Is life a comedy or a tragedy? Are we the hero or the victim? Or maybe the villain? Is the world descending into chaos and dystopia or are we on a path of ever-increasing prosperity and progress? The stories we tell orient us to our place in the world and our role in the story.
The Bible tells the story of a loving God and a messy people. There is a beginning and an end. Major themes of creation, redemption, and sanctification trace the arc of this grand narrative. And Jesus Christ is the center of it all – the great hero of the story who comes incognito to rescue and redeem his broken creation.
Invocation
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation
Lord Jesus, you once came to humanity in a rustic barn and a messy manger. Do not be distant from the rough places of our lives. We often find ourselves far from you. In mercy, come near to us, our Lord, Emmanuel; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Confession
Forgive my sins, O Lord – forgive me the sins of my present and the sins of my past, the sins of my soul and the sins of my body; the sins which I have done to please myself, and the sins which I have done to please others. Forgive me my wasted and idle sins, forgive me my serious and deliberate sins, forgive me those sins which I know and those sins which I know not, the sins which I have labored so to hide from others that I have hid them from my own memory. Forgive them, O Lord, forgive them all.
Word: 1 King 17:20-22
“And he cried to the Lord, ‘O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?’ Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, ‘O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.’ And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah.”
Meditation: God Comforts Us by Allison Lewis
Our congregation has been in a long, arduous season of grieving.
We have said goodbye to beloved vicars, pastors and interns as they take their nexts steps in ministry. We have grieved for loved ones that we have lost too soon and quite unexpectedly. We have felt the weight of the world on our shoulders as we ride the rollercoaster of war, terrorism and political unrest.
It makes me tired.
It makes me sad.
It makes me want a hug.
I think the prophet Elijah felt this way during his ministry. In 1 Kings 17:20, we can hear his frustration: “And he cried out to the Lord, ‘O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?’”
Elijah was grieving for the child who had died of a severe illness. The boy was the only family that the widow of Zarephath had left (1 Kings 17:8-16). In his grief, Elijah cries out to the Lord.
God responds by comforting Elijah. He takes compassion on him and the widow grieving her son. Elijah raises the boy to life again, and he is restored to his mother. What an amazing miracle to behold!
God comforts you and me in our grief, too.
He hears us, and his heart grieves with ours. He pours out his tender love and compassion as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. He wraps us in his peace.
But our story doesn’t end there.
The Lord promises that we will be reunited with him on the last day. Our bodies will be raised, and we will receive the crown of life (James 1:12). The Lord will create a new earth, and there will be no pain or mourning or suffering or sorrow — forever.
This promise rings true for everyone who has fallen asleep in the arms of Jesus. May it bring comfort to you now and always.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for being my ultimate Comforter. Surround our congregation with your peace that surpasses all understanding until we meet you face to face. Amen.
Benediction
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:7)