The Open Table: Grace, Inclusion, and the Danger of Unexamined Communion

• Divine Encounter and Calling [00:40:40 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor analyzes Jesus' initiative in calling Matthew, emphasizing that God sees and values those who are isolated and ostracized.
• Miracles vs. Teaching [00:43:32 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor distinguishes between the teaching ministry of Jesus and the miraculous interventions in Matthew 8-9, framing the restoration of Matthew as a miracle of relationship.
• Community and Isolation [00:41:52 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor discusses the pain of isolation and how Jesus breaks through social barriers to restore community.
• Religious Exclusion vs. Grace [00:45:24 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts the Pharisees' judgment with Jesus' acceptance of sinners, highlighting the tension between religious purity and divine grace.
• Divine Restoration and Mercy [00:44:03 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts cultural expectations of miracles with the biblical reality of restoration, citing Matthew's calling and Jesus' quote from Hosea that God desires mercy, not sacrifice.
• Faith in Impossible Situations [00:48:29 ▶️ 📄]
  > Using the story of Jairus, the pastor highlights bold faith that trusts Jesus to breathe new life into something already dead, emphasizing that human limitations do not restrict God's power.
• The Power of a Moment [00:55:44 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor synthesizes the stories of Matthew, Jairus, and the bleeding woman to argue that encountering God requires a decisive choice to trust Him with one's brokenness.
• Communion and Incarnation [00:58:47 ▶️ 📄]
  > The sermon transitions to the liturgical act of communion, describing it as a holy mystery where God's incarnation allows believers to encounter Him directly.

• Sermon Illustration [00:36:36 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the biblical narrative of Matthew being called from the tax booth, his subsequent dinner with sinners, and the reactions of the Pharisees to illustrate how Jesus restores broken relationships and challenges social exclusion.
• Sermon Illustration [00:44:03 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts the biblical narrative of Matthew being called, Jairus pleading for his dead daughter, and the woman with the issue of blood touching Jesus' tassels, using these as parallel examples of encountering God's power.
• Sermon Illustration [00:45:28 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references the Pharisees' reaction to Jesus eating with tax collectors, illustrating the human tendency to reject grace when it is extended to those they deem unworthy.
• Sermon Illustration [00:57:36 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor describes the scene at Jairus' house where Jesus asks why there is commotion and grieving, noting the humor and theological significance of Jesus challenging the finality of death.
• Sermon Illustration [01:05:54 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor reflects on the breaking of the bread during the Eucharist, recalling specific biblical moments where Jesus remembered individuals: Matthew, Jairus and his daughter, the unnamed woman, and his disciples, connecting the physical act of breaking bread to these memories of inclusion and remembrance.

• Pastoral Charge [00:59:23 ▶️ 📄]
  > Invite the congregation to participate in the communion service.
• Pastoral Charge [01:01:31 ▶️ 📄]
  > Invite the congregation to participate in the corporate confession of sins.
• Pastoral Charge [01:11:40 ▶️ 📄]
  > Invites the congregation to come forward for communion, specifically noting the availability of gluten-free options.
• Pastoral Charge [01:19:00 ▶️ 📄]
  > Requests the congregation to stand and sing the hymn.

