Worship at home: A God who longed to be known by us, May 17, 2020

Worship at Home for the Sixth Sunday of Easter

Call to Worship

(from the Iona Community A Wee Worship Book)

God of life, do not darken your light to us,

God of life, do not limit your joy in us,

God of life, do not shut your door to us,

God of life, do not refuse us your mercy.

O God of life,

Eternity cannot hold you,

Nor can our little words catch

The magnificence of your kindness.

Yet in the space of our small hearts

And in silence

You can come close and repair us.

(silence)

O God of life,

Grant us your forgiveness

For our careless thoughts,

For our thoughtless deeds,

For our empty speech,

And the words with which we wounded.

(silence)

O God of life,

Grant us your forgiveness,

For our false desires,

For our wastefulness,

And for all we left untended.

Amen.

READ| Scripture: Acts 17: 22-28

22 Then Paul stood up before the council of the Areopagus and delivered this address: “Citizens of Athens, I note that in every respect you are scrupulously religious.

23 As I walked about looking at your shrines, I even discovered an altar inscribed, “To an Unknown God.” Now, what you are worshiping in ignorance I intend to make known to you.

24 “For the God who made the world and all that is in it, the Sovereign of heaven and earth, doesn’t live in sanctuaries made by human hands,

25 and isn’t served by humans, as if in need of anything. No! God is the One who gives everyone life, breath-everything.

26 From one person God created all of humankind to inhabit the entire earth, and set the time for each nation to exist and the exact place where each nation should dwell.

27 God did this so that human beings would seek, reach out for, and perhaps find the One who is not really far from any of us-

28 the One in whom we live and move and have our being. As one of your poets has put it, ‘We too are God’s children.’

Meditation

Becca has written a reflection on Paul’s words to the people of Athens and in the many ways we experience and find God.

Setting the Scene:

Imagine with me, an ancient Greek scene. We’re sittng or standing on a slight hill, just below the Acropolis, the temple dedicated to the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena. I imagine a vast marble structure, green grass, water nearby, and people all around who have gathered to listen to this travelling man called Paul. The people of Athens were accustomed to gathering at this spot for conversation, lectures, and poetry. Paul was well versed in different cultures and was able to move and talk to those around him with eloquence and cunning. He used their language, their poetry, their philosophy as a way to ease their minds and lead into a more challenging conversation. You see, Paul came to talk about his faith. God and this man named Jesus, who Paul claims died and was resurrected. That was just one step too far for the people of Athens. So Paul gathered them at this familiar spot and the conversation began...

Rebecca Lockwood, Associate Pastor for Missions and Education

The Story:

After Paul had his own experience with God and the Risen Christ, his call to ministry was clear: share the Good News of God’s love far and wide. Paul was well suited for this; he was a scholar and knew how to interact with people of many cultures. In this particular story we find Paul among the Greeks, who were known for their philosophy, religion, art, poetry, among other things. Paul was clearly familiar with Grecian study. In this passage he quotes the Greek poem, Phaenomena by the Greek poet Aratus, “the one in whom we move and live and have our being.” The poet was referring to Zeus, but when Paul recites this line, he is referring to the Jewish God, our God.

The Good News:

Paul may not have convinced everyone of this bodily resurrection idea. But he did ignite some interest when he named and leaned into their experience of the Divine. One of the most intriguing references Paul makes is to this plaque he found inscribed to the “Unknown God.” Then, as it is for many of us now, our lives are spent in search of the Divine, the holy, the sacred. We long to know, understand, and experience that Divine spark that lives in each of us.

Paul believed that God longed to be known by us. As children of God, we see reflections, glimpses of the Divine in each other. In our connection and relationships--in community--we experience God more fully. And Paul is careful to name what this is and what this isn’t. Community is made up of the things we make and construct with our human hands...like a shrine or a building. Community is made up of the relationships and love we build. And while it is challenging and hard to do in such a different way during a pandemic, we still have the ability to stay connected, to form and sustain relationships--even from a distance--through a screen, or a letter, or a phone call.

We are still the Church. We are still St. Peter’s. We are still in search of the Unknown God...the One in whom we move and live and have our being. The One who longs to be known and loved through us.

Prayers for Our Community & the World

Pray in whatever way suits you. If it makes sense to you, consider praying the Prayer of Our Creator to close this time of intercession.