Paula E. Gilbert - "Three Invitations - One Response" (June 29, 1986)

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	(fanciful organ music)	0:03
	(dramatic organ music)	1:54
	(footsteps echoing)	4:28
	(courtly high-pitched organ music)	4:34
	(footsteps clicking)	4:51
	(people chattering)
	(thudding)	5:04
	(thudding)	5:12
	(footsteps shuffling)	6:01
	(people chattering)
	(regal organ music)	6:10
	(people chattering)	7:52
	(stately organ music)	8:01
	(footsteps clicking)	8:50
	(elegant organ music)	9:33
	(squeaking)	9:46
	(high-pitched whimsical organ music)	12:01
	(footsteps clicking)	13:40
	(lively fancy organ music)	13:43
	(clacking)	15:26
-	Good morning and welcome to Duke Chapel.	15:36
	We're glad to have you with us this morning.	15:39
	We are pleased to have as our guest preacher here	15:42
	in the chapel today the Reverend Doctor Paula Gilbert,	15:44
	Assistant Dean at Duke Divinity School	15:48
	and Director of the Ministerial Course	15:51
	of Studies School at Duke.	15:54
	Ministerial Course of Studies School is a program	15:57
	of the United Methodist Church for the training of pastors.	15:59
	We're pleased to have Dr. Gilbert	16:03
	and also members of the Ministerial	16:06
	Course of Studies School Choir	16:09
	joining our Duke Chapel Summer Choir.	16:10
	I'd like to ask members of the congregation	16:13
	who are students or faculty at the	16:16
	Course of Studies School if you would stand,	16:18
	so that we can recognize you,	16:20
	seeing that some of you are here.	16:22
	Thank you.	16:25
	Glad to have you with us today.	16:26
	And now, let us continue our service of worship.	16:31
	♪ This is the day ♪	16:42
	♪ The Lord has made ♪	16:46
	♪ He calls the hours his own ♪	16:52
	♪ Let heaven rejoice ♪	16:59
	♪ Let earth be glad ♪	17:05
	♪ And praise surround the throne ♪	17:12
	(lively organ music)	17:26
	♪ Oh, worship the King ♪	17:56
	♪ All glorious above ♪	17:59
	♪ Oh, gratefully sing ♪	18:03
	♪ His power and his love ♪	18:07
	♪ Our shield and defender ♪	18:11
	♪ The ancient of days ♪	18:14
	♪ Pavilioned in splendor ♪	18:18
	♪ And girded with praise ♪	18:22
	♪ Oh, tell of God's might ♪	18:28
	♪ Oh, sing of God's grace ♪	18:32
	♪ Whose robe is the light ♪	18:36
	♪ Whose canopy space ♪	18:40
	♪ Whose chariots of wrath ♪	18:43
	♪ The deep thunderclouds form ♪	18:47
	♪ And dark is his path ♪	18:51
	♪ On the wings of the storm ♪	18:54
	(loud organ music plays over choir singers)	19:01
-	Oh, eternal God, you have prepared	21:32
	for those who love you joys beyond understanding.	21:36
	Pour into our hearts such love for you	21:42
	that loving you above all things,	21:45
	we may obtain your promises, which exceed all	21:47
	that we can desire.	21:51
	Through your son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray.	21:53
	Amen.	21:57
	(scraping floor)	22:03
-	Let us pray.	22:11
	Open our hearts and minds, oh, God,	22:13
	by the power of your Holy Spirit,	22:16
	so that as the word is read and proclaimed,	22:18
	we might hear with joy what you say to us this day.	22:22
	Amen.	22:27
	The first lesson is taken from the first Book of Kings.	22:29
	And the Lord said to him, "Go, return on your way	22:32
	"to the wilderness of Damascus and when you arrive,	22:35
	"you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria	22:39
	"and Jehu, the son of Nimshi, you shall anoint	22:42
	"to be king over Israel and Elisha, the son of Shaphat	22:45
	"of Abelmeholah, you shall anoint	22:49
	"to be prophet in your place.	22:51
	"And him who escapes the sword of Hazael	22:53
	"shall Jehu slay.	22:56
	"And him who escapes from the sword of Jehu	22:57
	"shall Elisha slay.	23:00
	"Get out, yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel,	23:02
	"all the knees that have not bowed to Baal,	23:05
	"every mouth that has not kissed him."	23:08
	So, he departed from there and found Elisha,	23:11
	the son of Shaphat, who was plowing	23:13
	with 12 yoke of oxen before him	23:15
	and he was the twelfth.	23:18
	Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him	23:20
	and he left the oxen and ran after Elijah	23:24
	and said, "Let me kiss my father and my mother	23:27
	"and then I will follow you."	23:30
	And he said to him, "Go back again,	23:32
	"for what have I done to you?"	23:34
	And he returned from following him	23:36
	and took the yoke of oxen and returned from following him.	23:38
