorist attacks, of devastating floods, hurricanes and earthquakes and pandemics around the world, we would be well served to be diligent in ensuring that others come to the knowledge of Christ and His return. It would be truly terrible if we felt as if the only thing to do was sit back and wait for the end of time to happen. Isn’t that what Paul was writing about in our reading from 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 in, “Warning Against Idleness.”
Imagine waiting for the temple to be destroyed without so much as seeking an understanding of why. The disciples, at least, were not afraid to ask.
We live in a very confusing and, it seems at times, broken world. We live in a world where there is suffering, pain, and sorrow. We live in a world where competing religions and political views threaten to undo our ability to live together in peace.
Things are not as they once were. The world is not simple and it is not innocent. The days of Leave it to Beaver are not even known to our current generation. Our young people today know only a world where terrorism and indifference spread throughout our world. They have every right to question where history is going. We dare not miss the opportunity to help them, like the disciples, learn that they do not need worry about the end of the world. If you live life not worried about the end of the world, you will live life to its fullest now and that will help everyone.
However, today we are faced with a new kind of indifference. It is a feeling of hopelessness that threatens the very foundation of our world. Now, as it was over 2,000 years ago, the ultimate answer is to be found in Jesus Christ.
There is no need for us to be afraid! Christian people have nothing to fear about the end of time. Christian people have nothing to fear about death or the end of the world. In our suffering and pain, we have nothing to fear. We will not be immune to the pain of this world. Christians are not set apart from the world, but experience all the harsh realities of this world.
So that being said, whatever the future may hold, God can be trusted to see you through. That”s what Isaiah was writing in 12:2-6. “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord , the Lord , is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: “Give thanks to the Lord , call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing to the Lord , for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
Jesus told His disciples and Luke recorded it for us today in Luke 21: “the end will not come right away.” “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.”
We’re also told that,” before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.” And then explains why it’s will happen. We’re told that, “This will result in your being witnesses to them”.
We’re instructed to:” make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.”
Jesus is telling us not to be idle. Demonstrate your faith and faithfulness by doing whatever it is God is calling you to do. And do it joyfully, because as Isaiah wrote: “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation”.
I found this story on the internet. It was from an anonymous source, and sums up today’s lesson. It was titled, “The Pickle Jar”.
The pickle jar, as far back as I can remember, sat on the floor beside the dresser in my parents’ bedroom. When he got ready for bed, Dad would empty his pockets and toss his coins into the jar.
As a small boy, I was always fascinated at the sounds the coins made as they were dropped into the jar. They landed with a merry jingle when the jar was almost empty. Then the tones gradually muted to a dull thud as the jar was filled. I used to squat on the floor in front of the jar and admire the copper and silver circles that glinted like a pirate’s treasure when the sun poured through the bedroom window.
When the jar was filled, Dad would sit at the kitchen table and roll the coins before taking them to the bank. Taking the coins to the bank was always a big production. Stacked neatly in a small cardboard box, the coins were placed between Dad and me on the seat of his old truck.
Each and every time, as we drove to the bank, Dad would look at me hopefully. “Those coins are going to keep you out of the textile mill, son. You’re going to do better than me. This old mill town’s not going to hold you back.”
Also, each and every time, as he slid the box of rolled coins across the counter at the bank toward the cashier, he would grin proudly.
“These are for my son’s college fund. He’ll never work at the mill all his life like me.”
We would always celebrate each deposit by stopping for an ice cream cone. I always got chocolate. Dad always got vanilla. When the clerk at the ice cream parlor handed Dad his change, he would show me the few coins nestled in his palm. “When we get home, we’ll start filling the jar again.” He always let me drop the first coins into the empty jar. As they rattled around with a brief, happy jingle, we grinned at each other.
”You’ll get to college on pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters,” he said. “But you’ll get there. I’ll see to that.”
The years passed, and I finished college and took a job in another town.
