What Are You Doing With The Gift?

Theme

God entrusts us with grace so that we might invest it in others.

PRELUDE – Bryan O’Lone

Hymn of the Day

God of Love and God of Power

The New Testament parables provide a seemingly endless number of ways to envision and imagine God. In today's Gospel reading, God is like an investment banker who demands high returns on his investments and is more than willing to terminate an employee who plays it safe and doesn't deliver. Not surprisingly, there is a dearth of hymns inspired by this text. However, Gerald H. Kennedy's "God of Love and God of Power," set to the music of Joachim Neander, pairs well with it. "All our lives belong to thee, thou our final loyalty." Today both preacher and musician do their best and trust God for the rest.

WELCOME –

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH AND SERVICE

Cornerstone Women’s Resource Center’s in Salem usually conducts its BABY BOTTLE CAMPAIGN in the month of May. This year because of COVID-19 instead of distributing “baby bottles” for the campaign we are requesting that designated be sent to Mount Pleasant during the month of May the Missions Committee will forward the amount received to Cornerstone to support the ministry upholding the sanctity of human lifein every aspect and sharing the Gospel in both word and deed.

Cornerstone shares the Truth with young women and teens who find themselves facing an unplanned pregnancy. The date for the completion of this project is June 1, 2020.

LECTOR – Jane Chambers

JANE CHAMBERS --- CALL TO WORSHIP

O God, you are my God, I seek you.

My soul thirsts for you.

Because your steadfast love is better than life,

My lips will praise you.

I will lift up my hands and call on your name.

For you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.

OPENING HYMN “Be Thou My Vision” UMH #451 TWO STANZAS

JANE CHAMBERS --- PRAYER OF CONFESSION & ASSURANCE

O God, we confess that we bury our talents. We confine your grace to ourselves rather than passing it on to others. Regardless of what you have entrusted us, we often envy those who have more. At other times, we do not see possessions as an entrustment you have given us, but as that of our own doing and very little of yours. We prefer to invest in ourselves rather than in the life to which you have called us as disciples. Forgive us and restore our stewardship to us, through Jesus Christ.

If God should mark our iniquities and remember our sins, who of us would be left standing? But there is forgiveness with God that we may continue to worship and serve as participants in God's abundant grace. We have that promise of forgiveness in Christ's name. Amen.

ALL --- THE APOSTLE’S CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

JANE CHAMBERS --- The Old Testament Reading - Introduction to the Reading.

Judges 4:1-7 (NIV) God's people again forgot their God, and once more God sends an unlikely deliverer.

Hear now the lesson:

Judges 4:1-7 (NIV2011) 1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, now that Ehud was dead. 2 So the LORD sold them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. Sisera, the commander of his army, was based in Harosheth Haggoyim. 3 Because he had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the LORD for help. 4 Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. 5 She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. 6 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. 7 I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’ ”

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God.

People: THANKS BE TO GOD.

JANE CHAMBERS --- The Epistle Reading – Introduction to the Reading.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (NIV)

God has not revealed to anyone - anyone - the day of glory, so stay alert.

Hear now the lesson:

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (NIV2011) 1 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God.

People: THANKS BE TO GOD.

REV GLENN CONAWAY ---The Gospel Reading – Introduction to the Reading.

Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV) Jesus doesn't seem to care much if you proclaim him Lord. He wants to know what you've done lately for the least of these.

Hear now the lesson:

Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV2011) 14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’