Whom shall I send
ST ANDREW’S CHURCH
May 26th, 2024
LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP
Loving God: you call us together
To worship God as the people of God.
You call us by name and just as we are: you know
each of our needs; you know our experiences;
you know what rests in our minds and our hearts,
and in your love you call us:
To worship God as the people of God
We come together yearning to be remade and
redirected to paths of justice, and in ways of love.
Help us, Jesus, to walk in the paths of justice and love:
To worship God as the people of God.
Hold us, Mold us, Teach us Holy Spirit:
To worship God as the people of God.
HYMN 290 Immortal, invisible God only wise
1. Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes;
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.
2. Unresting, unhasting and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
3. To all life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish like leaves on the tree,
and wither, and perish; but naught changeth thee.
4. Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all laud we would render: oh help us to see
’tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.
PRAYER OF INVOCATION
God of Creation – everything you have made sings your praises. Let our voices
join the song and proclaim your goodness, your grace, your justice, and your
fulsome peace. With Jesus as our example, let our words become actions that
reflect your will for the thriving of all people, all creation. May your Spirit of love
flow abundantly into every corner of the world.
Holy God, lift us out of our routine of daily lift and set us on your holy mountain.
We are so thankful for all the good and blessings we have received from you .We
come before you in our desire to know you more fully and that the Holy Spirit will
move within us as we worship you Hear us now as we confess before you …
UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Compassionate God, we confess our brokenness.
We come before you with all that we are – and
all that we fail to be. With all we have done, and
all we have failed to do .We repent and renew our
commitment to walk a new path. God of mercy,
in you we know we can find healing and wholeness.
Help us to listen well, O God. Speak to us
and help us to hear. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
The Lord is faithful in all his words and gracious in all his deeds. He upholds all
who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down, nor does he deal with us
according to our sins The Lord heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and steadfast in Love. To all who
repent , he removes our transgressions from us and holds us in his compassion.
Thanks be to God .
THE PEACE
HYMN 382 Spirit of God descend upon my heart
1. Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move.
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art,
And make me love Thee as I ought to love.
2. Hast Thou not bid me love Thee, God and King?
All, all Thine own, soul, heart and strength and mind.
I see Thy cross; there teach my heart to cling:
Oh, let me seek Thee, and, oh, let me find!
3. Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh;
Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,
To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh;
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.
4. Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love,
One holy passion filling all my frame;
The kindling of the heav’n-descended Dove,
My heart an altar, and Thy love the flame.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 29 page 866
Isaiah 6: 1-8 page 1068
Romans 8:12-17 page 1757
SERMON
One of the reasons we gather to worship is to meet with God, to be touched and
changed and equipped to hear and then carry out God’s call upon our lives.
Millions of people have gathered today to worship. All of these millions fall into
only two categories: those who truly expect – or at least hope – to encounter God,
and those who simply go through the motions.
Now the single most important element in any worship service is the heart of the
person attending the service. If your heart is open toward God when you walk in
the door, it will much more likely to be full of God when you walk out. Jesus said,
“those who worship God must worship in spirit and truth.” [Jn 4:3] Meeting with
God takes more than just showing up; there’s also a small matter of preparing
yourself. Isaiah 6 is a lesson on how to meet with God.
As far as is humanly possible, before we come into God’s presence, we must
recognize him for what he really is: powerful, holy, pure, and good. That is why we
begin our worship service with words and songs of praise
There is something about being in the presence of God that makes us aware of our
own inadequacy. That’s what happened when Isaiah found himself in the presence
of God, and said, “Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a
people of unclean lips…” (v.5)
In the year 740 B.C. One of the most famous “call” passages in Scripture begins
with a description of the caller. The opening verse sets the stage with a specific
historical context: “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and
exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” It’s not that
Isaiah doesn’t know who God is. Isaiah is a professional religious figure, a court
official, possibly even related to the royal family. By the time he receives his first
vision he would have been around thirty, the time when Jewish men took up their
public responsibilities, well educated in Jewish law and tradition. He would have
had a profound respect for YHWH, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the
giver of the covenant and the law, and no doubt believed himself to be a
conscientious and observant Jew.
But apparently that’s not enough. For the job God is calling him to do, Isaiah needs
something more than head knowledge. He needs to meet with God in a more
profound and personal way. He needs to be touched, and he needs to be changed.