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:00:00] Good morning, Fairview. How is everybody this wonderful Sunday morning? Good morning. A few announcements before we get started for worship today. Fairview kids are once again creating a special bulletin for Father's Day. You'll notice in your bulletin you've got the special insert. Please fill that out for any of the special men in your life. The collection runs through Wednesday, June 17th.
[00:07:18] Please see Ms. Crystal if you have any questions.
[00:07:22] Also, Fairview Kids are, once again, will be hosting our annual Father's Day Donuts with Dad in the Fellowship Hall, 9 a.m. on Sunday, June 21st.
[00:07:34] That's Father's Day.
[00:07:36] All men and their families are invited to enjoy a donut in the Fellowship Hall before service.
[00:07:42] Also, as you came in, you noticed their VBS table out in the North Ex.
[00:07:48] Please visit that to see how you can help out.
[00:07:51] We have adopt-a-prop bags with materials and instructions for items that can be made at home, as well as a donation wish list and QR codes.
[00:08:00] If you're able to help during the week of VBS, which is July 13th through 17th, please see Ms. Crystal at the table following the service to see what positions are still available.
[00:08:12] And if you've never volunteered for VBS, it's an experience.
[00:08:14] So I highly recommend it.
[00:08:17] So please, if you have time, July 13th through 17th, please come out and help out.
[00:08:25] We'll also be having our annual VBS Safe Sanctuary training following the service on June 28th in the Fellowship Hall.
[00:08:36] All volunteers who are going to be volunteering for VBS need to be present or make arrangements with Crystal to have the training completed by July 5th.
[00:08:45] Lunch will be provided, and let Ms. Crystal know if you have any dietary restrictions.
[00:08:52] Again, that's on Sunday, January 28th, that we'll be having that Safe Sanctuary training.
[00:09:03] June. Sorry. Thank you.
[00:09:06] See, you take a week off, and you're just completely messed up.
[00:09:12] We have a special announcement.
[00:09:14] So nursery volunteers sign up.
[00:09:17] We need volunteers for the nursery.
[00:09:19] We no longer have any nursery workers, so if your heart and your skills are in line with helping out in the nursery, please, please volunteer to sign up for that.
[00:09:30] We also have a notice that this week, SPRC will be meeting this week, this Tuesday, at 7 p.m.
[00:09:38] So if you're part of the SPRC, please make sure you're there.
[00:09:42] And one last announcement.
[00:09:44] Our Purple Heart Homes is our spotlight ministry for this June.
[00:09:48] We are now up to $739 We're still going to do the collection through July 5th We're really hoping to meet our goal of $2,500 So please feel free If your passion is to help out with Purple Heart Homes
[00:10:07] A wonderful ministry in our local communities Are there any other announcements that I may have forgotten?
[00:10:31] Yes, thank you Definitely an improvement in our parking lot.
[00:10:37] Any other announcements I may have forgotten?
[00:10:41] Wonderful.
[00:10:42] Well, if you're visiting with us, we are so happy to have you here.
[00:10:46] We are pleased.
[00:10:48] If you're in person with us, please make sure you get one of our visitor packets available from one of the ushers.
[00:10:56] If you're with us online, please scroll down to the bottom of the web page, our opening web page, and fill out a connect card so we can get in touch with you and get you connected here with Fairview.
[00:11:07] With that said, let us prepare our hearts and our minds for worship.

[00:11:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:11:10] Good morning, Fairview.
[00:14:05] Please join me in our responsive call to worship.
[00:14:12] Return to the holy God who calls you to steadfast love.
[00:14:17] The Lord desires love, not sacrifice.
[00:14:21] Return to the one who heals and binds or abides and raises up.
[00:14:27] The Lord desires knowledge, not burnt offering. Rejoice in the name of the one who favors all creation with light and life. Amen.

[00:14:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]
[00:14:39] Good morning. If the children can come down for children's time, please.

[00:17:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:17:23] Good morning. It's good to see you. Have you ever been sick before?
[00:17:30] Yeah, I think we've all been sick, right? Who do we go see if we're sick? Who can help us?
[00:17:35] the doctor. That's right. Exactly. Well, I brought one of my toys today. Do you ever have a favorite toy that maybe got broken? Do you just throw it away or do you want somebody to fix it for you? Yeah. And I brought Mr. Potato Head here. He's a little rough. He's
[00:17:52] missing a few pieces and he's got his crutches. And sometimes if we need to be healed or need to get better, we go see a doctor, right? And same thing with our toys. We want somebody
[00:18:03] to fix them. Well, guess what? Jesus did that. Did you know that a long time ago, Jesus did the same thing when he was on earth, he would actually go to the people. And years ago, instead of us
[00:18:15] going to a doctor, the doctor would come to your house with a little black bag and they would come and bring all their tools to help you and bring the medicine. But Jesus did that when he was on
[00:18:24] earth, he went to the people, especially those that were hurting or had problems in their life.
[00:18:29] So our story today that you're going to hear in church is about Matthew.
[00:18:34] And Jesus went to Matthew's house, and Matthew was a tax collector.
[00:18:39] And back then, they did not like the tax collectors.
[00:18:42] They weren't very honest.
[00:18:43] They weren't always considered the best people, right?
[00:18:47] Kind of like maybe at school, or you might have some friends at school that might be a bully or might not be so kind to others.
[00:18:54] And so back in that day, the people weren't pleased with the tax collectors.
[00:18:57] And then Jesus actually went to his house, and he even ate with him.
[00:19:02] And people were like, ooh, they weren't very pleased with that.
[00:19:06] And so someone would ask, why does your master eat with sinners?
[00:19:11] And then why does he eat with those that we don't approve of?
[00:19:16] And Jesus actually says in the Bible, he answered, it's not the healthy who need a doctor.
[00:19:22] It is those that are sick or those that I come to call on.
[00:19:26] he calls on the right. He doesn't come to call on the righteous. He calls on sinners to repent.
[00:19:32] So with that in mind, who needs Jesus? You think it's just a few people on our earth?
[00:19:40] What do you think? Everyone. Exactly. And then think about that. Who needs a doctor?
[00:19:48] We all do. Everyone. Exactly. So, you know, sometimes we sit in our churches and we wait on people to come here to our church so we can tell them about Jesus and tell them the good news,
[00:19:58] but we need to do the opposite. We need to do what Jesus did. We need to go out to the people and go share the good news with everyone just like Jesus did, no matter what we think about
[00:20:09] others, right? So let's say a little prayer today, okay? Dear Jesus, help us to be willing to go to those who need you and tell them of your love. Amen. Good morning. So today is a special Sunday