	And they boiled the flesh with the yokes of the oxen	23:42
	and gave it to the people and they ate.	23:45
	Then, he arose, went after Elijah, and ministered to him.	23:48
	This ends the reading of the first lesson.	23:53
-	May God be gracious to us and bless us.	24:09
Congregation	May his face shine upon us.	24:13
-	That thy way may be known upon earth.	24:15
Congregation	Thy saving power among all nations.	24:19
-	Let the peoples praise thee, oh, God.	24:22
Congregation	Let all peoples praise thee.	24:25
-	Let the nations be glad and sing for joy.	24:27
Congregation	For thou must judge the peoples with equity	24:31
	and guide the nations upon earth.	24:34
-	Let the peoples praise thee, oh, God.	24:37
Congregation	Let all the peoples praise thee.	24:40
-	The earth has yielded its increase.	24:43
Congregation	God, our God, has blessed us.	24:46
-	God has blessed us.	24:50
Congregation	Let all the ends of the earth fear him.	24:52
	(dramatic organ music)	24:56
	(choir sings majestic indistinguishable song)	25:04
-	The second lesson is taken	26:03
	from Paul's letter to the Galatians.	26:05
	For freedom, Christ has set us free.	26:07
	Stand fast, therefore, and do not submit again	26:10
	to a yoke of slavery,	26:13
	for you are called to freedom, brethren.	26:15
	Only, do not use your freedom as an opportunity	26:17
	for the flesh, but through love, be servants of one another	26:20
	for the whole law is fulfilled in one word.	26:24
	You shall love your neighbor as yourself,	26:27
	but if you bite and devour one another,	26:29
	take heed that you are not consumed by one another.	26:32
	But I say, walk by the spirit	26:35
	and do not gratify the desires of the flesh,	26:37
	for the desires of the flesh are against the spirit	26:41
	and the desires of the spirit are against the flesh,	26:44
	for these are opposed to each other	26:47
	to prevent you from doing what you would.	26:49
	(baby cooing)	26:51
	If you are lead
	by the spirit, you are not under the law.	26:52
	Now, the works of the flesh are plain,	26:55
	fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry,	26:57
	sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger,	27:02
	selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy,	27:08
	drunkenness, carousing, and the like.	27:13
	I warn you, as I warned you before,	27:16
	that those who do such things shall not inherit	27:18
	the kingdom of God.	27:20
	But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace,	27:22
	patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,	27:26
	gentleness, self control.	27:31
	Against such, there is no law	27:33
	and those who belong to Christ Jesus	27:35
	have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.	27:37
	If we live by the spirit, let us also walk by the spirit.	27:40
	This ends the reading of the second lesson.	27:44
	(scraping floor)	27:53
	(cheerful organ music)	27:58
	♪ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ♪	28:08
	♪ Who shall take away his tender care ♪	28:13
	♪ Shall make your sword or devious fare ♪	28:17
	♪ Or dark sorrow in the night ♪	28:22
	♪ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ♪	28:28
	♪ Who shall take away his tender care ♪	28:32
	♪ Through all these things, our faith is tried ♪	28:36
	♪ For we live in Christ through love's assault ♪	28:41
	♪ We conquer still each passing day ♪	28:46
	♪ May his love shall be our slayer ♪	28:51
	♪ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ♪	28:56
	♪ Who shall take away his tender care ♪	29:01
	♪ Shall get the knife or worse unknown ♪	29:05
	♪ Or all the powers sent to thee ♪	29:10
	♪ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ♪	29:16
	♪ Who shall take away his tender care ♪	29:20
	♪ Through all these things, our faith is tried ♪	29:25
	♪ We live in Christ through love's assault ♪	29:29
	♪ We conquer still each passing day ♪	29:34
	♪ His love shall be our slayer ♪	29:39
	♪ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ♪	29:45
	♪ Who shall take away his tender care ♪	29:49
	♪ Through all these things, our faith is tried ♪	29:54
	♪ He loves us all ♪	29:59
-	Will you pray with me?	30:25
	Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts	30:30
	be acceptable in thy side, oh, Lord,	30:35
	our rock and our redeemer.	30:38
	Amen.	30:42
	Turning point, a precise moment in time	30:50
	that stands out from all that has gone before.	30:54
	Turning point, the occasion when a new direction	30:58