Once, while visiting my parents, I used the phone in their bedroom, and noticed that the pickle jar was gone. It had served its purpose and had been removed. A lump rose in my throat as I stared at the spot beside the dresser where the jar had always stood. My dad was a man of few words, and never lectured me on the values of determination, perseverance, and faith. The pickle jar had taught me all these virtues far more eloquently than the most flowery of words could have.
When I married, I told my wife, Susan, about the significant part the lowly pickle jar had played in my life as a boy. In my mind, it defined, more than anything else, how much my dad had loved me. No matter how rough things got at home, Dad continued to doggedly drop his coins into the jar. Even the summer when Dad got laid off from the mill, and Mama had to serve dried beans several times a week, not a single dime was taken from the jar.
To the contrary, as Dad looked across the table at me, pouring catsup over my beans to make them more palatable, he became more determined than ever to make a way out for me. “When you finish college, Son,” he told me, his eyes glistening, “You’ll never have to eat beans again … unless you want to.”
The first Christmas after our daughter, Jessica, was born, we spent the holiday with my parents. After dinner, Mom and Dad sat next to each other on the sofa, taking turns cuddling their first grandchild. Jessica began to whimper softly, and Susan took her from Dad’s arms. “She probably needs to be changed,” she said, carrying the baby into my parents’ bedroom to diaper her.
When Susan came back into the living room, there was a strange mist in her eyes. She handed Jessica back to Dad before taking my hand and leading me into the room.
“Look,” she said softly, her eyes directing me to a spot on the floor beside the dresser. To my amazement, there, as if it had never been removed, stood the old pickle jar, the bottom already covered with coins. I walked over to the pickle jar, dug down into my pocket, and pulled out a fistful of coins.
With a gamut of emotions choking me, I dropped the coins into the jar. I looked up and saw that Dad, carrying Jessica, had slipped quietly into the room. Our eyes locked, and I knew he was feeling the same emotions I felt.
Neither one of us could speak.
That pickle jar was, and is, a symbol of hope in their world. Where is your pickle jar?
Amen.
In His Service,
Pastor Joe
Listen To Audio: Sermon 20221113
Listen To Audio: Service 11132022
Call to Worship:
L: We gather in the beautiful space
P: To worship an amazing God.
L: We are blessed to have this space to call our church home.
P: We are more blessed to be disciples of Jesus Christ our Lord.
L: Let us worship in this place, giving praise to God
P: We will worship in joy and in truth.
Prayer of Confession: Merciful God, we come before you this day as those who are often afraid to confess all the many ways in which we have disappointed and betrayed You. You have given us continual opportunities to serve and love others, but we have withdrawn into lives of selfishness and greed. We have turned our backs on others in need. We have denied the gifts you have given us. Where can we turn now that we have run from you? Your voice calls to us to come home, to come to you unafraid, to receive forgiveness and healing. Open our hearts this day to receive these magnificent blessings. Help us understand the many ways in which you love us, and help us share that love with all those whom we meet. For we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. AMEN.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Pastor Joe will be available at the church on Thursday Morning from 11:00 to 1:00. If you need to speak to him, contact Pastor Joe at 570-267-4570 (cell) or Email: joe.s.travis@gmail.com
Loose change goes to General Fund.
Feed a Friend Mission is still going on, monetary gifts only please.
Sunday School starts at 8:30am
Choir practice will be on Thursday at 1:00 P.M.
Men’s Breakfast, Wednesday November 16th at 8:00 A.M.
Session will meet on Saturday, November 19, 2022, at 9am in the community building.
The Worship Committee will be decorating the church and tree in blue, silver and white colors this year for the Christmas season. We thought it would be nice to include an ornament from each person or family on the tree in any of these colors. They can be store bought or crafted by hand. Anyone interested may give the ornament to Vickie, Gwenn, or Sandy before Nov. 20th.
Newsletter Deadline is Tuesday, November 29th. If anyone wants to put a Christmas greeting in the December newsletter, to please have it to Carolyn White by November 29th.
Please sign up to host one of the social hours on the Sunday after Communion Service on the first Sunday of the month. Hosting only means setting out what is brought and cleaning up afterward. It does not mean bringing everything to share.