[00:20:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:20:51] and we're going to recognize our graduates for 2026. And it's even extra special because both of the graduates we are recognizing play a big part in making worship come together.
[00:21:02] So our first graduate is graduating with his master's in music education, and that is Isaiah.
[00:21:11] And our second graduate is graduating with his Associate Degree in Information Technology Networking, and that is Thomas.
[00:21:48] If you'll join me one more time in recognizing both of them for all their hard work. Congratulations.

[00:22:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:22:02] While we're celebrating graduates, our church has been blessed every year to be able to present scholarships annually to applicants who are attending a North Carolina system or Methodist colleges or community colleges in North Carolina.
[00:22:15] The Fairview Nine Methodist Church scholarship was established under the will of Elizabeth D. Knox, and she was a lifelong member here at Fairview Nine Methodist Church and a servant of the Lord, and some of her family members are still members here.
[00:22:29] Elizabeth Knox wanted us to honor someone that represents our church and our community well and is pursuing higher education.
[00:22:37] And this year, I'm pleased that we can present, our committee can present three scholarships to Fairview recipients.
[00:22:44] So the first is a student that grew up in Fairview, and I'm pleased to present that first scholarship to Catherine Brotherton.
[00:22:52] She's unable to be here today, but I wanted to share some of her accolades.
[00:22:57] She's pursuing her bachelor's degree in finance with a minor in risk management and insurance.
[00:23:02] She attends Appalachian, and she's a member of the Women in Financial Services program.
[00:23:09] She was invited on a professional development trip to New York City during Global Climate Week Summit through the Women in Finance Services Program.
[00:23:17] She's a member of the Bowdoin Junior Analyst Group, a member of the Finance Student Association, and currently she's employed as a leasing agent and community associate with Boone Student Living Properties.
[00:23:30] So we want to congratulate Catherine Brotherton.
[00:23:33] Our second recipient is also one of our own and she's using her creativity at UNCG. She's a junior majoring in animation and her secondary is in video gaming and eSports studies. So that scholarship goes to Mackenzie Fenzel.
[00:23:55] And our third recipient is also one of our own at Fairview. She's attending UNC Charlotte and minoring in film studies with a major in computer science. So we're proud to present this scholarship to Daisy Solano. And on behalf of our committee and Fairview Church,
[00:24:29] let's continue to pray for these young ladies and support them as they further their education. So

[00:24:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:24:34] help me in congratulating them one more time. Number 368 in your red hymnal,

[00:24:48] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]
[00:24:48] my hope is built on nothing less. Please rise. You may be seated. Today's first scripture reading

[00:27:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:27:38] is from Psalms 33, verses 1 through 12. Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright. Praise the Lord with the lyre. Make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
[00:27:55] sing to him a new song play skillfully on the strings with loud shouts for the word of the Lord is upright and all his work is done in faithfulness he loves righteousness and justice the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord
[00:28:18] by the word of the Lord the heavens were made and all their host by the breath of his mouth he gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle he put the deeps in storehouses let all the earth fear the lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe
[00:28:45] of him for he spoke and it came to be he commanded and it stood firm the lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord
[00:29:05] stands forever. The thoughts of his heart to all generations. Happy is the nation whose God

