Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Gospel of Matthew 13:1-9 Message | Jesus Sows Graciously + Generously into Your Life


Coram Deo's "Parables of Jesus" by Ben Lueders


" ...  Tell me what it's all for when you get what you want and you still want more. You know His life's the reward, so worry less and celebrate more. ... " + Celebrate More


Homily Video | Jesus Sows Graciously + Generously into Your Life

Homily Scriptures | Matthew 13:1-9

Homily Song | "Celebrate More" by 116 featuring Lecrae, Andy Mineo


Call to Worship | Isaiah 61:1

The Spirit of the LORD God is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners.

St. Francis + West Coast Revival, Early 1200s A.D.

All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Thou, burning sun with golden beam,
Thou, silver moon with softer gleam.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness.
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit, Three-in-One.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

All the redeemed washed by His blood
Come and rejoice in His great love.
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Christ has defeated every sin.
Cast all your burdens now on Him.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

He shall return in pow’r to reign
Heaven and earth will join to say
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Then who shall fall on bended knee?
All creatures of our God and King
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

Great Are You Lord
All Sons and Daughters, 2013 A.D.

You give life, You are love,
You bring light to the darkness.
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken.
Great are You, Lord.

It's Your breath in our lungs,
So we pour out our praise,
We pour out our praise.
It's Your breath in our lungs,
So we pour out our praise to You only.

All the earth will shout Your praise,
Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing,
“Great are You, Lord!”

Relentless
Hillsong, 2012 A.D.

Salvation sounds a new beginning
As distant hearts begin believing.
Redemption's bid is unrelenting,
Your love goes on, Your love goes on!

You carry us, carry us
When the world gives way!
You cover us, cover us
With Your endless grace!
Your love is relentless (x4)!

The time is up for chasing shadows,
You gave the world the Light to follow,
A hope that shines beyond tomorrow,
Your love goes on, Your love goes on!
(Chorus)

Tearing through the veil of darkness,
Breaking every chain, You set us free!
Fighting for the furthest heart You gave
Your life for all to see!

You carry us, carry us
(Your love is relentless)!
You cover us, cover us
(Your love is relentless)!

Benediction based on Matthew 25:14-30

Go in the peace and power of Christ. Love and care for
one another and your neighbors in Jesus’ name, and may
God bless you with every gift needful for His work. May the
Spirit grant you the willingness to risk yourself completely
for the sake of the Gospel, and may hope and faith in Jesus
dwell richly within you until He makes all things new. Amen.

Next post: 

To connect with us, please contact info@emmauscitychurch.com

Christ is all,

Rev. Mike "Sully" Sullivan

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Location: Worcester, MA, USA

Monday, September 28, 2020

Les Mis: Do We Still Love Them When They Cross Our Paths?

 

Les Misérables BBC & PBS Masterpiece 2019


Love, faith, kindness, mercy ... I wonder in that world if each of us would be cast in the role of villain or hero. + Matt Mikalatos


To date, among all the iterations available, my favorite version of Victor Hugo's all-time classic is the 2019 BBC & PBS Masterpiece Limited Series version of Les Misérables. From the direction to the characterization to the realism in the fear and the hope, the pain and the possibility, the story gripped me and did not let go even though I knew where it was all going.

In thinking about the theme of grace that the story begins with, I appreciate how Evan Koons in For the Life of the World: Letters to the Exiles describes our introduction to Jan Valjean's in brief:

On a cold bleak night long ago, a beggar wandered the streets looking for a warm place to rest his head. His wanderings seemed in vain however, for there was no one who failed to recognize the notorious vagabond and thief, Jean Valjean. And so, worry and frozen to the bone, Valjean tried one last door, that of the town bishop. And to his surprise, the bishop welcomed him with open arms. The kind bishop fed the pitiful Valjean and then he bid him goodnight. But Valjean, returning to old habits, plundered the bishop's home of its silver and stole off into the night. But he didn't get far. Come the morning, Valjean found himself once more in the bishop's home, this time escorted by the soldiers that had apprehended him. 'This man seems to have taken possession of all your valuables, Father. But he claims you gave them to him as a gift.' The pitiful Valjean sank deeper into his shame. But the bishop, in kindness and grace, looked upon Valjean and said, 'Yes, it's true. I gave him those trinkets. But Valjean, you left so quickly that you forgot the second part of your gift. Then the bishop took the most treasured of his possessions – his silver candlesticks – and offered them to the thief. Valjean was taken aback by the man's mercy. 'My good men, unshackle him. You may be on your way.' Once the soldiers had left, the bishop told the thief, 'With this silver, I have ransomed your soul for Christ. Go now, redeemed and restored, and live a life worthy of this gift.' And in that moment, the thief was forever changed for he had never known such grace.

