Men's vows are women's traitors! William Shakespeare

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1 (Bathsheba at Her Bath by Paolo Veronese licensed under Public Domain.) Men's vows are women's traitors! William Shakespeare December 13, :15 a.m.

2 The Colonial Church in Prairie Village United Church of Christ Bathsheba s Story Sunday Worship Service in the series The Foremothers of Jesus 1 Please silence your electronic devices in preparation for worship. * Please rise in body or spirit We Gather as God s People Gathering Music Veni, Emmanuel Peters Welcome and Announcements (Please sign and pass pew pads and fill out Prayer Request cards you may have. You can place the Prayer Request cards in the offering plates later in the service.) A Moment to Lay Your Burdens Down * Opening Hymn #145 Once in Royal David s City * Advent Joy Candlelighting Call to Worship Leader: This morning, prepare for the coming of the Messiah. People: We need not shrink from the challenge of repentance because when we ve been truly rearranged on the inside, we will bear good fruit on the outside. Leader: During these troubling times in our nation and around the world, the question from the crowds still persists, What then should we do? People: Once again we humbly dedicate ourselves to kindness, to justice, and to fairness. Leader: On this third Sunday of Advent, we light a candle of joy, as a visible symbol of these fruits worthy of repentance. People: Come let us be baptized with winds of the Spirit and refined by the fire of God s Word!

3 * Lighting the Advent Candle of Joy 2 * Advent Song of Praise ( (#115 verse 3; tune Winchester New) Clean up your hearts, lay down the way, for God approaches day by day; Prepare for such a worthy heir, for such a guest your house prepare. * Sharing God s Welcome (Greet everyone in the hope of peace and friendship.) Children s Conversation (Children of all ages are welcome to come forward to the chancel steps. Following the Conversation, children are welcome to remain to worship or to participate in our Sunday School.) This little light of mine, I m gonna let it shine, this little light of mine, I m gonna let it shine, this little light of mine, I m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. We Hear a Word from God A Word in Music Angels Sing Glory! arr. Shackley A Word Proclaimed Pastor Aaron Roberts Matthew s Genealogy of Jesus Matthew 1:1 & 6 A record of the ancestors of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Bathsheba Daughter of the Oath 1 Kings 1:11 39 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Did you hear that Adonijah, Haggith's son, has become king, but our master David doesn't know about it? Let me give you some advice on how you and your son Solomon can survive this. Go to King David and say, 'Didn't my master the king swear to your servant, "Your son Solomon will certainly rule after me. He will sit on my throne"? Why then has Adonijah become king?' While you are speaking there with the king, I'll come along and support your words." So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. The king was very old, and Abishag from Shunem was serving the king. Bathsheba bowed down on her face before the king. The king asked, "What do you want?"

4 She said to him, "Your Majesty, you swore by the LORD your God to your servant, 'Your son Solomon will certainly rule after me. He will sit on my throne.' But now, look, Adonijah has become king, and my master the king doesn't know about it. He has prepared large quantities of oxen, fattened cattle, and lamb. He has invited all the royal princes as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the general. However, he didn't invite your servant Solomon. As for you, my master the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you to tell them who will follow you on the throne of my master the king. When my master the king lies down with his ancestors, then I and my son Solomon will become outlaws." While she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan arrived. The king was informed, "The prophet Nathan is here." Then Nathan came in before the king and bowed his face to the ground. He said, "My master the king, you must have said, 'Adonijah will become king after me and will sit on my throne.' Indeed, today he went down and prepared oxen, fattened cattle, and lamb in large numbers. He invited all the royal princes, the generals, and Abiathar the priest. They are eating and drinking with him, and they said, 'Long live King Adonijah!' Adonijah didn't invite me, your servant, Zadok the priest, Jehoiada's son Benaiah, or your servant Solomon. If this message was from my master the king, you didn't make it known to your servant. Who should follow you on the throne of my master the king?" King David answered, "Bring me Bathsheba." She came and stood before the king. The king made a solemn pledge and said, "As surely as the LORD lives, who rescued me from every trouble, regarding what I swore to you by the LORD, Israel's God, 'Your son Solomon will certainly succeed me; he will sit on the throne after me' I'll see that it happens today." Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground. She honored the king and said, "May my master King David live forever!" King David said, "Bring me Zadok the priest, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah, Jehoiada's son." They came to the king, who said to them, "Take with you the servants of your masters. Put my son Solomon on my mule and bring him down to Gihon. There Zadok the priest and the prophet Nathan will anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram's horn and say, 'Long live King Solomon!' You will follow him. He will enter and sit on my throne, and so he will succeed me as king. I have appointed him to become ruler over Israel and Judah." Benaiah, Jehoiada's son, responded to the king, "Yes, may it happen as the LORD, the God of my king, says. Just as the LORD was with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon. May his throne be even greater than the throne of my master King David." Zadok the priest, the prophet Nathan, Jehoiada's son Benaiah, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and put Solomon on King David's mule. They 3