[00:29:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:29:13] is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage. Brothers and sisters, now let us gather together in faith as we proclaim with our witness the creed of the apostles, let us say it together.
[00:29:42] I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
[00:29:59] was crucified dead and buried.
[00:30:02] On the third day he rose from the dead.
[00:30:05] He ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
[00:30:12] From thence he hath come to judge the quick and the dead.
[00:30:16] I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting amen brothers and sisters as we continue on in ministry together we have been witness and we can testify that God does mightily
[00:30:42] in our midst in the community through the works of our hands and through the movement of our feet through the beating of our hearts and through the activation of what God has gifted us to build and to bless God's kingdom.
[00:31:02] I want to thank you all, all of you for your generous hearts with not only with your tithe and your offering, but with your time, with your witness, with your service, and indeed with your presence with God.
[00:31:19] so I want to thank you again and again in advance for all that you have already done and what you will do as the ushers come forward may we receive this offering from Isaiah as we continue to lift up our offering before God

[00:31:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]
[00:31:38] let us bow our heads

[00:34:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:34:42] all creation we offer in thanksgiving what is not ours but that which we have received from you bless these gifts for the sake of our brothers and sisters in the world let your word of abundant
[00:35:02] life go out into all the lands bringing forth food and forgiveness in Jesus name amen you may be

