WORSHIP RESOURCES

Ordinary Time (Proper 19)

James 3:1-12

Speak Blessing

 

Additional Scriptures

Proverbs 1:20-33; Psalm 19; Mark 8:27-38; Doctrine and Covenants 161:2c-d; 162:1b

Prelude

Welcome and Invitation to Worship          

            Listen… Listen to the voice…

            Scripture Reading: Doctrine and Covenants 162:1b.

            During this sacred time, we will discern what it means to speak blessing. Often, our greatest wisdom and insight comes not from simply speaking our mind, but first listening to the voice of the Spirit, and the perspectives of others.

            The prayer for us today is that through community we may hear what needs to be heard and speak blessing that is formed by a posture of holy attention. May we listen to the voice that transcends time and human understanding together.

Hymn of Welcome and Praise

“Speak, O Lord"
CCS 66

OR “Open My Heart"
CCS 171

OR “Lord, Lead Me by Your Spirit"
CCS 209 

Responsive Invocation and Song

Leader:      Let us pray and sing with one another. I will read a statement, and then we will reflectively sing together “Listen in the Silence,” CCS 153. I invite you to join me in these moments of reflection and prayer.

Spirit of Wisdom,

We seek an opening today of hearts and minds, that we may release assumptions and agendas, and be present to the patterns you invite us to practice in our lives.

People:     “Listen in the Silence”                      Sing two times.                        CCS 153

Leader:      Spirit of Kindness,

Our tongues are messengers of your prophetic invitation, but are also susceptible to voices of hatred, deceit, and division. We yearn to listen through the noise, wading through the thicket of harmful language, and distilling your gentle voice that speaks blessing and peace.

People:     “Listen in the Silence”                      Sing two times.                        CCS 153

Leader:      Spirit of Compassion,

We know that we hear what we want to hear. We judge, categorize, and displace others through the lenses that shape us. Melt the bitterness that resides in our hearts and form us in your way of justice and compassion.

People:     “Listen in the Silence”                      Sing two times.                        CCS 153

All:            Let us listen to the voice of the Spirit together. Amen.

Prayer for Peace

Light the Peace Candle.

Prayer

God of wonder and peace,

Sometimes we forget the language of peace you offer our world,

Greed, envy, judgment, and insecurity form the words we think and speak.

We pray today that we might speak words of blessing and peace in our lives.

To ourselves…may we offer compassion and peace.

To loved ones….may we offer compassion and peace.

To strangers…may we offer compassion and peace.

To all living creatures…may we offer compassion and peace.

Open our ears that we might listen to your kind and loving voice.

Soften our hearts to be gentle to ourselves and others.

Shape our lives to be vessels of peace. Amen.

Hymn of Reflection and Blessings

“Healer of Our Every Ill”  
CCS 374

OR “Clothe Us in Your Spirit"
CCS 584 

Time of Community Practice: Blessings of Loving Kindness

Access practice from Missional Leaders: Blessings of Loving Kindness, Static1.squarespace.com/static/57d21ca0f5e231551c69ac3f/t/57f1bd86be659461b9d4585a/1475460487157/Blessings+of+Loving+Kindness+–+A+Missional+Practice+4-7-14.pdf

Scripture Reading: James 3:1-12

Before we enter this time of practice, you are invited to hear today’s lectionary scripture.

Today we speak, sing, and encounter beautiful words that articulate our faith and understanding of God’s activity in the world. And yet, we at times speak ill of one another, neighbors, and strangers. We have the capacity to do both great good and great harm with our words.

The practice today, Blessings of Loving Kindness, invites us to speak love, peace, health, and blessing to ourselves and others in sacred ways. You will be guided through this practice. As you are comfortable, take a few deep breaths, and settle into this time of blessing.

Lead practice using the link above from Missional Leaders.

OR Lead a practice called “Share the Light of Peace.” This practice is available at the All Things Are Spiritual, allthingsarespiritual.org/share-the-light-of-peace.html. This practice is more child/youth friendly.

Message                                                                     

Based on James 3:1-12

OR

Small Group Sharing

Invite participants to share their experience in the Time of Community Practice.

Hymn of Reflection

“Jesus Loves Me"
CCS 251

OR “Oh, How Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit"
CCS 378 

Disciples’ Generous Response

Scripture Reading: Doctrine and Covenants 161:2c-d

Statement

During this time of Disciple’s Generous Response, we draw attention to the holistic path of the disciple. Each day we can look deep within and discern divine calling to express generosity and ministry to a world in need.

As we share our mission tithes either by placing money in the plates or through eTithing, use this time to be mindful of your own faith journey, how you have modeled and experienced generosity, and how you hope to expand the loving reach of God in each circle of your life.