Isaiah when faced with God – falls to his face on the floor in terror. He recognizes
what he is, a flawed being who isn’t worthy to come into the presence of God
The seraph pronounces Isaiah free of guilt and sin. Guilt is not a feeling but a state
of being brought about by wrong behavior. Therefore, for sin and guilt to have
“departed” or to have been “blotted out” means that purification removes the
effects of wrongful actions. This signifies God’s grace and forgiveness, cleansing
Isaiah’s impurity and preparing him for the divine call.
When Isaiah sees the majesty, greatness, power, holiness and glory of God, and
hears what God wants from him, he responds with his entire heart and mind and
will. He is forever changed and sets off in a different direction. From then on he
brings his mission to a people who hear but never understand,- who see but never
perceive
Coming into God’s presence begins with an attitude of reverence or respect. Some
people think of God impersonally, as a distant, abstract “higher power.” Too many
others refer to him casually as “the big guy” or “the man upstairs.” That’s better
than disbelief, of course, but what does it say about relationship? God is neither
impersonal nor chummy. God is God: great, powerful, good. It is true that he has
made himself known to us. In fact, God has invited us into his household and given
us his name. But that doesn’t mean that this joyful intimacy should turn into
disrespect.
You see, there are two sides to God’s nature. On one side we have what theologians
call the transcendence of God, which is the fact that God is beyond anything
earthly or finite. “Trans,” , means beyond. On the other side is the immanence of
God, the fact God is everywhere – even right here – all the time. These are two
extremes, and both are absolutely true.
One phrase used to describe God is “wholly other” – meaning that God isn’t one of
us, or like us – which is one reason so many people have trouble understanding
how Jesus could be God as well. God is beyond anything we can imagine or
understand, more magnificent than we could ever describe. He is good beyond
description, powerful beyond description, holy beyond description. As Isaiah puts
it later on in “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher
than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” [Is 55:9] . Isaiah recognized
this side of God in his vision. He is overcome with an awareness of God’s…
Majesty “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty…” God’s Greatness
“…and the hem of his robe filled the temple…” Power “…Angels were in
attendance above him…” Holiness “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts…” Glory
“…the whole earth is full of His glory.”
Finding one’s vocation in the Christian journey requires verifying that God calls
us. Following Isaiah’s example, we can resist, disagree with, and challenge even
the God whose glory fills the whole earth.
Seeing God as he really is, and seeing ourselves as we really are, leads naturally to
confession. Next, we need to be cleansed. If we’re willing to admit that we need
God to clean us up, He will. That familiar passage from 1 John puts it quite simply:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins.” (1 Jn
1:9)
A simple definition for grace is "undeserved mercy." When Isaiah admitted his
own sinfulness, the angel touched the coal to his lips. This is what Christ has done
for us. Through his death our sins have been blotted out, and our guilt has
departed.
After we have been cleaned up, we’re ready to hear from God. Isaiah couldn’t hear
God’s voice until the seraph touched his mouth with the coal. In just the same way,
we can’t hear God until we have come to him honestly with our failings and
failures and received forgiveness. But just hearing what God has to say isn’t
enough.
In fact, it is impossible truly to encounter God without responding. It isn’t just a
Sunday event. It’s a lifestyle. This is what Isaiah learned. When God asked,
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah answered, “Here am I; send
me!” (v. 8). More is required than just listening. You have to answer the call. The
last act of worship is the response, “Here am I, Lord, send me!”
The worship service – music, prayers, scripture reading, and message – are all so
many unanswered calls if you leave without a renewed commitment to serve God
during the week. It is recognizing who God is that determines our response.
You cannot capture the grace of God, you can only receive it. God’s Spirit moves
where He wills, and the birth from above is just that: from above. It is the work of
God’s Spirit within us, not something we do for ourselves.
The book of Romans is one of the greatest theological expositions ever written.
Paul spends over 7 chapters answering that question The gift of salvation is the
door opened to a relationship with God for people who know they’re
separated from God and don’t want to be.
In the early chapters of Romans Paul explains at some length how it is we came to
be separated from God. He talks about how sin came into the world, and how
people, by and large, have always preferred to go on sinning rather than face the
truth about themselves and seek God. He reminds them of how God gave Moses
the law, so that people would know how to live, and then shows them how just
knowing the law wasn’t enough. People are just not able to live up to God’s
standards under their own power.