	is chosen, a new road is followed.	31:01
	Turning point, the moment when a decisive change occurs	31:06
	when a crisis is finally reached.	31:10
	Turning point, the place from which	31:14
	the whole of a future begins.	31:17
	The weeks just passed had been wearying ones	31:22
	and Jesus and his band of followers	31:26
	are tired and footsore from their wanderings	31:28
	across the countryside of Palestine.	31:31
	As they had passed through Capernaum,	31:34
	the master had healed a Roman officer's servant	31:36
	and it had been in the town of Nain	31:39
	where Jesus, coming upon a funeral procession,	31:42
	took pity upon a widow and raised her son from the dead.	31:45
	Still later, there had come Bethsaida,	31:51
	where 5,000 were fed with five loaves and two fish.	31:54
	At one point, even Jesus, with Peter and James	31:59
	and John and Mary Magdalene and Susanna and Joanna	32:02
	and the other disciples had all crossed over	32:07
	to the land of the Gerasenes on the other side	32:09
	of the sea of Galilee.	32:13
	And, it was while that they were here	32:15
	that Jesus had healed a man afflicted with many demons.	32:18
	But the wanderings hither and yon over the countryside	32:22
	now come to a close.	32:26
	"Hence forth," announces Jesus,	32:29
	"I must make my way to Jerusalem.	32:31
	"Here, I make my turning point."	32:34
	What he does not say, but what Jesus knows,	32:38
	is that his turning point will become the turning point	32:41
	for all those who claim to be his followers.	32:45
	Listen now to the words of Luke, the gospel writer.	32:50
	As the days were drawing near	32:55
	when he was to be taken up to heaven	32:56
	and Jesus has set his face resolutely toward Jerusalem,	32:59
	he happened to send messengers on ahead of him.	33:03
	They went forth and came to a village of the Samaritans	33:07
	to make arrangements for him,	33:10
	but the villagers would not welcome him,	33:13
	saying that his intention was to proceed to Jerusalem.	33:15
	When the disciples James and John saw this,	33:19
	they said, "Lord, do you want us to call down fire	33:21
	"from heaven to consume these people?"	33:26
	But, Jesus turned and rebuked them	33:30
	and they made their way to another village.	33:32
	Jerusalem,	33:39
	city of danger,	33:41
	city of destiny,	33:43
	city of fulfillment.	33:46
	Jerusalem, the city of ancient kings and ancient splendor,	33:48
	city of intrigue, and city of blood.	33:53
	Jerusalem, city over which Jesus laments.	33:57
	Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem,	34:00
	city that murders prophets and stones those	34:03
	who are sent to you.	34:05
	But, in setting his face toward Jerusalem,	34:08
	the city of destiny, Jesus chooses to lay his course	34:11
	through the land that symbolizes opposition	34:15
	through the land of Samaria.	34:18
	"Go ahead of us, for such a large party as we have	34:23
	"travel slowly," says Jesus to the appointed messengers.	34:26
	"Go into the land of Samaria and when you come upon	34:30
	"a village, stop there and make preparation for us	34:33
	"that we may lodge there and have rest."	34:38
	So, the messengers travel with haste	34:42
	toward the land of Samaria and, seeing ahead of them	34:44
	a small village, they enter the village	34:46
	and begin making inquiries about food	34:49
	and lodging for the evening.	34:52
	"What is your destination, good sirs?	34:56
	"Do you make preparations for many or for few?"	34:59
	"As for our company," the messengers respond,	35:05
	"we are about 15 or 20 and our destination,	35:07
	"our master says, is Jerusalem."	35:12
	"Then, we are sorry, sirs.	35:16
	"We offer no hospitality to anyone	35:17
	"who journeys to Jerusalem, for Jerusalem	35:20
	is no friend to us.	35:23
	"Leave quickly and do not return.	35:26
	"You are not welcome here."	35:29
	The messengers retrace their steps	35:32
	until they rejoin Jesus and the traveling band	35:34
	of disciples.	35:36
	"Good master, sir, we went ahead as you commanded,	35:39
	"but we regret to report that the village just ahead	35:44
	"refuses to receive us.	35:47
	"The townspeople made it plain	35:50
	"that we are not welcome there."	35:52
	The fiery disciples, the ones known as the sons of thunder,	35:56
	James and John, push their way forward in the company	35:59
	until they stand beside Jesus.	36:03
	"Lord," they say indignantly and almost in unison,	36:06