[00:35:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:35:16] seated brothers and sisters who are currently members here at the church and for those who are visiting, I just want to thank you for coming. But as we get started in worship with the sermon
[00:35:37] and as we read the scriptures, I remind you all to please bring your own words with you and allow yourself to read what I read along with you. I love that quote from Reading Rainbow,
[00:35:50] don't take my word for it, but read yourself. And so as we read these words today, I hope that you will find a moment of truth, a moment of encounter with a living God that is in Scripture, just as
[00:36:07] our characters in today's Scripture have met with the Lord. You'll find it in Matthew's Gospel on the ninth chapter, and we'll be starting in verse 9. We'll be reading through until 13 and then picking back up in 18. Hear now God's word for his people. As Jesus was walking along,
[00:36:36] he saw a man called Matthew sitting in a tax booth. And he said to him, follow me.
[00:36:46] And he got up and he followed him. And as he was sitting at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this,
[00:37:02] they said to his disciples, why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? But when he heard this, he said, those who are well have no need of a physician. But those who are sick,
[00:37:20] go and learn what this means I desire mercy not sacrifice for I have come to call not the righteous but sinners while he was saying these things to them suddenly a teacher of the synagogue
[00:37:42] came in and knelt before him saying my daughter has just died but come and lay hands on her and she will live. Jesus got up and followed him with his disciples and suddenly a woman who had
[00:38:01] been suffering from hemorrhaging for 12 long years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak. For she said to herself, if I only touch his cloak, I will be made well. Jesus turned and
[00:38:19] seeing her, he said, take heart, daughter. Your faith has made you well. And instantly the woman was made well. And when Jesus came to the leader's house, he saw the flute players and the crowd
[00:38:35] making a commotion. And he said, go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping. And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in, took her hand, and the girl got up.
[00:38:54] And the report of this spread throughout the district. This is the word of God for us, the people of God. Thanks be to God. Will you pray with me? Oh, holy God, in a power of a moment,
[00:39:11] you transform lives. We ask you, oh God, to come in a moment right now into our hearts with your Holy Spirit. Guide us through this scripture that we might have a holy encounter with a living God who transforms everything that came before. Give us wisdom in this moment.
[00:39:38] In your mighty name we pray. Amen. Scriptures often give us a snapshot, a quick glimpse into a story that might have been going on for a longer period of time and so many of us are coming from
[00:39:59] our own stories even into this sanctuary today. How many of you have had a story up until this moment? Your life did not begin on this day in June on the 7th at 10 a.m. when you walked in
[00:40:16] to the sanctuary. You have a long story, a long history, which has brought you through trials and tribulations, struggles throughout your life, and it is no different for the three characters we encounter in this scripture today. The first moment I want you to say, it starts off this
[00:40:40] scripture. I love it. As he was walking along, as almost as if it was a happenstance for his divine encounter at first glance with the new disciple, which would become the disciple, Matthew. He's walking by this place, and all the Jewish people would do this. They would walk by and try to
[00:41:05] quickly circumvent passing the tax collector. First of all, because then they would be charged taxes. Oh, oh, oh, you. Did you pay your taxes? Come here, come here, come here. Jesus didn't do that. He walked along and he went in front and then he stops and he speaks to Matthew. We don't
[00:41:30] have any delineation or history documents that tell us how long Matthew had been living as a tax collector. But we do know that as a tax collector, he was ostracized. He was cast out from his Jewish brothers and sisters. He did not have any standing within the brothers and sisters
[00:41:52] of his community. He had a harder life than you would think because, you know, you can have all the riches in the world, but without a community, you're an island to yourself. Isolation breeds discontent. How many of you in your own stories that got you here today have felt that? Have you
[00:42:20] ever felt that when you isolated from the people you love, the people who care for you? Maybe you didn't do it in such a word as, I'm not talking to that person, but your deeds and your lifestyle
[00:42:34] style choices have caused you to break that relationship with ones that you need the most?
[00:42:44] You see, there is a divine engagement right here with Matthew, and it starts with him saying, come follow me. I see you, and though you have isolated, and though you have fallen short, and maybe your sins have caused you to have a break in all other relationships, you're important
[00:43:03] to me. The moment with Jesus, a power of one moment, Matthew's life was turned upside down and he followed Jesus and he becomes the writer of Matthew. He becomes a disciple who zealously teaches the gospel. But I want you to hear something. Up until this point, there have been
[00:43:32] no miracles. Look at it. Look at Matthew's gospel. There's a lot of teaching, but there are no miracles. But in chapter 8, we have a twitch, and all of a sudden, Jesus starts doing miracle upon
[00:43:47] miracle. He starts doing great things upon great things, and in the midst of that, there's a calling of Matthew. You see, when God shows up in your moments of your life, when his presence shows up,