The one who answers that cry for help, our rescuer, is Jesus Christ. God who raised
Jesus from the grave can and will raise us up from hardship, sorrow, poverty, and
despair. Nothing that life can do to us can destroy that certainty. Just a few short
verses further on, Paul gives us some of the most precious lines in all of Scripture:
“Who will separate us from the love of God? … I am convinced that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”( 8: 35,38)
Todays text remains a timeless testament to God’s call and human response,
inviting all to heed the divine commission with readiness and surrender. It is a
reminder that in our divine-human encounter, questions are always welcome
Who has the strongest call on your life? Is God’s call one that you answer
immediately, or do you listen to the message and promise to get back to it later,
when you have time? If the latter, which do you need more, a clearer view of God,
or a clearer view of yourself? For some, the challenge to obedience is to act; for
others, the challenge is to wait. For all, the challenge is real. AMEN
HYMN 592 I, the Lord of sea and sky
I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry
All who dwell in dark and sin my hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright
Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain. I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them. They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone, give them hearts for love alone I will speak my
words to them. Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them. My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them. Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.
Daniel L. Schutte, SJ ©
OFFERING
DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him all creatures here below
Praise him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Generous God, we bless you for your gift of life renewed through Christ’s love
All that we have comes from you, O God. May these gifts be used to offer and
renew hope as we work for a more peaceful and just world. in the name of your
greatest gift, Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord. AMEN
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Creator God, we draw near to you in prayer this day, trusting that your love
changes lives and your resurrection brings hope into the world God loves. You
walk with us through every challenging time, and we give you thanks for every
sign of hope in a world that is often on edge and the future seems uncertain. May
we abide in your love.
God of Transforming Love, The wounds of racism continue to this day, embedded
in the fabric of our institutions and governments. Let your compassion and wisdom
flow through all public policies and practices. Where power is horded, bring your
justice. Where racism is resisted, bring your courage and strength to acknowledge
and address it. We pray for decision makers and change makers and give thanks
for all people who lift up the integrity and dignity of creation and protect human
rights.
We pray for healing for Indigenous families and communities, both within and
outside the church, who are struggling with inter-generational trauma from
residential schools and other forms of colonial violence. We ask that God guide our
church and congregations in ways that uphold Indigenous rights May they abide in
your love.
As commissioners across Canada prepare for the upcoming General Assembly we
lift them up to you . May traveling mercies be theirs . We give thanks to God for
the faithful service of the Rev. Mary Fontaine as she completes her year as the first
Indigenous Moderator of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. We also hold before
you the incoming Moderator of General Assembly, The Rev. Dr. Patrica Dutcher
Walls. Thank you for each faithful servant serving in these challenging days,
whether in Canada or in international ministries. Bless them with good health and
courageous commitment ,and equip them well to reach out in love and respect.
We pray for those in the news whose situations tug at our hearts.
…people who face violence in their relationships, in their home, office, community
or country, and for those who have been displaced by war, unjust economic
systems, the climate crisis, and ongoing impacts of colonization around the world.
Spirit, bring your comfort, justice, and peace.
We hold in our hearts:
…. those who are sick, or have loved ones that are struggling with physical or
mental illness. Let them know they are not alone. We pray for people who are
struggling with, loneliness, grief or sadness: Jesus, bring your comfort, justice,
and peace.
…people who living with housing insecurity: where home is inadequate for the
needs of the people it must shelter, and is unsafe, unaffordable, or inaccessible for
…people who are struggling with economic insecurity: where there are barriers to
education or employment, unfairness in policies or practices, where there is
transition, and change. Creator, bring your comfort, justice, and peace.
Lord Jesus, we believe that you hear our prayers and will be faithful to our requests
and concerns. And so we pray together the words you taught us:
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will
be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us
our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
HYMN 339 Who made the earth and the heaven
Online
God Who Made the Earth and Heaven
BENEDICTION
As we go out today, may the Spirit rouse in each of us, minds prepared to be
unsettled, hearts that yearn for justice, and bodies that work for peace. Guide and
impassion us in love and justice, to walk lightly and humbly and seek truth and
reconciliation, healing, and wholeness. May God’s transforming love flow freely
through each of us. Amen.
CLOSING SONG 500 Open my eyes