	"shall we call down fire from heaven	36:10
	"to rebuke these people?	36:12
	"What right have they to turn us away?"	36:14
	"Calm down, James.	36:19
	"Do not be so ready to punish, John," Jesus states sternly.	36:21
	"It is their choice whether or not they will receive us.	36:26
	"They have chosen not to welcome us	36:31
	"and that is an unfortunate decision,	36:33
	"but it is my will that we press forward to Jerusalem.	36:36
	"Let us continue on our way."	36:40
	Turning point, another lesson about the conditions	36:45
	of discipleship, another episode that serves	36:49
	to correct a wrong idea about what it means	36:53
	to follow Jesus.	36:55
	Jesus is not another Elijah calling down fire	36:58
	from heaven or issuing all manner of curses	37:01
	upon his enemies.	37:04
	Jesus is not the avenger, taking up arms	37:07
	against those who reject him.	37:09
	Jesus is the Christ,	37:12
	the one who walks resolutely toward Jerusalem.	37:15
	Listen again to the account of Luke as it continues.	37:21
	As they moved along the road, someone said to him,	37:24
	"I will follow you wherever you go."	37:28
	But Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes	37:32
	"and the birds of the air have nest,	37:36
	"but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head."	37:39
	To another, he said, "Follow me."	37:44
	But that one replied, "Let me first go and bury my father."	37:48
	Jesus said, "Leave the dead to bury the dead.	37:54
	"Rather, you go and announce the kingdom of God."	37:58
	Yet, another said to Jesus, "I will follow you, sir,	38:03
	"but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home."	38:07
	Jesus said to that one, "No one who puts the hand	38:13
	"to the plow and keeps looking back	38:17
	"is suited for the kingdom of God."	38:19
	The journey continues.	38:26
	The dusty and uneven roads stretches	38:27
	before Jesus and his band of followers.	38:30
	From time to time, as they draw near a village or town,	38:33
	persons who have heard of this teacher	38:36
	who instructs not as the scribes do, but with authority,	38:38
	this healer who makes the blind to see	38:42
	and the lame to walk,	38:45
	join up with Jesus's company of disciples.	38:48
	Some are simply curious.	38:52
	Some seek to dispute with him	38:54
	about sensitive points of the law.	38:56
	Some come to see for themselves	38:59
	whether this Jesus might be the longed for,	39:02
	hoped for Messiah.	39:05
	And, sometimes, one comes offering himself	39:09
	or herself to join up with Jesus.	39:12
	At those moments, Jesus warns the impetuous	39:16
	and counsels the half-hearted.	39:20
	"You must count the cost, you must reckon	39:23
	"with a conflict of loyalties if you would follow me."	39:26
	"I will follow you wherever you go," alleges the first	39:34
	would-be follower, speaking spontaneously	39:37
	and enthusiastically.	39:41
	"You have captured my imagination,	39:43
	"you have stirred my heart, you have won over my soul.	39:46
	"I am yours and I will follow you	39:51
	"wherever you choose to go."	39:53
	"Will you?" asked Jesus gently.	39:57
	"Will you truly follow me anywhere?	40:01
	"I am on a journey and my life,	40:04
	"which you are so eager to share is anything but ordinary.	40:07
	"At night, do you go home and find there an ample meal,	40:12
	"play with your children, converse with your spouse,	40:17
	"and finally climb into your soft bed	40:21
	"and restfully sleep?	40:23
	"None of these things are mine,	40:26
	"nor are they possessions of my disciples.	40:28
	"I have no family, no spouse or children	40:32
	"to welcome me at the end of day,	40:35
	"no home to return to when darkness begins	40:37
	"to pale the sky.	40:41
	"Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nest,	40:44
	"but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head.	40:49
	"Are you willing to make this kind of sacrifice?"	40:53
	On several occasions now, Jesus had seen	41:00
	the same individual, sometimes sitting at the edge	41:03
	of the crowd when Jesus thought to teach,	41:06
	sometimes walking along with them	41:09
	listening to the exchanges between the disciples	41:11
	or between the disciples and Jesus.	41:14
	But whether sitting or walking, always on the face	41:17
	this look of genuine interest, of excitement,	41:21
	of fascination, of yearning.	41:25
	As the band made its meandering way down the road	41:30