[00:44:03] that's a miracle do you hear that no joke no reason that he wouldn't have put it that way in scripture like he did today he puts the miracles of changing leopards and restoring leopards and then he puts matthew restoring a relationship with people and then follows
[00:44:30] Matthew's on fire.
[00:44:32] He saw me.
[00:44:34] He loves me.
[00:44:37] He restored me.
[00:44:42] He has a dinner.
[00:44:43] He prepares and does none other stuff.
[00:44:46] You know those family meals that you have made up and you're excited and you want to celebrate with your community.
[00:44:52] And right now, he is seeing Jesus and he is seeing what he has done for him.
[00:44:57] And he turns around and I want you to see this.
[00:44:59] Matthew calls all his friends, all the ones that are ostracized and broken, And he says, come, come, I'm following a guy who sees us, who loves us, who restores us, who can heal us from the inside out.
[00:45:19] This is amazing.
[00:45:20] This is a wonderful story, right?
[00:45:24] If it wasn't for the naysayers.
[00:45:28] You see, as they're sitting there celebrating, there's a group of people who look on the outside and only see the outside.
[00:45:37] they see tax collectors they've seen the wrongs that they've done they see the hate that they have built up against these people they've they've looked at their community and said you know what for years and years we've pushed those out because those are not the people we want to be
[00:45:55] associated with and here's the thing God reaches out to them restores them and they don't like okay, I want grace in my life. I want to meet the God who can transform my life. But if he turns
[00:46:15] around and gives that grace to somebody I don't care for, how often am I like the Pharisees?
[00:46:25] How often do I say, God, you shouldn't do that. How could you do that? And then he says this quote.
[00:46:35] this quote comes from Hosea 6 6 it says meditate on this and think about this I desire mercy not sacrifice these Pharisees who knew the law knew what he was doing he literally was a
[00:46:57] conversation about Hosea and Hosea Hosea really does this he turns around and said read the first chapter, I won't say it in polite company, but his first chapter, he calls out the nation of Israel
[00:47:12] and says, you have become whoresomes. You have longed after everything else, and you make yourself look good, but really your relationship with me is broken. When Jesus pulls out this passage, he's calling them out and says, do you realize what you're doing? What you're aligning yourself
[00:47:37] with? He sits there and he says that. And he says, look, I've come to be a physician to heal the broken, to help those who need it, to help them see that they are seen by me and they're restored
[00:48:01] by me. But you, you don't want them to be a part of me. This is the beginning of a series of miracles.
[00:48:16] If you jump over to verse 18, in the midst of this, another person shows up.
[00:48:29] This is wondrous to me because it's different than any of the other Gospels.
[00:48:34] Matthew records that Jairus, the leader, the synagogue leader, comes through the door and says, my daughter is dead.
[00:48:45] All the other Gospels said, she is sick.
[00:48:48] I need you to come and heal her.
[00:48:50] It's like he's rushing ahead of time, making sure things.
[00:48:53] Again, Jairus is sitting here and he has a longer story.
[00:48:58] I don't know how long his daughter has been sick.
[00:49:01] I don't know how long she has suffered with what she's gone through.
[00:49:06] But in this moment, it says that she is dead.
[00:49:10] She is already broken.
[00:49:11] She can't be restored.
[00:49:14] Only God can restore to life something that's dead.
[00:49:20] even the old testament the prophets that did resurrection they called upon the name of the lord and they were restored it was god who did the restoring but jairus comes in and says my daughter
[00:49:35] is dead and i know only god can save her but if you say this if you say it she will live again What a bold faith Jairus has, more so than any of the other gospels because she's already dead.
[00:49:55] She knows that it can't happen. How many of us in our own lives, in what we're facing in our own lives, we know there are limitations that we can't pass. What happens is the story that led Jairus
[00:50:13] to hear, got him to the point where he's turned toward Jesus and said, but you, you have the power to do this. I can't do this, but you can. As a father, I can't breathe new life back into my
[00:50:35] daughter, but you, you who gave her birth in the first place, can breathe new life back into her.
[00:50:43] Brothers and sister, what in your life is a dead thing that you would love God to breathe new life back into? What is it in your life that you're standing here and saying, I can't do this,
[00:50:59] but I believe that you can. You see, the power of a moment is when, way before Jairus ever gets there, he decides in his heart that Jesus has the power to do these things. And so he goes towards
[00:51:17] Jesus. See, the first one was the power of a moment of being called out of brokenness, of isolation. The second one is the power of rising up and saying, I need God, so therefore I will chase after him. I will go to him and I will expect a miracle because I know that he can
[00:51:40] do these things i know he can transform lives i know that in the presence of the almighty nothing is impossible so he's going he's going and it seems like there it's happenstance that as he's leaving the room there is this woman it says 12 long years i told you there's backstory
[00:52:11] for every one of these characters, 12 long years of struggle, of sickness, of brokenness.
[00:52:23] You see, she knew what it was to be broken before God, kind of like Jairus, but she knew something was more.
[00:52:34] She lived into the promises of God, and I want you to hear this.
[00:52:37] This is so powerful, and you need to hear it.
[00:52:42] You see, everyone drosses past this.
[00:52:45] The woman is walking and she says, if I can only touch the hem of his garment.
