July 1, 2007

13^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Preparation for Worship

For freedom Christ has set us free

Galatians 5:1

All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. All these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man's life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual towards freedom.

Albert Einstein

The average man does not want to be free. He simply wants to be safe.

H.L. Mencken

Today is the thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the longest portion of the church year. There is nothing ordinary about Ordinary Time as the term comes from the word “ordinal” which means to tell the rank (First, Second, Third, etc.) During the summer season we have switched the sanctuary around with the pulpit in the middle of the chancel area and the Lord’s Table in front of the pulpit. This change allows us to realize the centrality of the Word read and proclaimed in our worship. The Baptismal font, Lord’s Table, Pulpit, and Cross in the sanctuary all align in the middle of our sanctuary.

     We continue exploring Paul’s letter to the small community of disciples in Galatia as the central text for our worship. The church in Galatia, comprised of gentile converts to the Christian movement, was being taught by Jewish Christians they must follow Jewish customs and rituals including circumcision and dietary restrictions. Paul argues instead that God has created something entirely new in Jesus Christ. This new creation means grace and not law is at the heart of the spiritual life. As Pastor Howard pointed out last week, the new creation also results in a new kind of community where categories of race, gender, and ethnicity take on a different meaning. The passage we focus on this morning has Paul speaking of the freedom (from the law, from worldly categories) found in the new creation. Yet this freedom is not a license to do whatever we desire, but instead a call to exhibit the fruit of the spirit. Our Christian liberty exists for others.

     The liturgy reflects this biblical focus. The call to worship describes the church as a new kind of community, “a holy nation” called to proclaim the mighty acts of God. The prayer of confession highlights how we abuse this new found freedom. The celebration of the Lord’s Supper in many ways symbolizes the new creation in Christ where all divisions are destroyed and a new kind of people comes into existence. And in our final benediction response we sing for God to make us servants, humble and meek, so that we may lift those who are weak.