	that was little more than a path at this point,	41:32
	Jesus positioned himself so that his line of walking	41:35
	would intersect the stranger's.	41:39
	When they had drawn alongside one another,	41:42
	Jesus turned to the stranger,	41:44
	his eyes seeking the other's and issues the invitation.	41:47
	"I have seen you with us now upon several occasions.	41:52
	"I have noticed your interest.	41:56
	"Come, follow me."	41:59
	"I want to, Lord, and I will.	42:03
	"Even now, I shape my days so as to spend as much time	42:07
	"as I possibly can with you.	42:10
	"But my father is very ill and old	42:13
	"and he's not expected to live many more days.	42:16
	"Let me first go and bury my father	42:19
	"and then I will follow you unreservedly."	42:22
	Gently shaking his head, Jesus answers,	42:27
	"I invite you to join me, to become one of my followers,	42:30
	"but my invitation is extended this moment and not another.	42:36
	"To delay even for a day, even for the sake	42:41
	"of a sacred family duty, is to turn away from me.	42:45
	"For you, this is a moment of crisis	42:50
	"which can never be repeated	42:52
	"and which demands your decision now.	42:54
	"Either reject the world with all of its conventions,	42:58
	"all of its ceremonies, all of its demands for conformity	43:02
	"to its rules of what is proper,	43:06
	"or reject me.	43:10
	"Leave the dead to bury the dead.	43:13
	"Rather, you go and announce the kingdom of God.	43:16
	"This may seem a hard choice,	43:21
	"but it's not meant to be cruel.	43:22
	"What I seek and what I invite you to join me in	43:24
	"is the proclamation of the kingship of God."	43:29
	Still later, there comes a third encounter,	43:36
	not unique in itself, but bearing resemblance	43:39
	to the two which had preceded it.	43:41
	"I will follow you, sir.	43:45
	"You speak and teach the truth	43:47
	"and surely you have the words of life.	43:50
	"I am ready to follow you and give myself in your service.	43:53
	"Your disciples have told me that you travel	43:58
	"toward Jerusalem.	44:00
	"I have a pretty good idea of the road which you must take	44:02
	"and I will follow just as soon as I can.	44:05
	"But when I left this morning to hear you,	44:09
	"I told my family and friends	44:11
	"that I would return before sunset.	44:13
	"Let me go back to them, gather a few belongings,	44:17
	"and say my goodbyes."	44:20
	"What you ask," says Jesus, "others would grant.	44:27
	"Even Elijah permitted Elisha to return to his family	44:31
	"to say goodbye to his mother and father.	44:34
	"But following me does not allow	44:37
	"for compromise or distraction.	44:39
	"Surely you love those who love you	44:43
	"and you desire not to cause them worry,	44:45
	"but it is wrong to look behind,	44:48
	"for when you look behind, you are not looking ahead.	44:51
	"When you look behind, you are likely	44:56
	"to become tangled in the complexity of family duties	44:58
	"or you will butt up against the rocks	45:02
	"of community pressure.	45:04
	"When you look behind, you are likely to turn aside	45:06
	"from your goal, whether you intend to or not.	45:09
	"I say to you, no one who puts the hand	45:12
	"to the plow and keeps looking back	45:16
	"is suited for the kingdom of God."	45:19
	Turning points, precise moments in time	45:25
	that stand out from all that has gone before.	45:29
	Turning points, occasions when a new direction	45:33
	is chosen, a new road followed,	45:37
	or when once in a lifetime opportunities are forever lost.	45:40
	Turning points, moments when decisive change	45:45
	occurs when crises are reached that must be resolved.	45:48
	Turning points, the places from which the whole	45:54
	of the future begins or the places	45:57
	from which the past is never left behind.	46:00
	Turning point, a nation in which thousands	46:06
	are hungry and millions live in poverty,	46:09
	a nation in which the rich become richer,	46:12
	and the poor become poorer, a nation in which	46:16
	the elected leadership increasingly	46:19
	turns a deaf ear to the cries of the helpless	46:22
	and the needy.	46:25
	Turning point, the U.S. Catholic bishops say	46:27
	that the moment is now and issue a declaration,	46:30
	a wide ranging letter, on economic justice.	46:33
	Turning point, a world in which super powers	46:40
	steadily build nuclear arsenals	46:44
	and stockpile all manner of weapons of war,	46:47
	a world in which nuclear disasters--	46:51