[00:52:50] That's what we hear in English language.
[00:52:53] But the kanaf is the language for this.
[00:52:56] It's the little tassels that are on the end of the robes of the man, of a rabbi, of a teacher.
[00:53:06] Of every Jewish person.
[00:53:08] But this was a little bit different.
[00:53:09] she would believe that if she touched them, if she just touched those, she would be healed.
[00:53:18] It says in Malachi 4, 2, there is healing in the wings. This is a conversation about what God will do, what God can do. The same word for healing in his wings are the talith. It's what
[00:53:43] she reaches out for, for Jesus.
[00:53:49] You see, similar to Jairus, she knows something about this man, knows something about this Jesus that the other people haven't quite understood yet.
[00:54:02] Maybe we haven't understood.
[00:54:08] If he is the Messiah, there's not one thing, not one thing he can't do.
[00:54:18] And I believe it.
[00:54:19] So much so that he doesn't even have to touch me.
[00:54:23] See, being touched when you're unclean defiles in the Jewish people.
[00:54:28] Remember that passage, I desire mercy above sacrifice.
[00:54:37] She was still struggling with that.
[00:54:39] But if I just touch his tassels, if I just touch the hem of the garment, I'll be healed.
[00:54:48] Jesus, in this gospel, turns and talks to her and goes, your faith has been too well.
[00:54:55] There's no ambiguity, there's no, who touched me? He knows. He knows the woman's faith, and he knows what she is offering up. You are Messiah, the one who can save. Not only are you the one who calls, not only the one who can do anything, but you're the one who saves, who saves.
[00:55:24] You see, 12 years ran up to this.
[00:55:33] I don't know how long it took for Matthew to be called.
[00:55:39] I don't know how long Jairus' daughter was sick.
[00:55:44] But what I do know, there is a power in a moment when you encounter God.
[00:55:53] The power is in your choice.
[00:55:59] What will you do when God comes alongside you?
[00:56:05] When you witness him walking by your life, through your life, and with you in life.
[00:56:18] What is your response when that moment comes?
[00:56:23] Because when Jesus called Matthew, he said, let's go.
[00:56:29] I'm with you.
[00:56:33] When Jairus came and said, I know you can do it.
[00:56:39] He says, come.
[00:56:41] And he walks out.
[00:56:42] and what's wonderful, I never hear this, but Jesus follows him to his hurt, to his grief.
[00:56:56] The woman, if I could just touch you, what will your response be in your life? Where are you reaching out to touch God, to touch Jesus? Where are you responding to his call and where are you
[00:57:17] trusting him with your all. The story comes back to Jairus. It ends with this conversation. It's quite humorous because I don't know about you, but I don't think I could laugh at God. But in
[00:57:36] scripture it says, what are you commotion? Why are you grieving? Why are you playing the flute?
[00:57:43] Why are you grieving? This is exactly what happens. This is a ritual that happens after someone has died. And he goes, why are you grieving? What is alive? Foretaste of what Jesus would do on the cross for us and through the empty tomb. He says right then and there, if you will trust me,
[00:58:12] I will call you. I can do all things. I will save you and I will die and rise for you.
[00:58:24] Jesus says a lot in these short verses, and it all comes from their stories.
[00:58:38] What is God using your story to tell you today?
[00:58:42] Where are you encountering God?
[00:58:44] Where is the presence of God encountering you today?
[00:58:47] And one of the most beautiful things as Christians we do is the table, where the mystery of God's incarnation comes and allows us to see him.
[00:59:01] where God comes and calls us to follow.
[00:59:08] When we come up here, he follows us into the communion.
[00:59:12] He is the communion.
[00:59:15] And when we are called and trust him, he becomes our salvation and our grace.
[00:59:23] What a holy mystery is that.
[00:59:28] So you're right.
[00:59:29] You have a life before you came here on June 7th at 10 a.m.
[00:59:38] but what will your life look like after you've encountered god will it be transformed will you come to the altar in communion and ask god i want those things i want to be different i want to meet
[01:00:02] you the resurrection and the life i want to meet you the great physician i want to meet you the one who knows me more than i know myself i want to meet you because the journey before this
[01:00:26] has been a little dry will you be my living water my hope and my salvation as we come before the table i invite you all to bask in the mystery of this holy table all are welcome all are called
[01:01:31] to this table. As we do, we come with a penitent heart. We realize we have not loved God and we have not connected with God. And perhaps our 12 years or however long Matthew was in that booth
[01:01:49] or however long you've struggled with God, we come now asking God to hear our confessions that we might be made right before God. Will you please join me in the confessional prayer?
[01:02:10] Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole hearts.
[01:02:16] We have failed to be an obedient church.
[01:02:19] We have not done your will.
[01:02:22] We have broken your law.
[01:02:24] We have rebelled against your love.
[01:02:26] We have not loved our neighbors.
[01:02:29] And we have not heard the cry of the needy.
[01:02:32] Forgive us, we pray.
[01:02:34] Free us for joyful obedience.
[01:02:36] Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
[01:02:40] Here's the good news.
[01:03:02] Christ died for us while we were yet sinners.
[01:03:06] This proves God's love toward us.
[01:03:08] In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
[01:03:18] Glory to God.
[01:03:23] Now I ask if you will join me in the great thanksgiving.
[01:03:28] The Lord be with you.
[01:03:29] And also with you.
[01:03:31] Lift up your hearts.

