Celebrating Sabbath

Celebrating Sabbath is my suggested worship theme for the fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, August 25, 2013. Focus scriptures are Luke 13:10-17 and Psalm 71.

In Luke, the predominant issue is the nature of the Sabbath. The congregation’s leader sees it as a matter of faithfully observing the commandment to rest. No work should be done out of respect to God, who created the universe in six days and rested on the seventh. Jesus, however, sees things quite differently. To him it is not keeping the outer appearance of respecting God, but fulfilling the very nature of Sabbath by creating rest for a woman imprisoned with pain and embarrassment for 18 years. She cannot rest because she is crippled. Healing her gives her the gift of rest. And it is always God’s intention that we be freed from all that binds us spiritually, relationally, and physically. As Jesus goes on to point out, all the farm animals will be fed and watered Sabbath or no Sabbath. Is this woman of less value to God than the animals? Or does God celebrate her release from bondage and her chance to rest?

Psalm 71 is the prayer of an aging petitioner asking God not to forsake him or her at the end of life. Like the woman Jesus heals, the psalmist is weakened by the vicissitudes of age. Perhaps unlike the woman who after 18 years may be resigned to her fate, the psalmist is forthright in his plea for help.

Here is a Call to Worship based on Psalm 71. Please use or adapt anything helpful to you.

Call to Worship    From Psalm 71

L: God, be my refuge! Don’t let me be put to shame!

P: You are righteous: listen to me! Save me. Rescue me.
L: You watched over my birth. I’ve leaned on you from day one.
P: I praise you every day, but now I need your help!
L: People see me and some of them don’t like what they see.

     I remind them of their lack of faith. I speak out for the cause of justice.

P: Those people have it in for me. They’ve waited for their chance.

L: Now they think I’m old and helpless.

    They think you’ve forsaken me and they’re ready to pounce!

P: O God, come to me in my time of need! Help me!
L: You know the troubles I’ve seen. Now lift me up from the depths once again.

All: I’m going to sing your praise. I’m going to shout for joy.

       Everyone will know of your faithful love!