-	And heads of state talk about Star Wars.	0:03
	Turning point.	0:08
	The bishops of the United Methodist Church	0:09
	say the occasion is now,	0:11
	and author in defense of creation	0:14
	as a call to Christians everywhere	0:17
	to seek God's peace, and not war.	0:19
	Turning point.	0:24
	A noted German pastor, safe in America,	0:26
	leaves personal security behind	0:30
	in order to return to his beloved Germany,	0:32
	now ruled by the Nazis.	0:35
	He returns in order to offer what protest he can	0:37
	to the totalitarian regime	0:40
	that decrees death to the gypsies,	0:43
	and death to the Jews,	0:45
	and death to anyone not like themselves.	0:48
	In his own mind and heart,	0:52
	Dietrich Bonhoeffer is clear about the cost of discipleship.	0:53
	He writes, "For faith is only real	0:57
	"when there is obedience, never without it,	1:02
	"and faith only becomes faith	1:06
	"in the act of obedience.	1:09
	"Not only do those who believe obey,	1:12
	"but only those who obey believe."	1:16
	Turning point.	1:22
	A talented athlete achieves his special dream	1:23
	to be selected in the NBA draft.	1:26
	Turning point.	1:30
	One evening of celebration,	1:31
	one decision to try an illegal drug,	1:33
	and a bright future ends before it has begun.	1:36
	Turning points.	1:41
	A country and its varied communities	1:42
	in which blacks and women and homosexuals	1:44
	are treated unjustly because they are not white,	1:48
	or male, or heterosexual.	1:52
	Turning points.	1:56
	The Civil Rights and Voting Rights acts,	1:57
	a proposed amendment to the Constitution	2:00
	which goes unratified,	2:02
	local resolutions to crying discrimination of all forms,	2:05
	signed by a mayor and a town council chair.	2:09
	Turning point.	2:14
	A black postal service employee,	2:16
	who out of his middle income salary,	2:18
	gives away over $60,000 to persons and groups	2:21
	with desperate human need.	2:26
	Turning points.	2:29
	The Saint Philip's soup kitchen,	2:31
	the Watts Street Baptist women's shelter,	2:34
	South Africa, El Salvador,	2:37
	Nicaragua.	2:42
	Precise moments in time,	2:47
	occasions never to be repeated,	2:50
	invitations never to be reissued,	2:53
	these are the turning points of our lives.	2:57
	The call of Christ,	3:01
	the one who walks resolutely toward Jerusalem	3:03
	is personal, direct,	3:07
	and unequivocal.	3:11
	Follow me, amen.	3:15
	(light organ music)	3:29
	(choir singing)	3:53
-	The Lord be with you.	6:07
	Let us pray.	6:10
	Gracious God,	6:25
	who visits us in ways so near	6:29
	and yet so vital as a summer's rain,	6:33
	who thereby washes city streets clean	6:38
	and makes gardens to grow,	6:41
	visit us with your power.	6:44
	Your constancy	6:50
	in being with us in the rain,	6:52
	in bright summer sun,	6:58
	in the lovely spaces of this chapel,	7:01
	in glorious music,	7:06
	in the deep, silent places of our hearts.	7:09
	Your constancy is a wonder for us,	7:16
	particularly when it reminds us	7:22
	of our lack of constancy toward you.	7:24
	So many times, we have put our hands to the plow	7:29
	and have looked back,	7:33
	we have come to some turning point in life,	7:36
	and have allowed other responsibilities,	7:41
	pleasures, worldly concerns,	7:44
	to deter us from your service.	7:46
	Our excuses have been many,	7:50
	and yet, and yet you have been there for us,	7:55
	even as we have failed to be there for you.	8:00
	You have not failed us,	8:04
	therefore we are bold to pray	8:08