[01:03:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[01:03:32] We lift them up to the Lord.

[01:03:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[01:03:35] Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

[01:03:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[01:03:38] It is right to give thanks.

[01:03:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[01:03:41] It is right in a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
[01:03:50] You formed us in your image.
[01:03:53] You breathed into us the breath of life.
[01:03:57] When we turn away and our love fails, your love remains steadfast.
[01:04:03] you delivered us from captivity to sin and made with us a covenant to be our sovereign God and so with your people on earth and all of the company of heaven we praise your name and enjoin their unending hymn
[01:04:18] holy, holy, holy Lord God of power and might heaven and earth are full of your glory Hosanna in the highest blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord hosanna in the highest holy are you and blessed is your son jesus christ your holy spirit anointed
[01:04:40] him to preach good news to the poor to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind you set at liberty those who were oppressed and announced that the time had come
[01:04:52] when you would save your people he healed the sick fed the hungry and ate yes ate with sinners by the baptism of his suffering death and resurrection you gave birth to your church you delivered us from slavery to sin and death and made with us a new covenant by water and spirit
[01:05:16] and when the Lord ascended he promised to be with us always in the power of your word and the Holy Spirit on the night in which he gave himself up he took the bread gave thanks to you almighty God
[01:05:36] Blessed are you, O Lord our God, maker of the heavens and the earth, and who bears forth the fruit of the earth.
[01:05:47] He took the bread and he broke it.
[01:05:54] And as it tore, he remembered Matthew.
[01:06:00] He remembered Jairus' daughter and Jairus.
[01:06:05] He remembered the woman.
[01:06:08] He remembered his disciples.
[01:06:09] He said, take heed.
[01:06:14] This is my body, which is broken for you.
[01:06:16] do this in remembrance of me. Remember, I am with you. Likewise, when the supper was over, he took the cup. He gave thanks to Lord God Almighty. Blessed are you, O Lord, our God Almighty, creator of the heavens and the earth, who brings forth the fruit of the vine. After
[01:06:47] blessing it, he gave it to his disciples and said, drink from this, all of you, for this is the blood of the new covenant shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sin. See, I did not come
[01:07:01] for the healthy. I came for the sick. I've come to give healing. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. And so in remembrance of these, your mighty acts in Jesus, we offer
[01:07:28] ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice in union with Christ offering for us as we proclaim the mystery of faith. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
[01:07:46] Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and those at home and in our community and on these gifts of bread and cup. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ that we might be for the
[01:07:58] world, the body of Christ redeemed by his blood. By your spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other and one in ministry to all the world until Christ comes in final victory and we feast
[01:08:14] at his heavenly banquet. By your spirit make us one and through your son Jesus Christ and with your Holy Spirit in your Holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever.
[01:08:33] Amen. Now with confidence of those who have encountered our Lord, let us say the prayer that he taught us to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
[01:08:56] Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
[01:09:05] And lead us not to temptation, but deliver us from evil.
[01:09:10] For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
[01:09:15] Amen.
[01:09:20] I now ask those who are our communion servers to please come forward.
[01:10:14] We who are many come together as the body of Christ, given for us one body, broken for us.
[01:10:24] One cup given for many, but one made one in one cup, one grace, which is our Lord and Savior.
[01:11:19] Again, the table is set.
[01:11:22] All are welcome.
[01:11:23] If you're a visitor or of any other denomination, you are welcome at this table for the Lord God has called you in this moment come follow me from this moment I am your resurrection in life
[01:11:40] in this moment life everlasting please come the table is set and for those who have gluten allergies reminder that there will be a thinner section right here for you come and receive

[01:11:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]
[01:11:54] every time I have communion

[01:17:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[01:17:49] Where God comes in mysterious ways to show us his presence, I stand amazed.
[01:18:01] And every brother and sister who comes and takes the cup and takes the bread, you are reminded that we are not alone.
[01:18:13] What a miracle that is.
[01:18:17] What a powerful moment that is for today.
[01:18:20] if you would please with uh turn with me to our communion responsive prayer eternal god we give thanks for this holy mystery and which you have given yourself for us grant that we might go into the world and the strength of your spirit to give ourselves to others in the
[01:18:50] name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Now as you are able to please stand and sing with me

[01:19:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]
[01:19:00] freely freely found on page 389 and on your screen. Brothers and sisters freely we have been given

[01:21:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[01:21:12] an encounter with God. Go now and freely give. Allow others to know. Go like Matthew and recruit all your friends and tell them who you know who you've encountered and let his light shine in you
[01:21:31] that others may know this great truth this one who can do all things the one who can heal with the hem of his garment the one who can raise us to new life go and share that
[01:21:49] in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen . . .