SCROLL DOWN FOR AUGUST 14 AND AUGUST 21

Welcome to Hunger Sermon Starters!

The lessons for each Sunday in the church year proclaim God’s grace in Jesus Christ. Also derived from a Sunday’s texts are lessons for the Christ-inspired and Christ-like life of God’s people. The comments here will help you find hunger-related threads – sermon starters – among the themes of this day’s texts. (We're presuming you have already done your exegetical work on the texts.) God bless your proclamation (and teaching) of what is most certainly true!

August 14, 2011 (Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 20)

Isaiah 56:1, 6-8

Righteousness and obedience define who belongs, not race, nationality, gender, age, or sexual orientation. This passage loudly proclaims that God’s house is a place for all people. Yet still today we hear testimonies of individuals who feel marginalized and outcast, sometimes even by the church. Whether it’s a family not feeling welcome in a congregation or refugees feeling marginalized in the United States, circumstances such as these do not portray the loving world that God imagines. As God’s people we are called to gather together in God’s loving presence. Sometimes it might be difficult to relate to someone from a different background. But God envisions a church full of diversity where all the members benefit from each others’ unique experiences. Who are the outcast in your community? The nation? The world? What are ways your congregation can become a more welcoming place for all? For an example of the welcoming work of your church, Meet the Kafley Family (http://www.youtube.com/user/ELCAVideo#p/c/0/mhre5bkpV6s) and see how ELCA World Hunger is working with refugees in the United States.

Psalm 67 (3)

Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32

Matthew 15:[10-20] 21-28

This is a difficult passage for Christians to grapple with. Perhaps Jesus is purposely teaching his disciples a lesson and pretended to ostracize the woman. He has just finished telling his disciples that what comes from our mouth, from the heart, is what defiles us. We’ve all said hurtful things in our lives and we are naïve to think that any of us are clean of prejudices that put up walls. We need to understand the universally destructive effects of prejudice and God’s desire for all to feel (and be!) welcome. But we cannot do this by ourselves. We need to look to God for the strength to be signs of comfort, healing and justice for the marginalized. This passage reminds me of a line from Casting Crowns song “If We Are the Body.” The lyrics remind us that “Jesus paid much too high a price for us to pick and choose who should come.” May our church find ways to extend its mission to those on the margins of society.

Prayer of the Day

God of all people, your embrace reaches out to all. Teach us to love the all around the world with compassion, that your name may be known throughout the earth, through Jesus Christ, our Savor and Lord.

Prayers of intercession

Loving God, Please be with all in this nation and around the world who have no place to call home. We thank you for the ministry of ELCA World Hunger as it serves refugees from around the globe.

Great Shepherd, remind us that once we were a lost people. Guide us in ways that we can extend your love to all the marginalized and out-casted.

Holy One, thank you for the sacrifice your Son made for us on the cross. Help us share the deep love of that moment with all so that we can truly be a part of God’s vision for the world.

Hymns

ELW – 650 – In Christ There Is No East or West

ELW 496 – One Bread, One Body

ELW 247 – Come Now, O Prince of Peace

Karen Ward

Intern, ELCA World Hunger

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Welcome to Hunger Sermon Starters!

August 14, 2011 (Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 21)

Isaiah 51:1-6

Psalm 138 (8)

Romans 12:1-8

Matthew 16:13-20

Who do people say I am? This is the question that Jesus asks Peter at a time when many were proclaiming themselves as the Messiah and word of mouth was causing confusion among the people. To believers today it is a heart-wrenching question. Who do people say Jesus is today? What do people say the church is today? What do people say the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is? How do we portray Jesus in the world today?

There is a saying from an anonymous source to be careful because you might be the only Bible someone ever reads. But in reference to the letter to the Romans today we don’t need to be careful. Rather we need to be out there in the world exactly because we might be the only Bible someone reads. No one can read the book if it’s not open for all to see. God calls us to be out in the world, serving those in need and in turn being served as well. That way when Jesus asks, “Who do people say I am?” we can confidently reply “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Learn more about how your church is serving in the world and the ways you can get involved.

Prayer of the Day

O God, be our strong foundation and form us into the body of your Son, that we may gladly minister to all the world, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Prayers of Intercession

Redeemer of the world, we pray that all divisions that separate your people may be healed and that Christians everywhere will grow in holy love towards one another.

God of all, we offer ourselves in service to the world and all our brothers and sisters. Help us transform this world into your vision of peace, love and justice.

Saving God, we ask you to bless mission congregations and missionaries everywhere. Help this and every congregation work to serve the hungry, the lost and the forgotten.

Hymns

Take, Oh, Take Me As I Am – ELW 814

Bread of Life, Our Host and Meal – ELW 464

Karen Ward

Intern, ELCA World Hunger

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