	for the needs of others.	8:11
	We live in a fevered world where there is enmity	8:15
	between races, war and division among peoples.	8:18
	We pray for all who are victims of war and unrest,	8:24
	and for those who work for peace.	8:30
	We enjoy the blessings of so much,	8:35
	and yet there are many who have so little.	8:38
	We pray for all who suffer	8:42
	from hunger, want, and deprivation,	8:44
	and for those who struggle	8:49
	for the economic wellbeing of others.	8:50
	We benefit from a nation which has given its people	8:56
	an unprecedented measure of personal freedom	8:59
	and domestic tranquility,	9:01
	we pray for those whose nations	9:06
	have given them political oppression and tyranny,	9:08
	and for those whose revolutionary fervor	9:13
	and prophetic vision lead in the fight for justice.	9:16
	We take for granted the benefits of good health,	9:25
	we pray for those who are sick in body or in mind,	9:31
	particularly those who are ill in Duke hospitals,	9:35
	and those who minister to their needs.	9:39
	We enjoy the leisure of summer vacations	9:45
	and time off to be with families and friends,	9:48
	and we pray for all those who never have time	9:53
	away from their jobs,	9:55
	who are caught in a round of constant toil and drudgery	9:58
	just to make ends meet.	10:01
	And we pray for those employers	10:06
	and labor unions and legislators	10:08
	who struggle for the protection and dignity	10:12
	of all within the workplace.	10:14
	On a sunny summer Sunday,	10:20
	with glorious light streaming through	10:24
	the beautiful windows of this place,	10:26
	we give you thanks	10:30
	for all of the gentle beauty of life at its best,	10:32
	and also ask your gifts	10:38
	and ministry to the many needs and sorrows	10:41
	of life at its worst.	10:44
	All we ask in the continued hope of your grace, amen.	10:48
	And now, as a gifted, forgiven, reconciled people,	10:59
	let us offer ourselves and our gifts to God	11:04
	for God's work.	11:07
	(light organ music)	11:12
	(choir singing)	13:34
	(light organ music)	13:54
	(choir singing)	14:05
	(dramatic organ music)	15:56
	(choir singing)	16:33
	(dramatic organ music)	19:14
	(choir singing)	19:31
-	Let us pray.	20:39
	Gracious God, we give you thanks	20:41
	that you have given us time and place together	20:43
	to praise your name,	20:47
	to listen to your word, and to seek your will.	20:49
	You have been with us in this hour of worship,	20:53
	and now we pray that you would go forth with us	20:57
	into the world,	21:01
	giving you thanks that you stand beside us	21:03
	and guide us throughout life's journey.	21:05
	And now, O Lord,	21:10
	in giving you thanks,	21:12
	we pray the prayer that our Savior has taught us.	21:14
	Our Father who art in heaven,	21:18
	hallowed be thy name,	21:22
	thy kingdom come, thy will be done	21:24
	on earth as it is in heaven.	21:27
	Give us this day our daily bread,	21:30
	and forgive us our trespasses	21:33
	as we forgive those who trespass against us.	21:36
	And lead us not into temptation,	21:40
	but deliver us from evil,	21:43
	for thine is the kingdom	21:45
	and the power and the glory forever, amen.	21:47
	(upbeat organ music)	21:55
	(choir singing)	22:25
	(upbeat organ music)	24:34
-	And now may the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,	25:09
	the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit	25:13
	be with you now and always, amen.	25:16
	(choir singing)	25:24
	(upbeat organ music)	27:03