If your congregation is meeting online, remind participants they can give through CofChrist.org/give or through eTithing.org (consider showing these URLs on screen).

Blessing and Receiving of Local and Worldwide Mission Tithes

Hymn of Sending Forth                                                       

“Go, My Children, with My Blessing"
CCS 650

OR “Go with Us, Lord”          Sing twice.
CCS 612

OR “In My Life, Lord"
CCS 602

Encourage participants to sing in languages other than their own. 

Sending Forth

Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer.                                                                  

—Psalm 19:14, adapted

Go in peace.

Postlude

 

 

SERMON AND CLASS HELPS

Year B—Letters

Ordinary Time (Proper 19)

James 3:1–12

Exploring the Scripture

            The third conversation in the book of James focuses on temptations to use our words to control, manipulate, and denigrate others. Verse 1 warns Christians the honor of teaching the gospel to others carries with it a burden of responsibility. The phrasing makes it plain that James himself was a teacher in the Christian community. Christian teachers were the equivalent of Jewish rabbis, and commanded respect in the community. But judgment comes quickly to those who misuse the privilege, fail to share the gospel truthfully, or use the title for self-aggrandizement.

            His comments expand to include a warning to all Christians to guard their speech. Each disciple is an informal teacher, as they share the gospel and influence others. During the early days of Christianity, there were many perspectives on Christ, theology, faith, and moral laws—and there still are. Trying to guide someone else’s spiritual journey assumes authority and wisdom not everyone holds. Rare is the teacher who makes no mistakes, “perfect,” meaning whole and complete (v. 2).

James likens the tongue to a horse’s bit and a ship’s rudder, able to guide the whole. Small things can produce significant results. But the tongue itself is difficult to control, for it has wide-ranging effects. Like a forest fire, speech can ignite both transformation and explosion. The results are neither predictable nor controllable with unguarded speech, and words cannot be recalled once spoken.

James is familiar with Jesus’s words recorded in Matthew 12:36–37: “...you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; for by your words, you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.” Teaching untruths, sharing misinformation, gossiping, manipulating, and boasting are abusive uses of the gift of speech.

Irresponsible speech leads to a loss of integrity, an important theme in James’ writings. Integrity refers to a person’s veracity and reliability of character and the unbroken unity of spirit and intent to which we are called. When the same tongue blesses God in one moment and curses human beings in the next, the lack of integration shatters the wholeness of God’s natural order.

Just as fresh water and salt water cannot flow from the same stream, so blessing and cursing cannot flow from a truly integrated Christian heart. The double-tongued speech comes from a divided heart. A genuine disciple seeks unity and integrity and results in speech that consistently blesses others, as Christ would bless.

Unguarded speech has damaged relationships, destroyed reputations, and closed congregations. On the other hand, Charitable speech has reconciled antagonists, healed wounds, and brought people back into harmonious relationships. We alone are powerless to overcome our divided nature that blesses and wounds others. Centering our lives on Jesus Christ helps us integrate our good intentions with our everyday acts, and offers an avenue of repentance when we fail. 

 

Central Ideas

1. The honor of teaching the gospel carries both a great responsibility and the dangers of pride, misinterpretation, and misuse of power.
2. Like a forest fire, the effects of careless speech are unpredictable, and words cannot be recalled once spoken.

3. When the same tongue blesses God and curses human beings, it is an offense to the integrity of God’s natural order.
4. A genuine disciple speaks in ways that consistently bless others.

 

Questions for the Speaker

1. Who have been the influential teachers in your life, whose words have blessed you?
2. What are the ways we seek recognition and influence? How do our procedures for priesthood calls help lessen prideful seeking for power?
3. When have you felt caught between the impulse to respond in anger and the need to speak affirming, forgiving words? How did you resolve the dilemma?
4. During the past week, when did you share words of blessing? What might you have done to improve your use of speech to bless people?

 

SACRED SPACE: A RESOURCE FOR SMALL-GROUP MINISTRY

Year B Letters

Ordinary Time, Proper 19

James 3:1–12 NRSVUE

 

Gathering

Welcome

Ordinary Time is the period in the Christian calendar from Pentecost to Advent. This period is without major festivals or holy days. During Ordinary Time we focus on discipleship as individuals and a faith community.

Prayer for Peace

Ring a bell or chime three times slowly.

Light the peace candle.

Today’s Prayer for Peace is inspired by the hymn, “Summoned by the God Who Made Us,” Community of Christ Sings 330, by Delores Dufner.

Let us bring the gifts that differ
and in splendid, varied ways,
sing a new church into being,
one in faith and love and praise.