In reflecting on the themes of justice, mercy, hospitality, and ultimately, costly grace, in Hugo's story as well as in our world today, Dr. Anthony Bradley goes on to say:

We keep talking about all these spaces or spheres in society needing to harmonize together, and that these spheres harmonizing is something that contributes to flourishing. If that's the case, how come we don't see more of that? How come we just keep seeing more hurting people? There's one thing that matters in this whole conversation about justice and order and flourishing. If we don't have this one thing, this all just completely collapses. What's that? Hospitality. The reason why there's still so much pain and dependency in our world, I'm sorry to suggest, is because of us, the Church. We've abandoned our call to hospitality, one of the most ancient Christian virtues. True hospitality is about opening your door to the stranger.

Costly grace. True hospitality. Opening your door to the stranger. With these thoughts in mind, I greatly appreciated the relevant food for thought Matt Mikalatos recently shared after he watched the musical film adaptation of Les Misérables with his children this June:

My kids are watching "Les Misérables" tonight and I can't help but think there are a lot of people who love this story and would absolutely hate everything about it if it were set in modern day. 
A convict imprisoned for minor theft highlights the plight of the poor and the inequities of the justice system. A single-minded police officer whose insistence on the letter of the law creates injustice. 
An impoverished woman whose #metoo moment ends with her disbelieved, cast away from society, further impoverished and forced into prostitution, where she is taken advantage of and ultimately wrung out until dead by upper class johns and the justice system. 
These injustices lead to an ultimately failed riot by young people, that is nevertheless held up as an exemplar of the Kingdom of God that is coming. 
Even the minor villains are small business owners who are working hard to achieve riches at the expense of the people around them. 
And in all of this, the heroes, the only people who provide any help to one another: 
+ An ex-convict on the run from the law 
+ a lying churchman who extends grace 
+ a young rioter 
+ a prostitute and her child 
+ a homeless child (also murdered by state violence) 
All of this in an unapologetically spiritual, inherently Christian story in which every prayer is answered save one: Javert's prayer that the convict be placed behind bars again. 
And the thief is not transformed by prison, which makes him only more desperate, more dangerous. He is not transformed by justice. He becomes a better man, a functioning part of society because of mercy, and because he is invited into the community of faith. Love, faith, kindness, mercy. Justice and rule of law bring only injustice and death in this story.  
I wonder in that world if each of us would be cast in the role of villain or hero. ... 

Christ is all, 

Rev. Mike "Sully" Sullivan

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Sunday, September 20, 2020

Gospel of Matthew 12:46-50 Message | Jesus Expands + Makes Room in the Family of God to Include You

 


Jesus has made a way to welcome you home. 


Homily Video | Jesus Expands + Makes Room in the Family of God to Include You


Call to Worship | Isaiah 43:19

Look I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.

The Kingdom Is Yours
Common Hymnal, 2017 A.D.

Blessed are the ones who do not bury
All the broken pieces of their heart.
Blessed are the tears of all the weary
Pouring like a sky of falling stars.

Blessed are the wounded ones in mourning,
Brave enough to show the Lord their scars.
Blessed are the hurts that are not hidden,
Open to the healing touch of God.

The Kingdom is Yours, the Kingdom is yours,
Hold on a little more, this is not the end.
Hope is in the Lord, keep your eyes on Him.

Blessed are the ones who walk in kindness
Even in the face of great abuse.
Blessed are the deeds that go unnoticed,
Serving with unguarded gratitude.