Item Info

Title:

Paula E. Gilbert - "Three Invitations - One Response" (June 29, 1986)

Description:

Sermon start time: (Part 1): 30:25. Sermon end time: (Part 2) 03:20.
Christ's call for us to come follow him on the path to Jerusalem marks a turning point in our lives. Like the three potential followers from the Gospel lesson, we are faced with the decision to leave all comforts and societal demands behind and simply follow. Thankfully God has provided us with the sustenance of God's body and blood, God's word, and God's Spirit to nourish us along that difficult road. (Abstract created by Duke Divinity School staff.)
Key quotation: “Precise moments in time, occasions never to be repeated, invitations never to be reissued, these are the turning points of our lives. The call of Christ, the one who walks resolutely toward Jerusalem is personal, direct, and unequivocal. Follow me.”

Permalink:

https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/r4cj8810s

Date:

June 29, 1986

Speaker:

Gilbert, Paula E., 1952-

Biblical Book:

Chapter and Verse:

Subject:

Contributor:

Duke University. Chapel

Identifier:

UA.17.01.0003 CS-0340
ref8200_qk8
uachapelsermaud
duke:320592
dcrau001322
ark:/87924/r4cj8810s
c88d7c81-4000-4afd-87b8-31d4c4717db3

Digital Collection:

Duke Chapel Recordings

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Duke University Chapel recordings

Language:

English

Location:

United States
North Carolina
Durham (N.C.)

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Provenance:

The Duke University Chapel Recordings were transferred to the Duke University Archives beginning in 1970.

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Limited Re-Use

Educational Use Permitted

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