Spirit of summons, we feel your pull. We feel your summons to be workers for peace. We feel it the way the honeybee feels the tug of the flower—we feel it in our bodies. Yet, we ignore it; we pretend it isn’t what we know deep inside it really is. We shrug it off as unrealistic and full of folly. It is too much. It is too naive. It is too hard.

But our community knows our mission—to use our varied gifts in harmony to sing a new church into the world, ever transforming, ever striving to be your peaceful beacon! We feel your pull. We accept your challenge to widen our circles.

In the name of Jesus, who binds us together in community. Amen.

Spiritual Practice

Holy Listening

Today we are focusing on the Enduring Principle of All are Called. We believe all people have gifts with opportunities to share them in community. By practicing Holy Listening, we can learn more about ways people are feeling called to share their giftedness in community and how we can support one another in those calls.

Ask the person next to you to join you in conversation. Find a spot in the room to get comfortable and face one another. Take turns sharing your stories of how you sense the gifts God has given you and how you feel called to share those gifts. You each will have five minutes to share. During this time the listener will listen and nod, but not comment. At the end of the five-minute period, the listener may respond with this one sentence. “I noticed that…” Then switch places and repeat.

Before you start this exercise, please repeat this prayer with me “Help me be wholly present to this person.”

Start the timer. After five minutes remind the listeners to say their one-sentence response, and then invite them to switch places.

Start the timer again.

When each person is done sharing, remind the listeners to say their one sentence.

In closing, ask the group to share reflections on this spiritual practice.

Sharing Around the Table

James 3:1–12 NRSVUE

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will face stricter judgment. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is mature, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of life, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth comes a blessing and a curse. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

Today’s passage from the book of James focuses on the temptations to use our words to control, manipulate, and denigrate others. The writer warns Christians that the honor of teaching the gospel to others carries with it a burden of responsibility. Christian teachers were the equivalent of Jewish rabbis and commanded respect in the community. But judgment comes quickly to those who misuse the privilege, fail to share the gospel truthfully, or use the title for self-aggrandizement.

The writer also includes a warning to all Christians to guard their speech. There always have been many perspectives on Christ, theology, faith, and moral laws—even then. All disciples are informal teachers, as they share the gospel and influence others. Guiding someone else’s spiritual journey assumes authority and wisdom that not everyone holds. Rare is the teacher who makes no mistakes.

James likens the tongue to a horse’s bit and a ship’s rudder, able to guide the whole. Small things can produce significant results. But the tongue itself is difficult to control, for it has wide-ranging effects. The results are neither predictable nor controllable with unguarded speech, as words cannot be recalled once spoken. Teaching untruths, sharing misinformation, gossiping, manipulating, and boasting are abuses of the gift of speech.

Irresponsible speech leads to a loss of integrity, an important theme in James’s writings. When the same tongue blesses God in one moment and curses human beings in the next, the lack of integration shatters the wholeness of God’s natural order. Just as fresh water and salt water cannot flow from the same stream, so blessing and cursing cannot flow from a truly integrated Christian heart. Centering our lives on Jesus Christ helps us to integrate our good intentions with our everyday acts and offers an avenue of repentance when we fail.

Questions

1. Who have been the influential spiritual or religious teachers in your life?
2. When have you felt caught between the impulse to respond in anger and the need to speak affirming, forgiving words? How did you resolve the dilemma?
3. During the past week, when did you share words of blessing? What might you have done to improve your use of speech to bless people?

Sending

Statement of Generosity

Beloved Community of Christ, do not just speak and sing of Zion. Live, love, and share as Zion: those who strive to be visibly one in Christ, among whom there are no poor or oppressed.

—Doctrine and Covenants 165:6a

The offering basket is available if you would like to support ongoing, small-group ministries as part of your generous response.

The offering prayer is adapted from A Disciple’s Generous Response:

Discipling God, as we navigate our world of debt and consumerism, help us save wisely, spend responsibly, and give generously. In this way may we prepare for the future and create a better tomorrow for our families, friends, the mission of Christ, and the world. Amen.

Invitation to Next Meeting

Closing Hymn

Community of Christ Sings 168, “I Will Talk to My Heart”

Closing Prayer

 

Optional Additions Depending on Group

• Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
• Thoughts for Children
  

Thoughts for Children

You will need:

• large piece of paper or poster board
• marker

Say: Today’s scripture reminds us of the power our words have. We are encouraged to use our words wisely to share joy, hope, love, and peace. Together, I want us to think of twenty things we could say more often to communicate joy, hope, love, and peace.

Work together to make a list. If participants struggle, make suggestions like “I forgive you” and “Would you like to play with us.” Explain how they share joy, hope, love, and peace.

            Say: This week, remember how powerful your words are. See if you can use them to speak joy, hope, love, and peace.