Blessed are the ones who fight for justice,
Longing for the coming day of peace.
Blessed is the soul that thirsts for righteousness,
Welcoming the last, the lost, the least. (Chorus)

Blessed are the ones who suffer violence
And still have strength to love their enemies.
Blessed is the faith of those who persevere.
Though they fall, they'll never know defeat.

Grace Alone
Dustin Kensrue, 2013 A.D.

I was an orphan lost at the Fall,
Running away when I'd hear Your call,
But Father, You worked Your will.
I had no righteousness of my own,
I had no right to draw near Your throne,
But Father, You loved me still.
And in love before You laid the world's foundation,
You predestined to adopt me as Your own.
You have raised me up so high above my station.
I'm a child of God by grace and grace alone.

You left Your home to seek out the lost,
You knew the great and terrible cost,
But Jesus, Your face was set.
I worked my fingers down to the bone,
Nothing I did could ever atone,
But Jesus, You paid my debt.
By Your blood, I have redemption and salvation,
Lord, You died that I might reap what You have sown;
And You rose that I might be a new creation,
I am born again by grace and grace alone.

I was in darkness all of my life,
I never knew the day from the night,
But Spirit, You made me see.
I swore I knew the way on my own,
Head full of rocks, a heart made of stone,
But Spirit, You moved in me.
At Your touch my sleeping spirit was awakened,
On my darkened heart the light of Christ has shone.
Called into a Kingdom that cannot be shaken,
Heaven's citizen by grace and grace alone.

So I'll stand in faith by grace and grace alone!
I will run the race by grace and grace alone!
I will slay my sin by grace and grace alone!
I will reach the end by grace and grace alone!

All the People Said Amen
Matt Maher, 2013 A.D.

You are not alone, if you are lonely,
When you're feeling frail, you're not the only.
We are all the same, in need of mercy, to be forgiven and free.
It's all you got to lean on but, thank God, it's all you need!

And all the people said "Amen!"
Woah, and all the people said "Amen!"
Give thanks to the Lord for His love never ends,
And all the people said "Amen!"

If your rich or poor, well it don't matter.
Weak or strong, we know love is what we're after.
We're all broken, but we're all in this together.
God knows we stumble and fall
And He so loved the world He sent His Son to save us all!
(Chorus)

Blessed are the poor in spirit who are torn apart!
Blessed are the persecuted and the pure in heart!
Blessed are the people hungry for another start
For this is the Kingdom, the Kingdom of God!
(Chorus)

Benediction based on Matthew 25:14-30

Go in the peace and power of Christ. Love and care for
one another and your neighbors in Jesus’ name, and may
God bless you with every gift needful for His work. May the
Spirit grant you the willingness to risk yourself completely
for the sake of the Gospel, and may hope and faith in Jesus
dwell richly within you until He makes all things new. Amen.


To connect with us, please contact info@emmauscitychurch.com

Christ is all,

Rev. Mike "Sully" Sullivan

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Location: Worcester, MA, USA

Monday, September 14, 2020

Gospel of Matthew 12:38-45 Message | Jesus? Jesus! "Something greater is here ... "



 

Where do we look for something more? For solace, we often look to artists, artisans, or athletes. For perspective, often to the news and commentators. To order our lives and prepare, politicians, influencers, scientists, and/or financial investors. People in Jesus' time had priests (solace), and prophets (perspective), and the monarchy or empire (order). Maybe all of our categories are not so far removed ... If so, what does Jesus have to say to us in Matthew 12? Perhaps what He said and continues to say to us to bring rescue and peace, "Something and Someone greater is here ... "


Homily Video | Jesus? Jesus! "Something greater is here ... "


Humble Thyself + Amazing Grace Gospel Medley
Bob Hudson, John Newton, 1978 A.D., 1779 A.D.

Humble thyself in the sight of the LORD
And He will lift you up.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now I'm found,
Was blind but now I see.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun.

We've no less days to sing God's praise
Then when we've first begun.

Great Are You Lord
All Sons and Daughters, 2013 A.D.

You give life, You are love,
You bring light to the darkness.
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken.
Great are You, Lord.

It's Your breath in our lungs,
So we pour out our praise,
We pour out our praise.
It's Your breath in our lungs,
So we pour out our praise to You only.

All the earth will shout Your praise,
Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing,
“Great are You, Lord!”