5 led him to Gihon. Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. They blew the ram's horn, and all the people said, "Long live King Solomon!" Bathsheba The Original Queen Mother 1 Kings 2:12 24 Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his royal power was well established. Adonijah, Haggith's son, went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. She said, "Are you coming in peace?" He said, "Yes. I have something to say to you." She said, "Say it." He said, "You know how the kingdom was mine. All Israel had appointed me as their king. Then suddenly the kingdom went to my brother as the LORD willed. Now I have just one request of you. Don't refuse me!" She said to him, "Go on." Adonijah continued, "Ask King Solomon to let me marry Abishag from Shunem he won't refuse you." Bathsheba said, "Okay; I'll speak to the king for you." So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to talk with him about Adonijah. The king stood up to meet her and bowed low to her. Then he returned to his throne and had a throne set up for the queen mother. She sat to his right. She said, "I have just one small request for you. Don't refuse me." The king said to her, "Mother, ask me. I won't refuse you." "Let Abishag from Shunem be married to your brother Adonijah," she said. King Solomon replied to his mother, "Why ask only for Abishag from Shunem for Adonijah? Why not ask for the entire kingdom for him? After all, he is my older brother and has the support of Abiathar the priest and Joab, Zeruiah's son." King Solomon swore by the LORD, "May God do to me as he sees fit! Adonijah has made this request at the cost of his life! Now, as surely as the LORD lives the one who supported me, put me on the throne of my father David, and provided a royal house for me exactly as he promised Adonijah will be executed today." What Jesus Said about Making Oaths Matthew 5:33 & 37 [Jesus taught,] You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Express your thoughts via social media at #ColonialUCC.) 4

6 We Respond with Thanksgiving and Prayer 5 New Member Reception Community Words of Welcome We welcome you to the common life of this church family. We promise you our friendship and prayers as we share the hopes and work of the church of Jesus Christ. By the power of the Holy Spirit, may we continue to grow together in God s knowledge and love and together be witnesses of our risen Savior. * Hymn #381 Faith of the Martyrs Call to Offering and Offertory I Wonder as I Wander (Our weekly offering includes food collected to help fill local pantries.) Phil Eatherton, soloist * Doxology What Child Is This (#148 verses 3 and 1) So bring him incense gold and myrrh; Come humbly to revere him; The King of kings salvation brings; Let faithful hearts draw near him. This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds seek and angels sing; Haste, haste to bring him praise, the babe, the son of Mary! * Prayer of Dedication God of justice and joy, we make this special offering knowing that it is acceptable not only because there are those who need our gifts, but also because you have called us to be givers. Bless these donations and multiply them by your Holy Spirit today. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Time of Prayer Prayers of the People Believing that each joy and/or concern expressed is indeed a prayer, after each expression, the Pastor will say: Lord, in your mercy. And the people may respond: Hear our prayer. Praying in Silence

7 Our Lord s Prayer ( Our Father is the traditional way this prayer begins. You are invited to use whatever name for God you find most meaningful (Father, Mother, Creator, God, etc.). These names for God create a beautiful chorus.) Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us, not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. 6 We Depart to Serve * Hymn #116 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Original words onscreen) * Renew Our Covenant (Turn towards the center aisle as we bless one another with the promise of our covenant.) We covenant with the Lord and with one another and do bind ourselves in the presence of God to walk together in Christian Love. We seek to worship God in spirit and in truth and to love our neighbors as ourselves. With God s help we will honor Colonial Church in our conduct, support its program, and extend the influence of Christ throughout the world. * Congregational Song of Blessing #809 God Be With You God be with you, God be with you, God be with you till we meet again. O God be with you, God be with you, God be with you till we meet again. * Benediction and Postlude Veni Emmanuel Kern Liturgist: Marion Taylor Advent Candlelighters: Patty Kluding and Brad Fairchild Family Videographer: Geoff Robinson Worship Graphics Operator: Hayden Huggins Children s Conversation: Martha Wofford Greeters: Jerry and JoAnn Dickey Ushers: Linda Moses, Mary Pelton, Robert Starcke, Bill Yohn

8 7 Our 10:00am Thursday morning Bible Study is going to do something special in these couple weeks before Christmas. We are going to turn to scripture and science to consider the subject of Predestination. If you would like to take part in the study, simply come on Thursdays or signup for the group via infellowship from the church website. Week 1 Understanding Predestination Beyond the Hype Theologians, such as Augustine of Hippo, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, and John Calvin, all taught predestination in some form. However, predestination is one of the most distorted and misunderstood teachings. It is often portrayed as fatalism. Predestination in the Biblical sense is tied to the idea of election, which declares that all God s work creation, reconciliation, and redemption has its beginning and goal in the free grace of God. God Chooses Everyone Read Ephesians 1:4 and Romans 11:25 36 God is not a capricious deity. When you think of God s judgment, perhaps this is helpful. God is our judge. God is also our advocate (defense) and jury. And in Christ, we have a judge and advocate willing to die for any person. All people have the court of judgement graciously on their side. The Goal of Election is the Creation of a People of God Read Leviticus 26:12 Election is not about privileging a certain group over another. It is not about fueling arrogant national, racial, or ethnic groups. Throughout human history, God has called people together as a community that serves and reflects God s love. In Christ, that call goes out to all people. Grace is a Gift, Not an Obligation Read Romans 9 11 and 2 Corinthians 1:20 These chapters of Romans form the basis for Christian teaching of election. They will be the primary part of our Thursday discussion. Pay particular attention to Romans 9:18ff. Think about this deeply. Can you imagine ways that God might be gracious to those God has made resistant? Also think about this would God force grace on anyone? Did Jesus ever force himself or his faith on others?

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( Christ Feeds the Five Thousand used with permission from Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.)

( Christ Feeds the Five Thousand used with permission from Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.) A multiplier effect refers to a condition in which an increase in one activity, usually economic, can cause an increase