Lord, I Need You
Chris Tomlin, 2011 A.D.

Lord, I come, I confess,
Bowing here I find my rest.
Without You I fall apart.
You're the One that guides my heart.

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You,
Every hour I need You;
My one defense, my righteousness,
Oh God, how I need You!

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more.
Where grace is found is where You are.
And where You are, Lord, I am free,
Holiness is Christ in me! (Chorus)

Teach my song to rise to You.
When temptation comes my way,
And when I cannot stand, I'll fall on You.
Jesus, You're my hope and stay. (Chorus)

Benediction based on Matthew 25:14-30

Go in the peace and power of Christ. Love and care for
one another and your neighbors in Jesus’ name, and may
God bless you with every gift needful for His work. May the
Spirit grant you the willingness to risk yourself completely
for the sake of the Gospel, and may hope and faith in Jesus
dwell richly within you until He makes all things new. Amen.


To connect with us, please contact info@emmauscitychurch.com

Christ is all,

Rev. Mike "Sully" Sullivan
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Location: Worcester, MA, USA

Monday, September 7, 2020

Gospel of Matthew 12:22-37 Message | Jesus? Jesus! When the Kingdom of God Comes Upon You



 

By the Spirit of God ... the Kingdom of God has come upon you. + Jesus, Matthew 12:28



City Alight, 2018 A.D.

What gift of grace is Jesus my Redeemer!
There is no more for heaven now to give.
He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom,
My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace.
To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus, 
For my life is wholly bound to His.
Oh how strange and divine, I can sing: all is mine! 
Yet not I, but through Christ in me!

The night is dark but I am not forsaken
For by my side, the Savior He will stay.
I labor on in weakness and rejoicing for in my need, 
His power is displayed.
To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend me,
Through the deepest valley He will lead.
Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me!

No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven.
The future sure, the price it has been paid.
For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon
And He was raised to overthrow the grave.
To this I hold, my sin has been defeated, 
Jesus now and ever is my plea!
Oh the chains are released, I can sing: I am free!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me!

With every breath I long to follow Jesus
For He has said that He will bring me home;
And day by day I know He will renew me
Until I stand with joy before the throne.
To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus, 
All the glory evermore to Him!
When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat:
Yet not I, but through Christ in me!

Surrounded (Fight My Battles)
Upper Room, 2018 A.D.

There’s a table that You’ve prepared for me
In the presence of my enemies.
It’s Your body and Your blood You shed for me.
This is how I fight my battles … (Repeat 1st Verse)

And I believe You’ve overcome
And I will lift my song of praise for what You’ve done.
(Repeat Chorus 6x)

In the valley I know that You’re with me
And surely Your goodness and Your mercy follow me.
So my weapons are praise and thanksgiving.
This is how I fight my battles …

It may look like I’m surrounded, 
But I’m surrounded by You!

Elevation Worship, 2016 A.D.

The head that once was crowned with thorns
Is crowned with glory now.
The Savior knelt to wash our feet, now at His feet we bow.
The One who wore our sin and shame
Now robed in majesty.
The radiance of perfect Love now shines for all to see.

Your name, Your name is victory!
All praise will rise to Christ our King! (Repeat)

The fear that held us now gives way to Him who is our peace.
His final breath upon the cross is now alive in me. (Chorus + Bridge)

By Your Spirit I will rise from the ashes of defeat,
The resurrected King is resurrecting me!
In Your name I come alive to declare Your victory,
The resurrected King is resurrecting me! (3x)

The tomb where soldiers watched in vain
Was borrowed for three days.
His body there would not remain,
Our God has robbed the grave.
Our God has robbed the grave! (Chorus + Bridge)

Benediction based on Matthew 25:14-30

Go in the peace and power of Christ. Love and care for
one another and your neighbors in Jesus’ name, and may
God bless you with every gift needful for His work. May the
Spirit grant you the willingness to risk yourself completely
for the sake of the Gospel, and may hope and faith in Jesus
dwell richly within you until He makes all things new. Amen.




To connect with us, please contact info@emmauscitychurch.com

Christ is all,

Rev. Mike "Sully" Sullivan

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Location: Worcester, MA, USA
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